7 ways for Tech companies to use WeChat to promote, interact and scale in China.

In our previous article we described WeChat`s ecosystem, you're now likely to have a basic idea of the power of WeChat. Not only is it extremely popular in China, but WeChat has also seen an incredible user growth outside of the Chinese market.

As a tech startup or as an established company, we're sure you wouldn't want to miss using WeChat to help promote your brand and engage with your fans, followers, partners and even investors. So, what can WeChat do for you and how can it best unleash its full potential for building business presence in China? In this article, we'll uncover the myths and specifics of different accounts and promotion means, with lessons learned from other sectors as they better exemplify the all-encompassing power of WeChat services.

WeChat Official Account

There are 3 different types of WeChat Official accounts: subscription account, service account, and WeChat Work.

Unlike individual WeChat accounts, business accounts are restricted from sending users endless messages. To be specific, Subscription Accounts have daily broadcast messaging enabled and are designed for media and individuals, while Service Accounts are designed for companies and organizations, giving them the capability to manage their customers and their services.

One major difference between the two is how they appear on the customer's end. Service Accounts can appear on the user's chat screen like one of their contacts would, so unless the user turns off the notification, your message will show up on the top of the chat list. On the other hand, Subscription Accounts are hidden inside the subscription folder; subscribers will need to actively find the account to see any updated articles or messages.

The latest update has made it harder for such accounts to reach out, as the latest algorithm is designed to direct the traffic to users' favorite accounts. In other words, the more a user likes and comments on the articles of an account, the more likely that account will appear on users' list. This way, the popular ones would receive more attention from subscribers.

But for Service Accounts, WeChat limits the broadcast to four every month. This way, you can see the importance of each message due to the limited availability. The conclusion is that Subscription Accounts are better suited for providing informative or useful content for readers, while Service Accounts are more suitable for customer services or sending direct information that you would want users to receive.

WeChat Work functions as an internal messaging platform for companies similar to Slack and Google Chat, and only verified staff have access to these corporate accounts. Some of WeChat Work's functions include video conferencing, internal chat rooms, and resource sharing. Since they are not open to the public, we'll skip the discussion here.

What are the differences between Weixin and WeChat?

WeChat and Weixin are different, despite their similar functions and interfaces. They operate in different territories, with their servers located in different places. Basically, Weixin users cannot find your official WeChat accounts, which are only accessible to overseas users. Do some research on your demographics and decide which one suits your business better. To avoid confusion, we will use WeChat throughout this article.

WeChat Mini Programs

Mini programs are apps within WeChat that are downloaded instantly. Mini programs are also a way for WeChat to keep users within its ecosystem to continually keep their attention. Its functions range from games, membership cards, special promotions, fortune telling, coupons, e-commerce, and more.

In 2018, over 580,000 Mini Programs were created within a year of its launch, and more than 700 million daily active users were reported in 2019. The activities and campaigns in these mini programs can be used to increase users' activeness and attachment to your account. You can lead the users to interact with your company's WeChat official account using prizes or other incentives and obtain their tags.

Mini programs can also be a faster alternative for you to reach potential customers. For example, at the end of August, 2018, Ikea received over 20 million online store visits and nearly 3,000 orders within 2 days of its mini program's launch in China. This mini program successfully sold Ikea products to 149 cities without opening physical stores locally, as 45% of total orders came from cities and places without Ikea.

This wonderful effect applies to not only retail, but also many other industries such as blockchain. For example, some blockchain-based projects acquired users by giving away free "candies" (in exchange of tokens) via customised mini programs. These mini programs aim to encourage customers to share the link and spread the message by rewarding them with extra candies. The approach was very effective as users can be rewarded with over one thousand candies simply by inviting friends.

WeChat Marketing

This is another area where WeChat is unique with its own ecosystem and provides different functions and services from what Facebook is offering.

QR code rules them all

WeChat QR codes are multifunctional; individuals can use these codes to add contacts, join groups, and request and send payment. Similarly, businesses can also promote their respective QR codes to raise brand awareness. You can place your business QR code in campaigns, articles, websites, etc., and even have it designed artistically in such a way it can gain more attention. An example would be the following creative QR code by JOYROOM, a Shenzhen-based supplier of mobile phone accessories. If you look at it carefully, you can even see that such creative QR codes have managed to incorporate its brand proposition and offerings.

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