Updated

MasteringWeChat

By September 2013 350 million registered users.

What is WeChat? WeChat is an innovative mobile chat application that supports the sending of voice messages, videos, pictures and text messages to your digital con-tacts. Launched in January 2011, WeChat has been climbing the ranks of mobile applications and supports a multi-person (group) communication application. Peo-

ple can use this free app to contact their friends in an easy and timely fashion.

Who Uses WeChat? According to the official data published by the WeChat team, by September 2013 WeChat already had over 350 million registered users (most of which come from other Tencent platforms in China, or Sina Weibo.). Approximately 50% are between the ages of 25-30, most of which are white-collar. Many of Sina Weibo’s users are now using their WeChat accounts regularly. On November 25 2012, Apple Inc.’s iOS ranked WeChat the most popular social networking application in six countries (measured by downloads): Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Argentina, Thailand and Brunei (App Annie), and it measured top ten in 43 different markets

The WeChat Public Platform: WeChat public platform is a new function add-ed to the original fundamental platform. Via this platform, users can create their own public account using a QQ number. This account gives the user an integral communication platform, allowing them to interact with groups of friends through words, pictures and voice messages.

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WeChat boasts 350 million registered users and a 77% active user base. According to TechInAsia Wechat has 271.9 million monthly active users.

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Why WeChat?

The Authenticity of Users: WeChat requires a telephone number in order to sign up for a personal account. This makes WeChat the strictest social media platform in China, ensuring there are less ‘fake’ accounts. The Controllability of Users: WeChat official accounts can directly reach their target audience. In addition, ‘fans’ can be segmented due to their provided demographic information. Emerging Markets; As discussed, WeChat is an immensely popular tool within the Chinese market. However Tencent has already signalled their intent to break into other markets.

Why WeChat?Mobile Advertising

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Caution

Number of Users

29%71%

INFORMATION...

!

Total number of users is now over 350 million, with 29% or 100 million users outside of China. 71% of users are mainland Chinese.

Remeber that every mes-sage you send will end up in the hands of potential consumers. They have trusted you with their in-formation, don’t abuse it.

INFORMATION...Female37%Male67%

Brand CampaignThe main purposes of drift bottles:

*Throw A Bottle:

Users can choose to publish a voice message or text in a ‘bottle’. Users can

then throw the ‘bottle into the sea’. If the bottle is picked up by another user,

a conversation can be developed.

*Pick Up A Bottle:

Pick up ‘bottles from the sea’ and begin a conversation with the owner of the

bottle. Each user has 20 opportunities to pick up bottles’ per day.

Tip: Using voice messages can increase your conversation conversion rate by

making your messages more vivid.

Campaign Tool 1: Drift Bottle

“Throw A BottlePick Up A Bottle.”

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China Merchants Bank launched a campaign using the

‘Throw a Bottle’ function of WeChat. China Merchants

Bank would cast bottles into the sea with a very distinct

message.

The message states that for every 500 replies they receive

they will donate professional training courses to autistic

children around China. WeChat users using the drift bottle

and/or shake functions could then see this message and

act accordingly. China Merchants Bank would then act

through a 3rd party charity “little notes, small charity”.

This proved to be a very successful campaign for the bank

in terms of brand exposure and brand reputation amongst

the Chinese community.

Ideas for similar Campaigns

Merchants Bank

China

The campaign was a great success and

is a good example for other companies.

Companies could construct similar campaigns.

Throwing bottles could be used to raise

awareness about any charity or discount.

Offering

different

discount

s could br

ing in ne

w

business. A company could use any number of

creative ideas to reach target audiences.

China Merchants Bank Campaign

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Shake! Shake!Campaign Tool 2: Find Nearby People

WeChat has included a LBS (Location Based Service) func-tion, which allows merchants to find users nearby, and vice

versa. Under the tab “Friends” there is an extension “Finding the people nearby”. They can then target offers specifically to users; sending them promotional offers and subjecting them to adver-tisements according to the different demographic information they receive (basic info and signature). Advertising merchants can benefit from using the signature as a free ad location to promote their brand.

Tip: Marketing staff can run a WeChat campaign in crowded places to appeal to a mass audience easily. This can be an ex-cellent platform for advertising.

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In WeChat, users can add friends and follow enterprise accounts via scanning QR codes. Enterprises can easily build their unique QR codes and place them in strategic locations to draw attention from their desired demographic (See the Nike best prac-tice example below). Merchants can attract users through ‘discount information’ and other promotional activities; developing their one-on-one campaign model, thus the one-to-one relationship has begun. Tips: Don’t forget to put the brand logo in the QR code. This can help improve brand exposure.

Campaign Tool 3: Scan The QR Code

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on WeChat

MORE INFO HERE The Importance of Mobile Advertising in China

Tapping into WeChat Marketing

WeChat Marketing Service

Do You Do Social Media Management?

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Nike used WeChat to target white-colar 20

year olds. They developed a ‘sports brand

subscription platform’ with a sports-on-the

go concept, where users can opt to follow

the brand and receive daily news and Nike-

related updates. The news updates were

about sports and Nike. The articles covered

everything from basketball to badminton.

Sports On The GoKobe Bryant

Nike Sports-On-The-Go

Nike Sports-On-The-Go Campaign

What Did Nike Do? Why Did Nike Use The WeChat?

Nike Sports-On-The-Go Campaign

On August 24, 2012 sports giant Nike launched their “sports brand subscription

platform” with a “Nike sports-on-the-go” concept in China, i.e. WeChat users

can opt-in to receive Nike related updates and receive daily news

from the organization.

What Did Nike Do? •Online and outdoor marketing campaign, utilized QR codes featured in noticeable public locations e.g. posters, retail flyers, taxis etc…

Why Did Nike Use The Platform?

•Rise of WeChat in popularity

•Emergence of Mobile and Smartphones as a key medium to

reach consumers. In China the growth of Smartphone popularity has seen mobile internet usage overtake that of fixed line internet! •Improve Nike’s one-on-one customer relationships •Build up their CRM system •Exploit the opportunities of the youthful demographic

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Content Campaign

WeChatCampaign Tool 1 - Open Platform: WeChat developers have also created an application which

allows you to share content that you like from around the web with your friends.

Campaign Tool 2 - Voice Messages: Voice messages are a fresh way to pass your content’s message to consumers, it gives brands an opportunity to be creative. Ordinary accounts

can send words, pictures, and voice messages, while a verified account can also send topic messages. Inbound marketing activities with real time applications are becoming increasingly important for brands wishing to connect with their target markets. Brands must utilize this in the campaigns.

Using Voice Message

Voice Messages

Here is a picture of an individual

using voice messaging on WeChat.

The app is extremely easy to use and

allows for messages to be sent over

wi-fi or 3

G networ

ks. The p

opularity

of voice messaging has rising over

the past few years.

Creativity Execution

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TOP 10 TIPSGETTING INTO WECHAT MARKETING

Top 10 tips:1 Define the role of WeChat2 Define your content strategy3 Define your target audience4 Promote your WeChat QR code

5Send out messages in a bottle

6Up date your content often

7Be perosonal and funny

8Use voice messages

9Use LBS functions

10Shake! Shake! Shake!

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We are China’s largest independent content focused, digital marketing agency, boasting 120+ staff in China and around the region. Our primary focus is to work with Western organizations to deepen their relationships between their brand and Chinese consumers; through quality content and strategic thinking, to drive consumer action, and to deliver value and measurable results for our clients.

Content is a currency in today’s landscape for any brand or business. Therefore, we’re centered on creating and curating content experiences that drive deep con-sumer engagement across all platforms. We develop content strategies that help brands get discovered, become engaged, builds advocates, stimulates people down your sales funnel and assists with your SEO activities.

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Start connecting with your Chinese

audience using WeChat Get Started!Want to Reach China?

MORE INFO HERE For more information about Digital Jungle and for help with WeChat marketing please contact us:

• info@digitaljungle.com.cn

• www.digitaljungle.com.cn

• www.weibo.com/digitaljungle

• www.slideshare.net/digitaljungle

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