WeChat basics a marketer for China must know
With nearly 1.3 billion monthly active users, WeChat is the undisputed king of Chinese social media.
It began as a chat app, quite similar to WhatsApp, but it evolved into something much bigger than just a communication tool.
Almost everyone in China has it, even the older generation living in rural areas are not unfamiliar with the super App. If you’re in China, you will immediately realise that WeChat is the main form of communication with everyone.
Here are the key features:
Chat — WeChat offers one-on-one and group chats, and there are no read receipts, which means the sender doesn’t know if the recipient has read the message unlike WhatsApp’s two blue ticks.
You can also send audio messages (voice notes) or make video and audio calls.
Official Account Posts — WeChat’s Official Accounts are brand or business accounts and post or publish information directly in the message feed or the subscriptions folder.
Moments — This separate newsfeed allows users to share content with, and view content (videos, photos, text) from their friends. The feed is organized newest-to-oldest, with the most recent post featured at the top.
WeChat Pay — WeChat also has a feature that lets you hold money within the app and use it to pay for literally everything. Even the elderly vendors selling snacks on street corners accept WeChat payments.
Mini-Programs — Signing up for and downloading mini-programs gives users access to more features. Within the WeChat app, users can pay their utility bills, order food, shop, purchase items at their favourite store, call a taxi, etc.
It is fair to say the Chinese lives are tightly associated with WeChat App, making it a unignorable place for marketers when target China market.
