What You Need to Know
About WeChat Marketing
Over 3.5 million Chinese tourists visit Singapore each year. There is also a significant number of Chinese students and expats living in Singapore. As a businessperson in Singapore, you likely have several Chinese customers. If you are looking to engage this audience, you must develop a strategy to market on WeChat, the biggest social media network in China. With over 1.2 billion Monthly Active Users (MAU), this is a platform you can put to powerful use. Here are some tips to help you work out how can you best use WeChat marketing in Singapore.
Why Does WeChat Matter?
Social media in China differs from the rest of the world with the absence of big names, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. WeChat is the biggest social media platform in China. It has over 1.2 billion users, including people outside China, who use it to engage contacts in China.
WeChat started as a messaging tool but has grown into an ecosystem to cater to almost all daily needs: communicating, shopping, traveling, entertainment and paying bills. It connects to over 80,000 apps for these different uses.
If you want to target Chinese customers both in China and the diaspora, WeChat is your platform of choice. You can do everything you need to sell within the app. You can set up an online store, advertise, sell and get paid without leaving the app.
Create a Verified WeChat Account
Anyone can download and create a WeChat account, even outside China. Verification makes you stand out. It says that your account shares high-quality content and attracts good engagement from the followers, subscribers and contact. It creates confidence and trust in your brand, which attracts even more people.
Verification also unlocks some features that are useful for an online store. You can only advertise using a verified account. You also have to choose an account type that best suits your business.
- Subscription account – You can only push one message per day to your followers with this account
- Service account – This account is more visible because it appears as a ‘friend.’ You can send only four push messages per month
- Enterprise account – This account requires mutual approval between the account holder and follower. It is best used for a closed group like you and your employees.
- Mini-programs – These accounts are for users who have frequent offline app usage
Create a WeChat Online Store
There are two ways to sell online using WeChat. The first is having a link that redirects potential customers to your official online store. The second is creating an online store using a mini program. You can customize your store, set up promotions and advertisements.
You can drive traffic from your website to your WeChat official account to take advantage of traffic coming from search engines like Baidu. Displaying a QR code on the website will make it easier for visitors to find your WeChat account easily.
Advertising on WeChat
Many businesses prefer to use mini programs to create their ads. These programs do not require downloads. You can code them easily, and they are affordable. They run just like websites, with several customization possibilities.
You can also use WeChat subscription ads to attract new subscribers and improve your engagement. There are precise targeting options, including demographics, geolocation, marital status, career, hobbies etc. Subscription ads are more expensive than other types.
WeChat moment ads work well when you already have a following and good engagement. These ads are like Facebook timeline ads. You can use a mixture of video and images to create moment ads.
WeChat banner ads are just like normal website banner ads. They appear at the bottom of an account. They work well in directing users to follow your account, claim a coupon or any other promotions you want to run.
It is good to work with WeChat marketing Singapore professionals to work out an advertising strategy. You can optimize your budget for a wider reach and more engagement.
Creating WeChat Loyalty Program
WeChat enables creating loyalty programs, which you can use to convert followers into loyal customers. For example, you can send geolocation-based coupons and promotions to attract followers near your business location.
You can use mini programs to create your coupons and send them directly to your followers on the app. It is also possible to redeem the coupons you create in specific stores.
Set up WeChat for Offline Transactions
WeChat enables seamless online to offline transactions using QR codes. Your followers can scan your QR codes and follow your WeChat account, to browse and buy your products later. Your QR code becomes a powerful marketing tool. You can display it on social media platforms, social media accounts, products, websites and trade exhibitions.
Are you interested in growing your Chinese audience and expanding your business in this market? It would work better if you worked with people who know WeChat marketing in Singapore, like Brew Interactive. It is an opportunity you should not ignore.
