How to Master Private Domain Design: A Step‑by‑Step Blueprint for Product Teams

As public‑traffic costs rise and its growth plateaus, private domains have become a hot topic, prompting many companies and individuals to explore this channel. 58 Recruitment launched several private‑domain initiatives and conducted a dedicated design exploration project, resulting in a private‑domain design handbook to help teams embarking on similar efforts.

Private domain refers to a company’s own traffic pool (e.g., WeChat groups, official accounts, video accounts, mini‑programs), whereas public domain refers to large, shared platforms such as Douyin, Baidu, Taobao, and JD.com. Public traffic is like fishing in the ocean—uncontrollable and costly—while private traffic is like raising fish in a pond, offering controllable, repeatable, and self‑propagating user acquisition.

The three main differences between public and private domains are:

Public traffic is shared, expensive to purchase, and depends on platform allocation; private traffic is owned, cost‑free, and independent of platform distribution.

Public traffic is typically one‑time; private traffic can be reached repeatedly, allowing longer user lifecycles.

Public domain focuses on product discounts to attract users; private domain centers on user relationships, leveraging KOL/KOC influence to drive conversions.

Public traffic often serves as the source for private traffic; companies bring users from public platforms into their private pools for deeper engagement, retention, and low‑cost viral growth.

After understanding private domain, we divide the design into four scenarios and present a comprehensive private‑domain design map.

1. Build Persona – Private‑Domain Brand Design

Private‑domain success hinges on relationships and trust. Establish a brand persona so users know who you are. Three methods to confirm a private‑domain brand name:

Use the product brand name directly when it already has strong recognition.

Combine brand name with business category to clarify sub‑services.

Create an independent private‑domain brand for dedicated private‑domain businesses.

For 58 Local Recruitment, we chose method 2, naming the brand "58 Local Recruitment". Similar naming was applied to 58 Part‑time Blue‑Collar ("58 Part‑time Blue‑Collar") and Ganji Part‑time.

We kept the existing platform logo as the private‑domain avatar and adopted the full‑time business visual symbols. The slogan "Helping you find a job with heart" was also defined.

2. Private‑Domain Brand Extension

After confirming brand information, we extended it through symbols and IP design, illustrated in the following diagram.

3. Full‑Scene Brand Application

We dissected every WeChat touchpoint, inserting brand cues into each scenario.

2. Introduce Traffic – Private‑Domain Acquisition Design

Public traffic feeds private traffic; the first batch of private users usually comes from public acquisition. The acquisition design follows four steps.

1. Confirm Traffic Sources

Public‑to‑private acquisition can be online or offline; most businesses use a mix of methods.

For 58 Local Recruitment, the primary source is the 58 platform itself, supplemented by other channels.

2. Traffic Design Methodology

We propose a four‑step acquisition design applicable to most scenarios.

Using 58 Local Recruitment as an example, we applied this method to design the acquisition entry points.

Step 1: Map User Paths

Draw a user‑flow diagram for each acquisition channel. For 58 Local Recruitment, we identified 14 viable entry points on the platform.

Step 2: Evaluate and Prioritize Entrances

Cross‑functional teams assessed all entrances and selected the top five, focusing on the most impactful floating‑window on the category page.

Step 3: Design Experiments for Core Keywords

Two keyword sets were tested; the combination of a WeChat icon with "Join Job Group" yielded higher activation and lower learning cost for blue‑collar users.

Step 4: Iterate Design Variables Around Keywords

We experimented with dynamic effects on the WeChat icon and copy, achieving a 38% increase in enterprise‑WeChat addition rate and planning further tests.

3. Transaction Conversion – Private‑Domain Conversion Design

Conversion requires a solid product value proposition (e.g., seamless job application). We split conversion design into two steps.

Step 1: Communicate Product/Service Information

Identify key communication scenes; for recruitment, the primary scene is WeChat (groups, 1‑to‑1 chat, official account, video account, Moments). We measured activation rates in WeChat groups.

Step 2: Build a Smooth Purchase/Use Experience

1. Information‑Carrying Pages – Redesign the landing page to clarify structure, add brand cues, and improve usability.

2. Mini‑Program Conversion Pages – Optimize detail pages with clearer layout and higher‑weight information to aid decision‑making.

3. Basic Experience Optimization – Add advantage statements and search functionality to the mini‑program home page, enabling users to find relevant content more easily.

4. Repurchase & Virality – Private‑Domain Operation Design

The goal of operation design is to build a friendly relationship with users, fostering trust, seeding interest, reducing decision cost, and increasing revenue.

We split operation design into three parts:

Content Operation – Produce user‑interest content in WeChat Moments, official accounts, and video accounts. Example shown with a consumer‑goods private domain.

User Operation – Use user personas for targeted activities such as community and membership operations. Example shown with a fashion private domain.

Activity Operation – Run various activities (discounts, engagement, viral) often combined to boost activity and self‑propagation.

The full private‑domain design map—covering brand, acquisition, conversion, and operation—demonstrates end‑to‑end coverage. For the Linyi station of 58 Local Recruitment, the Q3 conversion rate increased by 59% compared with the main site, and per‑user submissions rose by 70%.

Verification of private‑domain design actions requires experimental design with appropriate data metrics. Different scenarios use different key indicators (e.g., activation rate, click‑through, conversion). Examples show how clear versus vague information cards affect activation and overall conversion, and how adding a home‑page jump on detail pages boosted click‑through by 162% and secondary submission conversion by 51%.

Overall, private‑domain design must balance scene‑specific goals with ultimate business objectives when selecting metrics.

Our private‑domain business is still in its early stage; we will continue research and hope this article helps teams working on private‑domain design.

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58 City User Experience Design Center