What Is WeChat? A Complete Guide to How the Super-App Works

November 28, 2025

WeChat is one of the most influential digital platforms in the world. Developed by Tencent, it functions as a messaging tool, social network, digital wallet, search engine, business hub, and marketing platform all in one. For users in China, life without WeChat is almost impossible. For international users and businesses, understanding what WeChat is used for is essential to interacting with Chinese consumers and entering the China market.

 

This guide explains what WeChat is, how it works, its key features, use cases for individuals and businesses, and why it is considered China’s digital cornerstone. Whether you are traveling to China, running a business, or studying global digital ecosystems—understanding WeChat is crucial.

What Is WeChat? Definition, Origins, and Role Today

WeChat (Weixin in mainland China) is a multi-functional super-app that combines communication, payment, social media, mini-app integration, and digital services. Launched in 2011 by Tencent, it started as a simple messaging app and evolved into a full digital ecosystem with over 1.2 billion active users worldwide.

WeChat’s Evolution and Milestones

WeChat’s growth reflects shifting consumer behavior in China. Key stages include:

  • 2011 – Launch as a messaging app
  • 2012 – Voice messaging feature boosts adoption
  • 2013 – Introduction of Moments (social feed)
  • 2014 – Launch of Official Accounts and WeChat Pay
  • 2017 – Mini Programs officially unveiled
  • 2022 – Reaches over 1.2 billion users
  • 2023–2025 – WeChat Channels pushes short videos and live commerce

Weixin vs. WeChat

  • Weixin = Mainland China version (operates under Chinese regulations)
  • WeChat = International version (limited functions but same core experience)

This separation allows Tencent to comply with regional laws, particularly regarding data, payment, and content moderation.

Why WeChat Matters Globally

WeChat is not just an app, it acts as the digital infrastructure of daily life in China. From paying utility bills to booking doctor’s appointments, brands, businesses, and individuals rely on it for work, communication, transactions, travel, and services. For international companies entering China, WeChat is a gateway to consumer interaction.

What Is WeChat Used For? Core Features and Ecosystem

WeChat’s strength lies in its versatility. It combines multiple apps into one seamless platform:

Messaging

WeChat began as a messaging app and still functions as China’s default communication tool. Users can send text, voice notes, video messages, files, and location pins—individually or in group chats (up to 500 members). Voice messaging is widely used due to its speed and convenience. Features such as QR code contact exchange and People Nearby make offline interactions instantly digitizable. Over time, messaging on WeChat has replaced SMS, email, and even traditional phone calls in China.

Moments

Moments is WeChat’s social feed and one of its most frequently used features. It functions as a semi-private timeline where users share photos, videos, personal updates, and links. Content visibility follows a mutual-contacts rule—only friends who know each other can see one another’s comments—making Moments feel personal and controlled compared to public platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Brands can also promote content via WeChat Ads inside Moments to drive traffic, leads, and visibility.

Official Accounts

Official Accounts are WeChat’s equivalent of brand pages or newsletters. They allow businesses, institutions, and creators to publish content, promote campaigns, provide customer service, and manage CRM. There are two main types:

  • Subscription Accounts: Ideal for frequent content updates and brand storytelling.
  • Service Accounts: Advanced features, APIs, customer service, and WeChat Pay integration.

For many Chinese users, interacting with a brand through an Official Account is more common than visiting its website.

WeChat Mini Programs

Mini Programs are lightweight apps built inside WeChat. They require no downloads and launch instantly, which makes them ideal for quick services such as:

  • E-commerce & loyalty programs
  • Train and hotel bookings
  • Food delivery & takeaway
  • Games and interactive campaigns
  • Event check-ins & QR code activations
  • Virtual storefronts for retail brands

They contribute to WeChat’s closed-loop ecosystem, where users can browse, engage, purchase, and receive post-sales service—all without leaving the app.

WeChat Channels

WeChat Channels is an algorithmic short-video feed, similar to TikTok and Douyin. It allows individuals and brands to publish vertical videos, host livestreams, and attach links to e-commerce stores or Mini Programs. This feature has become WeChat’s main tool to compete with short-video platforms and supports:

  • Product demos & styling videos
  • Livestream shopping
  • Influencer collaborations (KOL/KOC)
  • Educational content & professional showcases
  • Trending audio formats and visual templates

For marketers, Channels brings top-of-funnel visibility, which can drive sales via WeChat Pay, group chats, or Mini Programs—all within the same ecosystem.

AI-Powered WeChat Search

WeChat Search has evolved into a full internal search engine, now powered by AI and natural-language processing (NLP). Users don’t just get results from chat history, they can search across the entire WeChat ecosystem:

What WeChat Search can index:

  • Official Account articles
  • Mini Programs and services
  • Channels videos and livestreams
  • Group chat mentions
  • Brand services and product pages
  • Nearby results (restaurants, shops, attractions)

With AI integration, WeChat Search now supports:

  • Suggested queries based on user intent
  • Image-based visual search
  • Personalized result ranking based on past behavior
  • Smart indexing of trending conversations

This shift marks the beginning of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), a future where brands must optimize for WeChat’s AI search layers, not just Baidu or Google.

WeChat Pay & Mobile Payments

WeChat Pay is a digital wallet that has replaced cash and bank cards across China. It enables:

  • QR code payments in physical stores
  • Peer-to-peer transfers
  • Bill payments & mobile phone credits
  • Subscription services & recurring payments
  • Festival red envelopes (Hongbao)

For merchants, integrating WeChat Pay means instant access to a massive consumer base. For users, it simplifies daily life—from grocery shopping to doctor appointments. Foreign users can activate WeChat Pay with a verified account and supported bank card, making it increasingly relevant for international visitors and China-bound travellers.

How to Use WeChat in Your Marketing Strategy?

WeChat is not just a messaging app. It is the digital infrastructure of China, combining social media, search, payments, e-commerce, content publishing, and customer service into one platform.

As a result, WeChat marketing is not about posting content only. It is about building a full customer journey, from awareness to conversion, all within one app.

Brands use WeChat to:

  • Communicate directly with target consumers
  • Publish content and educate the market
  • Provide customer service
  • Activate loyalty and CRM programs
  • Sell products via Mini Programs and WeChat Pay
  • Drive traffic from Channels and Moments
  • Convert users during livestreams

WeChat marketing is ecosystem-based rather than feed-based. Success depends on choosing the right account type, building valuable content, analyzing competitors, and creating a conversion strategy inside WeChat’s closed environment.

Competitor Audit & Gap Analysis

Before launching, brands must understand:

  • What types of accounts competitors use
  • Posting frequency and formats
  • Mini Program integration
  • Use of Channels or livestreaming
  • Level of audience engagement and retention

Gap Analysis helps identify opportunities and content angles that competitors have not exploited yet.

Identify Your Target Audience in China

Audience segmentation on WeChat is different from Western platforms. External buyer personas should be translated into WeChat behavior:

  • What keywords do they search?
  • What Mini Programs do they use?
  • What content do they save or share?
  • Which competitor accounts do they follow?
  • Do they prefer private groups or public feeds?

Different audiences require different communication styles, especially in B2B vs. B2C contexts.

B2C Audiences – Lifestyle Driven

B2C users respond best to content that feels relatable and visual. They engage when a product is shown in real-life scenarios and when the tone feels personal. Short formats work well, especially videos that show usage, benefits, or results.

What works for B2C:

  • Short-form videos and lifestyle moments
  • Tutorials, before/after results, product reviews
  • Personal tone and visual storytelling
  • Easy calls-to-action such as “Try it” or “Shop now”
  • Best tools: Channels, Moments ads, KOC/KOL content, Mini Program stores

The goal is simple: spark interest quickly and make conversion easy.

B2B Audiences – Solution Driven

B2B users seek clarity, expertise, and proof. They want to understand how a product solves a problem or improves efficiency. Credibility matters more than aesthetics, and content often needs to explain the process behind the solution.

What works for B2B:

  • Case studies and use scenarios
  • Data points, results, and workflow explanations
  • Professional tone and structured messaging
  • Educational livestreams or demos via Mini Programs
  • Best tools: Service Accounts, gated content, QR-based lead collection

The goal is to build trust and support sales discussions—not push for instant conversion.

Knowing whether you are speaking to a lifestyle-driven user or a solution-driven user helps define tone, format, and conversion paths across the entire WeChat ecosystem.

Define Your Content Strategy

A strategic content plan on WeChat should clarify:

  • Purpose of content (education, credibility, conversion)
  • Formats (long-form, infographic, report, short video, tutorial)
  • Content pillars (product, brand story, industry trends, case study, tutorial)
  • Conversion mechanism (QR code, Mini Program, landing page, WeChat Pay)

WeChat users expect informative and proof-based content. It is not a viral-content platform — authority and expertise matter more.

Distribution & Amplification

48-Hour Window

A WeChat post is indexed for 48 hours. This period is critical for visibility. Internal resharing, user tagging, and promotion within group chats increase engagement and ranking.

Organic Distribution

  • Sharing in relevant WeChat groups
  • Reposting on Moments (via users or KOCs)
  • SEO via WeChat Search keywords
  • Linking to Mini Programs or website

Paid Promotion

  • Moments ads
  • Channels ads (video format)
  • Search Ads via keywords
  • KOL collaborations
  • Livestream boosting

Paid and organic should work together. Users often research the brand inside WeChat before making decisions.

Why WeChat Marketing Matters

WeChat is not just a platform. It is where Chinese consumers:

  • search for brands
  • read reviews
  • compare solutions
  • book services
  • make payments
  • contact support

A website alone is not enough. In China, brands need WeChat presence to be considered trustworthy and local.

How Does WeChat Work? Platforms, Privacy, and Security

WeChat operates across Android, iOS, HarmonyOS, web, and desktop, with mobile being the most feature-rich version. Users create accounts using a phone number and verify identity through SMS and QR code authentication. Weixin (mainland China version) and WeChat (international version) follow different data regulations to comply with local requirements, which is why certain features may vary depending on user location.

Privacy & Data Framework

WeChat follows Chinese data protection laws, which influence how information is stored and moderated. Content may be filtered based on regional guidelines, and compliance measures differ between markets. This dual-system approach allows Tencent to operate successfully both inside and outside China while meeting regulatory expectations.

Security Measures

WeChat applies account protection tools such as real-name verification, device authentication, login alerts, and reporting mechanisms for suspicious activity. The platform continues to improve transparency around data usage and offers users access to privacy settings, permission control, and message visibility preferences.

Regulatory Context

Like other major digital platforms, WeChat has faced reviews and regulatory scrutiny from governments in different regions. This is common for global tech companies and reflects growing global attention on data privacy. Instead of limiting growth, such reviews have led to improved safeguards and stronger compliance practices across WeChat’s ecosystem.

FAQ: What Is WeChat and How Is It Used?

What is WeChat and why is it called a ‘super-app’?

Because it integrates messaging, payments, social media, apps, and digital services into one platform.

Can foreigners use WeChat Pay?

Yes, but account verification is required. Some features may remain limited.

How is WeChat different from WhatsApp or Facebook?

It combines all of their functions in one app, plus payments and mini apps.

Is WeChat legal outside China?

Yes, but some countries regulate or restrict it.

What are Mini Programs?

They are built-in apps inside WeChat, used for shopping, booking, services, customer loyalty, and more.

How does WeChat handle censorship?

It aligns with Chinese regulations and may filter sensitive topics.

Can WeChat be used for business globally?

Yes. For entering the Chinese market, WeChat is one of the most powerful digital tools available.



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China’s Social Media Algorithm Updates: How Brands Can Stay Ahead

August 11, 2025

In China’s fast-evolving digital landscape, keeping up with platform algorithm changes is critical for brands to maintain visibility, engagement, and conversions.

This year, Douyin, Xiaohongshu (RED/RedNote), and WeChat Channels have rolled out significant updates to their content recommendation mechanisms — each influencing how posts are discovered, ranked, and amplified.

Whether you’re in lifestyle, tech, F&B, or B2B, understanding these shifts can help you optimize content for maximum reach and ROI.

Douyin: Prioritizing Long-Term Value Over Quick Wins

Historically, Douyin rewarded short, catchy videos with high completion rates. In 2025, the platform’s focus has shifted toward mid- to long-form videos that serve deep, long-tail, and diverse user needs.

Key Changes in Douyin’s Algorithm:

  • Behavior Probability Scoring: The algorithm predicts the likelihood of user actions (likes, comments, shares, follows, saves) based on past behavior.

  • Content Value Weighting: Videos with depth, evergreen relevance, and broader topical connections are ranked higher.

  • Lower Weight on Completion Rate: Unlike before, a slightly lower finish rate won’t penalize longer videos if they deliver value.

Brand Takeaways:

  • Create evergreen, reference-worthy videos such as tutorials, guides, or expert explainers.

  • Use intro slides or text cues to highlight content value early and prompt saves.

  • Expand beyond narrow niches to satisfy latent user interests.

Xiaohongshu: Matching Precision + High Interaction = Growth

Xiaohongshu’s recommendation engine still relies heavily on content-label matching, but recent updates place greater weight on content quality, originality, and interaction metrics.

Key Changes in Xiaohongshu’s Algorithm:

  • Higher Standards for Originality: Notes with over 600 words, originality declarations, and minimal duplication receive extra traffic boosts.

  • Faster Tag Matching: Enhanced indexing speeds mean content is matched to audiences more quickly — making accuracy in topics and tags essential.

  • CES Scoring Priorities Updated: Comments, shares, and follows now carry more weight than likes and saves.

Brand Takeaways:

  • Align title, topic, and content precisely to improve tag relevance.

  • Use specific, niche keywords instead of broad terms to dominate smaller search pools.

  • Drive meaningful comments through questions, discussion hooks, and community engagement.

WeChat Channels: Social Connections Drive Visibility

WeChat Channels’ traffic sources are more socially driven compared to Douyin or Xiaohongshu. In 2025, the platform has increased the weight of “likes” (♡) — especially those coming from friends.

Key Changes in WeChat Channels’ Algorithm:

  • Private Domain to Public Domain Flow: Content that gains initial traction in private networks (Groups, Official Account followers, Moments) can quickly spread to public recommendations.

  • Friends’ Like Tab Boost: The “Friends ♡” tab on the homepage prominently showcases videos liked by multiple friends, increasing organic reach.

  • Integrated Recommendation Paths: Social engagement triggers inclusion in both friend-based and interest-based feeds.

Brand Takeaways:

  • Leverage private domain audiences for a strong cold start — but share selectively to relevant groups for precision targeting.

  • Incorporate socially shareable elements such as emotional storytelling, practical value, or identity-driven messages.

  • Add summary slides, checklists, or infographics to boost screenshots, shares, and likes.

How to Apply These Updates to Your 2025 Campaigns

To win in China’s competitive digital space this year:

  1. Douyin → Focus on depth, evergreen value, and multi-topic expansion.

  2. Xiaohongshu → Double down on originality, precision tagging, and comment-driven interaction.

  3. WeChat Channels → Build social momentum via private domain activation and shareable assets.

Need help optimizing for these algorithms?

Our team specializes in China social media strategy, content localization, and cross-platform growth campaigns.

📩 Contact us to turn these algorithm shifts into your competitive advantage.

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The Ultimate Guide to WeChat Search

May 30, 2025

WeChat has long been the cornerstone of digital engagement in China. With over 1.3 billion monthly active users, it’s more than a messaging app—it’s an ecosystem. One of its most powerful yet underutilized features is WeChat Search (搜一搜). As search behavior continues shifting from external engines like Baidu to in-app exploration, understanding how WeChat Search works is key for brand visibility in China.

What Is WeChat Search?

WeChat Search is Tencent’s internal search engine that enables users to discover content within the WeChat ecosystem. Think of it as China’s version of Google—but exclusively for content inside WeChat.

Users can type queries in the “搜一搜” search bar and receive results across:

  • Official accounts
  • Mini programs
  • WeChat Channels (视频号)
  • Articles
  • Moments
  • eCommerce
  • Brand zones
  • FAQs, encyclopedias, and more

WeChat Search delivers algorithm-curated, personalized results based on a mix of relevance, recency, and user intent.

Why It Matters More in 2025

Chinese users now search directly in WeChat for information, products, and services instead of opening Baidu. This internal behavior gives brands new opportunities to:

  • Bypass high SEM costs on Baidu
  • Build a self-contained, low-cost ecosystem
  • Gain organic exposure without ads

As of 2025, WeChat Search handles billions of monthly queries, especially across lifestyle, healthcare, e-commerce, and B2B queries.

Core Features of WeChat Search

1. Unified Search Index

WeChat aggregates results from:

  • Official accounts (公众号)
  • WeChat Channels (视频号)
  • Mini Programs (小程序)
  • Branded pages
  • News and encyclopedia (like Sogou Baike)

Results are customized by user behavior and platform activity, making organic content optimization essential.

2. Smart Search Results by Theme

WeChat Search organizes results into categories:

  • Brand or Product
  • Content (Articles, Channels, FAQs)
  • Services (Booking, Payments)
  • eCommerce (Mini Programs, group buys)
  • People (KOLs, brand representatives)

If users search “Nike,” for example, they’ll see Nike’s official account, mini-program, content, and videos—all in one place.

Ranking Factors in WeChat Search

The algorithm considers:

  • Account authority: Verified status and historical content quality
  • Engagement: Shares, likes, reads, saves
  • Content relevance: Keyword density, tags, and search history
  • Consistency: Frequency of posting and user interaction
  • Data from mini-program and Channels: Search presence now includes video, store reviews, eCommerce activity, and more

How to Optimize for WeChat Search

1. Create Consistent, Keyword-Rich Content

  • Use high-traffic terms in article titles and headers
  • Include relevant hashtags
  • Mirror trending search terms

Pro tip: Tools like Sogou Index and WeChat Index help identify trending queries in your industry.

2. Leverage Mini Programs and Channels

  • Tag your mini programs with keywords
  • Include search-optimized landing pages inside programs
  • Use Channels with SEO-friendly captions and hashtags

3. Set Up a Branded Search Zone

Brand Zones consolidate a brand’s:

  • Official Account
  • Mini Program
  • Channels content
  • Customer service tools

These zones appear as the top result when users search your brand, giving a Google-like knowledge panel inside WeChat.

4. Invest in WeChat Search Ads

For highly competitive keywords, paid placements appear atop organic results. These are keyword-based and can be targeted by:

  • Region
  • Gender
  • Interest
  • Device

Search ads drive traffic directly to articles, stores, or brand zones.

Final Thoughts: Why You Can’t Ignore WeChat Search

In a content-saturated China market, WeChat Search is now the home page of brand discovery. For both B2C and B2B marketers, it’s a critical SEO channel often missed in traditional planning.

Unlike Baidu, you’re not competing with the entire internet—only with other brands inside the app. With lower barriers to entry and stronger user intent, brands that invest early in WeChat Search optimization gain the upper hand.

Whether you’re launching in China or want to improve organic traffic and conversions, we can help. Let’s build a search-ready WeChat ecosystem that connects, converts, and sustains. Contact us to start planning your 2025 WeChat SEO strategy.

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WeChat: China’s Most Sustainable E-commerce Platform

March 20, 2025

For foreign brands entering the Chinese market, discussions around digital marketing often focus on the latest trending platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu (RED). While these channels generate significant buzz, WeChat remains the most critical and enduring digital platform in China.

Despite not always being in the spotlight, WeChat continues to be the country’s most widely used app and an indispensable tool for brands aiming to build lasting relationships with consumers. Unlike major e-commerce marketplaces such as Tmall and JD, which demand high advertising spend and platform commissions, WeChat provides brands with a lower-cost alternative for customer acquisition, direct engagement, and complete ownership of consumer data.

WeChat: More Than Just a Messaging App

Originally launched as a messaging app, WeChat has transformed into an all-encompassing digital ecosystem, offering brands multiple avenues to engage consumers:

  • Official Accounts – A powerful tool that functions like a combination of a website, blog, and email marketing system, enabling brands to share content, interact with users, and build a loyal community.
  • Mini Programs – Embedded apps within WeChat that provide seamless e-commerce, customer service, and loyalty features without requiring users to leave the platform.
  • WeChat Pay – An essential mobile payment system that dominates China’s cashless economy.
  • WeChat Channels – A short video and livestreaming feature that competes with Douyin and Kuaishou, offering brands an opportunity to engage users organically.
  • WeChat Groups – Exclusive communities where brands can foster deeper engagement and collect valuable consumer insights.

This extensive ecosystem enables users to consume content, interact with brands, and complete purchases all within a single platform, making WeChat an indispensable tool for digital commerce in China.

WeChat as a Digital Storefront for Brands

Unlike in Western markets, where consumers typically turn to Google or a company’s website for brand information, Chinese consumers often search directly on WeChat. This makes WeChat the go-to platform for discovering brands, learning about products, and engaging with customer service.

For many businesses, WeChat effectively replaces the need for a traditional website. However, many foreign brands underutilize their WeChat presence, with outdated content, inactive accounts, and broken links reducing engagement. Keeping a WeChat Official Account updated and interactive is as important as maintaining a website in other markets.

A Fully Owned Channel for Brands

One of the biggest challenges for brands operating in China is balancing the high cost of customer acquisition with long-term retention. Unlike Tmall, JD, and Douyin, where brands must constantly pay for visibility, WeChat allows businesses to build and nurture their own audience. This offers several advantages:

  • Lower Customer Acquisition Costs – WeChat provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional e-commerce platforms, where brands must bid for visibility.
  • Full Data Ownership – Unlike marketplaces that control customer data, WeChat enables brands to collect and analyze user interactions directly.
  • Seamless Omnichannel Integration – WeChat bridges online and offline engagement, making it easier to connect with consumers across multiple touchpoints.

For brands looking for a long-term, cost-efficient strategy in China, WeChat presents a powerful direct-to-consumer (D2C) model.

WeChat’s E-commerce Evolution

While platforms like Douyin and RED attract attention with viral trends, Tencent has been steadily enhancing WeChat’s e-commerce capabilities. WeChat Channels has emerged as a significant competitor to Douyin’s short video and livestream shopping ecosystem.

WeChat has streamlined merchant onboarding, simplified the sales process, and expanded commerce features to allow product purchases across multiple touchpoints—including posts, search, chat, and even gifting features. These improvements have led to substantial growth:

  • A 3x increase in active sellers last year
  • A 200% surge in total sales volume

This growth signals that more merchants are seeking sustainable alternatives to traditional e-commerce marketplaces and that consumers are increasingly shopping within the WeChat ecosystem.

Where Should Brands Focus?

Many international brands question whether WeChat should be prioritized over newer platforms like Douyin and RED or traditional marketplaces like Tmall. The answer depends on a brand’s objectives:

  • Douyin & RED – Best for brand awareness, viral content, and impulse-driven sales.
  • Tmall & JD – Ideal for reaching high-intent shoppers and providing an official retail presence.
  • WeChat – Most effective for fostering long-term engagement, driving repeat purchases, and building brand loyalty.

A well-rounded China digital strategy should leverage multiple platforms, utilizing each one’s strengths to target consumers at different stages of their journey. WeChat remains a key pillar of this strategy, particularly for brands looking to develop a sustainable, direct-to-consumer business model.

Leverage WeChat for Sustainable Growth in China

Navigating China’s complex digital landscape requires a tailored approach. Whether you’re looking to enhance your WeChat strategy or integrate it into a broader digital marketing plan, our team can help you optimize your presence and drive results.

Contact us today to explore how WeChat can support your brand’s long-term success in China.

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Mastering WeChat Channels’ Algorithm for Maximum Exposure

January 3, 2025

As the Chinese social media landscape continues to evolve, WeChat Channels (视频号) remains a crucial platform for brands looking to connect with Chinese audiences. The key to success on WeChat Channels lies in understanding its recommendation algorithm, which determines which content gets seen and by whom. This blog dives into the core of WeChat Channels’ algorithm, focusing on the different recommendation mechanisms, and provides actionable strategies for optimizing your content to maximize exposure.

Understanding the WeChat Channels Recommendation Algorithm

WeChat Channels stands apart from other video platforms, such as Douyin (抖音), by relying heavily on social recommendations rather than interest-based algorithms. According to recent data, 55% of the weight in content recommendations is based on social interactions, highlighting the importance of leveraging existing connections. In comparison, popular content recommendations account for only 15% of the total weight a breakdown of how WeChat Channels determines which content gets promote

  • Social Recommendations (55%)

Engagements from WeChat friends (likes, comments, shares, etc.) play a huge role in determining whether a video gets recommended. If a video receives interaction from users within their social circle, it’s more likely to be recommended to others, creating a snowball effect of increasing exposure.

  • Interest Algorithm Recommendations (20%)

Content is tagged with specific keywords that align with user interests. Based on the user’s interaction history, videos that match their interests are more likely to appear in their feeds. This system uses data such as previous content engagement to make accurate recommendations.

  • Engagement Algorithm Recommendations (15%)

This algorithm looks at engagement metrics such as the number of likes, comments, shares, and completion rates. New content enjoys an initial boost due to its timeliness, meaning fresh videos have a higher chance of being recommended in the early stages.

  • Geolocation Recommendations (5%)

Users are shown content from creators located near them or related to their region, helping them discover videos that are more relevant to their local environment.

  • Hashtag Recommendations (5%)

Hashtags, such as “#topic,” allow content to be aggregated in one clickable hyperlink. Videos tagged with popular or relevant hashtags often get higher visibility, particularly if they are among the top posts related to that topic.

 

Optimizing Your Content Strategy for WeChat Channels

To ensure that your content reaches a larger audience, it’s important to align your video production with WeChat’s recommendation logic. Here are a few practical tips to help your content perform better:

  • Leverage Social Networks for Social Recommendations

Encourage your followers to engage with your content through likes, comments, and shares. The more interactions your video generates within social circles, the more likely it will be recommended to others.

  • Focus on High-Quality Content

High-definition, clear audio, and unique content stand out on WeChat Channels. Videos that offer original value are more likely to be recommended than reused or low-quality content. Invest in creating videos that offer something new, whether it’s unique insights, educational content, or entertainment.

  • Engage Users Early: The Golden Three Hours

The first three hours after posting a video are critical. During this “Golden Three Hours,” high engagement rates such as completion rates and positive interactions (likes, shares, comments) can trigger further algorithmic promotion. Be sure to promote your videos actively during this window through WeChat Groups, Moments, and other social channels.

  • Publish During Peak User Activity

Timing your posts when your audience is most active can help you gain immediate traction. Posting during high-traffic hours (morning, lunch breaks, evening) maximizes your chances of hitting the right audience at the right time.

 

Building an Effective Content Strategy: Key Takeaways

  • High Engagement Drives More Exposure

Focus on creating shareable content that encourages users to engage through comments, shares, and likes.

  • Use Hashtags Wisely

Tag your content with trending or relevant hashtags to increase its discoverability.

  • Create Value-Driven Content

Ensure your content offers something unique that resonates with your audience. Whether it’s education, entertainment, or problem-solving, make sure it’s content with your audience values.

  • Optimize Timing

Publish your videos during peak engagement hours and during weekends to capture the maximum number of viewers.

 

Conclusion

By understanding WeChat Channels’ recommendation algorithm and aligning your content strategy with its logic, you can significantly increase your brand’s exposure on this platform. Remember, social interactions are at the core of WeChat Channels’ algorithm, so creating content that drives engagement is key to boosting your reach.

 

If you’re looking to optimize your content for WeChat Channels and need help navigating its recommendation algorithm, our team is here to assist you. Get in touch with us today to elevate your digital marketing strategy on WeChat Channels!

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What Is WeChat Marketing?

August 27, 2024

WeChat is the major platform leading China’s digital transformation. A “mega app” that encompasses major successful features of most western and Chinese platforms: Blog-like articles, digitally interactive experiences, WeChat Pay, e-commerce & e-booking with WeChat Mini Programs, Moments (a virtual space to share daily updates), Channels (for visual-led content), live streaming, enterprise solutions, even search engine, and more.

This Chinese social media has established itself as a major platform for content creation through articles and channels, now the roadmap for Tencent (WeChat’s owner) is to leverage Miniprogram to boost business growth further, as it has become part of users’ daily life, develop futuristic features on WeChat Pay, and make WeChat Search a user habit. This is a rapidly changing platform and brands need to keep up if they want to stay relevant to Chinese users.

WHAT IS WECHAT MARKETING?

  • Understanding the WeChat Ecosystem:

In the past three years, WeChat marketing and advertising underwent tremendous changes. With the emergence of the new social media apps, it proved that it’s not going away and also managed to strengthen its position by continuously adapting to the new consumer behaviours by expanding its features and consolidated its position as a top app in China.

We have observed new trends emerging while strengthening existing ones. Some of the major trends that took off were: 

  • WeChat channels & Live-streaming, 
  • WeChat work (WeCom),
  • Relevance of mini programs, 
  • Focus on content creators, 
  • Smart targeting.

  • Select the right WeChat Official Account for your brand:

There are mainly 2 types of Official Account: WeChat Service Account & WeChat Subscription Account.

WeChat service and subscription accounts offer very different user experience hence the user journey and landing on the article vary.

WeChat service Accounts have the same priority as a user’s contacts in terms of notification status and appear on the main page in chronological order.

 

WeChat subscription accounts are gathered in a separate folder where accounts are shown according to an algorithm (most often read accounts) compared to the chronological order before.

 

  • Audit of other players & Gap Analysis

Identifying Key Players’ Strategy

Identify the key players in China. To do so, it is important to examine the activity and performance of your competitors on WeChat.

How to do the screening?

  • Quantitative and qualitative data including views, comments, likes, wows to illustrate share of voice of each player to provide a detailed comparison of the landscape
  • Audit of the key content pillars, tone of voice, content formats, and top performing posts from to compile the standard of what’s out there within WeChat
  • Competitors’ menu and overall official account usability
  • Overview of the strategies employed by B2B/B2C companies and their relevance for your brand

Gap Analysis & Key Learnings

Analyzing areas where other key players are lacking, what kind of content or type of information is missing and identifying gaps that could potentially become an opportunity in the future for your brand’s own communication.

  • Identifying your Target Audience in China: 

Chinese Netizens

Understanding who a Chinese internet user is becomes crucial to reach the right audience with the right channels and communication methods. Each Chinese platform, be it Weibo, RED (Xiaohongshu) or Kuaishou is characterized by a different user profile and same goes for WeChat.  

WeChat is used on a daily basis by more than one billion people, it’s a huge and extremely diversified crowd. With precise segmentation, you will be able to reach your desired target audience with the most aligned messaging and maximize the ROI on WeChat.  

Who is your Target Audience on WeChat?

The first task is to define your target audience and understand their main characteristics, social behavior, consumption patterns and what are the key trends among the group. 

Secondly, examine how they behave on WeChat, what kind of content they interact with and what is their peak activity time on the platform to reach them with the right messaging at the right time.

Try to create a very detailed target audience personas to get a full portrait. 

Different Communication for Different Audiences 

We recommend pushing personalized messaging for the different target audiences.

Based on the personas you created, your brand on WeChat can do a backend segmentation or WeChat CRM system can share to a selected audience different WeChat articles at different times. Because everyone likes special treatment, explore how backend tagging and CRM can improve your customers’ user journey.

To do that, analyze your target audience again and what are their key preferences and motivations and define your content pillars based on that. 

Content that is better tailored to users needs and expectations will perform better and decrease the risk of unfollowing by the fans. It would also improve the overall user experience if the users don’t find the receiving content too intrusive or irrelevant. You can also consider sending additional, targeted posts to segmented followers on top of regular communication for all.

  • Define your Content Strategy

WeChat is already a highly saturated space with many accounts pushing quality content on a regular basis, either in the form of posts or WeChat ads. An average WeChat user only follows around 20 public accounts and spends around half an hour per day reading articles. It’s not easy to make it into this within a short period of time. This can be achieved with a clear vision of your target audience and perfectly crafted content. 

WeChat Content 

In very basic terms, WeChat marketing strategy can be divided into content format and content topics. Beyond articles, the WeChat ecosystem offers many components that could be leveraged by brands in many interesting ways – official account menu, welcome message, H5, videos and more. 

We also recommend preparing different content for different target audiences and for fans at different stages of relationship with your brand e.g. new followers, potential customers, repetitive customers.  

WeChat Content Formats

Depending on the goal you want to achieve, you might want to choose different content types or combination of more touchpoints to take your communication to the next level. Top-notch account optimization is a requirement for successful interaction with your fans on WeChat, then you can experiment with different formats and styles of your WeChat articles and campaigns. 

WeChat Content Pillars

What are the most important topics that you would like to share with your fans and what are the topics that are the most interesting to your social personas? Focus on these areas and find a balance between brand and social-led content.

Determine the frequency of each topic and try to stick to it to not overwhelm your audience with similar stories all the time. 

  • Other Features to Leverage

WeChat is much more than articles – Tencent is constantly expanding its ecosystem of features that can be used by brands. In the past couple of years, new tools such as WeCom (previously WeChat Work), Mini programs, WeChat Channels, WeChat Search (Sou Yi Sou) or WeChat Beans have been introduced and we can only expect to see further new updates each year.  

Try to follow the latest WeChat/Weixin news and experiment with new tools to keep up with the changes taking place on WeChat and Chinese social media. 

Take a look at some of the key tools that you can use in your brand communication on WeChat.

  • Interactive posts,
  • WeChat Channels,
  • Mini programs,
  • H5 pages,
  • Surveys,
  • Live-streaming,
  • Coupons,
  • and more.

  • Distribution & Amplification

Because WeChat is a semi-closed platform a thoughtful and well-executed content amplification plan is a must. Every day and every hour, WeChat users are bombarded with articles from millions of WeChat official accounts competing for their attention and clicks. It’s crucial to make sure that your carefully prepared content reaches your target audience in the most effective way. Let us help you to discover multiple touchpoints through which WeChat content can be accessed and understand different methods of content amplification, both organic and paid, to make sure that your WeChat marketing and distribution strategy covers all of them.

48 hours

Lifespan of a WeChat post is extremely short. The most critical time is the first 48 hours after the publication – this is when 90% of reads and interactions happen and the rest usually within total 7 days after the publication. Therefore it’s extremely important to grasp this moment to keep the ball rolling and ensure that the post is 100% optimized for WeChat and checks the boxes of shareability or the ‘wow’ factor.

When you post a new article, WeChat users first see the preview of the post. When your brand secures at least the opening of the article, you can work towards a positive reaction, for example share or ‘wow’.

Organic distribution

By organic distribution, we mean all the promotion methods that you don’t need to pay for and purely utilize your own resources. Keep in mind that these methods can be relatively time consuming and require some effort on your and your team’s end. Some of our favorite organic methods include:

  • Optimized WeChat SEO,
  • Private traffic management, 
  • Backlinking to previous articles, 
  • Internal teams mobilization to spread articles (sharing, wow, Moments),
  • Collaborations with other partner accounts,
  • Linking from WeChat Channels video. 

Paid promotion

Due to the semi-closed nature of WeChat and a more and more saturated environment, especially when it comes to official accounts, organic reach is decreasing with each year. On the other hand, paid promotion like WeChat ads can get you very far and help you to reach millions of new potential customers. 

The main two types of official accounts to get followers and articles views are:

  • WeChat Moments ads,
  • WeChat Banner ads.  

WeChat Moments ads — displayed within user’s friends’ updates on Moments. WeChat strictly limits the number of ads displayed to each user on their Moments and when scrolling though Moments for a longer period of time, the user might come across max. 3 ads. A Moments ad can drive users to a landing page, video, mini program, shop, coupon and more. This type of ad is suitable for big-scale campaigns as the minimum budget required by Tencent is 50,000 RMB (7,500 USD). 

WeChat Banner ads — usually displayed at the end of a WeChat article, banner ads can drive users to follow a WeChat Official Account, view articles, download an app, signup link or to a customized landing page. Much more affordable than WeChat Moments ads, you can start promoting with minimal budget. 

KOL marketing

If you follow Chinese marketing trends closely, then you are probably already familiar with the KOL marketing. KOL, which stands for Key Opinion Leader, is a fastly growing way of promoting your brands with the help of influencers. Brands fell in love with this kind of marketing because compared to Western influencer marketing, KOLs  are perceived as more trustworthy in opinion of the Chinese consumers and this trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. You can choose from a wide range of big and small KOLs across different industries. 

You can adopt various strategies when working with Chinese KOLs.

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WeChat: Your Ultimate Travel Planning Tool

July 6, 2023

WeChat, widely known as China’s all-in-one super app, has revolutionized the way people communicate, socialize, and conduct financial transactions, but now we’ve got yet another sector coming into the ring.

While it was not initially designed as a travel planning tool, recent developments within the platform indicate a growing appetite to venture into the market share traditionally dominated by Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). This shift is particularly notable, given the whirlwind of changes the travel industry has gone through in recent years. After three long years of restricted international travel due to the global pandemic, the world is witnessing a resurgence in wanderlust. As a result, there has been a noticeable surge in travel-related content on WeChat. Users are sharing their travel experiences, tips, and recommendations, transforming the platform into a hub for travel enthusiasts.

Moreover, recent statistics reveal that a substantial portion of the Chinese population is eager to resume their international travel plans. According to a survey published by Dragon Trail Research, an astounding 60% of Chinese individuals have expressed their intentions to travel abroad this year. This renewed enthusiasm for international tourism presents a unique opportunity for WeChat to leverage its existing user base and expand its influence in the industry.

In this article, we will delve into the emerging travel-related features on WeChat and analyze how they position the platform to potentially challenge the dominance of traditional OTAs. We will also explore the implications of WeChat’s growing travel focus, both for its user base and the wider travel industry, as we navigate the new landscape of post-pandemic tourism.

WeChat as a one-stop platform to organize a trip

Mini-programs are the core of any planning tools on WeChat. Chinese Travel Consumption Trends White Paper 2023, released by Tencent Marketing Insight and Tongcheng Research Institute highlight the value and popularity of WeChat mini-programs for Chinese travelers. According to the findings, 61% of respondents said they use WeChat mini-programs to purchase travel products and services while on trips. Additionally, 34% stated that they utilize mini-programs for accommodation, transportation, attraction tickets, activities, and/or F&B, while 24% each use the mini-programs of travel platforms and OTAs.

Brands can leverage mini-programs in many ways. For example by embedding a link within the articles, pin to their official account WeChat menus, and much more.

WeChat mini-programs are simply convenient and don’t require downloading additional apps. On top of that, since they are vetted by Tencent they are also perceived as more reliable.

Mini Programs Travel WeChat

👀 Discover more about WeChat Mini-Programs

WeChat Search is another amazing tool in the WeChat’s arsenal. Users can search for virtually any kind of information from quick results for the weather forecast at their destination to suggested flight routes or accommodations.  In the Search results, users can also browse through official WeChat accounts, video content, mini-programs, and more. Filtering option help them to find relevant information quickly.

One particularly eye-catching feature that can be leveraged by brands is ‘search takeover’ where brands can customize their result card and include buttons driving to different functions like booking.

WeChat Search Travel

🔍 A Quick Guide To WeChat Search

Travel Content on Official Accounts

WeChat Official Accounts, let’s not forget content published on official accounts. They remain the most important source of information and updates for Chinese travelers. That’s why it’s so important to keep them up to date. Menu, which is a close equivalent of a website, should be updated and make it easy to navigate for FAQ. Chinese customers will appreciate responsive customer service and auto-replies.

Articles can serve as a great source of inspiration. Taking into account that 17% of Chinese travelers admit that they use WeChat to plan outbound trips, there is a big chance that they might come across the content that spark their wanderlust within the platform. This rising interest in globetrotting content is already visible. According to Q1 2023 WeChat Rankings Report, average views per post on WeChat rose by 41% for airlines. Similarly, 30% for cruise trips, 42% for attractions, and 15% for hotels.

WeChat Articles Travel Tourists

✈️Reaching Chinese Tourists: Online Travel Agencies and Social Media Platforms [2023]

Last but not least, WeChat Channels can be used to find new inspirations. Viewers can discover hot spots in cities and unknown places worth a visit. With similar to Douyin’s algorithm-based feed, Channels are the must-have hub for visual video content on WeChat. Global and local attractions are already using built-in live-steaming features. Users can also browse content based on their location in order to find new hidden gems. They can also create their own content and raise awareness and promote places through UGC (user-generated content).

WeChat Channels Travel Tourists

🎥 WeChat Channels – How to Post for Success?

Conclusions

WeChat recently published a post on how the app can be used for planning a trip from the scratch. All without the need to download any other apps or leaving the platform. Click here to check it: 微信搜一搜是懂五一的. If you have any questions about leveraging WeChat for tourism, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their network among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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Exploring WeChat Channels Backend: Features & Stats

April 28, 2023

WeChat Channels: In today’s digital age, social media has become an essential part of our lives. From personal to professional use, we all use social media platforms to connect, share, and grow. One such platform that has gained immense popularity in recent times is WeChat Channels. Channels are one of the most important features that Tencent plans to invest in this year. We wrote more about it in WeChat Channels: An In-Depth Look at the Statistics and the Future Plans.

One of the key features of WeChat is that it can be accessed both from the mobile and desktop levels. While the mobile version is ideal for content creators who want to create and share content on the go, accessing Channels through the desktop version offers more functions and a clearer overview of statistics.

Some of the key channel statistics that WeChat provides are follower metrics, message data, engagement metrics, average open rates, location and demographics, and content performance. WeChat’s channel statistics provide valuable insights for businesses to track their performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize their marketing and engagement efforts on the platform.

Let’s dive deeper into this to understand how the WeChat Channels backend works to take the utmost advantage of the platform for different business needs.

You can access it at: https://channels.weixin.qq.com/

 

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage:

One of the key features of WeChat is its desktop-level functionality, which allows users to schedule the publication of posts and view important daily data.

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage Desktop

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage

Upon logging into WeChat, users can see the most important daily data from the previous day. This data includes key statistics such as the number of views, likes, and comments on recent posts. This information is useful for businesses and individuals who are interested in tracking the performance of their content on the platform.

In addition to viewing daily data, users can also schedule the publication of their posts directly from the desktop. This functionality allows users to plan and prepare their content in advance, which can be particularly useful for businesses and individuals who want to maintain a consistent posting schedule.

 

WeChat Channels Content Management:

Preparing and scheduling social media content can be a time-consuming task for content creators. On the desktop backend of WeChat Channels, brands have the ability to prepare their posts and schedule them for publishing at a later time. This includes the ability to upload videos or create carousels of images, write engaging copy with relevant hashtags, add location tags, and schedule the post for a specific date and time.

WeChat Channels Backend Post Scheduling

WeChat Channels Backend Post Scheduling

In addition to these key features, brands can also add a short title for SEO purposes, helping to optimize their post for WeChat search engine and improve its visibility for the Channels algorithm. By carefully crafting the title and post description along with hashtags, content brands can increase the chances of their post being discovered by users who are actively searching for related content.

🏆 Explore top practices for WeChat Channels posting in WeChat Channels – How to Post for Success?

 

WeChat Channels Data:

The statistics page is where the most important information sits. We have access to all the data, including followers’ data, demographics, and post data. 

Firstly, we can see changes in the follower base. 

It is worth noting that following the WeChat Channels account requires a separate action to follow. As of now, official accounts where brands post articles although can be linked in many ways do not share the follower base pools. 

WeChat Channels Data

WeChat Channels Data

On this page, we can track changes in the follower base by different time ranges and actions performed. We can also see our followers’ demographics, such as gender, age, location, and system used.

 

Secondly, we can see data regarding our posts. By day and time periods, we can see total views, engagements, and source of traffic. 

For each unique post, we can see: 

  • Completion rate
  • Views
  • Average playtime
  • Engagements such as likes, recommendations, comments, shares
  • Set as ringtone

 These data points help content creators to understand what kind of content is resonating with their audience. This way they can optimize their strategy accordingly.

 

Other functions of WeChat Channels desktop:

In addition to the above data points, the WeChat Channels backend also provides other important functions. For example, live-streaming, e-commerce, comments, and private message management. These features can be linked with WeCom, WeChat’s enterprise communication and management platform. The heating tool is another useful function that allows content creators to boost views and increase exposure.

Live-streaming: WeChat allows users to live stream videos from their desktop. This feature can be used for personal or business purposes, such as conducting online workshops, tutorials, and product demonstrations.

🎥 Learn more about WeChat Channels Livestreaming in one of our most popular blog posts

E-commerce: WeChat has a built-in e-commerce platform that allows businesses to sell their products directly on the app. It allows for a seamless and instant shopping experience.

Comments and private message management: WeChat’s desktop backend allows users to manage their comments and private messages more efficiently. This feature can be used by businesses to improve their customer service and respond to customer inquiries more quickly.

Heating tool: WeChat’s heating tool is a feature that can be used by businesses to boost their views and increase exposure. This feature can be used to promote a business or product to a wider audience.

Explore our Beginner’s Guide to WeChat Channels

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the WeChat Channels backend is a powerful tool that provides valuable insights and statistics for content creators to analyze their performance and optimize their strategies. By leveraging this information, content creators can understand their audience better and tailor their content to engage and grow their followers. With the help of additional functions such as live-streaming, e-commerce, and heating tools, content creators can further enhance their presence on WeChat and achieve their marketing objectives.

If you want to know more about the Chinese market and how we can help create successful WeChat campaigns for your business contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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Maximizing WeChat Channels: An In-Depth Look at the Statistics and the Future Plans

February 16, 2023

WeChat, China’s biggest app, grew from just a chatting messanger to a major business platform a long time ago. And Channels, the video sub-platform of WeChat, is becoming one of users’ and businesses’ favorite features.

Channels advanced last year, with more services and content available to both consumers and businesses. Since the start of its internal beta testing on January 21, 2020, it has experienced significant user engagement. The feature, which enables anyone to record, create, and share videos, saw total user time exceed 80% of that of Moments, the latter of which offers mutual contacts with asynchronous photo, video, and audio sharing.

If you’re not very familiar with WeChat Channels yet, explore our introductory post for beginners here – A Beginner’s Guide to WeChat Channels.

Now, let’s analyze the WeChat Channel statistics and growth plan for 2023.

 

WeChat Channel Statistics

WeChat Channels have powerful tools for businesses to connect with their target audience and drive growth – with the help of innovative content.  The total number of views has skyrocketed, with a 200% YoY increase and a 400% YoY increase in video views based on AI recommendations.

The number of daily active creators and video uploads has also surged, with a 100% YoY increase, and significant growth in the number of viral videos and original video views. However, short videos are not all. 

Live streaming has also seen tremendous growth, with a 300% increase in users, a 156% increase in viewing time, a 614% increase in content creators, and an 83% increase in broadcast time.

🎥 Learn more about live-streaming on WeChat Channels

WeChat Channels continue to expand its support with new features like live streaming e-commerce, quick sharing, and product windows. This makes more brands eager to leverage a massive userbase to drive their sales and reach their target audience. 

The GMV of live-streaming e-commerce on Channels has grown by over 800% since 2021. Moreover, the average transactions now exceed RMB 200.

Top Events in 2023

WeChat Channels have become one of the most popular platforms for users to watch and share short videos. 

It’s clear that short videos are a hit among WeChat Channels users. The number of views for short videos in 2022 increased by 237% compared to the previous year, showing just how popular they have become.

When it comes to the most popular short videos, five topics stood out. These were the workplace, cultural history, financial management, eloquence/speech, and trivia. This shows that users are interested in a wide range of topics.

WEChat Channels Stats 2023

For those looking to be entertained, WeChat Channels has a plethora of options. The top five concerts in 2022 included “Yearning” by Li Jian, Cui Jian’s first online concert, the Backstreet Boys’ first-ever online concert, Luo Dayou’s “Childhood” concert, and “You Want a Good Concert.”

Backstreet Boys WeChat Channels

In addition to entertainment, WeChat Channels users are also looking for ways to improve their physical health. The top six fitness keywords searched by users were yoga, bodybuilding, boxing, body, aerobics, and diet meals.

For those looking to explore, WeChat Channels offer a wealth of travel content. For example, the top 10 most popular destinations in WeChat Channels included: 

  1. Yellow River Xiaolangdi Reservoir,
  2. Huashan Long Sky Boardwalk,
  3. Tiananmen,
  4. Leshan Giant Buddha,
  5. Yellow River Hukou Waterfall,
  6. Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie,
  7. Forbidden City,
  8. Gulangyu Island in Xiamen,
  9. Macao Green Mao Port,
  10. Former Residence of Chairman Mao in Shaoshan.

 

WeChat Channels’ Growth Plan 

In the fast-paced digital world, it’s essential for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to reach their target audience. WeChat Channels is one such platform that provides a unique opportunity for businesses to reach a vast audience through its innovative features and rich content ecosystem. According to WeChat Weixin Pro Class 2023 (our coverage of the 2022 edition available here), Tencent plans to invest more into Channels in the coming years. 

 

Short Video

The short video feature on WeChat Channels has seen significant growth in the past year. As a result, with more and more creators joining the platform, the content ecosystem has become more diverse and prosperous. 

Moreover, the time spent by WeChat Channels users has also increased and is now approaching that of WeChat Moments. The video views based on recommendation algorithms have increased by over 400% YoY, making it a great opportunity for businesses to reach a vast audience.

To provide comprehensive author services, WeChat Channels has upgraded its creator traffic and honor incentives, with new product capabilities such as online content heating, video product sharing, and video monetization tasks.

These tools will provide creators with more monetization options and help them grow and get better returns on WeChat Channels. 

In 2022, the number of daily active creators and video uploads increased by more than 100% YoY, original content played increased by 350% YoY, and the number of creators with 10,000+ fans increased by 308%. 

 

🗺 Learn how to optimize your WeChat Channels posting with our quick guide

WeChat Channels Video

Live Streaming

WeChat Channels’ live broadcasts have become an integral part of users’ social lives, covering a range of content from hot events to daily information communication and celebrity speeches. Above all, it provides a platform for individuals to start broadcasting and showing themselves, encouraging diverse content production. 

The platform provides a rich live broadcasting ecosystem:

  • the viewing scale increasing by 300%,
  • the viewing time by 156%,
  • and high-quality launch time by 614%.

WeChat Channels has always encouraged the production of diversified and high-quality content. In order words, providing a platform for “every individual to pick up his mobile phone and start broadcasting.” 

As a result, this led to a significant increase of 101% in 2022 and total anchor revenue growth by 447%.

To sum up, live streaming will invest 5 billion in traffic incentives and more rich and perfect realization tools and incentive policies to help every individual have a good start, growth, and income. 

E-commerce Live Streaming

Live Streaming Channels

The commercial potential of WeChat Channels live broadcast has continued to grow. With sales increasing by more than 8 times YoY and the platform’s public purchase conversion rate by more than 100%. 

The top three categories of consumption are clothing, food, and beauty. Finally, it’s worth noting that the purchasing power on WeChat Channels is split between 20% male and 80% female users. This information is useful for businesses and content creators looking to target specific demographics with their products and services.

The launch of WeChat Channels stores provides businesses with convenient and efficient business tools, with over 90% of sales coming from the WeChat Channels store. The platform has connected over 1,000 service providers, contributing over 30% to Channels’ sales.

Firstly to better support brand merchants, WeChat Channels will soon release an incentive plan for merchants. Secondly, Tencent will provide more opportunities, including traffic, brand identity, and other services. For instance, the platform will also continue to increase its support for service providers and focus on investment. For example, in areas of identity authentication, traffic incentives, and operational tools.

Conclusion

WeChat Channels have come a long way, with improvements in short video, live broadcasting, and e-commerce. Above all, with the continued development of the ecosystem and the implementation of incentive policies, WeChat Channels will continue to attract more users and creators, providing a platform for rich and diverse content. 

If you want to know more about WeChat channels and help create a content strategy for WeChat, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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Live Streaming on WeChat Channels

June 7, 2022

Live streaming is the new Holy Grail for brands and businesses that are constantly looking for new methods to better engage their customers. This allows businesses to better understand their customer preferences, which aids in sales conversion and increases brand awareness. 

WeChat is a great medium for getting to know your customers and providing them with a variety of content that keeps them engaged and connected to your brand.

In this article, let’s look at another type of content to broadcast within the WeChat ecosystem beyond the WeChat Article and WeChat Channels video feeds: live streaming on WeChat. Tencent offers two different ways to stream live video: 

  • Through own mini programs’ integrated live streaming capability,
  • WeChat Channels’ built-in feature.

Brands that decide to use their own mini-programs to live stream have more flexibility when it comes to the live stream format but on the downside, these sessions won’t be discoverable on the growing Channels tab. Tencent has ambitious plans for Channels as it was highlighted during the Weixin Pro class earlier this year with already more than 450 million Daily Active Users. 

In the last couple of months, we’ve seen WeChat boosting its live steaming feature by providing brands with more ways of promoting their live streams and increasing the number of touchpoints where users can discover them. WeChat Channels accounts’ main page even shows how many live streams each account hosted.

In our blog post today we will focus on how to live-stream using WeChat Channels. 

What Are the Benefits of Using WeChat Channels Live Streaming?

WeChat live streaming is a new feature that allows you to live stream videos directly from your WeChat account. It’s an amazing tool for businesses and individuals who want to get their content out into the world and engage with their audience. Here are just some of the benefits of using WeChat live streaming:

  • It’s easy to use. Unlike other streaming platforms, WeChat has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for anyone to create a live broadcast.
  • The platform is free and easy to access on any device (desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile). You can even access it from multiple devices at once.
  • Businesses can learn about the feelings of the audience right away by looking at their comments and reactions. They can also get honest customer feedback in real-time.
  • Learn what matters to customers when it comes to product selection.
  • Brands can reach a larger audience with less effort than ever before.
  • Companies can increase brand awareness and build a loyal fanbase.
  • Accounts can seamlessly incorporate e-commerce into their live streams and conserve with the clients. 

Top Live-Streaming Formats & Approaches

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Formats

Top WeChat Channels Live Streaming Formats

  • KOLs, live streamers 

Format: The host of the Livestream introduces and tests products.

Objective: Mainly to drive sales

Examples: Lee, Only

  • Fashion show

Format: A Livestream of a fashion show, with no host for the most part.

Objective: Awareness

Examples: Armani, Givenchy

  • Discussion rooms

Format: Hosts speak about various topics and respond to questions

Objective: Awareness, sometimes sales

Examples: HEYTEA, Shiseido

Livestream – Discovery: How Do Users Find Out About Live Streams?

Users can learn about your live streams in a variety of ways, including:

  1. A brand can add a plate informing about the upcoming live stream into the article. 
  2. WeChat displays a red dot and the name of the account that is currently live-streaming on the ‘Discover’ page.
  3. The streams of subscription accounts are promoted within the subscription folder with the currently streaming accounts encircled in red.
  4. A button to ‘reserve‘ (be alerted) when the live stream begins is included in all accounts.
  5. On the main channel page of WeChat Channels that are now streaming, there is a tile displaying the stream cover.
  6. Brand zone when searching for the brand through WeChat Search.
  7. And potentially more to come.
WeChat Channels Live Streaming Discovery Touchpoints

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Discovery Touchpoints

💬 If you are new to WeChat Channels you might want to get more familiar with the best tactics and grow your fanbase before organizing your first live-streaming sessions: WeChat Channels – How to Post for Success? 

Notable Livestream Features

  • Livestream – Purchase Path: When visitors enter the live-stream room, a floating window displays on the screen with a link to a direct e-commerce product page. By clicking on the ‘shopping bag’ icon, users can browse additional products. Users can look up additional information about a product and add it to their cart, or they can buy it right away and pay.

    WeChat Channels Live Streaming Purchase Path

    WeChat Channels Live Streaming Purchase Path

  • Livestream – Customer Service: Users can use the ‘comment’ function to ask questions, and they can also go to ‘customer service from the product page. Brands can also include a button to add a WeCom customer service contact to talk to the sales team one-on-one. By clicking on the ‘phone’ symbol (a rarely utilized feature), users can call the host live. Users can also participate in a live video or audio call with the host in real-time.
  • Livestream – Sharing a Stream: The stream can be shared with friends or uploaded to Moments. The user will be given a preview similar to WeChat Channels (live-stream cover). The preview will be blurred if the live stream has already ended. Users can click to reserve a live stream if a brand has already planned one.
WeChat Channels Live Streaming Sharing

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Sharing

  • Other features of a live stream: Livestream also offers the ability to hold lucky draws and create red packets. Users are invited to ‘comment’ (typically a brief message) to enter a random drawing for a prize – usually a tiny e-commerce coupon (which is quite popular). Red packets gifts can also be set up by hosts for their guests (Not very popular)

How to apply for WeChat Live Streaming?

Brands cannot start a live stream automatically. WeChat requires a formal application in the WeChat Channels backend to open the live streaming function.

Fill in:

  • The type of live streaming, 
  • Short-term and long-term plans, 
  • Contact information.
WeChat Channels Live Streaming Application

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Application

For the live stream, the WeChat Channel operator can stream directly from their mobile phone or computer desktop. 

When the application is approved in the WeChat Channels backend will share the streaming address and key provided by the video account assistant to output live streams through third-party platforms such as OBS.

Additional options: 

  1. Target Audience: when applying for the broadcasting, the brand can choose to allow only users on the list to watch your live broadcast – this requires uploading a list of WeChat IDs of selected users. 
  2. Products & Coupons: brand can upload a list of products and coupons in the backend that can be later on used and shared with the viewers during the session. 
  3. Teasers & reservations: brand can create a live steaming reservation and fill in the live steaming time and introduction. After successful creation, a brand can then insert the reservation card into the official account posts. At the same time, it can also be directly displayed in the video of the channel. A QR code is also available to download.
  4. Additional links: there are 4 types of links that that account can place during the live streaming:
    • Link to the next live stream and its reservation (to receive notification)
    • Link to the official account article
    • WeCom customer service contact card
    • Hongbao – red packet.
WeChat Channels Live Streaming Links

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Links

Before preparing your next live streaming session don’t forget to read out article on live streaming dos and don’ts.

Conclusion

WeChat has emerged as an extremely useful and powerful tool for businesses looking to expand to the Chinese market. From its live-streaming feature to its various other content, WeChat represents the growing trend of mobile-first social media. 

Its continued success is evident in the way it has already become an indispensable platform for businesses to market their products and build brand influence, not just in China but across Asia. That’s something brands would be wise not to overlook. 

If you wish to know more about WeChat and its various features, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their network among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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