“Compared to last year, mobile Internet in this year is characterized by much stronger user growth and bigger market. It has matured into a totally new market now.” Chen Hua, creator of overnight sensational Changba, said during a panel discussion on mobile Internet monetization held last weekend by Entrepreneur China, also known as Chuangyebang.
Chinese mobile Internet Trends
Chen’s claim was echoed by Jin Li as the weather app maker said he witnessed quick growth of Moji Weather’s user base. He also mentioned that the company tried to push the product to overseas market in vain. Lessons? Start out with more research before dipping toes into a strange land, he lecture.
Life service search Aibang.com CEO Liu Jian’guo put that LBS and O2O attracted much attention. He also advised mobile startups to pay more attention to these two points: 1) leveraging on mobile phone’s unique feature, like LBS and 2) sharpening your idea to scratch the real itches for users.
On the other hand, Wang Jialiang, founder and CEO of Touchpal mobile input method, predicted that many companies might have problem surviving next year.
How to monetize the Traffic
When the topic came to how to monetize mobile traffic, an unsolved problem hung over every mobile startup’s head, the answers were varied and interesting.
Changba founder Chen Hua said the app would add Karaoke audition feature and cash in on its grassroots superstars.
Foodie app ShiShenYaoYao co-founder Chen Chaoren thought it’s almost impossible to generate revenue in dining area anytime soon. But they got started cooperating with restaurants, food deliver services and group buying sites.
Chen Ziming, VP of Mobile price comparison service WoChaCha said that its advertising revenue accounted for 14% of the total revenue. Mobile shopping platforms was penetrating into everyday life. He exemplified the 5% (RMB940 million) of the total transaction on Singles’ Day which was done by Taobao’ mobile clients.
While others were looking to turn profit on end users, Moji has a different story here. As a tool app, according to Jin Li, Moji Weather’s first step towards monetization was to profit within the app ecosystem. They partnered with Umeng who had a cross promotion platform, and made the first penny by promoting other applications. Besides, they also collaborated with brand advertising.
Liu Jianguo of Aibang.com shared his mindset saying that the company would monetize by providing merchants a mobile client dubbed ‘QuanWangGong’ along with marketing and reputation management solution.
TouchPal’s Wang Jialiang, on the other hand, pointed out that mobile monetization wasn’t in shape yet. They set foot aboard and was still on the look out for new business models that match their offerings.
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