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  • Account authority: Verified status and historical content quality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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Hermès’s Innovative WeChat Campaign: Bridging Digital and Physical Worlds in China’s Luxury Market

December 24, 2024

Introduction to Digital Innovation at Hermès

In an era where digital transformation shapes marketing strategies, Hermès has set a benchmark in China’s dynamic market. This blog post explores Hermès’s recent groundbreaking campaign that harmoniously blends offline exhibitions with interactive WeChat Mini Programs, setting new standards for engaging consumers in China’s competitive luxury landscape.

海报

Poster

Exploring the Campaign’s Mechanics

The campaign revolved around an engaging scavenger hunt/escape room that took place during an exclusive offline exhibition. Participants embarked on a journey through the venue, tasked with discovering horse-themed items—a tribute to Hermès’s equestrian roots. Each item was cleverly integrated into the exhibition, encouraging visitors to explore in-depth.

Hermes Exhibition

Inside The Exhibition

Digital Integration via WeChat Mini Program

The brilliance of this campaign was further amplified through its digital strategy, utilizing a WeChat Mini Program. Participants used this platform to log the items they discovered by clicking the corresponding images. This seamless integration of digital tools ensured a smooth and engaging user experience, highlighting the potential of WeChat Mini Programs in bridging online and offline worlds.

wechat mini program

WeChat Mini Program

Rewards and Incentives

To add excitement, Hermès offered exclusive branded rewards to those who successfully completed the scavenger hunt. This strategy not only enhanced participation rates but also created a memorable experience that participants were likely to share across their social networks.

激励

Rewards and Incentives

Key Learnings from Hermès’s Strategy

  1. Seamless O2O Integration
    • The campaign is a prime example of effective Online-to-Offline (O2O) integration, which keeps users engaged by connecting digital actions with physical experiences. This approach is particularly resonant in China’s retail environment, where digital engagement can significantly amplify physical marketing efforts.
  2. Gamification Drives Engagement
    • By gamifying the exhibition experience, Hermès managed to transform a traditional marketing event into an interactive adventure. Gamification is a powerful tool in digital marketing, especially on platforms like WeChat, where user engagement can directly translate into higher brand loyalty and customer retention.
  3. Narrative-Driven Branding
    • Hermès’s focus on storytelling, by integrating its brand heritage into the campaign, helped reinforce its identity and values. This strategy not only enriched the consumer experience but also bolstered the brand’s image in the eyes of Chinese consumers, who value rich, narrative-driven interactions.

Conclusion: A Model for Future Campaigns

Hermès’s campaign demonstrates the profound impact of integrating innovative digital marketing strategies with traditional methods. For brands looking to make a mark in China’s luxury market, leveraging social media platforms like WeChat through Mini Programs offers a direct route to consumer engagement.

This case study serves as a reminder of the effectiveness of combining physical and digital experiences in a marketing strategy, especially in a highly digital society like China. Brands aiming to expand in the Chinese market should consider similar integrations to captivate and engage with their audience effectively.

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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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Why Adding the WeChat Mini Program to Your Business Will Make All the Difference?

July 21, 2022

Need to switch between different apps for different services? 

The process can be time-consuming and inconvenient, and you might end up with a number of apps that you rarely use. 

They eat up a lot of storage too. 🙄

Additionally, having multiple apps can be challenging for businesses as it requires additional resources and expenses. This has led to “Mini-Programs”. 

Global corporations are now creating their own mini-programs because it benefits both service providers and ends users equally. Tencent, WeChat’s owner and operator, a major Chinese tech company, has also added mini-programs to their applications.

The WeChat Mini-Programs: What Are They?

WeChat mini-programs are “sub-applications” within the WeChat ecosystem. In 2017, Tencent added mini-programs to WeChat. 

As of 2021, over 4.3 million WeChat mini-programs with 410 million daily active users existed. WeChat mini-programs have altered how companies conduct business on the platform. 

WeChat mini-games, lifestyle mini-apps, and e-commerce mini-programs are just some of the various kinds of mini-programs. A few of the popular mini-programs are

  • A restaurant mini program has multiple sections: to order delivery, pick-up, and dine-in along with the full menu and membership program. 

Restaurant mini program

  • A local hospital mini program allows users to check the hospital location, doctors’ availability, book appointment, and process payments.

hospital mini program

  • Housing-app mini program allows users to search for short and long-term leases, chat with apartment owners and explore the city maps to search for places.

housing mini program

 

Accessing WeChat Mini Program

WeChat mini-programs can be accessed in a variety of ways. 

Swiping down on WeChat to access a list of recently used or saved Mini programs is the most popular method. 

Youzan, a WeChat shop platform, reports that this swipe down the interface accounts for 27% of Mini Program traffic. Users can also access WeChat mini-programs via:

  • WeChat Official Account menu
  • Placed inside a WeChat article
  • WeChat’s Discover tab
  • Sharing cards on WeChat groups
  • Mini Program QR Code Scan
  • Search

Interesting Facts About WeChat Mini-Programs

  • 50% of the top WeChat mini-programs also have a native app. Brands can still use a mini-program to draw WeChat users to their app or website even though they already have their own apps.
  • The WeChat mini-programs age ranges are fairly evenly distributed. Therefore, the mini-programs need not be limited to a particular age group and its preferences.
  • Women make up 71% of users of the WeChat E-Commerce Mini program. This is an opportunity for companies in the fashion, cosmetics, beauty, health, and wellness sectors to advertise their goods in WeChat mini-programs.
  • Mainland of China is home to 98.6% of WeChat’s users. The use of this feature can increase sales for businesses that are attempting to market their products.
  • Europe and Russia account for 56.98% of all WeChat mini-program users outside of China. Brands can use WeChat mini-programs to advertise their products in Europe and Russia since it is simpler to obtain permission for one app than for many when using WeChat.

User Participation In Wechat Mini-Programs

WeChat mini-program usage has grown significantly over time. There is an even greater increase in time spent thanks to WeChat mini-games. 67% of WeChat’s mini-program users use them more than four times per day, making them the majority of heavy users. WeChat mini-programs now account for 42% of all orders between 200 and 1,000 RMB, an increase in the percentage of small orders over time. 16.6% of users spend more than 1,000 RMB via mini-programs each month. 

This could be a result of the fact that 7.4% of WeChat mini-program users only make over 10,000 RMB per month. 

Why Should Businesses Use The WeChat Mini-Program?

Users can purchase items within the WeChat app with the aid of mini-programs. Increased conversion rates may result from this. Because of that the app’s key opinion leaders are crucial for utilizing the e-commerce mini-programs. 

It is challenging to turn content into e-commerce because WeChat advertisements aren’t very good at identifying consumers and linking to products in the articles. It was made possible by WeChat by connecting products to eCommerce mini-programs.

In addition to these eCommerce conversions, WeChat mini-programs can be helpful in offline use-cases. For instance, unlocking a shared bike or paying for gas at a gas station.

WeChat Mini-programs will probably still be a crucial component of your marketing ecosystem if you’re aiming to attract higher-end users because they make converting new users easier. Users who try out your offerings through the WeChat Mini program will be much more likely to switch to a native app after that.

In reality, half of the most popular WeChat Mini-programs have a native app as well. This is particularly true in the E-commerce and lifestyle services sectors, where over 80% of the top 100 WeChat mini-programs have a corresponding native application.

Conclusion 

Mini-programs can be very beneficial as social media platforms start to emerge as a business tool. Though WeChat has numerous mini-programs for different purposes, E-commerce mini-programs steal the show as they facilitate better conversion within the app. 

So when it comes to the big question, “Do we need them?”, well, that depends on the requirements of the business.

If you wish to know more about WeChat mini-programs or other marketing techniques in China, please 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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WeChat Mini-programs: A strategy for the future?

June 6, 2018

In March this year, Tencent’s flagship mobile application, WeChat, has reached one billion user accounts. The application which stands out due to its versatility as well as its flexibility continues its search for innovation.

WeChat is a social phenomenon !

“The strategy for WeChat is that they’re trying to embed themselves into your lives so that you can’t leave WeChat,” says Matthew Brennan, Co-founder of WeChat consulting firm China Channel. The app is basically an “operating system for your life in China,” he adds. Indeed, it is quite hard to a great number of people to stop using this application as it connects them to their friends, family and the rest of China.

The app is basically an “operating system for your life in China,”

This is where mini programs come in :

WeChat mini-programs are “sub-applications” inside WeChat system. Since their creation in 2016, they’ve made available numerous functionalities such as web-based business (e-commerce), task and coupon management.

JD.com (the second biggest B2C online business in China) has built up an internet business mini-program that allow users to access the wide range of products offered by online retailers. In addition, the direct access to the WeChat wallet make it easy for users to purchase products and improve the overall experience.

Mini-programs have innovative feature :

For instance, if you are at a bus station, you might see its QR code. But if you’re not waiting for a bus, it won’t appear. A good mini program can give users updates about incoming buses.

wechat mini-programs future bus

BUS TIME CHECKER : 车来了精准的实时公交

In Tencent’s final quarter budgetary strategy for 2016, the organization showed a clear interest in developing and expanding mini-programs. As stated: “broaden and deepen services in low-frequency use cases, connect more offline services to online users, and provide more venues for users to sample functionalities offered by apps”. (see more)

A long-term strategy…

Eventually, WeChat seems to be willing to replace the current systems used by Apple and Google: iOS and Android. Indeed, with Google play blocked in China, there is a niche to be compensated, that Tencent wants to fill by offering a very accessible store (one of the most accessible in fact).

In addition, Apple may see the traffic on their app store decrease with the success of the mini programs. This would be unfavorable for Apple as China is an important market for the company’s growth.

That being said, Tencent could be an important actor of an eventual “post-app” era which could transform the way consumers consume.  And the giants of the industry, Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon (GAFA) be ahead of the pack. At stake could be a dominance of the industry valued at about $102 billion by 2020.

 

Interested in technology? Discover how WeChat is integrating AR into the platform to build an innovative user experience!

 

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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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