Traffic is easy to bring in but hard to activate. Webpower creates strategic tools around touchpoints to maintain brand longevity.

Research and Writing by | Nick Sun, Vicky Ma

Edited by | Nick Sun

"The overall uncertainty in the environment presents multiple challenges to the MarTech field: the pandemic has restricted the movement of personnel, and businesses are unable to carry out their operations effectively. In this situation, companies should be even more proactive in their marketing efforts," said Webpower CEO in an interview with the Morketing Research Institute. "Many of these challenges stem from internal organizational structures," they added.

The pandemic has driven the development of cloud-based office products, providing a viable path for corporate promotion: for instance, video conferencing, cloud salons, cloud live streaming, and professional live broadcasts have all given companies a sustainable approach to marketing.

With the diversification of marketing methods, marketing service agencies will face more challenges: Firstly, there are now more areas that require attention. Secondly, live streaming and cloud-based office solutions, which are currently special tools for a special time, will need to be retained as conventional methods in the future. Thirdly, it is essential to emphasize collaboration with emerging platforms. He also shared, "Whether dealing with large clients or small and medium-sized clients, as a service provider, the ability to swiftly understand and meet client needs and quickly—or even proactively—implement marketing touchpoints of client interest is a true test of a service provider's responsiveness. We are committed to being at the forefront at all times."

01

Brand budgets are expected to see an explosive release in the second half of the year.

Brand longevity is receiving increasing attention.

Brand budgets for the second half of the year are not likely to tighten; instead, they are expected to see an explosive release. The budgets that were not utilized in the first half of the year due to the pandemic will be strategically planned for the second half. For brand owners, there will be a strong push to boost sales in the second half of the year, and it is anticipated that the entire period will be bustling with activity.

The MarTech industry, as a steady, long-term expenditure area for enterprises, has been less affected by the pandemic. In the context of limited budgets for advertisers, the upcoming trend will be to make precise investments, aiming to maximize ROI at the lowest possible cost and achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvements.

In recent years, a favorable environment of rapid growth has led to the emergence of many new brands, and brand longevity has become an increasingly important consideration for companies. Maintaining sustained brand competitiveness involves not only leveraging external forces but also honing internal capabilities. In this process, arming marketing automation to a strategic level requires a practical, implementable solution.

02

The MarTech industry in China is still in the exploratory stage.

There is a need for the industry to collaboratively build a friendly data ecosystem.

The MarTech industry in China is still in the stage of gaining market recognition: On one hand, the survival environment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China is filled with uncertainties. Many companies tend to leverage traffic dividends for rapid growth in the early stages, with less focus on refined operations. On the other hand, the fragmented traffic ecosystem in China poses a persistent challenge to the data integration process.

Unlike the relatively stable ecosystem abroad, there are still issues with API integration in various aspects within China. Take SCRM (Social Customer Relationship Management) as an example: in China, SCRM is predominantly led by WeChat, while abroad, there are multiple options like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others. Additionally, due to different social habits, the effectiveness of Email and SMS as marketing tools for secondary marketing is limited in China compared to abroad. However, digitalization is an irreversible mainstream trend and an indispensable marketing frontier. Data flow cannot be easily achieved through a single platform; it requires in-depth cooperation at the API level within the industry to collaboratively build a friendly data ecosystem.

03

Quickly replicate leading demonstration experiences.

Accurately implement differentiated solutions.

Currently, the industry's thinking about MarTech is relatively fixed. However, the core value of MarTech lies in helping enterprises use a set of tools to integrate member data from different touchpoints on a single platform. By leveraging AIPL (Awareness, Interest, Purchase, Loyalty) for phased operations, MarTech enhances the value of data while increasing the engagement between enterprises and their end members.

Behind this core value, not only is technical support necessary, but targeted operational services are also crucial. More and more companies are beginning to prioritize membership marketing services. We hope that even the implementation of a standardized product can come with a relatively more tailored solution. This requires a lot of coordination in terms of operational services and data analysis.

Leading companies' deep and effective application in this field can serve as a benchmark for the industry. In this process, service providers need to possess excellent understanding, rapid replication capabilities, and the ability to integrate teams efficiently. Once the benchmark enterprise's implementation is complete, the experience should be quickly replicated to other companies within the industry and even cross-industry. Providing differentiated services based on the varying needs of enterprise business teams is one of Webpower’s distinguishing features compared to other service providers.

Below is a compilation of some content from this survey:

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What is Webpower's current business positioning in the domestic market?

Webpower CEO: In the early years, we started with email marketing and later transitioned to marketing automation. Actually, throughout this process, we've always focused on touchpoints. For us, wherever the touchpoint channels are, that's where we are. Now that audience touchpoints have become more diversified, what we need to do is effectively consolidate the data sources collected from these various touchpoints, and then create more intelligent and efficient customer journeys.

In the entire marketing loop, we pay more attention to the application of the AIPL membership marketing system. As for the role we play, firstly, we help enterprise clients to efficiently organize large amounts of data, and secondly, we link the marketing chain, ultimately enabling effective interactions with marketing touchpoints. Our core value proposition is to help enterprises solve the "last mile" problem of touchpoints.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What are the differences in needs between B2B and B2C clients in this field?

Webpower CEO: The needs are noticeably different, and we provide tailored marketing solutions for each. For the more well-known B2C businesses, they currently use MarTech to more proactively and effectively manage their broad membership systems. With the penetration of digitalization and the implementation of digital systems within their organizations, their membership data collection systems are relatively complete and more mature compared to B2B enterprises. However, the private domain traffic of brands and the platform-end data are not yet integrated, which is not only a technical issue but also a result of inter-platform competition. Even if the data cannot be fully integrated, brands need to find ways to consolidate it into a single pool for operation. During this process, they must treat members differently based on their source channels and need to conduct differentiated marketing according to each member's personal preferences and interests across multiple dimensions. In this field, our products can help them improve operational efficiency, manage data effectively, plan marketing activities efficiently, and increase the level of intelligence in their marketing efforts.

Compared to B2C enterprises, B2B companies use MarTech in a more traditional manner. Due to the pandemic, offline activities are limited, and B2B enterprises currently have a high dependency on live-streaming models. MarTech can effectively manage the data acquired from live streams and then utilize it for secondary marketing. In this process, the B2B sales team often plays the role of a demander, requesting support from the marketing department, which then works to convert leads. The use of MarTech in this context is not very flexible, indicating that there is significant room for improvement.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What advantages does Webpower have in this business field?

Webpower CEO: Webpower has been deeply rooted in the marketing services industry for many years, having experienced numerous environmental changes. Our first approach is to handle these various changes in the marketing industry with maturity and calmness, maintaining a rational perspective. Additionally, for different types of clients, we effectively balance their short-term needs with their long-term strategies to provide tailored solutions. Throughout this process, our team excels in quickly and efficiently replicating successful methodologies, applying them to other clients across different verticals.

On the product side, Dmartech can handle a variety of automated tasks such as opportunity filtering, lead management and nurturing, and lead re-marketing. It supports internal permission control and collaboration for enterprises, significantly reducing human labor and online communication time, thereby enhancing inter-departmental collaboration efficiency. The ultimate goal for today's marketers is to perfectly combine MarTech with SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) environments. Dmartech has become increasingly mature through time and experience. Proven over time, our product is highly flexible, allowing for various personalized use cases and approaches.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: How do you view the current state and development trends of the SCRM market? How are customer needs evolving in this area?

Webpower CEO: SCRM remains a highly practical marketing technology tool that generates significant business value in recent years. For small and even micro-enterprises, SCRM can quickly reduce costs and increase efficiency by consolidating private domain traffic, making it the preferred solution for building marketing technology capabilities. There is still vast potential for future development. Unlike abroad, where multiple platforms are used, WeChat serves as the main battlefield for SCRM in China. Almost all enterprises use WeChat official accounts, mini-programs, H5 pages, and other tools to attract, nurture, and convert users.

Currently, the refined operation of private domain traffic is being placed in a very important position, and as a result, the market demand for SCRM marketing technology remains strong. After introducing traffic from public domains, many enterprises are pondering how to retain this traffic, identify key conversion points for users, and automate and intelligently manage conversions. Webpower leverages the combined power of "SCRM + Marketing Automation" to engage deeply with clients' actual business operations, achieving personalized and refined membership operations. The ability to maximize the value extraction from members will be the decisive factor in future marketing success.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What is the current market size of this field in China? How should brand owners evaluate service providers when selecting them?

Webpower CEO: Compared to overseas markets, there is still significant room for growth in China. Many emerging tech companies are entering the market, hoping to gain a share. Due to the differences between China's mainstream social media and those abroad, platforms like short video apps have great potential. New social platforms such as Zhihu, Bilibili (B站), Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), and Hupu are rapidly gaining mainstream attention. The impact of the pandemic has led to a surge in online micro-mall mini-programs and the rise of live-streaming e-commerce, all of which create new situational and technological innovation demands for SCRM.

The core of evaluating service providers in this field is to assess their reputation, business compatibility, and their vision for development. I believe that having aligned values is extremely important, especially in the current environment. A sustained service relationship is crucial for longevity and stability.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What urgent issues does Webpower need to address in the course of business operations? How has the pandemic impacted the company this year, and how have you adjusted?

Webpower CEO: In the face of an ever-changing market environment, the entire team needs to embrace change and adapt to challenges. Internally, we need to accelerate our work pace, enhance efficiency, and make our decision-making process more agile. Externally, we must address the evolving needs of our clients, continually deliver value, improve our professional skills, and provide excellent service. Deepening our level of service and maintaining strong client relationships is also crucial.

The outbreak of the pandemic is inevitably accelerating the digital transformation process for enterprises of all sizes. Currently, the traffic dividend is nearly exhausted, and all companies have come to the consensus that uncovering more value from existing users is crucial. The concept of private domain traffic has already gained significant traction. In addition, the Generation Z, who are characterized by their individuality, innovation, and creativity, have become the main consumers. They have higher expectations for their shopping experiences compared to older generations. As a result, more and more companies are emphasizing membership marketing services to provide differentiated and precise offerings. The increased focus on membership marketing services leads to a deeper integration of technology and business models, further driving enterprises towards digital transformation.

In response to such industry impacts, Webpower has developed new thinking. Different industries have distinct challenges, and we offer customized solutions for major industry sectors such as retail, industrial manufacturing, software services, tourism, and exhibitions. We do not get caught up in conceptual planning but focus on practical, actionable solutions. We concentrate on the unique characteristics of each industry, working closely with clients to plan the most realistic and applicable operational strategies, thereby maximizing their effectiveness.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: What are the future plans?

Webpower CEO: As a technology service-oriented company, we reinvest a significant portion of our revenue into research and development every year, maintaining a considerable proportion. In terms of our operational approach, we focus on sustainable development: we do not aim for high short-term profits but prioritize continuously maintaining our innovative capabilities. We rely on our core marketing automation products and continuously update and iterate our technology.

In this process, we will also simplify some of our best features to create versions with lower usage thresholds to better serve small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, we are continuously exploring ways to standardize our service experiences, creating visualized and informatized templates to share with our clients, demonstrating that we are a thoughtful service provider. We hope to distill more typical industry cases in the future to inspire the industry and help more people enhance their understanding of and engagement with MarTech-related products.

Sun Peng, Morketing Research Institute: Which technologies are likely to have a significant impact on the MarTech product field in the future?

Webpower CEO: In this field, the most significant impact in the near term is unlikely to come from breakthroughs in technology itself but rather from innovations in the application of existing technologies. As a MarTech service provider, I believe that advertisers currently do not have a strong demand for emerging technologies but remain optimistic about the future. For instance, 5G has the potential to revolutionize AI content creation by overcoming format limitations and genuinely achieving personalized experiences, thereby reducing the costs for enterprises in procuring licensed materials. It can enhance computational power and network speed, making AR/VR marketing more widespread and capable of capturing consumer attention through greater engagement, interactivity, and immersion. As cloud computing becomes more widely adopted by enterprises, 5G can facilitate "consumer-process-level" data transmission, constructing more precise consumer profiles and offering smarter retail experiences. Personally, I think the application of technologies like 5G will naturally become more active once the foundational infrastructure is relatively mature. Currently, we are mostly in the phase of innovative exploration.

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