Yet many international marketers choose the wrong WeChat business account, also known as WeChat official accounts. Or worse, they don’t understand the limits and risks until it’s too late. In China, the type of account you open directly affects visibility, trust, and sales.

We work daily with international brands entering the Chinese market. We have opened, managed, and optimized WeChat business accounts across industries, from lead generation to full e-commerce. We know what works, what doesn’t, and why.

In this article, we clearly explain the different WeChat business account types. We show you which one fits your goals, how to avoid common mistakes, and how we help brands turn WeChat into a real growth channel in China.

What are WeChat Official Accounts?

WeChat Official Accounts, also known as WeChat Business Accounts or WeChat public accounts, function similarly to Facebook’s brand pages but are tailored specifically for the Chinese market. Just as you might use a Facebook page to connect with your Western audience, the WeChat Official Accounts platform allows individuals or organizations, including celebrities, influencers, businesses, government entities, and media outlets, to engage with the vast Chinese WeChat user base.

Having a WeChat Business Account serves as an excellent entry point for international brands looking to tap into the Chinese market. Chinese users prefer interacting with authentic accounts, making WeChat official accounts their go-to source for information and product purchases.

With your own WeChat Official Account, you can amass followers, create targeted content, direct traffic to your eCommerce platform, and even send push notifications for your marketing campaigns. The platform offers various features to engage your audience effectively:

1. Broadcast Messaging: Send group messages to your followers.
2. Comment Management: Manage comments on your official account.
3. Analytics: Gain insights into your account’s performance.
4. Direct Messaging: Reach out to Chinese users individually using WeChat’s direct-messaging app.

It’s important to note that not all these features are available for every account type. Therefore, it’s essential to consider your business needs and available resources when selecting the appropriate account type for your brand. In the subsequent sections, we will explore the various account types and determine which one best suits your business requirements.

Why is it Important to Have a WeChat Official Account?

Having a WeChat Official Account is essential for the success of your brand in the market. You might wonder why you need an official account when a regular account seems sufficient. The answer lies in the plethora of marketing tools and the level of trust you can establish with your WeChat official account followers.

Furthermore, you’ll be competing with numerous brands in China that are already leveraging official accounts for their business. To avoid being at a disadvantage, creating a WeChat business account for your brand in China becomes crucial.

WeChat Official Account is an Indispensable Marketing Tool

Official accounts offer your brand an organic channel for growth, given that Chinese users do not have access to platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Through your official account, you can effectively reach your audience.

Bulk messaging is an excellent feature available exclusively to WeChat official accounts, enabling you to broadcast brand updates and engage with a broader audience more efficiently. This feature is particularly advantageous for eCommerce as it allows for a targeted approach to reaching your audience.

Chinese Consumers Prefer Official Accounts for Brand Information

The check badge granted to all official accounts by WeChat reinforces their authenticity, making them the preferred choice for Chinese users seeking real and trustworthy accounts. Official accounts act as substitutes for websites, providing users with crucial information such as contact details, product offerings, brand values, and supporting content like articles, images, and videos.

While official accounts primarily interact with existing followers, they also play a role in attracting new followers and contributing to the overall success of your brand on WeChat. Once users subscribe to your WeChat business account, they will receive notifications for each brand promotion campaign you initiate, further enhancing their engagement with your brand.

Differences Between All the WeChat Accounts

When selecting a WeChat Official Account, various options cater to different organizational needs and availability. As a brand, you can choose from two main types of official accounts: service accounts and subscription accounts. The most suitable choice for your brand will be determined by your organization’s nature and the specific types of accounts available.

What is a Subscription Account on WeChat?

WeChat subscription accounts are ideal for brands that focus on content creation and effective brand communication. Media outlets and magazines, for example, utilize WeChat subscription accounts to keep their followers updated on their latest content. These accounts function as a daily source of content for users, akin to a newspaper or Facebook’s news feed feature.

When users subscribe to your official account, they can find it under the WeChat subscription tab, where it is grouped with other subscription accounts. Unlike service accounts, subscription accounts do not send push notifications for new content postings. Instead, you can publish content once a day, with the option to post up to 6 articles in each publication. These updates will be sent to your followers’ subscription folder without triggering push notifications.

For content-centric brands or small businesses seeking to expand in China, WeChat subscription accounts present an excellent choice. Though they may not have as much visibility as service accounts, subscription accounts offer the advantage of publishing more content for your followers. It’s worth noting that subscription accounts are only available to brands with a Chinese business license.

Who Should You Choose a Wechat Service Account?

WeChat service accounts offer a robust set of features, making them an ideal choice for eCommerce businesses and service-oriented brands. With a service account, you can efficiently manage customer relationships, integrate WeChat APIs, and gather valuable data from your followers.

Verified WeChat service accounts to gain access to advanced features such as WeChat Pay integration and the ability to set up a dedicated WeChat store. These enhancements elevate your WeChat business account’s appeal to customers, making shopping and payments more convenient for your followers.

Additionally, verified service accounts can leverage other advanced APIs like instant customer service, GPS, payments, multiple QR codes per accounts, and HTML pages.

Compared to subscription accounts, WeChat service accounts enjoy higher visibility due to their ability to send push notifications every time you publish content on your wall. They are prominently displayed on your followers’ dashboard, rather than being nestled in a separate folder, leading to more frequent interactions.

However, similar to subscription accounts, service accounts have limitations in their publication frequency. You can only publish four times a month, with six articles allowed in each publication, which is less than what subscription accounts offer.

Additional Types of WeChat Official Accounts

Beyond the well-known service and subscription accounts, which excel in promotion and brand awareness, there are two other notable types: Enterprise Accounts (WeChat Work) and WeChat mini-programs.

WeChat Work primarily serves as a communication tool designed for companies seeking efficient internal communication. As Chinese users were using WeChat for both business and personal purposes, WeChat introduced this distinct service tailored for business-oriented interactions.

On the other hand, WeChat mini-programs are more than just public accounts; they form an entire ecosystem of mini-apps within WeChat. Companies leverage these mini-programs to bolster their brand promotion, share updates, and facilitate sales through in-app stores with the WeChat payment option. For comprehensive insights into WeChat mini-programs, you can explore more detailed information on this topic.

Setting Up a WeChat Business Account: Requirements and Options

Creating a WeChat business account may seem straightforward, but international brands face specific challenges due to certain prerequisites. To register a WeChat official account, you’ll need the following documents:

• Chinese business license
• Chinese ID linked to a WeChat Payment Account

Brands with a Chinese legal entity have an advantage, as they can submit a scanned copy of their Chinese business license, pay a verification fee of RMB 300, and provide a Chinese ID with a WeChat payment account.

For international brands without these documents, there are two alternatives to complete their WeChat official account:

1. Register a local Chinese business license: Some brands can create an overseas WeChat official account using a Chinese commercial license, such as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE). However, this method requires significant investment and time.
2. Use a third-party business license: The most popular option for foreign brands is to use a third-party business license. Although affordable, it comes with limitations, as the account cannot be handled independently, and the third-party name will be associated with the official account.

Another approach is to use your own international business license, but approval is not guaranteed and can take up to 3 months, compared to a week with a Chinese business license. Additionally, the annual registration fee for an overseas WeChat official account is around USD 99, more expensive than the Chinese counterpart.

Considering these differences, it is advisable to find a Chinese business partner or register your business in China to open your WeChat official account. The steps for creating your Official account can be found here.

Engage a Professional Agency to Create Your Accounts and Thrive in China’s Business Landscape

At GMA, we offer comprehensive support for your WeChat journey. From registering and creating your WeChat official account to managing it and devising a successful marketing strategy for entering the Chinese market, we’ve got you covered.

As an international team of 70+ professionals based in Shanghai, we understand the challenges and intricacies of doing business in this unique market. We are eager to learn more about your project and provide the expertise you need.

Get in touch with us now to inquire about WeChat official accounts or any other information you may require. Let’s make your China expansion a resounding success together!

WeChat Moment Ads sit directly inside users’ social feeds. They look native. They feel personal. And in China, that makes them one of the most powerful paid media formats available to brands.

We’ve helped international brands launch and optimize WeChat Moment Ads across multiple industries. From targeting and creatives to budgets and approvals, we work daily inside the Tencent ecosystem and know what actually performs in China.

In this guide, we explain how WeChat Moment Ads really work. You’ll learn formats, targeting options, costs, and best practices—and how we help brands turn WeChat advertising into measurable growth in China.

WeChat Moment Ads: How does it work?

Placed in the discover tab on the main menu, WeChat Moments advertising is easily accessed with one tap. From there, users can choose to view ‘Moments,’ which displays the most recent content shared by contacts.

WeChat Moments works somewhat similarly to Facebook in that brands can place banner ads (can be a photo or video ad formats) directly onto users’ news feeds. Moment ads are implemented on the user’s feed in a very natural way. WeChat users feel as if their friends are sharing these ads when they are actually viewing the sponsored posts in their moments.

WeChat Moments Ads features

WeChat advertising in Moments is set to disappear from the newsfeed only if the users fail to comment, like, or share the related ad six hours after display. For marketers, this feature helps them save money by not paying for ads that are not really liked.

If a user engages with your ad within the six-hour window, there is a high likelihood that friends of the target audience will see the ad. The ads stay active for the next following seven days. It’s a great advertising strategy that the WeChat advertising company created to make WeChat Moments advertising more efficient.

WeChat ad’s useful feature algorithm increases the ad’s reach by functioning on user networks. That means that if one person interacts with a WeChat banner advertising, it’s likely that users’ contacts are going to see the same thing.

A great WeChat Moments feature is that your WeChat banner ads will only be shown to a user once every 48 hours. This helps users to stay interested and engaged for the next ads.

What are the different ways Moments targets users for advertisements?

WeChat users are targeted in the same way as Facebook and Instagram users are targeted. WeChat Moments advertising uses demographic parameters such as:

• Gender
• Age: wide range of targeted ages from teenagers to elderly
• Location: home, work locations travel destinations, visits
• Educational background
• Interests & hobbies depending on in-app activities
• Current relationship status

To create optimized advert results, WeChat has hired data analysts drawn from leading internet companies. That said, clearly, WeChat does a good job of providing high-quality data that defines the users for marketers.

What types of ads can be placed on WeChat Moments?

WeChat moments advertising is simply created by the brand’s Wechat official account profile. The ad allows up to forty characters of description together with a link. This is the basic look of the ad. Then this description is formatted into 3 different types according to the brand’s choice.

Type 1: Post-formatted ads

Looking to target WeChat Moments users without being too obvious? Post-formatted ads are for you. This type of ad matches the size of user-generated Moments and is designed to appear in a user’s feed without disrupting their experience. Video ads can be up to 15 seconds long, and one large photo or a few small photos in the form of WeChat banner ads that match the same size can be used to display a product.

Type 2: Card-formatted ads

Card ads on WeChat Moments are wider than other posts, making them more easily noticeable. They function similarly to banner ads, giving advertisers a special space to advertise on WeChat.

Card-formatted ads can display single or multiple photos as well as 15 seconds video clips.

Type3: Specially formatted ads 

Special format ads are a full advertising package that includes features such as full-frame interactive videos, celebrity presentations, and more. However, this type of banner ad display comes at a high price point. The minimum investment starts from 1 million RMB. Depending on how much is invested, different features will be unlocked.

WeChat advertising – how much should you budget?

WeChat Moments ads are priced using the CPM model, which means brands have to make a payment for each thousand ad impressions.

Depending on the brand’s target market, the competitiveness of the said field, and other advertisement factors, the CPM will be different. The ad type and targeting location are important details to factor that affects the costs as well.

How to make an application for WeChat Moment ads

To begin advertising on WeChat, foreign brands need to first create WeChat official accounts and then contact Tencent ads representatives. However, the application process can be arduous for international brands.

How are WeChat moments ads beneficial to brands?

WeChat Moment’s advertisements provide brands with an opportunity to increase their branding, followers of their official account or WeChat mini-program, traffic to the main page as well as app downloads, and more.

But maybe the most important part is by using WeChat Moments ads, businesses can take advantage of an opportunity to draw traffic from a target group of consumers who are not easy to reach and are usually not receptive to advertising.

Do you plan to expand your business into China? WeChat advertising can be crucial to your brand’s reputation.

Do you need help with WeChat ads? Contact us!

The WeChat ecosystem offers numerous advantages over traditional advertising, having the potential to reach large numbers of WeChat users quickly.

Our team of WeChat marketing experts has the knowledge and experience necessary to create comprehensive WeChat Moments Ad campaigns tailored to your needs. We can also provide you with valuable insights into how to optimize campaigns for higher conversion rates and better ROI.

Here are our WeChat services

With our help, you’ll be able to get better user engagement and leverage WeChat’s network for maximum reach in the Chinese market.

If you’re looking for an effective way to promote your products or services on WeChat, contact us today.

For international brands, these animated graphics are not just fun emojis; they are a high-speed vehicle for brand awareness. In a crowded digital landscape, stickers allow your brand to enter private conversations where traditional ads cannot reach.

At Gentlemen Marketing Agency, we have spent years navigating the unique complexities of the Chinese ecosystem. Our team has successfully launched numerous sticker campaigns, helping global brands translate their identity into a visual language that resonates with local consumers.

In this guide, we will show you exactly how to use stickers as part of your overall WeChat marketing strategy. We’ll share our internal design process, the steps to get approved on the WeChat Creators Market, and our professional tips for driving real engagement.

Key Takeaways

• WeChat stickers are a proven strategy to increase brand awareness and engagement on the platform.
• Brands can tap into the popularity of WeChat stickers by creating clever stickers that carry their message or logo.
• The design process for creating stickers involves steps like creating a character, brainstorming key messages, and drawing the character set.
• To upload stickers to the WeChat Creators Market, you need to sign up for an account, set up a profile, and upload your stickers for review and approval.

What Are WeChat Stickers and Why Use Them for Brand Promotion?

WeChat stickers are a popular form of expression among users of the messaging app, and brands can utilize them as a creative way to promote themselves and engage with Chinese consumers.

A popular form of expression among WeChat users

WeChat users love stickers. These fun images add life to chats. They use them to share feelings, crack jokes, and wish each other well on holidays. It’s a fresh way for Gen Z in China to talk online.

Brands can tap into this craze. With clever stickers that carry their message or logo, they can join the chat and get noticed. In the video below, you can see how the sticker feature works on WeChat:

A creative way for brands to promote themselves

WeChat stickers help brands reach out to Chinese customers. They are fun and get people’s attention fast. Brands can make their own stickers that show what they sell. For example, a shoe company could make a sticker pack for a cool sneaker.

Users share these in chats which makes the brand famous without even trying hard. To do this right, it should not be too clear that you want to sell something with your sticker. Tourists love WeChat stickers too! You can use them to tell people about travel spots or deals on trips.

For more success, brands have another tip: pair up with social media stars! These influencers can talk about your brand’s stickers and gain even more fans for you.

Let’s not forget about ads on WeChat as well. Brands find them very helpful by displaying the WeChat Stickers between messages or posts.

But using WeChat is not just about making sales – it helps keep customers happy too! Use location services along with the stickers for surprise offers like discounts for local stores only found when opening chat windows – a smart way to sprout loyalty programs among users that no one else does.

Design Process for Creating Stickers

The design process for creating stickers involves steps such as creating the character, brainstorming key messages, and drawing the character set.

Creating the character

Start by sketching a character for the sticker. Make it fun and easy to love. It should reflect your brand’s style and message. Once you have a draft, refine it until you’re happy with the result.

The character is more than just a drawing; it will be a symbol of your brand on WeChat.

Brainstorming key messages

When creating WeChat stickers for brand promotion, brainstorming key messages is an essential step. This involves thinking about the main ideas or themes you want to convey through your stickers set.

Consider what messages will resonate with your target audience and align with your brand’s values and goals. You can draw inspiration from popular phrases or slogans associated with your brand, as well as any ongoing marketing campaigns.

By brainstorming key messages, you can ensure that your WeChat stickers effectively communicate your brand’s identity and engage Chinese consumers in a meaningful way.

Below you can see an example of stickers prepared by the US Embassy:

Drawing the character set

To create stickers for brand promotion on WeChat, the first step is to draw a character set. This involves creating and coloring a unique cute character that represents your brand. You can use digital drawing tools like Hulasha Sketch Drawing & Coloring to bring your character to life.

The character set includes different poses and expressions, which make the stickers more interesting and engaging for users. These stickers are lightweight PNG or GIF files that can be shared directly from the keyboard within the WeChat message window.

By designing an appealing and relatable character set, you can capture the attention of Chinese consumers and effectively promote your brand on WeChat.

Application Process for Uploading Stickers to WeChat Creators Market

To upload stickers to the WeChat Creators Market, you will need to sign up for an account, set up a profile, and then upload your stickers for review and approval.

Sign up for an account

To start using WeChat Stickers for brand promotion, you first need to sign up for an account. Whether you’re an individual or a company, you can register for either a personal or a corporate account.

This registration process allows you to access the WeChat Creators Market, where you can upload your stickers and make them available to millions of WeChat users. By signing up, you open the door to great opportunities for promoting your brand and engaging with Chinese consumers on this popular messaging platform.

You can learn more about starting a WeChat Official Account here.

Set up a profile

To upload your stickers to WeChat Creators Market, you’ll need to create a profile. This involves uploading a profile photo and a banner, as well as providing a short description of yourself.

Your profile is an important way for users to learn more about you and your brand, so make sure to choose a clear and professional photo that represents your identity. The banner should be eye-catching and reflect the style or theme of your stickers.

In the short description, you can highlight key information about your brand or explain what makes your stickers unique. Once you have set up your profile, you will be ready to start uploading and promoting your stickers on WeChat!

Upload stickers

To upload stickers to the WeChat Creators Market, you need to follow a straightforward application process. First, sign up for an account on the platform. Then, set up your profile by providing the necessary information about yourself or your brand.

After that, you can upload your sticker designs and submit them for review and approval. It’s important to note that it may take some time before you receive a response about whether your stickers have been accepted or rejected.

By going through this process, you can showcase your brand and engage with Chinese consumers through creative and expressive WeChat stickers.

Apart from WeChat, there are also other social media that use stickers, and they all work in the same way. Here is an example of Pizza Hut stickers on Douyin:

Get approval or rejection

Once you have designed your stickers, the next step is to upload them to the WeChat Creators Market for approval. It’s important to note that not all sticker submissions are approved, so it’s normal if you face rejection.

The application process involves a review of your stickers to ensure that they meet the content restrictions and promotion guidelines set by WeChat. Stickers with clear promotional or advertising content may be rejected.

To navigate this process successfully, refer to the App Store Review Guidelines provided by WeChat for assistance. Remember, even if your stickers don’t directly display logos or brand information on the Sticker Gallery, you can still launch branded stickers on WeChat.

Tips for Successful Brand Promotion with WeChat Stickers

Incorporate branding and key messages in your stickers to effectively promote your brand on WeChat. Collaborate with influencers (KOLs) to expand the reach of your stickers. Utilize WeChat’s advertising options to increase visibility and engagement.

Use stickers as part of a larger marketing strategy for maximum impact.

Incorporate branding and key messages in stickers

To successfully promote your brand using WeChat stickers, it’s important to incorporate your branding and key messages in the stickers themselves. This means that when designing the stickers, you should ensure that they visually represent your brand and its values.

Additionally, make sure that your key messages are conveyed clearly through the content of the stickers. By doing this, you can effectively communicate with Chinese consumers and reinforce your brand identity.

Remember to strike a balance between promoting your products or services and creating engaging content that users will enjoy.

Here is an example of WeChat stickers and gifs created by Louis Vuitton:

Collaborate with influencers (KOLs) to promote stickers

Collaborating with influencers or Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on WeChat is a great way to promote stickers and increase brand visibility. These influencers already have a large following, so by partnering with them, you can reach their audience without having to build your own.

Influencers can endorse your product or service through giveaways, product reviews, and other promotions, which can greatly influence their followers’ purchasing decisions. It’s important to choose influencers who align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience to ensure maximum impact.

By leveraging the power of influencer marketing on WeChat, you can effectively promote your stickers and engage with Chinese consumers in a meaningful way.

Utilize WeChat’s advertising options

WeChat offers various advertising options that can be utilized to effectively promote your brand. With WeChat’s large user base, you have the opportunity to reach a wide audience and increase brand awareness.

You can choose from different strategies based on your budget and objectives in the Chinese market. Whether it’s placing ads in Moments, using targeted banner ads, or running keyword-based search ads, WeChat provides flexible options to suit your needs.

By utilizing WeChat’s advertising options, you can maximize your brand promotion efforts and connect with potential customers on this popular social platform.

Use stickers as part of a larger marketing strategy

To effectively promote your brand on WeChat, it’s important to use stickers as part of a larger marketing strategy. Stickers can be a creative and engaging way to connect with Chinese consumers and spread brand awareness.

However, it’s crucial to find the right balance between branding and promotional content in your stickers. Incorporate key messages that reflect your brand values and personality, while still providing intriguing and entertaining content for users.

Unlock the Power of WeChat Stickers with Gentlemen Marketing Agency

Are you ready to elevate your brand’s presence on China’s largest social platform? Gentlemen Marketing Agency is your expert guide to harnessing the unique power of WeChat stickers for brand promotion.

Why Choose Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

Our deep dive into the WeChat ecosystem sets us apart:

• Cultural Savvy: We design stickers that resonate with your audience, rooted in cultural insights that captivate and engage.
• Creative Excellence: Our creative team crafts visually stunning sticker packs that embody your brand’s identity and message.
• Strategic Distribution: We don’t just create; we strategize the distribution of your stickers to maximize visibility and sharing among WeChat’s billion users.

Our Services

Dive into our tailored services that promise to make your brand stick in the minds of consumers:

• Custom Sticker Creation: Collaborate with us to create custom stickers that tell your brand’s story in a way that’s both fun and memorable.
• Marketing Integration: We seamlessly integrate stickers into your wider marketing strategy to amplify your campaign’s reach and effectiveness.
• Engagement Boosting: Our stickers are designed to encourage user interaction, driving engagement and building a community around your brand.
• Performance Tracking: With our analytics tools, you’ll see just how your stickers are performing and the buzz they’re generating.

When you choose Gentlemen Marketing Agency, you’re tapping into the full potential of WeChat stickers to make a lasting impression. Let’s make your brand go viral in the world of WeChat. Contact us now to start sticking out from the competition!

Wechat’s ecosystem is indeed one of the most complete in terms of services and mini-programs. That’s what makes Wechat marketing so powerful. You will be able to access all kinds of services, from chatting and sharing posts, to ordering and paying for your lunch.

In this article, we are going to focus on another functionality available on Wechat, that is especially appreciated when it comes to advertising and promoting a brand: the Wechat H5 brochure. These brochures offer a highly engaging experience that catches the user’s attention and can easily generate new leads and sales. That’s why they can be a powerful tool for your business in China.

WeChat: A Powerful App for Businesses in China

In order for you to understand the impact and importance of WeChat, you have to know that it is the most popular app in China with more than 1.26 billion users as of 2022. Chinese people are using WeChat for both their personal and professional life.  But the app is much more than a social media for sharing moments with friends, it is also a great and efficient tool to do business.

In almost every kind of business in China, using WeChat is mandatory in order to communicate with your audience and generate leads (keep in mind emailing is not a thing here). In fact, 70% of the Chinese population relies on WeChat features to work and communicate with their clients, colleagues, suppliers, and organize meetings. Thus, it is undeniable that WeChat is a must-have if you want to do business in China.

Having a WeChat H5 brochure will also give you an advantage in many trade shows and exhibitions instead of investing in expensive paper brochures, which most of the time end up in a trash bin.

WeChat for Business: Which account is the best?

If you want to use WeChat in order to do business, you’ll first have to register a WeChat official account. There are three possible types, but when it comes to the best digital marketing strategies, the choice is between a subscription account and a service account. Your choice will depend on a few factors according to your needs in terms of marketing and services.

You also have to take into account that overseas companies can only register for a service official account. For an enterprise and subscription account, you will need to be registered in Mainland China. However, thanks to our experts, we are able to provide you with all these three kinds of accounts. So, if you want more information, do not hesitate to contact us.

WeChat Subscription account

This type of account can be used to do communication, which is sufficient for community management, building a relationship with your consumers, as well as publishing articles.

WeChat Enterprise Account

Also known as ‘WeChat Work’, this type of account is an efficient enterprise-level office management app. First of all, it provides the same communication experience as WeChat. Moreover, it offers various tools and the ability to connect easily with the WeChat ecosystem. It efficiently brings companies, services, and consumers altogether.

WeChat Service Account

For businesses that want to market their services and products in China using WeChat marketing, the service account is the best choice for you as it offers a lot of great functions and tools for your business, such as:

• WeChat Pay
• WeChat Stores
• Instant customer service
• Geo-location services
• 4 publications per month (1-6 articles at once) with push notifications
• WeChat mini-programs (mini-apps within WeChat)
• Voice recognition
• URL shortening
• The possibility to have multiple QR codes per account
• And of course, H5 campaigns

WeChat H5 Brochure: An interactive way to communicate

Following the success of WeChat, one of the latest trends in the constantly evolving world of digital marketing is HTML 5 content, allowing developers to create interactive material for marketing campaigns. This is why we are going to see why H5 pages have become a critically valuable asset in order to have successful advertising campaigns.

What is a WeChat H5 Brochure?

The first thing to know about WeChat H5 Brochures is that H5 does not simply refer to a page made in HTML 5. While the name has roots in this technology, it is used to describe a specific type of interaction as Chinese microsites were supposed to be viewed on mobile phones.

So to put it simply, an H5 page is just a mobile website, mostly a promotion or event site, shared with people in WeChat by official accounts or via WeChat Moments. People are then able to browse through the website with the WeChat in-app browser.

What are the benefits of WeChat H5 brochures?

WeChat H5 pages come with many benefits for any marketer. Besides their unique characteristics to generate and create engaging content, there are a few things that make this tool especially valuable for your business in China.

• H5 pages can be used for a variety of marketing apps such as games, brochures, advertisements, etc. This is the reason why they are typically used to market a specific product or to promote sales and other special events.

• Designed to be highly engaging, they are most of the time interactive, incorporating audio, music, video animations, or mobile shaking triggers. Using animations like sequential animations, animation groups, and time setup allows you to create and play with countless styles.

• WeChat H5 pages also support shake functions and “turn sideways to watch” features that are highly entertaining and can easily engage the user.

• H5 pages often rely heavily on users’ input, which can be a good way to capture leads. In fact, H5 also allows you to collect data on people viewing your campaign. The data can be collected from a variety of channels, such as interactive forums, comments, and surveys.

• H5 pages are faster and less expensive to develop compared to WeChat Mini Programs. Therefore, H5 pages will allow you to start your campaign or launch your product in a relatively short period of time.

How to create a WeChat H5 brochure?

Although we recommend working with professionals on creating the best H5 brochure for your brand, we present a few tips that might give you an idea of the best solutions for this WeChat’ feature;

Custom or Template?

There are two ways you can make H5 pages: Professional Interaction Class (custom) or Template Assembly Class (from template). It can be compared to using professional software like InDesign vs. using software like Canva. Indeed, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages:

• Professional Interaction Class H5 pages are completely customized, highly interactive, and require a high level of skill from the creator. They are therefore more expensive. However, it can be extremely useful to create H5 pages from scratch, to stand out against your competitors with unique content to win your target audience.

• Template Assembly Class H5 pages are based on a pre-built template that is easier to use and faster to make, therefore less expensive. However, you will not be able to customize them as much as you want.

Some of the best H5 Web Page tools

There are lots of H5 web page design tools in the Chinese market. Thanks to these websites, you will be able to access a lot of templates in order for you to create an H5 Brochure for mobile phone use. However, take note that all of these are subscription-based.

MAKA

XIUMI

RABBIT PRE

EQXIU

iH5

RRXIU (人人秀)

Presentation of your company

Before starting your H5 brochure, you should make sure to hire a translator, who will be able to understand the subtleties of Mandarin Chinese. In fact, the first thing your viewers will see is the presentation of your company. Make sure that everything is clear and easy to understand. The key to a good H5 brochure is storytelling and good product display, which will engage your viewers even more.

The content of your WeChat H5 brochure

The content of your H5 brochure is also important. However, some people are tempted to write too much content in it, which can be annoying from a reader’s point of view. The best way to attract your reader’s attention is to have an H5 brochure between 6 to 10 pages. This means that you will have to catch their attention as quickly as possible. You should present your products, add animations, and explain the characteristics of your products, sharing a QR code to your WeChat Store.

The aesthetic of your H5 brochure

Whether you are using a template or designing from scratch, there are important considerations when designing an H5 brochure in order to attract Chinese viewers. Here are some useful tips:

• When marketing to Chinese consumers, you’re competing with a vast amount of competitors that have engaging content and creative campaigns. It is therefore important for you to focus on illustrations, artwork, animations, and pictures. You have to make sure that the one who is going to design the brochure understands both the Chinese aesthetic and your brand’s concept. A powerful H5 brochure is a balance between your brand’s values and Chinese culture and taste.

• The appropriate match of colors is very important. You have to know that in China, red and yellow/gold are considered auspicious while other colors may have negative connotations. For example, white is often associated with death and mourning. Moreover depending on the situation, green can be considered unlucky as it is associated with infidelity, and black to darkness, secrecy, and the unknown.

• Make sure that all Chinese content has been properly translated and localized to ensure that your content will attract the targeted audience and work well in terms of search engine optimization. There is no point investing in a fancy H5 page if the marketing text is poorly translated as it can easily end up in confusing or repelling your audience.

How to attract and engage consumers with a WeChat H5?

Tell a story and invite your readers to take part in it

If you succeed in attracting viewers through their personal experience, they will share your brochure and thus create organic leads and traffic for your brand. H5 campaigns that provide users with a personal and unique experience have a higher chance of success.

Be creative

The more creative your campaign is, the better it will be for your brand! Creativity is indeed the key factor for a successful H5 campaign. Instead of creating a boring advertisement, a creative and interactive campaign will be much more effective to attract potential consumers.

Moreover, China is a tough market to conquer, so you have to be creative in order to stand out among your competitors. Make sure to not bore your audience with a dull page. Study your audience and personalize the H5 brochure for them. The goal is to create an unforgettable user experience.

Be responsive

In order to provide your readers with the best experience possible, you will have to focus on the user’s experience, which is essential for a successful campaign. A simple and easy-to-understand concept will be much more effective. Finally, it is important for you to be able to answer their questions and give them more information if needed.

Examples of H5 Brochures by GMA

Read more on some great H5 campaigns here

Financial Services

F&B

Cosmetics

B2B Services

Our services

As specialists in this field, Gentlemen Marketing Agency’s experts can create an eye-catching H5 e-brochure for your brand. We are the most visible digital agency with more than 70 Chinese and foreign experts in digital marketing.

As a marketing agency, we know all the subtleties of the Chinese market and how to engage an audience. So, contact us to discuss your projects in China and we will help you create an H5 brochure for your Wechat account that will give you more visibility and boost your business.

Here are some of our services for WeChat;

But we offer much more, from market analysis, through web design and branding, to social media marketing strategies tailored for each brand. Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment, we are your trusted China contact in the digital marketing world!

But do you really need a WeChat official account from the get-go?

WeChat dominates China’s digital ecosystem, offering powerful tools for marketing and customer service. But deciding whether to use a personal or official account can shape your brand’s success.

As an agency that’s guided international brands through the Chinese market for over ten years, we’ve seen both strategies in action, and the results they deliver.

We’ll share what works, what doesn’t, and how to use WeChat effectively to grow your presence and trust among Chinese consumers.

Brief Explanation Of WeChat And Its Popularity In China

WeChat, created by Tencent, is essential for 1.25 billion monthly users in China. It has messaging, payment services, and mini-programs, and connects people from different areas.

Businesses use it to engage with their audience and can create Personal or Official WeChat Business Accounts.

Relevance Of WeChat For Businesses In China

WeChat is hugely popular in China, making it a crucial marketing tool for businesses. Brands can use its features to engage with customers and target specific demographics through advertising.

Successful WeChat marketing can increase brand awareness, drive sales, and build customer loyalty.

Personal WeChat Account Vs WeChat Business Account

Personal WeChat accounts offer more flexibility in terms of posting and connecting with customers, while official business accounts provide access to marketing tools and improved brand credibility.

Differences In Features And Capabilities

Personal WeChat accounts are for casual communication, while official WeChat business accounts have features designed specifically for businesses.

These include content creation tools, targeted advertising, and integration with third-party services. There are three types of official business accounts: subscription, service, and enterprise, each catering to different business needs.

For instance, subscription accounts send daily updates, while service accounts offer interactive features like instant responses and personalized solutions for specific industries or use cases.

Advantages And Disadvantages

One of the advantages of using a personal WeChat account for business, it can create a strong connection with customers and foster customer loyalty.

However, there are several disadvantages you should consider, the foremost concern is the lack of professionalism; many potential clients may question the legitimacy of your brand if you operate without an official business presence on the platform.

Privacy issues also arise since you’ll be sharing information from your private life on this same channel – not ideal in maintaining online reputation management.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Using A Personal WeChat Account For Business Use

A personal WeChat account gives businesses the benefit of direct and personal communication with customers while lowering upfront costs.

Benefit: Direct And Personal Communication With Customers

WeChat helps businesses communicate directly with customers, building stronger relationships and fostering loyalty. It allows for timely support and quick response to inquiries, showing care for customers’ needs.

A great example of using WeChat’s direct messaging feature is Lululemon Athletica Inc., which uses its official account as a marketing platform while encouraging store managers to connect with local consumers through personal accounts.

This strategy enables them to build deeper relationships with customers beyond promotional messages sent via an official account.

Benefit: Lower Upfront Costs

Using a personal WeChat account for business saves money on setup and maintenance fees compared to an official account, making it a great option for small businesses with limited budgets. However, there are also drawbacks to consider.

Personal accounts lack some essential features such as access to analytics tools and other marketing options that make paid promotions more effective in reaching larger audiences.

Drawback: Professionalism Concerns

Using a personal WeChat account for business can harm professionalism and brand image by blurring the lines between personal and professional communication, leading to confusion and misunderstandings.

Customers may not take a business seriously when they receive messages from a “personal” account rather than an official company profile.

Furthermore, employees may inadvertently share sensitive company information or personal data with unintended parties.

To avoid these issues, it is recommended that businesses consider to open a Wechat official account for business instead of relying on a personal account for their marketing needs.

It allows you the freedom to separate your private life from work-related issues.

Drawback: Limitations In Scalability And Features

Using a personal WeChat account for business has limited scalability and features compared to official business accounts, which can hinder a company’s ability to expand and grow its online presence.

For example, there are restrictions on the number of contacts that can be added to a personal account, limiting the reach and impact of a business’s social media efforts. Additionally, personal accounts are tied to a mobile number, which can create issues if an employee leaves the company or changes their mobile number.

These limitations can hinder a company’s customer engagement without an official account, making it difficult to showcase products or provide customer service.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Using An Official WeChat Business Account For Business Use

Using an official WeChat business account has benefits like marketing and analytics tools, improved brand visibility, and customer support, but also has drawbacks.

Benefit: Access To Marketing And Analytics Tools

WeChat Business Accounts provide marketing and analytics tools to track follower behavior and demographics. This helps businesses create targeted content and promotions for specific audiences, potentially increasing sales.

For example, a Chinese restaurant can use WeChat’s analytics to see that most followers are young adults who like spicy food.

Additionally, with WeChat’s advertising options, businesses can reach new customers through targeted campaigns based on location, interests, or other factors.

Benefit: Improved Brand Credibility And Visibility

Establish trust and authority with potential customers in China through an official WeChat business account. You’ll be able to improve brand credibility and visibility online.

By partnering with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) who have earned the trust of their followers and can promote your products or services on the WeChat app, giving you exposure to more potential customers and strengthening your reputation within the industry.

Benefit: Ability To Provide Customer Service And Automated Responses

Signing up for a WeChat business account offers the benefit of being able to provide customer service and automated responses that can help businesses engage with their audience effectively.

With instant messaging capabilities, customers can get quick responses to any queries they have while businesses can use chatbots for more complex inquiries.

For example, a beauty brand can use automated messages to answer common questions like shipping info or product details. This frees up staff to handle more specific inquiries, while still providing quick assistance to customers.

Drawback: More Complex To Manage

To manage this type of account can be more complex compared to using a personal WeChat account for business purposes. This is because with official accounts comes to access to many rich features and strengths that brands should consider when choosing the right type and mix of accounts.

For instance, creating a WeChat account involves registering the company and setting up WeChat Pay. Companies must follow laws and provide accurate brand info to avoid legal issues.

Making The Decision For Your Business

When deciding between a personal or official WeChat account for your business, it’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each option and consider factors such as upfront costs, scalability, privacy concerns, and professional image.

Tips For Small Businesses Deciding Between Personal And Official Accounts

Deciding between a personal WeChat account and an official WeChat business account can be overwhelming. To make the right choice, we recommend considering your objectives for using WeChat.

For a personal touch or lower costs, use a personal account, but it has limitations and can violate terms of service.

On the other hand official accounts provide marketing tools and credibility, but have higher setup and maintenance costs.

Strategies For Transitioning From A Personal To An Official Account, If Necessary

To continue growing your business, switch from a personal to an official WeChat account. You can do this gradually by posting updates on both accounts or by offering exclusive content or deals on the official account.

Communicate clearly with customers about the benefits of following your official account, such as marketing tools and better customer service.

We Can Help You To Manage Your Wechat Account!

Based on the analysis and case studies, using a personal WeChat account for business has advantages like a direct communication and lower costs, but it also has drawbacks like privacy concerns and limited features. An official WeChat Business Account offers marketing tools and improved brand credibility but comes with a higher setup cost.

Therefore small businesses should weigh these options carefully before making a decision based on their budgetary constraints or specific needs. It is important to consider potential legal consequences as well as a cultural adaptation when transitioning from personal to official accounts if necessary.

We are a marketing agency based in Shanghai, that helps foreign brands reach out to Chinese consumers.

Thanks to more than ten years of extensive digital marketing and e-commerce work, our Chinese and foreign specialists have the know-how and experience needed for your success in the Chinese market.

We offer various services, such as:

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us with any questions. If you’re interested in entering the Chinese market or are interested in any marketing or e-commerce services, let us know, and we will schedule a free consultation with one of our experts that will learn about your brand and present you with the best solutions for your success.

For international brands, this makes WeChat one of the most powerful gateways into China’s fast-growing e-commerce landscape. But entering this ecosystem isn’t as simple as opening a WeChat store. It requires understanding how cross-border sales, payments, and logistics work within WeChat’s unique ecosystem.

At GMA, we’ve helped hundreds of global brands build and scale their WeChat e-commerce presence. With over 10 years of hands-on experience, we understand what works — and what to avoid — when selling to Chinese consumers.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to launch and grow a WeChat cross-border e-commerce store step by step — from setup to strategy — so you can confidently tap into China’s most connected digital marketplace.

What Is WeChat And How To Use It For Business?

WeChat is a multi-purpose social media and messaging platform developed by Tencent, a Chinese technology company. It was first launched in 2011 and has since become one of the most popular and widely used apps in China, with a user base exceeding 1.2 billion monthly active users.

WeChat offers a comprehensive range of features that go beyond traditional messaging. Users can send text and voice messages, make voice and video calls, share photos and videos, and create group chats. The app also supports various multimedia content, including stickers, animated emojis, and location sharing.

One of WeChat’s distinguishing features is its integrated ecosystem, which combines social networking, messaging, e-commerce, payment services, and more. Users can connect with friends, follow public accounts, and share updates on their personal profiles. WeChat also provides a platform for businesses and organizations to create official accounts and engage with their audience through content sharing, promotions, and customer service.

In addition to its social functionalities, WeChat has evolved into a powerful mobile payment platform through its payment service called WeChat Pay. Users can link their bank accounts or credit cards to WeChat Pay and conveniently make payments for a wide range of services, including online shopping, utilities, transportation, and even offline purchases at brick-and-mortar stores.

WeChat’s influence extends beyond personal communication and transactions. It has become a hub for news, entertainment, gaming, and online communities. The platform offers mini-programs, which are lightweight apps within WeChat that provide various services, such as food delivery, ride-hailing, ticket booking, and more.

How WeChat Stores in Mini-Programs Work?

In China, product research or getting recommendations is often done through social media. Recently, this consumer behavior has been expanded from deciding what to buy, to actually buying directly on social media.

A distinct feature of WeChat, not found in Western equivalents, that allows for this purchasing behavior is the so-called “WeChat Stores”.

Merchants with verified accounts, which have coupled their accounts to WeChat payments platforms, can open an in-app store on WeChat.

In this way, (foreign) businesses can sell their goods to millions of potential WeChat customers directly, without the need to guide them to external platforms. And the customers in turn can utilize the WeChat-integrated online payment systems to pay for their ordered goods.

Wechat shop can be under a mini-program version or the normal website version.

WeChat Mini-programs and HTML5 websites look quite similar, although Mini-programs provide a smoother user experience within WeChat.

Why Are The WeChat Shops So Popular Among Users?

WeChat shops have many features that make the shopping experience of Chinese consumers extremely smooth and convenient:

• WeChat payments: the ability to pay from within WeChat, with one click
• WeChat log-in: users are automatically logged in without having to manually enter their email or password
• Automatic address collection: access the list of addresses that users store in their WeChat account (requires user approval), so users don’t have to fill in addresses again.
• Integration with influencer accounts: Influencers can easily link their posts to WeChat stores or specific product pages, so users can buy products immediately after seeing the endorsement from influencers.
• Social sharing: WeChat stores are easy to be shared with friends through WeChat.
• Re-targeting: you can re-target users based on their WeChat Store behavior with WeChat ads or WeChat messages from your Official Account
• Offline access: users can scan QR codes anywhere and access your Wechat stores with ease.
• Customer service: by having customers buying via your WeChat shop, connected to your WeChat public account, you give them an integrated and intuitive way to speak to your customer service: simply by speaking or writing to the WeChat public account
• Native WeChat coupons: your WeChat shop also enables you to easily send discounts to your customers via a WeChat Official Account. This feature enables you to keep your users updated about the latest promotion and keep them engaged with your brand.

WeChat Cross-Border E-Commerce

Foreign companies without any Chinese business license can create Wechat shops with all of their functions and the Wechat shops are linked to their Official accounts.

Products are shipped directly from abroad or through bonded warehouses (we’ll provide details regarding cross-border logistics in the coming part of this series). WeChat cross-border commerce is gaining traction and we can expect even more services and features to make it easier for foreign brands to sell without the need of entering other cross-border platforms like Tmall Global or JD Worldwide.

Payments are made in RMB by consumers and then transferred to your local bank account in your local currency thanks to WeChat’s overseas payment service.

How to Create a WeChat Official Account as a Foreign Company

Besides individual users’ accounts, WeChat offers a range of choices for businesses to initiate a corporate or public WeChat account.

Currently, companies may choose between three public WeChat accounts:

• WeChat Subscription Account
• WeChat Enterprise Account
• WeChat Service Account

Although we mentioned three types of accounts, the enterprise account is mainly for internal communication, and not for brand promotion. For overseas companies that aim to participate in cross-border e-commerce, Service Accounts are generally the best option due to the fact that they unlock a wider range of features enabling marketing, customer service, and sales via (cross-border) e-commerce.

Service accounts appear directly in WeChat users’ contact lists and are, thus, highly visible branding resources.

A foreign company has 2 options to open a WeChat Official Account:

Borrow the business license from a business partner or use a third-party agent to register an account.

It usually takes 7 business days to register Chinese WeChat official accounts. Note that you will need to verify the account annually in order to access some of the features like WeChat payment or advanced API.

If you choose this option, you will not be able to apply for the normal WeChat payment account since it would get linked with the bank account of the company which provided its Chinese business license.

You can link it with a WeChat cross-border payment account or any Western payment solution like Paypal and Brain Tree.

Companies can also apply for a WeChat account with their foreign business license directly through Tencent.

Note that this is not a standard process, it can take two months to finally get the account.

The company needs to prove to Tencent that it wants to do e-commerce in China. It also needs to provide an existing foreign e-commerce website. Tencent charges a 2,000 USD fee to open this type of account.

Tencent can also open accounts for companies willing to heavily invest in WeChat advertising (above USD 1M per year).

If you don’t want to take care of this process by yourself or don’t know where to start, we are here to help! Contact us so that we can discuss details. Here are some of our WeChat services:

WeChat cross-border payment account

You need to apply for this kind of payment service to sell cross-border via WeChat stores. This payment method doesn’t require you to have a Chinese bank account.

When Chinese shoppers buy goods overseas, they can pay in RMB via WeChat Pay. Your local currency will be converted into RMB based on real-time rates.

Major currencies are included: HKD, USD, GBP, JPY, CAD, AUD, EUR, NZD, KRW, THB, SGD, RUB, DKK, SEK, CHF, and NOK.

WeChat Pay settles each transaction with foreign vendors based on the price in local currency. For unsupported currencies, transactions can be made in US dollars.

T+1 day settlement ensures a fast and safe payment transaction.

How to Create a WeChat Store as a Foreign Company?

The best and most efficient way to create a store is to use 3rd party WeChat store providers in order to open a WeChat store just like Western brands rely on solutions such as Shopify, Salesforce Commerce, or Magento to develop their own stores.

The four most popular 3rd party WeChat e-commerce platforms are Weidman, Youzan, JD.com, and Lewaimai.

Weidian

Weidian is the biggest free platform to create WeChat shops. It enables companies to create stores connected to WeChat via WeChat login, payments, and other WeChat social functions.

Youzan

Youzan is a domestic WeChat store provider with millions of users in China. Pricing ranges from 6,800 RMB (~1,000 USD) to 26,800 RMB (~4,000 USD) per year depending on features and excluding add-ons.

The best thing about this platform is that the design can be customized and it includes lots of menus and music.

JD.com

When it comes to trust and authenticity, the JD WeChat store is no doubt the biggest and most trustworthy platform for customers. But this trustworthy reputation comes with a much higher bar of entry.

Lewaimai

If you are operating a restaurant and want to offer food delivery service, Lewaimai will be a good platform to look into. This platform is specifically designed for a WeChat food delivery service.

Advantages of selling cross-border on WeChat

The biggest advantage of using unique social media applications, such as WeChat, is that companies can both sell to and, engage with their customers or followers on one overarching platform which is deeply embedded into their everyday lives.

Additionally, compared to other platforms, opening a store on WeChat gives brands a lot of creative space to customize the official store look and content to fit the brand image.

Furthermore, customer behavioral data is easily accessible and shared with official account owners (contrary to large platforms like Tmall and JD, which keep the raw data for themselves), thereby creating a high potential for customer relationship management (CRM). This allows companies to manage and analyze detailed customer interactions and data to improve their sales growth.

Finally, WeChat stores allow brands to interact directly with customers and serve them on a more personal, one-on-one level.

However, WeChat stores can be very competitive; and there is no organic traffic, so brands have to market aggressively to drive traffic to their stores.

We Are a WeChat Marketing Agency in China!

We work extensively in the:

• Mini/Micro Site Development
• Ad Campaign Management
• Content Promotion Strategy (Organic)
• WeChat Content Creation & Formatting
• Reporting & Analytics
• HTML5 Content & Account Development

Why You Should Chose Gentlemen Marketing Agency:

1. We are Tencent’s Official Partner
2. We have  10+ years of experience in WeChat Marketing
3. 10 years experience in WeChat E-Commerce
4. 600 projects working with WeChat
5. We have a team of Chinese and foreign experts working on your success in China

We offer cost-effective solutions, optimizing your sales results on Wechat and maximizing ROI. We are a perfect match for small anf big businesses and enterpreneurs interested in selling in the Chinese market.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us to discuss your options on WeChat and the Chinese market!

For international brands, these groups are a real opportunity: they’re communities where real conversations, trust, and sales happen. Understanding how to use them effectively can open powerful new doors in China’s digital ecosystem.

At our agency, we’ve helped global brands with their WeChat Marketing to connect with Chinese consumers for over a decade. From building brand communities to managing social engagement campaigns, we’ve seen firsthand how WeChat Groups can turn casual chats into loyal customer relationships.

In this article, we’ll show you how to use WeChat Groups to grow your brand, engage your audience, and drive measurable results in China.

How are WeChat groups significant for your business?

WeChat is integral for businesses attempting to reach consumers in China as well as increase brand awareness and sales. A key advantage of using WeChat is the high engagement from members; meaning that more people will see your messages.

To begin with, it might be time-consuming to find and join the groups that are related or relevant to your brand’s business in China but it is worth the effort. There are a numberless amount of groups out there that will serve as a great marketing space for you.

Best ways to use WeChat groups for promoting your business

Create your own group

You can set up your own WeChat groups once you’re familiar with how they work. You are the leader, it’s your responsibility to keep the conversations going by posting relevant messages regularly. If you’re not available all the time, you can use schedule options to post messages ahead of time.

Also, start discussions about topics related to your products or industry to get people talking. And finally, don’t forget that you can remove anyone from the group who isn’t using it appropriately or whose presence could damage the brand in some way.

Create exclusive sales for the group

WeChat groups are magic when it comes to connecting with customers. Brands can alert their customers about exclusive discounts, promotions, special deals, or quick sales. Sales associates of the brand send messages to the group. Group member receives this message like receiving a message from a friend. It is indeed more effective than receiving messages from a brand name.

Add influencers to your group

Adding a group member who would influence the other members is a very effective way to increase your brand’s awareness. These influencers will be highly active in the group, promoting the brand by joining discussions and adding new members or simply answering back text messages. These influencers are engaged customers of your brand and are the backbone of any profitable business. You can show your appreciation for their efforts in recruiting new members by sending them a small gift.

Automate your frequently asked questions

Your customers will surely ask you some questions. How about creating an informative introduction for your group members about the things they would like to know? Automating your frequently asked questions will not only save you plenty of time and resources in the long run but also make your brand look more professional.

How do WeChat groups work?

Sending Invitations

To join a WeChat group, you have to be invited by another member of the group. You can’t discover groups independently. One of your contacts or your friends who are already in the group has to add you. For groups with less than 100 people in, you can be invited with a QR code. Or else you have to be invited directly through the app.

The best way to learn about which groups exist is probably just to ask your network of friends and contacts in China, particularly those who live in the same city as you.

Setting the Admins

The person who creates the group automatically becomes its leader. The leader is akin to an administrator, with the power to add and remove members from the chat as they see fit. You can identify who the current group leader is by clicking on group information on the right top of your screen.

Managing the size of the groups

A WeChat group is limited to 500 members. Up to 100 members can be added without restriction, but after that, an invitation must be accepted before the person joins the group. If a group reaches its 100-person limit, then anyone wishing to join must link their bank account to their WeChat if they want to access it. This promotes people using the WeChat wallet for payments and enables businesses bigger opportunities to direct customers to other WeChat shopping channels such as WeChat mini-programs.

Setting sticky on top feature

Using the Sticky on the top option, you can keep the specific group on top of your WeChat app. This is handy to access the group quickly if you are active in it.

Muting Notifications

Setting the mute notifications on, this setting is useful when you end up in a group that is very noisy and sends irrelevant text messages all the time. It can be annoying and distractive. With this setting, you can mute the group without leaving it together.

Saving WeChat group to your contacts list

This setting allows you to add the WeChat group to your contacts list. This can be beneficial for businesses that need to quickly send messages to multiple groups since they’ll be compiled in an easily accessible list.

Using QR codes

You can join groups by scanning their QR code with your phone. This is a quick and easy way to find new groups or promote your own group by sharing and promoting your unique QR code on your space.

Advertise on WeChat with our help

WeChat is a powerful marketing tool for businesses. It allows you to reach out to potential customers who are already using the platform and engage with them in a variety of ways. WeChat advertising can help you promote your brand, products, or services to a wider audience, and it can also be used to drive traffic to your website or online store.

GMA can help you get started with WeChat advertising easily. We have a team of experienced professionals who can assist you with creating and managing your WeChat account, as well as developing and executing your advertising campaign.

Discover how to use WeChat groups for marketing purposes! Contact us today and grow your business in China.

Tencent introduced WeChat Channels to compete with Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.

At GMA, we’ve helped international companies navigate China’s fast-changing digital landscape, from WeChat strategies to Douyin campaigns. We know where brands succeed—and where they often struggle.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what WeChat Channels are, how they work, and how your brand can use them to reach new audiences, build trust, and drive sales in China.

WeChat Overview: The Most Popular Super-App in China

WeChat (chin. 微 信 Weixin) is a social media app that was created in China in 2011. It is a blend of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Users can chat with friends, share photos and videos, and follow celebrities and brands. WeChat has over one billion active users, making it the most popular social media app in the world. It is available in eight different languages. Brands are increasingly using the WeChat ecosystem to reach consumers in China and around the world.

WeChat is the best example of a Chinese phenomenon of super-apps which are mobile applications that are small ecosystems themselves. Those are apps that are so broad in functions and features, that they offer users the opportunity to do everything they need to do on their mobile phones without leaving the app.

WeChat has many features, including; text and voice messages, video calls, video creation tools, WeChat Moments (something similar to Facebook pages), WeChat Payment method, WeChat mini-programs with Wechat Store function, WeChat Wallet with many functions inside, like ordering food, taxis, buying tickets for events and so on.

Douyin: The King of Short Videos in China

Douyin (chin. 抖音) is a Chinese social media platform for short video content. It was first released in September 2016 and now has over 750 million active users. The app is owned by ByteDance, which also owns the popular Chinese news aggregator Toutiao.

Douyin lets users create and share short video high-quality content with filters, music, and animated text. Users can also follow other users or other accounts and see their videos in a dedicated feed. Douyin is known for its user-generated content. Videos on the app are usually shot vertically with quick editing and filters for added effects. Most videos are comedic or lighthearted in nature, and many create content focused on everyday life and trends in China.

Douyin is the most popular short video platform in the world, with 750 million monthly active users. What is important is that this is the platform where you can target young generations, as half of the Douyin population is under 30 years old. The platform’s audience comes from rich 1st and 2nd tier cities in China, which makes it a great e-commerce platform for luxury goods. Its direct competitor is Kuaishou, a very similar brand targeting audiences in smaller cities in China.

Let’s take a look at the WeChat Channels function and examine if it’s a tool that can overtake the most popular short video platform in China.

WeChat Channels: WeChat’s Way to Have a Say in Short Videos Industry

China’s most used messaging app WeChat, managed by Tencent Holdings Ltd., released its newest feature called “WeChat Channels” in early 2020. We are talking about the nightmare of short video apps such as Douyin (Chinese TIKTOK) and Kuaishou. WeChat launched the Channels feature to compete in the short video-sharing market.

WeChat can be used for everything from messaging to booking meals and movie tickets. Adding the WeChat Channels feature threatens the leading position of Byte Dance Inc. (Douyin) which serves 750 million daily active users in China, as well as the Kuaishou video app with 300 million daily users.

How does the WeChat Channel work

The WeChat Channels account allows content creators to share short video content for up to 60 seconds or share up to 9 images (with character limitations) on their WeChat video channel (so-called WeChat Channel). The videos include a description that can include articles from the WeChat Official Account and can give you an easier interaction with WeChat users by being able to insert comments on and like videos, as well as like someone else’s comments on your WeChat account.

The WeChat Channels function also shows you how many of your WeChat friends and WeChat Channel users have liked it.

Allen Zhang (Zhang Xiaolong, Senior Executive Vice President and President of Weixin Group) argues that WeChat Channels, in combination with several other function, would help WeChat to maintain its dominance in the Chinese market and would help to increase the use of the app and attract users.

The WeChat Channels section looks very similar to the one in Douyin; you can discover content posted in the form of horizontal videos with some background music from friends (which is the default tab). In the main menu of the WeChat Channels feed, there are also two other options to select from; the “Following” search function, which displays high-quality content from WeChat Official Accounts you follow, and “Hot” showing WeChat video feed with the most trending video content at the moment.

WeChat users can also search for content under location or hashtag specific content that they want to view. Therefore, they have a possibility to discover other public accounts apart from those they already follow.

WeChat Video Platforms’ integration with other WeChat functions

WeChat Channels is a great marketing tool for both personal account and WeChat official account holders, as it is another feature that can help you increase traffic on the entire WeChat ecosystem. Because it’s within the WeChat app, it’s integrated with all the other functions that you’re either already using or should start using to boost your brand’s awareness. Let’s take a look at some of them;

WeChat Channels can help you reach new customers

Brand’s Official WeChat Channel, if done correctly, can help you reach new followers and then redirect them to your Official WeChat Account, WeChat mini shop, or other Web platform. WeChat is considered a bit closed app in comparison to Weibo or RED, where you can reach your follower base and build trust and brand awareness rather than reach a new audience. But WeChat Channels are an exception because they can help you get new followers, who will find you while scrolling through “Hot” tab on their WeChat Channels dashboard.

Redirecting traffic to your Official WeChat Account

If you go through the corporate verification process and have a verified WeChat Channel account, you will be able to link it with the Brand’s Official Account. With a verified account, you can add any article link or QR code to your WeChat Official Account, inviting WeChat video viewers to follow your Brand’s Official Account. Furthermore, you can post content in WeChat Channels and embed it in WeChat public account articles.

Increasing sales through video feed

WeChat Channels is great for increasing conversion, as people can see your products through videos, which can better present the items than just single photos. You can also work with KOLs and KOCs, which are Chinese influencers, to show your products and introduce your brand to followers of their personal account’s WeChat Channel pages through live broadcast promotion or live streaming (there is a live streaming function built in WeChat Channel panel). They can later redirect traffic to your WeChat Channels accounts or WeChat Official Account.

WeChat Channels work as a bridge to your WeChat Store

As you can put links to articles on your official account, you can do the same when it comes to WeChat Stores in the mini-programs section of WeChat. This function is useful especially when it comes to live streaming, as you can put direct links to the product pages of items you’re broadcasting, which can help in generating direct sales within the platform.

Sharing content in chats

Apart from all the functions mentioned above, WeChat users can also share content with their WeChat friends on WeChat personal account Moments, on their own WeChat Channel, and send it to their friends through individual messages or in group chats. So as you can see, WeChat Channels are an opportunity for brands to get a wider reach of their posts.

Will WeChat Channel Succeed in The Short Video-Sharing Market?

As Tencent realized they were losing ground to Douyin and Kuaishou, they started making it easy to upload and edit content on WeChat Channels, making it more convenient and user-friendly.

“While Tencent’s strategy to retain users and WeChat Channel content makes sense, the company needs to tread carefully, because unrestricted short-video publishing may lead to content that is trashy and low-brow, and often also repetitive and non-differentiated”, said a Bloomberg Analyst.

WeChat Channels feature will try to win back younger users addicted to Douyin and Kuaishou, while also seeking to unlock new ways for clients to place ads and monetize their traffic. WeChat’s social ad business is expected to grow 30% this year, citing diverse offerings for the WeChat instant messaging App.

We must remember how in 2018 WeChat introduced a Snapchat-like video feature to its semi-public moment’s feed, which barely gained traction.

How to Use WeChat Channels Account for Your Company’s Benefit?

WeChat is an incredible place for you to share interesting content about your brand and your products. Use WeChat Channels new feature to boost your brands’ awareness in the Chinese market. Having a WeChat Official Account and uploading short videos or images can give you great awareness using the effort that WeChat is using to boost this new Feature.

With WeChat Channel posts, you can continue to grow your customer loyalty or bring traffic to your customer service by doing short videos of your service or provided products.

Our Agency specializes in the promotion of the WeChat Channel on Social media, Forums, WeChat Groups, or among users. We also communicate with other WeChat Channels to help your WeChat Channels feed to get exposure.

How can I sell my products on WeChat?

As we mentioned before, you can integrate your WeChat Video Channel with WeChat Stores in mini-programs. This feature can be described as a kind of “sub-application”. An app inside another (in this case, WeChat). Mini-programs can, therefore, be compared to “mini-apps” built into WeChat itself. As a result, users will no longer have to use or download new apps because they may already be in WeChat!

The mini-programs concern all types of services: sales, e-commerce, and government services.

Contact Us to Get Started on WeChat

In todays’ China it’s impossible to build brand awareness and trust without having a WeChat account of your brand. It’s the go-to app for 1.26 billion Chinese Internet users, which is basically the whole Internet population of China. Therefore, it’s important to prepare a well-tailored marketing strategy for this platform.

But as you might already understand, WeChat, being a super-app, can be tricky and complicated for someone without experience in the field. Therefore, we offer you a group of experienced specialists with Chinese and Western points of view on the work. Over the years we worked with many companies, helping them with marketing strategies on the Chinese market.

We can help you through corporate verification and setting up an Official Account, and guide you through all WeChat functions, including WeChat Channels and best practices to win the audience there. You can count on us regarding your WeChat mini-store, WeChat Payment system, and so on. We can help you set up and use the in-app Wechat CRM.

It is a great tool to communicate with your followers/customers and can be used as a replacement for a newsletter. Remember, email marketing does not work in China, people don’t read emails.

If you have any questions regarding your own WeChat Channel profile or would like to contact us with any other China-related issue, do not hesitate to leave us a message! We respond within 24 hours.

At GMA, we’ve spent over a decade helping international companies adapt their digital strategies to the Chinese market. We know firsthand why traditional email campaigns fail here—and which channels deliver real results.

In this article, you’ll learn why email marketing doesn’t work in China, discover the best alternatives, and get actionable tips to reach Chinese consumers effectively.

Email Landscape in China

The Chinese email market is completely different from what we know in the West. In the West, email is a preferred form of communication both professional, but also in personal matters. According to statistics, checking email is what 58% of adults do first thing in the morning, and more than 90% do it throughout the day. E-commerce is also dominated by emails and whenever we buy something online, we get an email confirmation and other important information there. 

While almost everyone in the Western world has and uses email on a daily basis, it’s not the rule for Chinese internet users. Statistics reveal that nowadays roughly 5% of Chinese people open their emails. And they most probably do that for a particular purpose – not to see if you have emailed them too or not. So whatever email subject or email design you will offer them, the chances that they will even click to open the message are very low. 

Chinese people don’t use email for professional matters, as they use WeChat for that. They also don’t leave their email addresses to register on various platforms or services because they have their mobile phone numbers and WeChat IDs tightly linked to their identity. An equivalent of marketing emails is also embedded in Wechat. 

So what to do when you want to get through to the Chinese market? How to communicate with your potential customers if not through email marketing? 

QQ – the closest equivalent of traditional emails

If you ever ask a Chinese person for their email address, what you will most likely get in return will be a bunch of numbers with the @qq.com domain at the end. QQ can be seen as some kind of the equivalent of Western email service providers in the Chinese email market. And if you’ll send an email to a Chinese person, if they ever open it, they will do so in QQ, as this is the closest to what we can personal emails. 

QQ is an online messaging and social media platform that allows users to connect with others. It’s one of the most popular platforms in China, with over 800 million monthly active users. QQ offers a variety of features including instant messaging, group chat, voice and video calls, stamp collections, games, and more. You can also use QQ to connect with people from all over the world.

So as you can see, it’s one of the super-apps in China, with far more functions than simple emails. But, if you’re looking for a place to send a promotional email or carry an effective email marketing campaign, there are better platforms to do it. 

How does China make up for email marketing?

A life without WeChat in China is inconceivable. WeChat is the super-app to go to in China and there is also room for email marketing there. 

WeChat marketing is analogous in its function to send promotional emails. While no one opens emails, there are 1.26 billion active monthly users on WeChat which sum up your potential Chinese customers. 61% of WeChat users open it at least 10 times per day. So this is the right tool to target the Chinese market with promotional content. 

WeChat Official Account is the Chinese email marketing tool

To be able to send messages to your audience (as you won’t have a list of email addresses to contact as you do in the West), first, you need to have a WeChat Official Account for your brand to publish original content there.  

The WeChat Official Account is the Chinese equivalent of a brand’s Facebook page or website. It provides businesses with an opportunity for direct communication and content sharing to reach their customer base. It’s a powerful tool for businesses because it allows you to publish shareable content to your followers.

Types of WeChat Official Accounts

There are two types of WeChat Official Accounts that brands can use to communicate with their audience: Service Accounts and Subscription Accounts, both great for revenue-generating emails. 

A subscription account allows sending one push message to your audience per day and up to eight articles per month. But the downside of this account is that it doesn’t allow push notifications and all the messages will show in a special subscription folder in WeChat. And what is important to mention, it’s not one of the options for companies overseas, as it doesn’t support foreign business entities. 

If you’re a foreign company wanting to start a WeChat Official Account, the best option for you is the Service Account. It allows four pushes per month and up to 8 articles for each push. This account provides a function similar to what we know as newsletters, as it enables sending push notifications, so they come to WeChat users as normal messages. They also get a predominant place in the chat feed. 

Remember to verify your account

Although many companies have their official accounts on WeChat, a lot of those accounts are not verified. A verified account is an account that is recognized as the official account of a company. Verification helps Chinese users trust the account and the content that is shared there and therefore, they are more likely to read, share, and engage with the content you publish. 

How to make use of WeChat Official Accounts for marketing?

As we mentioned above, WeChat Official Accounts allow for push notifications, that are sent directly to the followers base in the form of notifications. This function is very similar to sending promotional emails or newsletters to a list of email addresses, which is offered by the majority of email services in the West. 

Data shows, that 8 out of 10 WeChat users check the app to read newsletters of their favorite brands and accounts. Chinese people enjoy looking for information on their own, but they also like it a lot when the right content reaches them on WeChat. In their opinion, only a respected and secure business can use WeChat to reach out to the crowds with a product. So they give due consideration to the information that arrives at them through WeChat.

Focus points for sending newsletters on WeChat:

• Regular posts (try to have a fixed date and time for sending newsletters);
• Up-to-date information;
• High-quality content;
• Diversity;
• Bringing value to the reader.

WeChat allows for special designs of newsletters and there are a lot of functions to choose from in order to make your messages interesting and engaging. Those interactive newsletters now are very popular among Chinese users, so it’s a great chance for foreign companies to reach the Chinese audience within one app.

What is particularly good is that your WeChat account can be linked to your website or WeChat brochure in a mini-program. It also offers a lot of options for customization and has features like auto-reply and WeChat Store. Users can get newsletters from you and check all the information about you there in your account, contact you directly for support or even orders. 

What else can be used instead of email marketing?

To sum up, WeChat gives a lot of opportunities for successful promotions due to the following factors:

• Widest audience accessible;
• Precise targeting;
• Regular promotions;
• Easy to convert the readers into clients.

However, it is always a smart move to combine a few media of reaching out to the consumers. Apart from WeChat, it is highly recommended to use the following social media platforms as well:

Chinese Social Media you can use to communicate with your customers’ database

Weibo

Weibo used to be the most popular platform before WeChat took all the laurels. It still has more than 580 million regular users and still plays a significant role in affecting consumer choices. Weibo is also a good platform to cooperate with Chinese influencers, or KOL (key opinion leaders), for more effective promotions.

Douyin

Douyin, or TikTok, is a short video platform that has conquered an audience of around 750 million users over the past two years. It is used daily and serves as an entertaining content provider. With their hectic lives, Chinese people barely have any time to get away from it all. What they can do is browse Douyin with its versatile videos of a maximum of 50 seconds while they have a few spare minutes to relax a bit.

It is a great idea to make your product pop up in the hands of some popular influencers in their videos once in a while. Influencers are good for promoting a product, while Douyin is good for offering links to your e-stores or making people buy directly from it now, even.

Little Red Book

Little Red Book is another rising power in the world of promotions in the Chinese market. Being more reminiscent of well-known Instagram, it is suitable for promoting female-focused stuff mostly. This social media platform is also efficient when used in cooperation with a KOL who might help you to get maximum leverage from your promotions.

All in all, it is important to remember that it makes no sense to use emails when you approach Chinese. With that being said, when in Rome do as Romans do, or as the Chinese say RùXiāng SuíSú ( 入乡随俗 ). There are many opportunities for foreign companies to do a successful email marketing campaign in China.

Leverage China Email Marketing to Attract Your Potential Customers in the Chinese Market

If you want to reach out to Chinese consumers, learning how China email marketing works on WeChat is the way to go. WeChat newsletters are very popular and they offer a lot of potential for your business. However, it’s important to keep in mind the cultural differences when crafting your content. With careful planning and localization, you can create successful campaigns that resonate with Chinese audiences.

If you’re interested in marketing your products or services and would like to learn more about practices for email marketing in China, contact us to schedule a meeting with our professionals. 

We are China digital marketing agency with more than 70 professionals in marketing on the Chinese market and native copywriters for email marketing actions. We can help you setting WeChat Official Account and verify your business entity there. We can show you how newsletters work on WeChat and show a lot of email template examples that you can use for sending successful emails on WeChat. 

If you need a well-tailored marketing strategy for your brand, don’t hesitate to contact us!

The scale alone makes WeChat a must-use platform for marketers targeting the Chinese market. Wechat has grown beyond messaging to become an all-in-one platform for payments, shopping, news, and more.

At Gentlemen Marketing Agency, we’ve helped hundreds of international brands build their presence on WeChat. With over a decade of hands-on experience, we know what works in its unique ecosystem.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the most important WeChat statistics and user trends of 2025. You’ll gain clear insights to guide your China strategy, backed by real data, not guesswork.

Overview of the WeChat Social Media Platform

As of 2025, WeChat has over 1.4 billion monthly active users. Of course, the numbers stating the number of WeChat users worldwide, place the app in the 6th rank of the most popular apps in the world (right after Facebook – 2.9 billion, Youtube – 2.5 billion, Whatsapp – 2 billion, Instagram – 1.4 billion and Douyin/TikTok).

There are 45 billion messages exchanged daily, which is no surprise, as WeChat ranks as the most popular mobile social media platform in China. 73.7% of internet users access the app frequently.

Chinese people spend over 30% of their time online on WeChat, indicating its ever-increasing popularity. The app is responsible for 34% of the total data traffic in China.

User Base and Demographics

WeChat will exceed 1.5 users globally by the end of 2025

As we stated earlier, WeChat has further solidified its stance as one of the most dominant social media platforms globally, boasting a staggering 1.5 billion users. WeChat usage stats not only showcase the app’s immense popularity but also underscore its ubiquity in the daily lives of its users.

Wechat users belong to all age groups and locations

Diving deeper into the demographics:

Age Distribution

WeChat remains predominantly popular among the younger demographic. Around 22.3% of WeChat users fall within the age group under 24 years. People between 25-30 years old are the smallest group, accounting for 13.7% of WeChat users. Then, there are 22% of people aged 31-40, and 19.2% of people aged 41-50. WeChat also boosts an older audience, with people over 51 years old accounting for 22.7% of total users.

Gender Distribution

The gender split is relatively even on WeChat. In 2023, males account for approximately 52.9% of the user base, while females represent 47.1%. This slight skew towards male users has been consistent over the past few years and reflects the inequity in gender distribution in China.

Geographical Distribution

Unsurprisingly, China remains the powerhouse, with over 2/3 of WeChat’s users residing there. However, there’s been a noticeable expansion in international markets. Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe together now account for around 20% of users, indicating WeChat’s increasing global footprint and its efforts to penetrate non-Chinese markets. WeChat has approximately 19 million daily active users in the US.

WeChat Features Usage

From its origins as a simple messaging app, WeChat has expanded into a vast ecosystem with myriad functionalities. More than 60% of WeChat active users open the app every day, while 83% rely on the app for work purposes.

Most Popular Features Among WeChat Users

• WeChat Moments: Holding its position at the top, WeChat Moments – the social media feed where users can share photos, videos, and updates – continues to be the most frequented feature. An estimated 85% of users actively engage with Moments daily.

• WeChat Pay: With the increasing global adoption of cashless payments, WeChat Pay remains a preferred choice for both online and offline transactions. There are 1.1 billion users making online payments with the use of WeChat Pay.

• Mini-Programs: These sub-applications within WeChat, ranging from e-commerce platforms to games, have experienced a surge in popularity. Roughly 614 million WeChat users enter the WeChat mini-programs sub-platform at least once a day.

• Video Calls & Conferencing: The demand for digital communication tools shows no sign of waning. WeChat’s video communication features are now utilized daily and there are 205 million video messages sent every day.

• Official Accounts: These are platforms for influencers, businesses, and organizations to share content. As of 2023, there are more than 20 million WeChat Official Accounts.

New Features Introduced since 2023

• WeChat Discover: Launched in early 2023, this feature is designed to help users find and connect with local businesses and services based on their preferences and locations.

• Virtual Reality (VR) Chat Rooms: Embracing the VR trend, WeChat introduced immersive chat rooms where users can interact in a 3D virtual space. It’s still in its nascent stages with an adoption rate of 15%, but the buzz around it suggests a promising future.

• Personalized AI News Feed: Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms, this feature curates news and articles tailored to individual users’ preferences.

• WeChat Learn: Targeting the e-learning boom, this feature offers users a platform to access online courses and tutorials.

In a nutshell, the 2023-2025 period has been a year of both reinforcement and innovation for WeChat. While its core features remain steadfast in their popularity, the app’s forays into newer, tech-forward functionalities indicate its commitment to staying ahead of the curve and catering to its ever-diverse user base.

WeChat is Valued at over 60 Billion Dollars as of 2025

In March 2025, WeChat reported a robust revenue of $60 billion, and it’s expected to reach $62 billion by the end of the year. This continuous uptick, despite a maturing core market, underscores WeChat’s ability to effectively monetize its vast array of features and maintain a high level of user engagement.

Major sources of revenue

• Advertising: Remains a dominant source.
• WeChat Pay: Integral to daily transactions, WeChat charges 0.01% fee for every transaction exceeding 100 yuan.
• Mini-Programs: Serving various user needs, and many things can be purchased through them.
• WeChat Moments: Users can purchase stickers for an average price of $0.99 for a set.
• Official Accounts and Subscriptions: Leveraged by brands and influencers, those accounts need to be verified, which costs approximately $45 per account.
• Others (Games, Stickers, Premium Features)

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is $7!

Given WeChat’s broad range of monetization avenues, it’s unsurprising that the platform boasts a healthy ARPU. In 2023, WeChat’s ARPU stood at $7, which is 7x higher than the ARPU of WhatsApp. This metric reaffirms WeChat’s prowess in maximizing value from its vast user base, not just through user growth but also through increased spending and activity per user.

There are Over 20 Million WeChat Official Accounts!

WeChat’s Official Accounts, a bridge connecting organizations, influencers, and brands to their audience, have evolved into powerful communication tools. By offering a platform for regular content publication, similar to a “news feed,” these accounts have allowed brands to directly engage with followers in dynamic ways.

By the end of 2023, WeChat boasted a total of 20 million Official Accounts and around 72% of WeChat users follow WeChat’s official account for news purposes. Another 41% of WeChat Official account users follow them for promotion.

What is interesting is the fact that 57.3 of WeChat users discover new accounts thanks to other Wechat official account owners, who recommend them on their page. It’s also not surprising, given the fact that more than half of the total users follow between 10 and 20 official accounts on this social media app.

News and promotions are two main reasons why people follow Wechat’s official accounts. According to WeChat statistics, 74.2% of users cited news as the primary reason they follow any Official Account, while 41.9% do so for promotions.

34% of WeChat official account owners interviewed admited, that the app helps them cut costs by about 30%. Businesses not only sell products and services through the app, but also purchase them from other companies.

WeChat Moments is The Most Popular Feature of The App

In 2025, WeChat Moments saw an average of 780 million daily active users and 120 million publish updates frequently. The persistent growth, even as the platform matures, showcases Moments’ enduring appeal in users’ daily routines. In fact, WeChat Moments is the most popular feature of this mobile messaging app, and many Chinese smartphone users launch it just to check WeChat Moments.

Types of Content Shared on Moments

• Photos and Videos: Visual content remains king on Moments. Approximately 60% of all posts are either photos or videos, capturing moments from everyday life to grand celebrations.

• Status Updates: Personal reflections, quotes, or simple text-based posts constitute around 25% of the content.

• Shared Articles and Links: Whether it’s a thought-provoking article or an entertaining video, 10% of posts involve sharing external content.

• Check-ins and Location Tags: Documenting visits to restaurants, tourist spots, or events, these make up about 5% of the posts.

More than 61% of WeChat users check Moments every time they open the app, and 76.4% of WeChat users use Moments to share experiences and catch up with their friends’ stories. This is also one of the reasons that advertising in Moments, in comparison to other places like WeChat mini-programs and official accounts is more effective.

WeChat Mini-Programs Statistics

The introduction of WeChat Mini-Programs was nothing short of revolutionary, presenting users with applications within an application. These lightweight, less than 10MB utilities have transformed the WeChat experience, morphing it from a mere messaging platform into an all-encompassing digital universe.

By the end of 2025, WeChat was home to over 4.3 million Mini-Programs, and it’s said that more than 95% of Chinese companies have their own mini-programs within the app.

There are 450 million daily active users and WeChat usage statistics suggest, that one person uses on average 9.8 mini-programs.

Popular Categories of Mini-Programs

• E-commerce Platforms: Dominating the Mini-Program landscape. Users enjoy shopping within WeChat, given the integrated payment and social recommendation features.

1. Local Services: Whether it’s food delivery, taxi booking, or salon reservations, local service utilities make up a big part of WeChat mini-programs. 47% of users find those apps and e-commerce ones more valuable than other apps.
2. Games: WeChat games, known for their social and casual nature, attract male and female users.
3. Utilities (Translation, Weather, Tools): Practical utilities that enhance the daily WeChat experience.
4. Education and Learning: From language tutors to coding classes.
5. Others (Health, Fitness, Travel, etc.): Diverse in nature, those programs are very specific, targetting different user groups.

Over 20% of users spend more than 1000 RMB per month

Chinese people, especially female consumers (accounting for 67% of mini-program users in China) use those mini-apps to purchase various products and services. 32.6% spend less than 200 RMB monthly, and 47.4% spend between 200 and 1000 RMB.

WeChat Pay Registered Over 900 Million Active Users

WeChat Pay is used by 93% of consumers engaging in offline purchases in tier 1 and 2 cities in China. WeChat Pay is China’s second most commonly used digital payment option, boasting 1.133 billion active users as of 2023.

WeChat Pay has a daily transaction volume of over 1 billion. There are more than 200 million Chinese bank cards linked to WeChat Pay.

Thanks to Chinese tourists, that are forcing other countries to adopt this payment method, now it’s available in 25 other countries and regions. More than 70% of mobile internet usage by Chinese tourists in Korea occurred through WeChat.

Data by country further indicates that in 2017, Chinese tourists in Japan used WeChat Pay for 20% of their transactions. 2019 witnessed a significant 76% YoY surge in WeChat’s daily cross-border payments.

Primarily targeting Chinese travelers abroad, WeChat Pay has consistently expanded its collaborations with international merchants. Moreover, since 2015, WeChat Pay has been steadily making inroads into European markets, aligning with the global shift towards cashless transactions.

What The Future Holds For WeChat?

WeChat’s meteoric rise in the past decade, from a simple messaging app to an all-encompassing digital universe, has left many intrigued about its future trajectory. As we stand on the cusp of 2024, let’s delve into the trends shaping WeChat’s roadmap and the predictions for the year ahead.

What’s Next for WeChat Based on Current Trends?

• Deepening Integration of AI and Machine Learning: Leveraging the power of AI, WeChat may further personalize the user experience. From chatbots in Official Accounts to advanced content recommendations in Moments, AI will play a pivotal role in streamlining user interactions.
• Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences: With the global interest in AR and VR, WeChat could integrate these technologies into its Mini-Programs or gaming interfaces, offering users immersive experiences, be it virtual shopping tours or interactive games.
• Sustainable and Green Initiatives: In sync with global eco-consciousness trends, WeChat might introduce features that promote sustainability. This could range from eco-friendly product recommendations in e-commerce Mini-Programs to partnerships with environmental organizations on Official Accounts.
• Health and Wellness Focus: The post-pandemic era has emphasized health and wellness. WeChat could further embed health trackers, telemedicine platforms, and mental well-being resources, capitalizing on this global paradigm shift.

Predicted Growth Areas or Features for 2025-2026

• Expansion of WeChat Pay: With its existing popularity, WeChat Pay is poised for deeper global penetration. 2026 might witness a more robust presence in the European and American markets, giving traditional payment methods a run for their money.
• Enhanced E-commerce Capabilities: Building upon its Mini-Program success, WeChat is likely to incorporate more advanced e-commerce features, possibly augmented shopping experiences or 3D product previews.
• Official Accounts 2.0: The official accounts might undergo a revamp, offering brands more interactive and dynamic tools to engage with their audience, such as real-time polls, AR demos, or virtual try-ons.
• WeChat University: Tapping into the e-learning surge, WeChat could introduce a dedicated platform or Mini-Program for courses, webinars, and workshops, collaborating with top global universities and institutions.

Unlock the Power of WeChat with Gentlemen Marketing Agency

In today’s digitally-driven marketplace, understanding and leveraging platforms like WeChat is crucial, especially for businesses keen on making an impact in the Chinese and broader Asian markets. But where do you start? Enter Gentlemen Marketing Agency, your trusted partner in navigating the intricate landscape of WeChat.

Why Choose Gentlemen Marketing Agency for Your WeChat Initiatives?

1. Deep WeChat Expertise: With more than 10 years of hands-on experience, our team has an intimate understanding of WeChat’s ever-evolving ecosystem. From Moments to Mini-Programs, we know what clicks with the audience.
2. Tailored Marketing Strategies: We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Our approach is bespoke, meticulously crafted to resonate with your brand voice and objectives. Whether you’re a startup or a Fortune 500, we’ve got a strategy for you.
3. Data-Driven Decisions: At Gentlemen Marketing Agency, we let data speak. Using advanced analytics, we fine-tune campaigns in real-time, ensuring maximum ROI for your WeChat marketing investments.
4. Holistic Digital Solutions: Beyond WeChat, we offer an array of digital marketing services. Be it SEO, SEM, or influencer collaborations, our solutions are designed to provide you with a competitive edge.
5. Trusted by Global Brands: Our portfolio boasts collaborations with renowned global brands, a testament to our reliability and results-driven approach.

In the realm of WeChat, where opportunities are as vast as the challenges, having a seasoned ally like Gentlemen Marketing Agency can make all the difference. Together, let’s turn your WeChat aspirations into tangible successes. Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us!

WeChat isn’t just an app—it’s an entire digital ecosystem used by over a billion people every month.

For international brands looking to reach Chinese consumers, understanding how WeChat works is no longer optional. It’s where people chat, shop, pay, and watch videos—all in one place.

With years of experience our Wechat agency helping global brands succeed in China, we’ve seen firsthand how WeChat can drive visibility, engagement, and sales when used strategically.

In this article, you’ll discover how WeChat’s key features—from WeChat Pay to Mini Programs and Channels—can help your brand connect with China’s mobile-first audience.

Key Takeaways

• WeChat, launched in 2011 by Tencent CEO Pony Ma and Allen Zhang, serves over 1.2 billion monthly users as China’s largest mobile app. The platform combines messaging, payments, social media, and mini-programs into one super app.
• WeChat Pay handles daily transactions for 800 million users, surpassing Alipay’s 520 million users. People use it to pay for everything from street food to luxury items through QR code scanning. The system works with both Chinese banks and global credit cards.
• The app’s Mini Programs feature, launched in 2017, has grown to over 580,000 lightweight apps. These programs let users shop, book services, and play games without leaving WeChat. The game “Jump Jump” gained 100 million daily users in just two weeks.
• WeChat Channels, launched in 2020, reached 500 million daily active users by June 2021. The feature lets users share hour-long videos and live streams. It works like TikTok but stays inside WeChat’s ecosystem.
• The platform offers real-time translation services in multiple languages. This helps global businesses reach Chinese customers. The app also includes group chats for up to nine people and voice messaging features that helped it gain early success.

What Is WeChat?

WeChat stands as China’s most popular mobile app, serving over 1.2 billion monthly active users as of January 2022. Tencent CEO Pony Ma started this game-changing platform in October 2010, with Allen Zhang leading the development team.

The app launched on January 21, 2011, as ‘Weixin’ in China, and grew into the world’s largest standalone mobile app by 2018.

WeChat isn’t just an app, it’s the operating system of daily life in China – Allen Zhang, WeChat Founder

This super-app combines messaging, social media, mobile payments, and mini-programs into one platform. Users text friends, make video calls, share moments, pay bills, book travel tickets, and shop online through WeChat.

The app processes millions of QR code payments daily through WeChat Pay, making cash almost obsolete in many Chinese cities. Business owners use official accounts to reach customers, while the translation services break down language barriers for global users.

Key Features of WeChat

WeChat packs more features than a Swiss Army knife, making it China’s go-to super app for daily life. The app combines messaging, payments, social media, and business tools into one powerful platform that serves over a billion users.

Messaging and voice calls

Text messaging sits at the heart of the app’s success. Users send quick texts, share photos, and make voice calls through the platform. The app gained massive popularity after adding voice messaging in May 2011.

This feature helped the app reach 100 million users by 2012. People love the simple tap-and-hold function to record voice messages.

The app offers crystal-clear video calls and group chats for up to nine people at once. I tested these features daily with my team in Shanghai, and the call quality stayed strong even with poor internet.

The 2016 launch of WeChat Out brought a game-changing feature. Users can now call mobile phones and landlines worldwide at low rates. The built-in translation services break down language barriers in real-time chats.

Group messaging lets users create spaces for family, friends, or work teams to connect instantly.

Moments (social sharing)

WeChat Moments acts as a social sharing hub where users post photos, videos, and status updates to their contacts. This feature mirrors Facebook’s newsfeed but offers stronger privacy controls for content visibility.

Users share their daily lives through pictures and short posts, creating a digital scrapbook of memories. A striking 93.5% of Chinese internet users actively engage with WeChat’s social features, making Moments a vital platform for brand visibility.

WeChat Moments transformed social sharing in China by combining privacy with connectivity – Social Media Today

The platform gives brands a direct channel to showcase products through sponsored posts and targeted advertising. Companies can create engaging content through photos, links, and videos that appear naturally in users’ Moments feeds.

The social feed supports both personal and business accounts, letting marketers reach audiences through organic and paid content strategies. Privacy settings allow users to control who sees their posts, from close friends to business contacts.

WeChat Pay and financial services

Money moves fast through WeChat Pay in China. This mobile payment system serves 800 million active users daily, making it bigger than Alipay’s 520 million users. People scan QR codes to pay for everything from street food to luxury items.

The platform handles credit cards, debit cards, and direct bank transfers with ease.

The financial services go beyond simple payments. Users can invest in stocks, buy insurance, and send digital red envelopes filled with money to friends. Since its launch in 2013, the payment system has grown into a complete digital wallet.

The service links smoothly with mini programs for shopping, food delivery, and bill payments. Next, let’s explore how WeChat shapes daily life in China through its social features and communication tools.

Mini Programs

Beyond mobile payments, WeChat offers a game-changing feature called Mini Programs. These small apps live inside WeChat and don’t need separate downloads or installations. Users can access services through a simple scan or search, making life easier for both businesses and customers.

The platform has grown fast since its 2017 launch, with more than 580,000 mini programs running by January 2018.

Mini Programs create huge opportunities for brands to connect with Chinese consumers. Take the game “Jump Jump” as an example. This simple yet addictive mini program grabbed 100 million daily users in just two weeks after launch.

Businesses can build their own mini programs for shopping, booking services, or customer support without forcing users to leave the WeChat ecosystem. The platform supports everything from food delivery to bike rentals, making it a vital tool for marketing teams targeting the Chinese market.

WeChat Channels

Building on WeChat’s Mini Programs success, WeChat Channels offers a fresh take on short-form video content. This feature launched in 2020 and allows users to share videos up to one hour long.

The platform mirrors popular video-sharing apps like TikTok and Douyin but keeps content within the WeChat ecosystem.

WeChat Channels has grown into a social media powerhouse with 500 million daily active users as of June 2021. The platform saw a 79% yearly growth rate, making it a vital tool for brands and marketers.

Users can create live streams, post short videos, and engage with followers through comments and likes. Brands use this space for product demos, behind-the-scenes content, and influencer partnerships.

The direct integration with WeChat Pay makes shopping through video content simple and quick.

Translation services

Beyond WeChat Channels lies another powerful feature that breaks language barriers. WeChat’s translation services help users communicate across different languages in real-time. The app supports English, Spanish, French, and many other languages through its messaging platform.

Users can translate messages instantly during chats or while reading posts.

The translation feature works seamlessly with WeChat’s public accounts and mini-programs. Business owners can reach global audiences by sharing content in multiple languages. The app’s translation tools make cross-border communication simple and direct.

Marketing teams can connect with customers worldwide without hiring separate translators for each language. This saves time and money while expanding market reach.

WeChat in Daily Life in China

WeChat shapes daily life in China as the go-to app for everything from paying street vendors to booking doctor appointments – want to learn more about this super-powered platform?

Communication

Chinese people rely on WeChat messaging app for daily talks with friends and family. The app serves as a central hub for text messaging, voice calls, and video chats. Users send quick voice messages instead of typing long texts.

Group chats make it simple to plan events or share updates with many people at once.

Mobile payments through WeChat Pay have changed how people talk and spend money in China. Friends split dinner bills or send money gifts during holidays right inside their chats. The translation services help break language barriers between Chinese and English speakers.

Social features like Moments let users share photos and life updates with their contacts, making the app feel more personal than basic messaging tools.

Transportation and travel payments

WeChat Pay makes travel in China smooth and simple. Users can book flights, trains, and taxis right from their phones. The mobile payments system works with local transportation cards in major cities.

People tap their phones to pay for subway rides, bus trips, and bike rentals. Street vendors and taxi drivers accept WeChat Pay through QR code scanning.

The app links to both Chinese bank accounts and global credit cards like Visa and Mastercard. This feature helps tourists and business travelers move around China without cash. They can pay for rides, buy train tickets, and rent bikes through the super app.

The cashless transactions happen instantly through the digital wallet. Many transportation services now skip paper tickets completely in favor of WeChat Pay’s mobile system.

E-commerce and shopping

Shopping through WeChat Pay has become a daily routine for 800 million Chinese users. Customers scan QR codes at stores to pay for items, order food delivery, and buy products from online shops.

The mobile payments system makes transactions quick and simple, without the need for cash or cards.

Mini Programs inside the app create a smooth shopping experience for buyers and sellers. Brands can set up digital stores to sell products directly to customers through these lightweight apps.

People browse, compare prices, and make purchases without leaving the platform. The built-in payment system handles transactions safely between merchants and shoppers, making WeChat Pay more popular than Alipay’s 520 million users.

Social networking

WeChat stands as China’s top social networking platform, connecting millions through its Moments feature. Users share their daily lives through posts, photos, and videos with friends and family.

The platform gives people control over who sees their content through smart privacy settings. A striking 93.5% of Chinese internet users picked WeChat as their go-to social app by 2019.

The social features go beyond basic sharing. People join group chats, follow official accounts, and stay updated with their favorite brands. The translation services break down language barriers, making cross-border connections simple.

Mini Programs add extra social value by letting friends play games together or split bills during group activities. The mix of text messaging, voice calls, and video chats creates a complete social package that keeps Chinese users glued to the app.

Enterprise WeChat

Enterprise WeChat works as a powerhouse for business teams who need secure messaging and office tools. Companies use this platform to handle internal chats, share files, and connect with external partners through mini programs and translation services.

Business communication tools

WeChat offers powerful tools for business teams to connect and work together. Teams can share files, hold video calls, and track tasks right inside the app. More than 3 million businesses used WeChat for legal communication by December 2019, showing its strong presence in professional settings.

The platform lets companies create group chats for different departments and projects, making it easy to keep everyone on the same page.

Companies can manage their daily operations through WeChat’s built-in features. Staff members can submit leave requests, share meeting notes, and send instant messages to colleagues.

The app supports voice calls and translation services, which helps global teams work better together. Chinese courts now accept WeChat as an official channel for business litigation, proving its value as a serious business tool.

Integration with office applications

Office tools blend smoothly with WeChat’s business features. Teams can share files, manage projects, and work together in real-time through the platform. The app connects with popular work tools to create a central hub for business tasks.

Staff members access documents, chat about work, and track projects all in one place.

Modern companies need fast, secure ways to handle daily tasks. The platform offers safe file sharing and instant messaging for teams spread across different locations. Business users link their favorite office apps right into WeChat’s system.

This setup makes work flow better and helps teams stay on the same page. Marketing teams will find special value in the next section about WeChat CRM features.

Marketing and Business Opportunities on WeChat

WeChat offers countless ways for brands to connect with Chinese consumers through its built-in marketing tools. Businesses can tap into WeChat’s massive user base through public accounts, mini programs, and social commerce features to boost sales and brand awareness.

Public accounts for brands

Brands can tap into WeChat’s massive user base through official accounts. These accounts work like mini websites inside the app, letting companies share content and connect with customers.

Over 100 million official accounts existed by 2015, showing how popular this feature became for business marketing.

Official accounts come in three main types: service, subscription, and enterprise. Service accounts help brands manage customer relationships and handle tasks like credit card payments.

Subscription accounts focus on regular content sharing, while enterprise accounts target internal business needs. The next big opportunity lies in content marketing through these official channels.

Content Marketing on Wechat

WeChat content marketing offers direct access to over 1.2 billion monthly active users. Marketing managers can create official accounts to share articles, videos, and interactive content with their target audience.

L’Oréal China saw great success through their WeChat campaigns by mixing product information with beauty tips and lifestyle content. The platform supports text, images, short videos, and live streaming features that help brands connect with Chinese consumers in meaningful ways.

Smart marketers use WeChat’s mini programs to boost engagement and sales. These lightweight apps inside WeChat let customers shop, play games, or use services without leaving the platform.

Burberry created an exclusive mini program store that merged social sharing with shopping. Michael Kors used location-based features to drive foot traffic to physical stores through their mini program campaigns.

The platform’s built-in translation services also help global brands reach Chinese audiences in their native language.

Advertising on Wechat

Advertising on WeChat offers multiple options for brands to reach Chinese consumers. Brands can place ads in Moments feeds, official accounts, and Mini Programs to connect with their target audience.

The platform earned $0.9 billion from social media ads in Q2 2017, showing its massive potential for marketers. Companies can use location sharing and translation services to create targeted campaigns that speak directly to local markets.

The platform supports various ad formats including text messaging, video calls, and augmented reality features. Marketers can track campaign performance through built-in analytics tools within official accounts.

Social networking services on WeChat allow brands to build strong relationships with customers through group chats and direct engagement. The mobile payments integration lets businesses create seamless shopping experiences that turn ad views into instant sales.

Mini Program campaigns

Mini Programs sparked a marketing revolution in China’s mobile space since 2017. These lightweight apps inside WeChat created new ways for brands to connect with customers. More than 580,000 Mini Programs launched by January 2018, giving businesses direct access to WeChat’s massive user base.

The game “Jump Jump” proved their power by reaching 100 million daily users in just two weeks.

Mini Program campaigns offer smart solutions for marketing teams to boost sales and engagement. Brands can create virtual stores, loyalty programs, and interactive games without asking users to download separate apps.

The built-in payment system makes shopping smooth and fast. Companies track user behavior and collect data through these programs to improve their marketing strategies.

Wechat H5 Brochures

One of the best tools for WeChat business accounts is the possibility to create a WeChat H5 Brochure. These brochures offer a highly engaging experience that catches the user’s attention and can easily generate new leads and sales.

So, you should consider this way of promotion as part of your marketing strategy. Those brochures can work in the form of mini-websites or catalogs, showcasing your products and brand.

Wechat CRM

WeChat CRM helps businesses build strong bonds with Chinese customers through smart features. Companies can track customer behavior, send targeted messages, and manage support tickets right inside the app.

The platform connects with official accounts to create direct communication channels between brands and buyers. Businesses gain deep insights into customer preferences through WeChat’s data tools.

Smart companies use WeChat’s mini-programs to boost their CRM efforts in China. These tiny apps inside WeChat let brands offer loyalty programs, handle customer service, and process payments smoothly.

The social nature of WeChat makes it perfect for word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. Many global brands now rely on WeChat’s CRM tools to grow their Chinese customer base and keep buyers happy.

Collaborations with influencers

Top brands like Burberry, Michael Kors, and L’Oréal China run successful campaigns through influencer partnerships on WeChat. These brands tap into China’s social media stars to create buzz and drive sales.

Social media influencers share product reviews, style tips, and exclusive deals with their followers through official accounts and mini programs.

Popular influencers mix creative content with direct sales links to boost engagement rates. They post product demos, behind-the-scenes footage, and interactive live streams that let followers shop instantly.

Many brands now build long-term relationships with select influencers rather than one-off promotions. The next section explores how GMA Agency supports companies with WeChat marketing strategies.

GMA Agency can help you with Wechat Marketing

GMA Agency brings expert WeChat marketing solutions to businesses ready to tap into China’s massive 1.3 billion monthly active users. Our team guides companies through WeChat’s official accounts, helping them create strong content marketing strategies and meaningful connections with Chinese consumers.

We handle everything from mini program campaigns to WeChat Pay integration for seamless transactions.

We focus on practical solutions that match your business goals in the Chinese market. Our services cover WeChat CRM, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertising campaigns through the platform’s various channels.

GMA Agency makes marketing on WeChat simple by managing privacy concerns and adapting to platform updates. We build marketing plans that work within WeChat’s specific features while keeping your brand message clear and effective.

At GMA, our Wechat Agency has helped hundreds of international brands navigate WeChat’s unique ecosystem and grow their presence in China.

In this guide, you’ll learn the most effective WeChat marketing strategies—from setting up your Official Account to creating engaging content, using mini-programs, and running successful KOL campaigns.

Quick Summary

• WeChat’s Dominance: With 1.26 billion monthly active users as of 2023, WeChat is China’s most important app, functioning as a super app beyond just messaging.
• WeChat Official Account Registration: Essential for WeChat marketing, offering benefits like attracting potential customers, increasing brand awareness, and building customer loyalty.
• Types of WeChat Official Accounts: Two main types are Service Accounts (greater visibility, limited to four posts per month) and Subscription Accounts (allows more than one push notification per day).
• Content Strategy: High-quality, creative content is crucial. The content should be engaging, visually appealing, and use storytelling. Video posts are particularly effective.
• Membership & VIP Coupons: Effective tools for creating engagement and converting followers into members, allowing for more personalized marketing content.
• WeChat H5 Brochure: A cost-efficient solution for content distribution, offering benefits like easy sharing, interactivity, and cost efficiency.
• WeChat Mini-programs: Essential for brands, allowing the creation of mini websites within WeChat for a complete brand experience.
• WeChat Channels: A feature for creating and posting short-video content, helping brands and influencers reach a wider audience.
• Paid Advertising: Includes WeChat Banner Advertisements, WeChat Moments Advertisements, and Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Promotion, each offering unique ways to increase brand awareness and engagement.
• WeChat CRM & Menu for Official Account: Tools for effective communication with followers/customers, replacing traditional email marketing in China.
• Innovative Campaign Examples: The article highlights successful campaigns like Perfect Diary’s group management and Pandora’s innovative WeChat mini-program campaign.

WeChat Marketing Step 1: Registering a WeChat Official Account

There is no WeChat marketing without a business account, so the first step you need to take is to register a public account on the app. We strongly suggest you use a Wechat Official account. Why?

• Attract potential customers;
• Increase brand awareness;
• Send push notifications to contacts following the page;
• Build customer loyalty;
• Redirect the user to the website/e-commerce page of the company.

Better visibility means better credibility. High-quality creative content is the key to attracting an audience. Through an official account, you not only have greater contact with customers but it is also possible to create real advertising campaigns. Therefore, there are many foreign brands that use Wechat as the main portal for their advertising.

2 Types of WeChat Official Accounts for Wechat Marketing

There are 2 types of accounts on WeChat that are suitable for brands: WeChat service accounts and WeChat subscription accounts.

Service accounts appear in the “chat” section like any contact. As a result, they offer greater visibility than subscription accounts, however, only four posts per month can be published. They are the best option for most brands and the only available account type for foreign companies.

The subscription accounts are grouped in a sort of folder called, precisely, “subscription” visible in the “chat” section of WeChat. Through this type of account, you can send your followers more than one push notification per day.

If you’re interested in starting a WeChat account (whether it’s a WeChat service account or a WeChat subscription account), contact us so that we can assist you through the whole process, as it might be a bit tricky, especially for people that don’t speak Chinese.

What is the best content for WeChat Official Account?

WeChat Official Account works as a website or newsletter, where brands publish content regularly, informing their followers about new products, events, special discounts, or publishing interesting content within their point of interest.

You have to carefully choose what content are you going to use but also calculate what is the optimal time of the day to reach your audience without being disruptive. Consider three elements:

• The tone of voice: how the message is communicated, respecting the characteristics of the brand, and considering the target of users to which it refers (colloquial, smart, formal, …)
• Layout: Chinese users usually don’t like posts that are too rich with text; they prefer articles with many images and videos. Now there are a lot of third-party tools that help you create engaging interactive layouts for your posts on the Wechat platform.
• Graphics: Chinese users like curated and engaging content.

Your content should be useful and consistently good. It appears that video posts are the last trend. They are visual and entertaining. Industry such as fashion and beauty should especially go for it.

In order to optimize your WeChat marketing results, your post should include one of the following “activities”: Delivering e-coupons, issuing a virtual VIP card, sending promotional offer notifications, and using the membership function.

Story-telling on WeChat with the official account publications

Communicating through WeChat requires some tricks so that you attract the right social media users. Posts are compared to what we are used to and appear as a newsletter as if the brands tell their story to the user.

These may contain images, GIFs, or videos and can be “open” or not. “Open” content can be viewed by anyone who wants to see it. Otherwise, the post is “private” and visible only to those who follow the brand on WeChat.

WeChat allows for “one-to-one” communication which makes it a great CRM tool, it would be foolish not to make the best out of it. It’s the best way to increase customer loyalty and relationship management.

Membership & VIP coupons are effective Wechat marketing tools to create engagement

Using WeChat membership functions can help you convert your followers into members. Keep your members interested in loyalty programs. This also allows you to get valuable information. A member can use the geo-localization function to pair up with users by their Wechat ID or phone number.

This is perfect to create more custom marketing content that will reach your audience more efficiently.
There are three typical ways to integrate WeChat into your marketing activities:

• Issuing a virtual VIP card
• Sending promotional offer notifications
• Delivering e-coupons

WeChat Official Account for brand communication purposes

It seems obvious but offering an enjoyable experience to the customer is one of the key elements of your success in China.

With WeChat and its one-to-one communication, you can provide the customer the feeling to be the sole focus, to be important – meaning you care about them.

Make sure to send a greeting message to the new joiner and be proactive. Now, you are not going to answer your followers one by one because Wechat gives you the possibility to set pre-written answers. You can define responses that co-relate to various keywords and there are no limits to the number of keywords. You also have the possibility to use visual and audio content.  If you have a website, let your customer know about it.

WeChat official account Qr codes to promote your brand offline and online

QR codes are an important part of daily life in China and they are an excellent way to get new followers.
Companies that want to increase their number of followers on WeChat associate a QR Code with their existing accounts or sites. This also applies to points of sale or any sales support material used offline. As soon as someone scans the QR Code they become a member of the community and receive all the content shared by the brand.

Brands often invite users to scan QR Codes through promotions, discounts, sweepstakes, souvenirs, or WiFi passes, or they show the QR Code on other social media accounts. If you do the delivery, add your QR code to your packaging.

WeChat automatically creates a QR code for each official account, along with an inbuilt QR code scanner so no worries about it. You can also customize and personalize the QR codes that match your branding perfectly.

Promote your official account with WeChat group marketing

WeChat groups are the fastest and easiest way to distribute content to WeChat users interested in your type of product or service. Then, if your brand is recommended by one of the users, people will have more faith in the brand and will arouse the interest of other users. Therefore, Wechat groups can reach a larger community and have better visibility.

Businesses should consider Wechat groups as a forum where to provide useful information and develop a relationship with their audience. Businesses should then post regularly at peak times.

WeChat H5 Brochure: cost-efficient solution for content distribution

WeChat H5 Brochures are interactive brochures built-in WeChat mini-programs, that serve the purpose of PDFs introducing the brand and its products. They are interactive and highly shareable, making the a perfect marketing tool, especially if you want to work with distributors in China.

WeChat Brochure is good for online and offline because it is easy to send and distribute. It is great for product listing and for company introduction.

The benefits of the WeChat H5 Brochure are:

• Easy to share and lightweight⁠
• Interactive & nice to look at⁠
• Bring your QR code to every salon instead of printing a flyer⁠
• Cost-efficient⁠
• Alternative to your unsuccessful mass mailing with heavy PDF⁠
• Show potential business partners in China that you understand the market⁠

WeChat CRM & Menu for Official Account

Set up and use the in-app Wechat CRM. It is a great tool to communicate with your followers/customers and can be used as a replacement for a newsletter. Remember, email marketing does not work in China, people don’t read emails. With a well-set Wechat CRM, answers automatically any questions your followers may have, welcome new ones, offer special discounts, etc. You don’t spend time doing it, and it increases your trust level with followers.

WeChat Mini-programs

In 2017 Tencent has released “mini-programs”.  A WeChat mini-program is an internal “mini-app” to the WeChat ecosystem. These applications do not need to be downloaded on your smartphone. Nowadays more than 95% of brands use WeChat mini-programs, mainly for a flagship WeChat store or a Wechat H5 brochure mentioned earlier.

It basically enables brands to set up a full mini website to complete their brand experience. Each day about 20 000 mini-programs are uploaded and compete for the attention of more than one billion daily active users on the WeChat app. The interest in mini-programs never ceases to grow.

Here are some tips for your mini-program:

• Aesthetic needs to be top-notch because that is the first thing your potential customer will see and this is how they will decide to click or to leave.
• Think multi-channel. Do you have a physical store? Display your location and draw your online customer directly to you.
• Use the mini-programs as a CRM, and remember that the customer is always first.
• Be social, which is the core of WeChat. Let your customers interact with their friends via your mini-program.
• Entertain your customer, and be smart.  For example, Louis Vuitton launched a mini-game called “Trunk in the Sand” which makes the exhibition at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, which traced the history of the Brand since its foundation, a unique experience.

WeChat Channels

This is a new feature within the WeChat ecosystem that allows users, influencers, and brands to create and post short-video content and distribute them through a media feed. WeChat Channels are an answer to the growing popularity of short-video platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou.

WeChat users can scroll through the feed infinitely to discover what their friends and their favorite brands have posted as well as content from other users, influencers, and public accounts.

From Channels, WeChat users are able to explore content and follow users that are not in their contact and WeChat Official Accounts that they are not following.

Paid advertising on WeChat

Ads campaigns can be great to increase your brand awareness. Get creative to get your target’s attention. For instance invite people to vote, games, and do quizzes. It should be attractive, entertaining, and rewarding. Remember, creative campaigns can always attract followers to your accounts.

There are 3 types of Wechat advertising:

1. WeChat Banner Advertisements
2. WeChat Moments Advertisements
3. Key Opinion Leader(KOL) Promotion

WeChat Campaigns

Banner ads on WeChat are placed in official account articles and are rather classic and comparable to other website ads. The good things are that it has performance-based pricing and it makes it easier for users to enter your website.

WeChat Moments ads allow advertisers to advertise within the Moments section, which is comparable to Facebook’s Newsfeed. It is worth noticing that Wechat Moments advertisement offers an easier and more affordable way to advertise on the app:

• Graphic part: up to 6 images or videos of max 15 seconds;
• Textual part: text to be customized;
• By clicking on photos, videos, or text the user can be redirected to the WeChat mini-program or to the WeChat newsletter;
• Engagement with comments and likes

WeChat KOL promotions

In China, influencers (known as KOL, Key Opinion Leaders) are even more important than in the West. Their relationship with the fans is intimate and direct and the influence they exert on purchasing decisions can be enormous.

For this reason, when you start marketing with WeChat you cannot ignore the collaborations with KOL. Naturally, both the influencers and the content they will convey will be chosen according to the brand identity and the reference community.

Since August 2020 companies that have an official account and a mini-program can use the live streaming function on the platform. Consumers can interact with the host and can receive instant answers and info. Kols and live streaming are a perfect match.

Brands can search KOLs on Wechat or through marketing agencies.

There are two types of campaigns:

• Product Placement: They are the most common way to promote WeChat KOLs. Your product will be featured in an article written by the influencer you are in partnership with.
• Product Reviews: This practice is great for your e-reputation. As many WeChat Kols are experts, they will provide many informative comments to potential customers helping them to make the final decision. These campaigns are often associated with a giveaway to increase engagement and shares.

Examples of great Wechat marketing campaigns

Perfect Diary group management

The “flirting with Xiaowanzi” function developed by the Perfect Diary allows you to add Xiaowanzi as a friend on WeChat. Xiaowanzi is the username of the girl in charge of running Perfect Diary’s official account, as well as the chat group.

Xiaowanzi consists of three Chinese characters: 小 (xiao), 完 (wan), 子 (zi). The middle one “完 (wan)” is the same as the first Chinese character of Perfect Diary’s Chinese name “完美日记”. Therefore, Xiaowanzi is a name that both associates its user to the brand and also appeals to Perfect Diary’s target customers, which are mainly female millennials.

A couple of times a day, Xiaowanzi posts a mini-program link or announces a promotion in the group, and those who are interested can tap the Mini Program to go directly to the item they want to buy (with a discount of course).

The pop-up WeChat group is another one of Perfect Diary’s powerful strategies, which operates like a surprising event.

The pop-up group promotion and live stream take place at night, after the dinner hour, and before bedtime, so the entire time before customers go to sleep can be spent in the happy-shopping-Perfect-Diary Hour. The pop-up group aims to grab only an hour of the customers’ attention on WeChat, increasing the likelihood of a sale.

Pandora: innovative WeChat mini-program campaign

Compared with other companies, Pandora carefully considered the Chinese market, looking in particular at occasions when young Chinese consumers express their love. On the 20th of August 2020 (Qixi festival day), the brand launched a mini-program, E Jian Lian Ai, which allows consumers to send gifts to their WeChat friends. This is the strongest attempt any brand has made at incorporating social aspects into its operations.

From a technical level, it directly engages the Qixi market with new retail ideas. Each year, on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese calendar, the Qixi Festival, or the Double Seventh Festival is celebrated. A holiday almost equivalent to Western Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in China since the time of the Han Dynasty.

Do you need help with your Wechat marketing strategy in China?

Wechat is an app in continuous and rapid evolution. Some of the latest innovations include the addition of a delivery service to the mini-programs, the creation of a score and reward system for customers, and the launch of the so-called WeChat Mini shop. Features that will be implemented in brand strategies in the months and years to come.

It cannot be otherwise in the Chinese market, where everything moves very fast and every day there is amazing news. It is, therefore, necessary to monitor all the new features of the App proposed by Tencent. Only in this way, it can be adequately used for one’s digital strategy in China.

GMA is a marketing agency that helps foreign companies grow their business in China. Get in touch with our Wechat experts to get some insights on your project and learn more about our Wechat Services here.

Our Wechat services include:

We can help you with your whole WeChat marketing strategy, from setting up a WeChat official account to influencer marketing and opening a WeChat Pay account for your store in the app. Don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can learn of your needs and goals in China.