3 Latest WeChat Marketing Trends Q3-Q4 2019: How to Boost Your Online Presence

2019 is about to end. So, what’s hot and not on China’s internet? It’s time to take a look at the latest WeChat marketing trends this Q3-Q4. 

We all know that WeChat remains the king among social media marketing apps in China. WeChat’s functions go beyond instant messaging features. It’s the Swiss army knife of China online marketing, e-commerce, and social media. 

As of this writing, Tencent’s WeChat MAU (monthly active users) increased to 1.15 billion in Q3 2019. The WeChat Mini Programs DAU (daily active users) exceeded 300 million.

Below we listed three latest marketing trends that will add value to your strategies in the future. 

#1 Live stream selling for more sales

Taobao remains the king when it comes to live stream selling. Most KOLs flock there to sell a variety of products in partnership with luxury brands. But WeChat is catching up, too, as social commerce is becoming popular these days.

If you’re in retail, luxury brands, fashion, and cosmetics sectors, live streaming can unlock opportunities for you. But working with KOLs requires enormous investments. Huge followers often demand high costs when working with them. 

Sun Jing, the founder of Xiaoxiaobao Mama, has effective strategies on WeChat live stream. Her live stream sessions led her to sold 3.22 million RMB worth of products back in August. 

Her strategies in growing her sales include regular posting of updates, rigorous selection of products, and promotional articles. Promotions should be eye-catching and fulfill the demands of the followers. 

#2 Group buying in-app and updated incentivized sharing rules

One of the fastest-growing e-commerce trends in China is group buying. Pinduoduo is an epitome of a social commerce platform that has transformed online shopping. Shoppers are keen to use it, WeChat also offers this feature to merchants to generate sales. 

But there are also regulations to consider to make sure that merchants comply with WeChat’s T&Cs. Group buying makes it easier to spread marketing messages to friends and connections. But some merchants are hacking their way around WeChat. Some strategies include publishing misleading content to force and trick people into buying.

As a brand or merchant using WeChat features, you should also be careful about giving any incentives. Pinduoduo’s model, like “share to bargain,” is now banned in WeChat. Red packets, coupons, points, and opt-in for the user’s personal information to encourage them to share is no longer available anymore. 

In a nutshell, WeChat bans anything that tricks shoppers into sharing external links. Anything that will compromise the users’ data and compete with WeChat features is unavailable. 

#3 WeChat upgraded advertising system

One of the growing trends in e-commerce is the users’ preference for videos. The rise of short video apps like Toutiao and Douyin also affected the content consumption of internet users. 

It is one of the reasons why WeChat has upgraded its advertising system, moving away from articles and towards visual content like videos. Still, Tencent is not dropping banner ads that are also the bread and butter of social commerce within the app. 

As of this writing, the mini-programs that merchants use support video ad format. There are two formats of mini-program ads. One is the in-content ad, which is visible in the middle of the program page. The other one is the pre-roll advertising, where a user sees a short video that lasts up to 6-15 seconds before viewing the original video. 

So, what’s your next move? If you need help in creating short videos and also a WeChat marketing plan, feel free to contact us. We will respond to you within the next 24-48 hours.