The number of active users of WeChat (Chinese: Wēixìn 微 信), China’s answer to Instagram and Facebook, has increased from 14 million in 2011 to 1.0825 billion in the third quarter of 2018 (Source: Statista). WeChat is the most widely used communication channel for products and services in China, and it also includes a payment service WeChat Pay that most Chinese use on a daily basis.
Here are 6 ways that companies can use WeChat to make their products and services visible in the Chinese market:
- Set up an official WeChat account for your business. It is important to use Chinese in the content and articles published on this account so that Chinese with poor English can also understand the information being conveyed. In order to attract more followers to the corporate account on WeChat, it is important that the content that is published is catchy and appropriate in terms of Chinese culture and etiquette.
- Use of QR codes with a direct link to the company’s WeChat page on e.g. on the website, product packaging, product information, business cards.
- Ads on WeChat Moments. Moments on WeChat is like news updates on Facebook, where you can post status, photos, articles, etc. The ads in WeChat Moments can have a direct link to the official WeChat account, another website or store in WeChat or another online store.
- Use of own programs (gadgets) inside WeChat for a specific product/brand. When users search for keywords in WeChat, they will get an overview of the most relevant programs in WeChat.
- Banner advertising, ads that appear after articles published by official WeChat accounts.
- Use of influencers, who already have many followers on WeChat.
Feel free to contact us or our partner Nordic China Business Hub AS (www.ncbhub.com) with any questions regarding marketing in China or Chinese business development.
