Exploring Potential: Assessing China’s Latest Innovations in Landscape

February 7, 2024


1. Top 3 hottest experiential trends among China’s Gen Z

Here are the top picks from Xiaohongshu’s first-ever selection of “lifestyle inspirations”.

  • Attend night classes to pick up new skills.

Recent searches for “night school” have increased by an astounding 980% when compared to the same period last year, according to data from Dianping and Meituan. With over 8 million views and counting for the Xiaohongshu hashtag (#夜校), more inquisitive minds are probably going to follow in his footsteps.

  • Arrange to stay at a hotel by yourself and watch a tonne of TV.

This month’s most popular lifestyle inspiration hashtag (#厘在亦假) has received 35 million views.

  • Forget “old money” – embrace “no money style”

“no money style” invites people to exaggerate their lack of funds. This could mean wearing baggy, mismatched clothes (think taking out the bins or popping to the supermarket – the more ripped and stained the better) or simply wearing your favorite outfit on repeat. 

Link: https://daoinsights.com/opinions/top-3-hottest-experiential-trends-among-chinas-gen-z/

2. China and Singapore to allow mutual visa-free travel

From 9 February, CNY Eve, travellers with passports from either China or Singapore will be able to enter the reciprocal country visa-free and remain for 30 days. 

Within an hour of the announcement, searches for hotels and flights to Singapore increased 15 and 6 times, respectively, according to the travel booking website Fliggy. Singapore is now the fifth most popular place to go during the nine-day Chinese New Year holidays. 

Link: https://daoinsights.com/news/china-and-singapore-to-allow-mutual-visa-free-travel/

3. The best places to go for Chinese New Year in 2024

  • During CNY, there will be an estimated 9 billion domestic travels.
  • As per Ctrip, the most popular travel destinations are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia. 
  • While traditional Asian favourites include Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, interest in emerging luxury hotspots like Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar is growing.
  • Millennials want experiences that are genuine and tailored to them; they want to engage with locals and become fully immersed in the culture.
  • The narratives and perceptions surrounding destinations are significantly shaped by KOL content shared on platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/the-top-travel-destinations-for-chinese-new-year-2024

4. Gen Z unfiltered: Michael Kors peels back emotional layers of Chinese New Year

  • On January 31, Michael Kors premiered its 2024 Chinese New Year special short film, “Carry Your True Self,” 
  • The film takes a distinctive approach to conventional Lunar New Year ad shorts by employing a bold and incisive creative angle, capturing the inner emotional landscape of contemporary youth as they embark on their festival holidays.
  • As they prepare to reunite with family for the traditional festival, they unpack unnecessary burdens from their bags, shedding labels such as “aloofness,” “empty fame,” “busy individuals,” “emotional stability,” and “unnecessary obligations.” Choosing to liberate themselves from societal pressures, the protagonists opt for a more authentic and carefree return home.
  • In Michael Kors’ case, its Chinese New Year advertisement stands out for its genuine portrayal of the emotions young people experience during this traditional festival. Through the nuanced message of “Carry Your True Self,” the brand encourages a more relaxed approach to the holiday, which allows it to resonate with Chinese young generations.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/posts/inside-michael-kors-bold-chinese-new-year-narrative 

5. Why is the ‘mob wife’ fashion aesthetic gaining momentum?

  • From TikTok to the New York Times, the mob wife fashion aesthetic, that of opulence, extravagance and maximalist glamour, is gaining traction.
  • The aesthetic, made famous by the long-running crime series The Sopranos, often features bold statement pieces, including fur coats, high-end accessories, and ensembles that reflect wealth and status.
  • While the brashness of mob wife fashion stands in stark contrast to the prevailing trend of understated luxury on the runways, data analytics has substantiated its surge in popularity.
  • Ultimately, the trend resonates with those who appreciate the fusion of sophistication, drama, and a touch of rebellion in their fashion choices.

Link: https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/why-is-the-mob-wife-fashion-aesthetic-gaining-momentum/2024012958106

6. TikTok faces large-scale content removal after major falling out with Universal Music Group

  • TikTok turned against its former cooperation partner Universal Music Group (UMG) overnight after the world’s largest music copyright owner threatened to remove all of the music it owns from the video-sharing platform, which lambasted UMG’s “self-serving actions” and characterized them as putting their interests above those of artists, songwriters, and fans. 
  • The dispute would reportedly also affect TikTok sibling Douyin, potentially causing both platforms to have to remove Universal songs from the huge number of videos using them as background music. The falling out with UMG may also lead to a similar response from other music companies.

Link: https://technode.com/2024/02/01/tiktok-faces-large-scale-content-removal-after-major-falling-out-with-universal-music-group/

7. In WeChat Channel, selling knives like this can break millions?

Knives are originally popular consumer goods with a strong and traditional atmosphere, but in the words of Wang Jinbo, the video anchor of “Zhang Xiaoquan Knife Flagship Store”, they collide with poetry, life insights, and English. It is this contrast that makes the live broadcast of this time-honored brand instantly become high-end.

With a full-time team of only 10 people, they quickly accumulated 600,000 followers and achieved sales of over one million yuan in the first week of broadcasting. On November 11, 2023, the number of viewers for the special session reached 1.4 million, and the single session sales exceeded one million yuan.

  • Brand content matches their Channel’s users
  • Live streaming has reached sufficient duration
  • It is selling knives, but also bringing knowledge expansion and emotional value through live streaming

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/lvTH2sRJjenUJtv7POP1zw

You may also like

Discovering Possibilities: Assessing the Latest Advancements in China’s Industry

January 3, 2024

1.China’s Video Platforms Under Scrutiny Amid New Gov’t Campaign

  • The short video market in China has grown significantly; as of June, there were 1.02 billion online short video users, up 14.54 million from December 2022. 
  • Despite this expansion, the industry faces criticism for widespread dissemination of fabricated content. Content producers frequently create videos that cater to vulgar tastes or share sensationalist news in an effort to increase viewership and profits.
  • To address these concerns, Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, introduced measures in May requiring content creators to clearly label AI-generated content. This helps users distinguish between virtual and real content. 
  • Additionally, Weibo, the microblogging platform, initiated a trial of a “side note” function in September, similar to “community notes” on X (formerly Twitter). During this month-long campaign to counter inappropriate content and fake news, verified users can fact-check posts. 
  • Accounts or platforms found to be in violation face closure and penalties, as issued by the nation’s top internet watchdog.

LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/CSDtfyeBj4SGDh37KGr46w

 

2.WeChat live shopping GMV hits 100 billion RMB

WeChat revealed on 11 December that WeChat’s shopping feature achieved 100 billion (13.9 billion USD) in gross merchandise volume this year.

Even with this remarkable number, sales of the specialized short video apps Douyin and Kuaishou, which are now the preferred online shopping destinations for many Chinese consumers, are still far below this amount. Douyin is expected to surpass Kuaishou’s sales of 800 million RMB (112.4 million USD) this year, with sales of 2 trillion RMB (281 billion USD).

Given that it has already developed a “pretty significant high-income and affluent customer base,” WeChat is now well-positioned to benefit from the expanding market for luxury live shopping. WeChat Channels can hopefully carve out a niche as the go-to destination for luxury live shopping, distinguishing itself from everyman apps Douyin and Kuaishou.

LINK: https://daoinsights.com/news/wechat-live-shopping-gmv-hits-100-billion/

 

 

3.China’s Gen Z ‘city walk’ phenomenon is good for brands

  • More than sixty percent of city walkers are wealthy, college-educated women in China’s first-tier cities between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five.
  • A growing number of lifestyle brands have already collaborated with regional influencers to produce themed city walks that are open to the public as part of their fan community.
  • To launch the brand’s newest coloring shade, Honey Light Gold, Schwarzkopf staged a “Color District” parade at Shanghai TX Huaihai Plaza. Taking advantage of the popularity of City Walk, the event brought together 10,000 spectators for the parade to celebrate bold styles and over 100 beauty KOLs.
  • Peco, a Chinese designer bag brand, adopted a playful approach with a “Dog Walk Show” on the streets of Shanghai to celebrate its ninth anniversary in late September. The brand styled nine models and dogs to stroll along the streets of Shanghai, with bag straps redesigned into leashes.
  • City walk’s resurgence is a uniquely contemporary Chinese phenomenon. The common thread uniting these city walk-related brand events is young people’s desire to get out more on the streets and live more in the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/posts/life-in-china-is-back-to-normal-so-why-are-foreign-tourists-skipping-the-country

 

4.Wechat account  test marketing content limit pop-up window

Users have been receiving relevant pop-up prompts in some WeChat account articles that contain marketing promotion information. These prompts indicate that the current content may contain unaudited third-party commercial marketing information, and users have the option to either continue reading the article or leave it.

Regarding this, a WeChat representative stated that “the pop-up window function is currently in the testing stage, and it is not a violation that will pop up; instead, the user will be repeatedly reminded and warned, and if the violation stays, the pop-up window will appear.”

You may also like

From Gurus to Game-Changers: Embracing Key Opinion Professionals in Content Marketing

August 16, 2023

Influencer marketing is one of the pillars of communication strategies for all brands wishing to make their footprint in China. These influencers referred in China as KOLs, or Key Opinion Leaders, are individuals who have established themselves as experts or influential figures in specific industries or fields, particularly in the realm of social media and digital marketing. They have amassed a large and engaged following on platforms like Weibo, WeChat, RED,  Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), and other social media channels. KOLs hold significant sway over their followers’ opinions and purchasing decisions. Their presence is crucial for brands looking to market their products or services to a Chinese audience. We wrote more about idol economy and who KOLs are on our blog.

💄 Discover more about RED and RED marketing

But in the fast-paced world of digital marketing, a new breed of influencers is capturing the limelight and revolutionizing the way brands connect with their audiences. Today we’ll introduce you to Key Opinion Professionals (KOPs), how they are transforming content marketing, and why brands are swooning over their compelling charm.

Meet the Trailblazers: Key Opinion Professionals (KOPs)

Emerging from the domains of influencer marketing, KOPs offer a novel vantage point within the realm of content marketing. Contrary to KOLs, this type of content creators offer a profound exploration into their specialization, unique knowledge, and entrancing revelations.

They are not your typical influencers, by any means. Usually, KOPs boast a high education and a wealth of experience in their chosen fields. The internet age has turned them into digital artisans, sharing their wisdom through captivating visuals and videos. They entice both devoted fans and new consumers looking for professional opinion.

Chinese consumers highly rely on word-of-mouth when buying a product. They are greatly influenced by recommendations from people they are following on social media. In 2022, 86% of Chinese users visited different online communities to search for related product offers before placing order. This all to reduce potential risk and dissapointment. However, consumers are aware of professionalization of KOLs therefore they start to seek advice from experts in their respective fields.

🇨🇳 Different types of Chinese consumers: Silver Generation

KOPs – Unlocking the Secrets of Vertical Content

Naturally, KOL and KOC tend to emphasize their personal experiences and highlighting advantages of the products often supplied by brands. Unlike KOLs’ broad viewpoints and KOCs’ personal experiences, KOPs take users on an discovery ride through the vastness of their respective vertical knowledge in fields considered relatively niche.

They often represent the industries such as health, technology, engineering, or even law. They dissect product formulas, decode compositions, and unravel the mysteries of consumers’ favorite goods. All of that with the precision and thoughtfulness of seasoned experts. Their professional knowledge comes from years of education and experience. That’s why they possess such ease and confidence in discussing matters that won’t be possible to discover by KOLs. 

Examples of KOPs

KOPs

罗翔 is a law professor at People’s University of China, with 28.5 million followers on Bilibili, he shares deep insights about law, and he also makes content about how ordinary people can live a better and more meaningful life with more understandings about law. He also makes content about philosophy and book reviews.

王德峰 is a philosophy professor at Fudan University, equipped with vast range of knowledge in philosophy, art and music. His unique and interesting way of delivering Chinese and western life philosophy had great impact on young users.

武志红 is a psychologist and a best seller writer, has made his fame publishing several best seller books including the controversial 《巨婴国》The Country of  Giant Babies. Active on Chinese social media, he often shares his take from a professional psychologist POV on recent society affairs.

Key Opinion Leader KOPs

尹烨 is the CEO of 华大集团BGI（a pharmaceutical company), graduated from Columbia university with a PHD, he specializes in life sciences and he has made his appearance on several popular interview shows which attracted huge attention, then he started his own social media channel and is now making content mostly about science, technology and biology.

With more than 30 million followers on douyin, 虎哥说车 mainly creates interesting and insightful content about cars, he started in video sector very early on and has constant resources to controversial cars.

KOPs – Why Brands Fell in Love?

Even though most of KOPs started posting online out of willingness to spread their knowledge, brand quickly took notice. In a world where cautious consumers rule the roost, KOPs are the superheroes that brands crave. 82% of consumers meticulously scrutinize products before purchasing, seeking safety and efficacy. KOPs enter the spotlight with their arsenal of professional insights and authentic recommendations. Effectively, they can be the element that make the difference and seal the deal in the ever-growing decision-making process. For example, beauty brands can work with skincare doctors or chemists to discuss product formulas and give their recommendations based on ingredients used. B2B brands are also more likely to work with KOPs than KOLs due to the nature of their offering. 

 

Unleashing the Power of KOP, KOL, and KOC

The secret formula to content marketing success is the mighty combination of KOL, KOC, and now KOP. When these forces unite, brands can increase their share of voice and captivate users across multiple platforms.  KOLs reach their mass audiences and KOCs add their flair with personal touchpoints, while KOPs help users to confirm their purchase decision with authoritative product endorsements.

 

Conclusion

While KOP marketing is a relatively new concept. However it’s surely a much needed phenomenon in the highly saturated influencer industry. Consumers seek for more authenticity and reliable source of information. KOPs with their mastery of vertical expertise, combined with the allure of KOLs and the authenticity of KOCs, makes for an unbeatable trio. As consumers increasingly seek genuine recommendations and professional knowledge, KOPs are soaring high as trusted beacons of influence. In the coming years, we will surely see more and more influencers wearing lab coats and other professional attires populating feeds of the top Chinese platforms. 

You may also like

Exploring China’s Market: The Latest Updates

August 14, 2023

1. LinkedIn announced its decision to discontinue InCareer in China: 

  • Effective August 9, the decision was attributed to the fierce competition and challenging macroeconomic climate in the Chinese market, the firm stated. 
  • LinkedIn introduced the InCareer app for the Chinese market in December 2022. 
  • As of March of this year, InCareer had approximately 95,9600 monthly active users (MAUs), while its competitors 51 Job and Boss boasted 18.5 million MAUs and 17.3 million MAUs, respectively.
  • LinkedIn had previously expressed its intention to shift its strategic focus in the Chinese market toward assisting Chinese companies with overseas talent recruitment, brand marketing, and skill training.

https://www.ithome.com/0/711/201.htm

 

2. The Chinese short video platform Kuaishou showcased a new AIGC solution and AIGC digital human product called Kuaishou Zhibo:

  • The head of Kuaishou’s AI business highlighted that the AIGC solution is built upon Kuaishou’s self-developed foundational large language model. 
  • It will help creators in the generation of text, images, music, videos, and 3D works by providing them with inspiration, creative materials, and intelligent production services.
  • The company is developing technologies such as text-to-image creation, AI-supported cameras, and intelligent video scripting for its portrait camera app Yitian Camera, and its video editing app Kuaiying.

https://www.36kr.com/newsflashes/2381837287157001

 

3. Guochao brew: China’s Gen Z craves a cup of ‘Chinese-style’ coffee

  • More cafés have created a distinctly Chinese atmosphere by incorporating traditional architecture, such as a courtyard, decorating their interiors with antique furniture, and serving drinks in Gaiwans. 
  • They serve as popular spots for dates, chats, studying, and business meetings.
  • The localization goes beyond store aesthetics to infuse Chinese elements into the taste and preparation methods of the coffee as well. 
  • Because these specific product launches rely heavily on novelty, the buzz is often artificial and temporary. 
  • However, Guochao — or the integration of traditional Chinese elements in contemporary life — is no passing phase or gimmick.

https://jingdaily.com/chinese-style-coffee-guochao-gen-z/

You may also like

What is Whitelisting and How It Can Help Brands Boost Collaborations on WeChat?

December 5, 2022

All WeChat content creators and marketing managers will agree that getting organic views under their articles is getting tougher year by year. In the highly-saturated space as WeChat is, ads are of great help but do you want to know how to reach new audiences through organic content? That is possible by collaborating with so-called hot accounts (industry accounts with a big reach and strong reputation) and influencer accounts on WeChat. 

We saw a lot of our clients partnering with other accounts to promote their brand but despite sometimes high fees, these sponsored articles didn’t generate any additional traffic or new followers for the client’s account. Did it happen to you too? Learn how to avoid these mishaps in our article and which methods will work towards your particular goals. 

 

What is Whitelisting?

So what is exactly whitelisting and how to share content on Wechat using this method?

Whitelisting is the method of allowing access to resources created and posted by your account to only authorized parties. When it comes to WeChat as a social platform, whitelisting can be very beneficial for users and businesses alike. By leveraging whitelisting your brand can reach new audiences who are already curious about your industry and potential customers. 

Shortly, you can allow other accounts to reshare or as WeChat call it, reprint, your articles on their accounts. 

Content that can be redistributed in this way must have the ‘original content’ mark meaning that you’re the owner of the content. 

Content producers can click the “original content declaration” button in the backend when publishing to claim full ownership of the content. In order to do so the articles must be at least 300 characters long. Note that articles without this designation can be easily copied and redistributed without your knowledge. It’s always good to tick the ‘original content’ box! Find requirements for accounts that post mostly visual-based content and can’t read 300 characters on the official WeChat / Weixin website. 

 

Types of sharing content in WeChat

By default, all accounts can reshare articles from other accounts on WeChat. However, this function is not very popular. It doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing or attractive. You can see it below. 

There are two main types of authorization for third-party partners to reprint your content. 

First of all, the authorization can be granted for individual articles or for all content posted on your account (global reprint permission 全局可转载帐号). The second option means that the whitelisted partner will be able to share all our articles at any time.

In both cases, you will have additional options to consider when allowing other accounts to reshare your content. You can: 

  • Require a partner account to display a link to the original official account: You can require always have a link to the original article visible. This will enable the readers to visit the original article and potentially 
  • Give permission to edit: You can grant the resharing account permission to edit the article; otherwise, the article will be forwarded in its entirety.

Whitelisting

As you can see you can choose different options depending if the relationship with the partner is to be a one-off or a long-term one. 

Secondly, keep in mind that if you don’t require the partner to show the link to the original article you’re losing the chance to redirect the fans to your account. Having a contact card tile with the link to your account or a QR code is a must if your goal is to drive traffic to your account. 

Reprinting – how is it displayed on WeChat?

Sharing WeChat B2B

As you can see in the 3rd option, users will see right away the original source of the article and they can click to follow your account. Your partner on the other hand can add a short note about why they are reposting this article or any other comment or introduction.

New option! 

Just recently, we spotted a new feature in the WeChat backend. This new option, ‘quick repost’, means all accounts can repost your new article. This option comes with some limitations but it’s a good way to get your content spread. It gives you less control on who can share the article but on the other hand, accounts won’t be able to remove the source or modify it. 

According to WeChat:

  1. When quick repost is on, the source will always be displayed when this article is reposted, and cannot be modified.
  2. Quick repost does not affect the repost authorization of whitelisted accounts. The format is as follows.

Interesting thing:

  • Reprinted articles cannot contain internal WeChat links. 

quick repost wechat

Collaboration and mutual distribution

WeChat’s official accounts can work with other accounts in a variety of ways to spread their content among a chosen target audience. This can be done either by providing a ready-to-use article to partners that will be shared via a whitelisting process. You can also opt to create a new, original article.

It is critical that sponsored content maximizes efforts and truly directs readers from the partner account to the original content on your account. For example, a QR code or contact card at the end of the article will help users to reach the original source.

Similarly, if your brand has several official accounts, the most effective way to cross-promote would be to mutually whitelist each other and regularly reshare key content across. 

 

Collaborations with KOLs in WeChat

Collaboration with KOLs (key opinion leaders), your industry experts, or hot accounts from your industry can be very beneficial. After that, publication brands can work with KOLs to direct traffic from these accounts to your account.

 

Brands that cannot advertise on WeChat

Accounts belonging to restricted industries can also greatly benefit from whitelisting as a key method of promotion on WeChat. Since there are stringent regulations for certain sectors it’s often impossible for these brands to advertise on WeChat.  

But brands in these sectors can only grow organically on WeChat and actually thrive. This is where a carefully planned collaboration strategy helps. Because of that collaborations can help reach new audiences, and with whitelisting facilities, organic content from these brands can get better visibility.

⛔️ Learn who can’t absolutely advertise on WeChat. Does your brand fall within one of these categories?

 

Case study on magazine collaboration

Let’s observe the advantages of collaboration with one of our clients. 

Client: AkzoNobel International Marine Coatings

Industry: B2B Marine & Protective Coatings for the shipping industry

Target Audience: Major shipping companies

Objectives: build brand awareness and brand equity

Solution: Collaborate with expert magazines from the industry to publish content from the brand on their WeChat account.

Results: Magazine articles surpassed by 80% and 125% the brand’s best-performing owned article of the whole year among the relevant target audience

Whitelisting Sharing WeChat B2B case study

These PR-style collaborations also serve as backlinks for WeChat SEO, boosting the brand’s ranking in the WeChat search results. These collaborations produce results both in the short term (by providing brand visibility to magazine followers). In addition, in the long term, it improves the WeChat search index ranking.

🚢You can see the full case study here: Case Study: AkzoNobel (B2B Management)

 

Conclusion

Collaborations, be they with KOLs or partner brands, are crucial to expanding customer bases by reaching new audiences. In conclusion with whitelisting, you can reach high-quality followers with organic content. This is especially helpful for brands that cannot advertise on WeChat and solely rely on organic content to reach their potential customers.

If you want to know more about collaborations and content sharing on WeChat, 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.

You may also like

How to Make a Great First Impression on WeChat with an Official Account?

November 4, 2022

WeChat’s active users are steadily increasing, and it has over 1.29 billion monthly users. Today, WeChat is one of the leading social networks worldwide, ranking fifth in terms of active users. As literally, everyone in China is on WeChat so are the brands using the official account function to connect with their fans, business partners, and potential prospects. On average, most of the users followed between 10 and 20 WeChat official accounts. So, it is very crucial for businesses to stand out in order to attract potential customers, and it is not easy.

Here are a few things you can do to make the best first impression on WeChat as the brand’s official WeChat account

How do WeChat users discover and start following official accounts?

How do users come across a WeChat account? There are different ways one might come across a brand’s official WeChat account. People might find official accounts thanks to QR codes which are ubiquitous in China and can be placed on: 

  • Marketing materials,
  • Web sites,
  • Newsletters,
  • Brochures,
  • Business cards. 

The target audience that is using the WeChat app can reach the Official accounts through:

Other methods of fan acquisition

There are even other ways a user can reach an official account inside the WeChat app. However, WeChat users may also be reached through paid promotions, collaborations with KOLs, and other partners. KOL marketing is huge and can benefit businesses by creating awareness. If you think that KOL/influencer marketing is only for lifestyle brands, you might want to rethink your approach. Since WeChat brand marketing is all about official accounts, you can also collaborate with bigger accounts to promote your brand. You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new posts or follow our official WeChat account at KRDS-Agency.

How to make the best first impression on WeChat?

When the audience lands on the account, they first see the main page. It is the flagship of a brand presence on WeChat and it creates the first impression on the audience about the style and the message of the brand. A brand’s official account can be an equivalent of an official website. 

Firstly, the main page showcases the brand logo, description, and menu, and has the latest articles published. It is very important to keep in mind that the information is accurate and stays aligned with the brand. Secondly, you should make sure it is presented in a clear and user-friendly way.

Moreover, there is a welcome message. When a user starts following an official account, a welcome message will be prompted automatically. Typically, the welcome message contains information about the company, the current campaign, a link to the mini-program, and more.

Along with the welcome message, you can see a menu at the bottom. A proper and well-maintained menu is critical as it is one of the most frequently clicked items on the entire WeChat account.

Many users want to get the information right away that they are looking for. It is the first place people reach out and navigate through the account. Therefore, menu tabs should be embedded within WeChat or link to a website hosted on the Chinese server. You can also mirror the menu from the official website.

 

User’s journey through the WeChat official account

Stage 1: First impressions

Regardless of how users found your account, they will land on your main WeChat page and will make a decision if they want to follow your account. They will see the account name, brand logo, description, your company name as on the business license. They will also see how many of their friends are also following your account. Still, even before following you, they can see the latest articles (make sure the thumbnails look nice and eye-catching), interact with the menu tabs and see if you have a dedicated video Channels account.

🎥 What are WeChat Channels and how you can incorporate them in your WeChat planning?

Stage 2: Why should I follow?

When someone first follows an account, they immediately come across the automatic welcome message. In the welcome message, clearly and simply inform what kind of content they can expect from the account. For example, it’s a good idea to include a brief introduction to your company, quick links to your offerings, and contact methods. 

WeChat Welcome message

Stage 3: Did I find what I was looking for?

There is a WeChat menu to help with this. The WeChat menu is an extremely important part of the official account. It is actually quite often overlooked or not updated regularly. For instance even inactive accounts, still see considerable traffic each month just to their menu tabs. 

ℹ️ Learn more about the menu

ℹ️ How to optimize your WeChat menu?

WeChat Menu

Stage 4: Auto-replies

It happens that users don’t find the information they were looking for in the menu. Sometimes they simply prefer a one-on-one and direct conversation. In order to facilitate your customer service work, you can set up automatic replies prompted by the most frequently asked questions and relevant keywords. In other words, your followers don’t need to wait and get an instant reply.

Conclusion

WeChat is a huge deal if you want to attract an audience. The audience can judge a business through the WeChat official account. So, it is very important to understand how to maintain the account in a better way to attract and make the audience follow the WeChat official account.

If you wish to know more about WeChat marketing and content creation 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.

You may also like

Chinese Advertising Regulations and Those Who Can’t Advertise on WeChat

October 17, 2022

China, like the majority of nations, has enacted laws governing advertisements to safeguard the health and safety of consumers. The Republic of China’s Advertisement Law stipulates general rules that all advertisers must abide by. 

There are also more stringent regulations for certain sectors, such as the tobacco, alcohol, and healthcare industries. However, as non-traditional media platforms like WeChat have grown in popularity, the nation has tightened its regulations on advertising. 

 

Get started with WeChat advertising

WeChat is one of the most used social media platforms in China. That’s why is very attractive to brands looking to market their products in China. Marketing using WeChat can reach a huge number of target audiences. 

And here comes the WeChat advertising. WeChat advertising enables companies to display promotional messages through:

Additionally, WeChat advertising is a great tool for brands to enhance and maximize the number of WeChat Official Account followers, it helps companies to drive their traffic and generate conversions into sales.

 

Industries banned or restricted in WeChat

The Chinese government in general has many laws and bans that overlook advertisements, including ads on social media platforms like WeChat. Here are some of the industries banned by the Chinese government for advertising.

  •  Pharmaceutical/drugs;
  •  Obscenity;
  •  Pornography;
  •  Gambling;
  •  Superstitions;
  •  Terror;
  •  Violence.

In addition, regulated industries for advertisements in China are:

  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco
  • Health and Medical
  • Investments
  • Real estate 
  • Education
  • Legal Services
  • Airlines
  • Financial Services

However the list is very dynamic, and WeChat always has the final say on whether your company is eligible or not to run ads on the platform.

On the other hand, note that for overseas entities WeChat requires a separate application for a WeChat advertising account and the scope of ads is strictly related to your company’s registered business. It can get quite tricky, right?

However, if your company falls within any of the above categories not all is lost. You still have plenty of indirect and legal solutions to promote your content on WeChat. For instance, you can focus on WeChat SEO and optimizing your keywords to whitelisting. Subscribe to our newsletter for more news on this topic.

Advertising regulations on WeChat

The key elements of the advertising law as they apply to WeChat are outlined below. Firstly, qhen attempting to create effective advertisements, WeChat also has its own terms that are frequently updated:

  • Avoid superlative adjectives like best, highest, greatest, etc when talking about any product or service
  • Do not place a brand, product, or service on a scale like 5-star rating or international/national ratings
  • Kindly avoid using words such as top quality, excellent, cutting edge, or premium when advertising a product/service in WeChat
  • Do not use words with “one” like “one of the top”, “one of the best” or “one of a kind” etc to describe anything in WeChat advertisements
  • Please avoid any mentions of scarcity in an ad like very rare, unique, one few left, etc.
  • Do not mention anything claiming to be “national leader” or of “international quality” or words similar to this
  • Do not use any national flag, emblem, or anthem of any country in WeChat ads
  • You can only use RMB for settlements and foreign currencies are not allowed
  • The content of the advertisements must be practical and should not be exaggerated
  • Should not talk about transportation, educational, commercial, or cultural facilities under planning or under construction
  • All the images used in the advertisement should be realistic
  • For the ads related to bank loans and other bank services, complete details of the bank must be provided
  • WeChat ads should not have language that sounds discriminatory

Secondly, there are more requirements for advertising:

  • When publishing ads about limited sales, the exact dates and duration must be provided in the advertisement
  • Do not provide statistical information in WeChat ads until a proper evidence source link is given
  • Avoid ads with unlicensed tie-ups with major events happening in the country like Winter Olympics, Olympic Games, etc.
  • Should not use language that can possibly manipulate the consumers
  • Do not use Click-for-gift tactics in WeChat ads. Any gifts offered must include all the details like name, value, quantity, and any timeline for the event
  • Never use words referring to a special title like superstar, leader, or synonyms

In addition, WeChat accounts registered with overseas business licenses must apply separately for WeChat advertising accounts.

In conclusion, advertisement regulations are a great way to protect consumers. Similarly, China, like any other country, wants to protect consumer safety and health. But the restrictions are stricter than in most countries, and it’s common for all social media platforms, including WeChat.

On the other hand, WeChat has its own restrictions too, which makes it even harder to advertise using WeChat ads. In addition, specific wording requirements might make your ad not pass the verification by Tencent. 

If you are a business that’s looking to advertise on WeChat, it is very important to understand the rules and regulations on the government and platform levels and above all abide to the requirements to not have your WeChat official account suspended or deleted.

At The WeChat Agency, we use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build content in accordance with the advertising regulations in China and WeChat. We help create meaningful partnerships and networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com. Feel free to subscribe to our monthly newsletter too. 

You may also like

WeChat Interactive Articles – Introduction & Examples

July 1, 2022

WeChat Interactive Articles (WIA) are a relatively new and highly engaging way of presenting content on WeChat. They are created by brands and are designed to be quick, easy, and fun! Thanks to different features they can be used to engage with your audience in a very unique way.

What exactly are interactive posts?

You might have seen WeChat posts embellished with GIFs or other eye-catching graphics. Creators can upload such elements into articles directly in the WeChat backend when creating an article. However, WeChat’s native backend offers extremely limited options. That’s why many brands decide to use third-party platforms to create their posts. For example, you can add some features like swiping or ‘click to reveal’ to your posts using popular browser-based editing tools like xiumi. 

More advanced interactive features require coding and are increasingly popular among WeChat brands. 

What Are Animated SVGs?

Let’s begin with a technical explanation here. Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a vector picture format for two-dimensional graphics that is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) and supports animation and interactivity. A less technical explanation is that it is a special kind of image format – a Scalable Vector Graphic. We know, TL;DR. Let’s move to a more practical explanation.

Let us share with you some of the coolest examples of interactive posts. The effects can include tapping, long-pressing, selecting an answer (micro quizzes), and more. 

Montagut interactive post

 

 

 

 

Why Interactive Posts Are a Great Alternative? 

First of all, they are extremely engaging! A social media post with a picture is 10 times more likely to receive interaction. This is due to the fact that our brains process images and colors more quickly than other types of information. Therefore, advancing the idea and animating your image will also boost engagement. If your post hit the sweet spot, there is a good chance that your readers will share it further with their friends. 

Classic static content no longer do especially when users are constantly inundated with new posts from brands. 

Secondly, they can also be an interesting alternative to H5 mini-sites. 

  • Creating an H5 mini-page requires much more effort in terms of time and budget. An interactive post can be a good option for smaller budgets and quick turnaround.
  • User journey doesn’t require WeChat readers to leave the article as it happens when redirecting to an H5 page.  

Montagut interactive post

 

 

 

Naturally, H5 is still a great option for bigger campaigns that need to pack varied special effects or more complex interactions. Tracking clicks is also possible on an interactive article. It is worth mentioning that interactive features on the articles, even with coding, will still be quite basic but nonetheless fun. 

groz beckert interactive post

 

 

 

You can also add a call to action (CTA) to demonstrate to readers the benefits they will receive; it should also be rewarding, contextually appropriate, and consistent with the official account’s branding and content style. When you catch readers’ attention, you can try to redirect them to e.g. your e-shop mini-program. 

blackrock interactive post

 

 

 

Conclusion

When creating interactive WeChat articles, keep in mind these essential components. You might feel tempted to add too many interactive elements. We suggest keeping them to around 5 but well-thought-out and creative ones. Make sure your content is on-brand and that the interactions are clearly indicated.

Always remember that a brand’s engagement and conversion rate are better the more interactive it is.

If you wish to know more about WeChat articles & other marketing techniques in China, 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.

 

You may also like

Case Study: Grand Hyatt (APAC Wedding Planning Campaign)

June 14, 2022

ABOUT GRAND HYATT

Hyatt, an international hospitality firm that maintains and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation homes, has a 5-star premium line of hotels called Grand Hyatt. It operates over 1,100 hotels and all-inclusive resorts across 69 countries on six continents.

Grand Hyatt China Baidu

Grand Hyatt – Baidu Ads

THE SCOPE OF WORK

Grand Hyatt wanted to raise awareness for its new wedding offering and get the target audience to visualize how their special day can be spectacular in order to generate leads.

We created an APAC campaign across 12 markets, 5 languages, 6 social media platforms,+200 Creative posts and 2 dedicated websites with a mobile-first approach and a SalesForce integration:
• One for China (H5 – WeChat Compatible)
• One for the rest of APAC

Grand Hyatt - Wedding Planning Dedicated Website

Grand Hyatt – Wedding Planning Dedicated Website

Grand Hyatt - Wedding China

Grand Hyatt – Static Content Brought to Life With Romantic Animations

Our approach was to give the audience an immersive digital experience by building visibility on social & digital platforms and drive users to a visual-led-content website where they could curate content to design their wedding dream and even apply dedicated filters to their photos.

THE RESULTS & TESTIMONIAL

Dear KRDS Team,
I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication to this project and the campaign. It was a long and fruitful process and completely worth it. It was definitely a successful campaign, and the learnings will only help us improve and optimize as we evolve the wedding and events digital campaigns at Hyatt.

AQUIN MATHEW
Social Media – Hyatt Asia Pacific

If you wish to know more about APAC campaigns and various options, 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.

You may also like

Case Study: Montagut (Digital Content & China Social Media Management)

June 14, 2022

WHAT IS MONTAGUT?

Montagut was the first French fashion design company to enter China in 1979, at a time when there were few international brands (Louis Vuitton and Chanel established themselves only 15 years later). It has spread to over 4,000 shops around the country, establishing a dedicated client base and a household name. It is seen as a symbol of respect and achievement, particularly among dignitaries and notables.

THE SCOPE OF WORK

KRDS has been appointed to manage Montagut’s digital channels in China for four consecutive years. Scope of work includes WeChat, Channels & Weibo management, Content creation (Chinese copywriting, graphic design, motion design), Media planning (banner design, A/B testing, budget allocation), KOL & artist collaborations, Dev scope & H5 minigames.

Montagut China

Montagut – Content Creation

Brand’s social media strategy in China is always evolving to keep up with the latest trends and technology solutions that help to increase online sales and foot traffic in real stores.

THE RESULTS

According to Candice Meyer, Montagut’s Head of Brand Image & Communications Asia, “KRDS has been a valuable partner of Montagut over the past 4 years. We chose them because of their deep knowledge of the China social media landscape combined with great strategic and creative capabilities. On a day to day basis, it’s both very efficient and super pleasant to work with a trustworthy team such as KRDS. They are expert, flexible, diligent and always looking to achieve the best results. A perfect recipe for success!”

She also mentioned that one of the campaigns Montagut’s Winter Wonderland “was very fun and engaging. Beyond generating buzz and page views, KRDS was smart to find the right mechanism to attract a very high number of new fans”.

Montagut China Campaign

Montagut – Father’s Day Campaign

 

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.

You may also like