Wen 丨 Xu Tao Source丨 Curiosity Daily
This month, when brands run ads in Toutiao, they can use the two platforms of "Jihe" and "Xingtu" to find KOLs to shoot video ads on video platforms such as Douyin and Volcano Video.
The platform is an advertising service platform under Toutiao Advertising Creative Center, which helps brand owners connect with KOLs on Douyin to create advertising content.
After the advertising video is created, the brand will run it through Toutiao's advertising system. Somewhat similar to Didi Chuxing's scheduling system.
Brands publish video production needs (i.e. advertising orders) on the platform, and production companies such as MCN, an Internet celebrity incubator, undertake advertising production and receive a share.
Slightly different from previous ads, brands need to top up the platform separately after opening an advertising account. In addition to sending orders on the platform, brands can filter video ads produced by specific KOLs by viewing their profiles.
What is known is that the platform sets the production cost of 4 video ads according to the video format. Video formats are divided into four categories: product display, product review, and single/double sitcom. Depending on the video format, the cost of ad creation and the video ad creation cycle are also different. For example, the minimum production cost is 500 yuan/order and the highest is 2500 yuan/order.
However, there are still many specific details that are uncertain, including how to meet the needs of brand owners, the proportion of Douyin and MCN institutions, and the number of production companies currently stationed on the platform.
In order to promote the platform, Douyin has launched short-term preferential policies, including that after the production of advertising videos, the advertising budget consumption reaches a certain level, and the platform can waive or reduce production costs, and this preferential policy ends on August 31.
In addition to the machine platform launched at the beginning of this year, Toutiao also launched another similar scheduling system - the line chart platform on the 20th of this month. It also helps brands connect with MCN agencies and KOLs that Toutiao cooperates with to produce video content. The first batch of MCN institutions to settle in the Star Map platform is 20.
Erka Media is one of the first MCN organizations to enter the Star Map platform. Erka Media has previously signed a contract with Douyin. Su Xin, co-founder of Erka Media, told reporters that today's headlines will evaluate the number of accounts, fans, monthly broadcasts, broadcast effects and other data of MCN institutions, and then invite MCN institutions to settle in. Today's headlines invite Erka Media to settle in. Joined the Star Map platform at the end of June and the beginning of July.
Today's headlines told reporters that the Star Map platform will display the number of KOL fans, orders received, average video views and other relevant information for brands to evaluate and select KOLs before releasing demand.
However, when entering the star map, Erka Media did not know the proportion of advertising revenue.
When connecting with brand owners, Su Xin said that the Star Map platform is responsible for meeting the needs of brand owners through the four newly introduced service providers and the operation of the platform. But he doesn't know the specific features of the service provider.
However, the Star Map platform is a bit more restrictive than mechanized. It requires brands to only publish advertising video production needs through Star Map, and KOLs can only accept orders through the platform, otherwise the ads will be removed.
According to the notice of Douyin's public account "Douyin Star Explorer", the previously implemented advertising reporting system has been abolished, and the release and acceptance of advertising video requirements have all been transferred to the Star Map platform.
Image from: 36 Krypton
Before Toutiao's machine combination and travel chart platform, Sina Weibo and Kuaishou already had similar advertising systems, such as Sina Weibo's micro-tasks.
However, what is uncertain is that the difference between the two advertising content production platforms may be mainly due to the different scope of KOLs.
Meihe may mainly cover KOLs on Douyin, and the line graph may cover more widely than Meihe. Toutiao Anhui agent said that Star Map is a product of Toutiao's all-platform KOLs.
This type of ad scheduling system is essentially a way to control platform KOLs (i.e. providers of advertising content) and brand owners, preventing KOLs from privately contacting brands and producing advertising content.
Toutiao imposed restrictions on the production of advertising content through these two platforms, while Sina Weibo implemented microtasks. If a KOL on Sina Weibo does not receive advertising orders through microtasks and privately undertake and publish advertisements, the Weibo posted by his account will not be accessible to other users for a period of time.
For Douyin, which Toutiao sees as an important source of revenue for the future, this may mean a new partnership between Douyin and MCN institutions. Previously, it was reported that today's headlines set revenue of 45 billion in 2018, and Douyin is expected to contribute a quarter.
Initially, Douyin wanted more platforms to sign directly with KOLs to give them control over the production of advertising content. However, MCN's entry into the Douyin platform has caused conflicts between the platform and the MCN organization.
The problem is that when MCN agencies previously worked with brands to create advertising content and embed product or service information for them, Douyin actually had little control over MCN agencies' advertising business.
In June this year, it was reported that Douyin had a rigid relationship with the MCN institution. Douyin has suspended MCN registration applications, allowing MCN agencies to sign up with KOLs with no more than 5,000 followers. Restrictions have begun to ease. In early July, Douyin launched Open MCN certification, allowing MCNs to sign up more KOLs.
The current platform means that Toutiao hopes to make more efficient use of this part of the advertising content suppliers, which will also help win brands and increase advertising revenue.
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