How WeChat fights fake news with artificial intelligence?

January 2, 2018

In this era where social media rules everything, the creators of the all these platforms are constantly battling with the circling of fake news. This problem of fake news has drastically increased over the past few months with the increase of number of users in these platforms.

 

And it is no surprise that China’s tech giant Tencent is also facing this problem. Tencent’s signature application, WeChat, has around 1 billion users and it weeds out around 15 fake stories per second which makes it 1,000 stories per minute. This alarming rate of the fake news has alerted the developers of the platform to build strong softwares or utilize third party apps that can help find the fake articles and remove them instantly.

 

Tencent uses third-party fact checkers to help them eliminate the fake articles and information. They work with over 1,300 experts and institutions to fight the spread of fake information across all its major platforms including WeChat. Around 800 authorised third-party organisations have helped Tencent to shut down 180,000 accounts that published fake news on WeChat.

 

Additionally, the tech giant also uses another tool called WeSeer that enables them to monitor and keep an eye on the authenticity of content. It is a powerful software that can that can predict which articles are likely to go viral in the next hour, locate the key accounts driving the spread of information, identify stories of interest and break down readership by different segments, e.g., location, age and community. It has also launched a mini-app in WeChat to help users identify the authenticity of information circulating on the platform.

 

The company strongly believes that by making their AI more smart and  more efficient in identifying and digesting information, it will prove to be a stronger method to eliminate the hoax articles and news.

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WeChat becomes Macau’s favorite APP

December 28, 2017

We’re all aware of how WeChat is one of the leading applications in China. The popularity of this app knows no bounds and now it has slowly started to make its way to other places.

 

Based on a recent survey conducted by Macau University of Science and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University,  Communication Association of Macau and the Macau Creative Intelligence Development and Research Association, WeChat has become Macau’s most used new media application!

 

The survey set out to get the feedback of over 1,000 Macau residents in October and November. Out of the residents surveyed, around 72% of residents were regular users of WeChat in comparison to other popular social media apps like Facebook and Weibo. Around 52% of the people in the survey use Facebook.

Among the people surveyed, 90% of the users in new media are under the age of 50.

More than one third of the interviewees spend an average of one hour daily checking and using WeChat. Whereas, 19% and 12% of interviewees spend more than 3 hours and 2 hours on the app respectively.

Irrespective of the type of job and income level ,approximately 70 percent of people use WeChat the most out of any other application.

With these statistics, WeChat is definitely on the right path to becoming a popular app in different countries.

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WeChat seduces Hong Kong taxi drivers

December 19, 2017

WeChat and Alipay have once again stepped up their game by providing cashless payments for the taxi drivers in Hong Kong. The 40,000 strong taxi industry was an untapped audience for the cashless payments giant, Octopus. WeChat and Alipay are investing heavily in marketing campaigns after realizing the potential of the market.

 

The cabbies in Hong Kong have earlier been known to rely strictly only on cash as their primary method of payment.  But of late, they have started embracing alternative payment methods to attract more customers. Afterall, this is the era of digital innovations and breakthroughs! This provides a huge market for WeChat and Alipay, especially when the drivers are unhappy with the administrative charges levied by Octopus for their cashless payment service.

 

WeChat Pay has even advertised on a couple of taxis to create awareness and to encourage more cabbies to adopt their e-payment service. On the other hand, Alipay aims to encourage mainland tourists to adopt their payment method. This is perfect because, the city is witnessing a large number of tourist populations and solo travellers and an increasing demand for easy transportation and payment methods.

 

So far, almost 1,000 taxis have signed up for WeChat HK while 1,500 taxis have signed up for Alipay.

 

With the e-payment race gaining momentum, who do you think will emerge as the king of cashless payments in the taxi industry? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Travelling just became easy – WeChat Introduces CityExperience Mini Program

December 15, 2017

We all know WeChat as one of the greatest Chinese apps that is constantly trying to innovate and provide solutions to the user from the comfort of their smartphone, and now, they’ve just come up another solution to make travelling a piece of cake!

 

WeChat has partnered up with Tourism Australia, VisitBritain and Dubai Tourism to provide a hassle-free travel experience for the users of the app. These Tourism boards, along with the help of WeChat, helped develop digital maps of the locations that can be accessed by the users. These programs were presented at the ‘WeChat Mini Program CityExperience Showcase’ event in Shanghai.

 

What can you do and find on the CityExperience Mini Program?

 

Currently, the program has immersive digital guides for London, Dubai and Sydney. This map provides landmarks, places to eat, shop and see. It is everything a traveller could ask for! And better yet, the map also displays photos of the place/store and on tapping on the photo, you can see an overview of the location with necessary contact details. The Mini Program also helps you find places that are closest to you.

 

With these features, it is no doubt that the CityExperience is the perfect app for Chinese tourists to travel like a boss! And if this picks up, WeChat can partner up with more Tourism Boards in different countries and cover a lot more area. The app not only benefits the users but also the country itself as it helps bring in more revenue from tourism.

 

Have you tried out this feature yet? Do let us know all about your experience in the comments below!

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WeChat guide: How to use and build mini-programs ?

December 11, 2017

Tencent launched the WeChat Mini programs earlier this year and took the market by storm. So what are these mini programs and how can you use it?This blog will give you all that you need to know about WeChat’s interesting feature.

 

These mini programs are essentially sub applications/apps within WeChat itself. The user can make use of these features without having to actually download or install them. How exciting! Thousands of mini programs have already been launched where you can order food, watch videos, book tickets for movies, book cabs or even shop online!

And this is just the beginning, the mini programs feature looks more promising by the minute.

So what are the things that make mini programs a great addition to WeChat?

 

Easy to use

There are 3 different ways to get the WeChat Mini Programs and they are incredibly easy!

 

  • Option 1 –  By typing the name of application you are looking for in the WeChat search bar
  • Option 2 – By clicking on the mini program link shared by your friends
  • Optin 3 – By scanning the QR Code of the application you want

 

Finding these apps do not involve any extra effort and the sheer simplicity of this process makes Mini programs extremely user-friendly. And if you like an app, you can easily share them with your friends and get them to use to it too!

 

Multitasking

Wechat articles requires the user to exit the article if they want to chat with someone. But mini programs does not possess this problem.The users can pin the app on their Chats page by selecting “Display on Top”. Then they can re-enter the app whenever they want.This is a huge plus point for the app.

 

Open platform for developers

Based on the update in March, individual developers can add their products to Mini programs. This open platform approach encourages more people to innovate and create new apps on the program.

 

Do you have any favourite apps from this feature? Let us know in the comments below!

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All you need to know about WeChat’s Open Chatbot platform

November 30, 2017

Tencent, a leading provider of value added internet services in China launched its very own open chatbot platform for developers last September.

 

The open platform aims to provide a simplified process for developers to build chatbots. The application requires an easy 3 step process which is mentioned below :

 

Step 1 – The developer submits the access application where it is reviewed through a manual audit

Step 2 – Post approval, the developer can initiate building their own robots on the platform

Step 3 – Post development, another application has to be submitted for review and can be posted online once it’s approved

 

Over and above the user-friendly application process, the platform also provides a multitude of features that will give the developers an edge over other open robot platforms.

 

Here are a few of those features :

 

  • State of the art image and voice recognition that promises accurate identification
  • A better semantic understanding based on decades on technology and data accumulation
  • Robotic tools that enable dialogue customization
  • Easy access to statistical data and tools
  • Convenient review processes online

This platform has paved the way for development of different bots that can help the user book movie tickets, find restaurants nearby and even book cabs! In the era where technology is booming, a platform like this can definitely lead the path for improved chatbots and online services.

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Thomas Cook Innovates on WeChat with KRDS for its launch in China

November 24, 2017

 

Thomas Cook, the prominent travel services company in the world has opened its doors in Shanghai. Thomas Cook wanted to raise awareness about the brand in the Chinese market and decided to do an innovative campaign during its launch event on September 6th attended by over 100 media professionals from China.

 

Social & Mobile Agency, KRDS Shanghai was roped in due to its sound WeChat expertise to assist with developing a WeChatVirtual Reality experience and a live game ‘Play Together’ (一起玩) to entertain attendees during the luncheon.

 

The Virtual Reality experience was created for the guests to enjoy beautiful locations and views with a VR headset inspiring them to travel while game would serve as an introduction to the story of Thomas Cook’s brand and history.

https://youtu.be/j7sm6FcC_bA

The game begins when users follow the brand, Thomas Cook on WeChat. A code is presented to them which redirects them to the game. The game then randomly pairs up two guests at the event and a question about Thomas Cook is displayed on the game. The player that answers the fastest among the two is awarded points and paired up with another guest. The other player that answered incorrectly is also paired up with a different guest. The scoreboard of the game was also broadcast live on the screen as the attendees paired up with each other in rotations.

 

The game was able to provide the media professionals an overview of Thomas Cook and its launch in Shanghai along with its journey to becoming one of the most renowned travel services companies in the world.

Billy Ko, Head of Marketing & Digital at Thomas Cook commented:

“Introducing a social game at the live event was a great way to liven the atmosphere and served as a fun element. The addition of the VR Experience also was a great way to introduce our brand to China and we thank KRDS for making it happen”

 

Aurélien Ferrie, General Manager, Greater China at KRDS Shanghai added:

“Perfectly leveraging WeChat is key for any brand that comes to China. By creating both a unique VR experience and a live quiz on WeChat, Thomas Cook was able to show the market that they want to go beyond and translate their innovation on to the WeChat platform. We are proud to note their trust in KRDS and our WeChat expertise, to bring this ambition to life” 

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WeChat owner Tencent beats Facebook in value and become Asia’s First $500 Billion company

November 22, 2017

Founded in 1998, Tencent, which is one of the biggest tech giants in China made its way to the Top 5 Biggest Firms in the World. It is now the first Asian company to be valued at over $500 Billion surpassing Facebook that was dominating the social media field.

 

 

The most successful app created by Tencent, Wechat, is said to have around 980 million monthly active users, with 38 billion messages sent daily. And the Youtube alternative in China, Tencent Video boasts of a huge subscriber base. Revenue from its gaming division, rose to 18.2 billion yuan  due to its fantasy role-playing hit “Honour of Kings”, which is expected to release in the United States next year.The company also holds 12% of the popular picture messaging app, Snapchat.

 

Tencent’s Hong Kong listed shares have doubled in value this year and on Tuesday the company’s value was estimated to be $523 Billion. This is followed by Tencent’s rivals in Asia, the AliBaba group (valued at $481 billion) and Samsung electronics (valued at $364 billion).

 

With the drastic surge in growth, Tencent will surely be making waves in the tech, gaming and social media sector next year.

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Why a top French business school is launching on WeChat?

November 6, 2017

Toulouse Business School (TBS) increases its footprint in China and partners with KRDS, the WeChat agency, for its WeChat development.

 

Having entered the Chinese market a few years ago, and boasting a network of more than 1,500 Chinese alumni coming from all over the country, TBS is already a key player in its industry in China. So why this decision to open a WeChat account ?  

 

‘We want to get closer to our students, build tailor-made relationships with them and make sure we answer their questions in a timely manner. Following our conversation with KRDS, we now fully understand how we can leverage WeChat as a communication and servicing platform !’ says François Dean of Toulouse Business School.

 

As a matter of fact, besides enjoying weekly content posted on TBS’ WeChat account, students will also be able to ask any questions and receive instant and tailor-made replies directly on the platform!

 

For instance, questions about a specific program, an upcoming event, a professor, an alumni, tips to brush upon one’s curriculum, etc. All these pieces of information will be at finger’s reach for Chinese students.

 

“With one billion monthly active users in Q3 2017 as well as 12 million official accounts, WeChat is the must have tool for any brand wishing to expand its presence in the Chinese market and/or among a Chinese audience” adds Aurélien FERRIE, general manager of KRDS

 

In the top 10 Business Schools in France, with an executive MBA ranked in the top 100 in Financial Times 2017, TBS offers renowned and tailor-made undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as aviation, financial engineering, etc. Students can also choose between 5 TBS campuses : Paris, Toulouse, Barcelone, Casablanca, London !

To discover Toulouse Business School account, scan the QR in WeChat

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Influence Marketing: How to improve your KOL strategy on WeChat ?

October 13, 2017
It is common knowledge that the Chinese market is full of innovators and marketing noise. When it comes to making purchase decisions, chinese customers are more inclined to following the people they trust to make this decision. Word of mouth therefore, is an important purchase quotient for customers in the Chinese market.
KOL means Key Opinion Leader and this is an important factor right now in the Chinese market space. With the increase of use of social platforms like WeChat and Weibo, there has been a steady increase in influencers or KOL’s in these social media platforms.
The influencers consist primarily of bloggers, celebrities, socialites and columnists.  Most of these influences have a strong base in travel, magazines, journalists, business and so on. There is also another category of influencers called Wanghong which when translated means a web celebrity in Chinese. They are primarily into beauty and lifestyles, dubbed as ‘beauty gurus’.
Influencer marketing in itself is a much popular method to bringing awareness to your product in today’s time as more and more people disregard traditional methods of advertising. These KOL’s not only deliver their influence to the product or brand but are also involved in contributing their creative ideas in the process. A shout-out from a huge influencer is sure to bring new followers or awareness to the brand.
Let’s say you have engaged a popular web celebrity to bring awareness to your products. What do you do from here? There are many options for influencer marketing to meet your objectives. Here are the most popular ones:

1. Sponsored Posts:

A sponsored post is probably the most common method of engaging a KOL to bring awareness or to promote your product or brand. The brand offers their product or services to the KOL who then uses this to create engaging content on their platforms. Sometimes, the brands may also provide the influencer exactly what to say for them to post it.

2. Reviews

Word of mouth is one of the most trusted ways of product decision and this method combines this together. The influencer uses the product from the brand and provides a review on it so its users can understand more about the product and it can influence their purchase decision.

3. Giveaways or Contests

 

The KOL can host a series of competitions on behalf of the brand on their competition, or giveaway certain products of the brand to raise more traffic and awareness to the product. This is a great way to make a content go viral as the user has something to gain at the end of it too.
As we see the rise of active users of social platforms, we can only expect influencer marketing to be on the rise in China!
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