WeChat, launched by Tencent in 2011, has evolved into an indispensable tool in China, merging messaging, social media, and mobile payments into one platform. With over 1.42 billion monthly active users, it’s a daily necessity for a myriad of tasks from communication to commerce, capturing a significant portion of China’s digital space.
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The average Chinese user dedicates one hour and 20 minutes of their online time to WeChat every day, making it a critical channel for marketers. In a market where digital integration is key to consumer behavior, WeChat stands as a pivotal platform for brands aiming to tap into the Chinese market.
This article delves into the mechanics of WeChat advertising and the strategies for brand success on this platform.
What is WeChat advertising? How can brands advertise on WeChat?
WeChat advertising enables brands to connect with consumers on one of China’s most popular digital platforms. It allows for the delivery of tailored advertisements across user timelines, within WeChat mini-programs, and through articles on WeChat Official Accounts. This advertising avenue is particularly effective for brands looking to increase their visibility and grow their follower base on WeChat, leveraging Tencent’s extensive advertising capabilities to achieve broader market penetration.
To advertise on WeChat, brands typically engage with the four main advertising formats including Moment Ads, which appear in the user’s social feeds; Banner Ads, which are displayed within articles or Mini Programs; Mini Program Ads, offering interactive and app-like experiences; and collaborations with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) for influencer marketing.
How to leverage specific WeChat ad types and what are the costs involved? Read below.
Types of WeChat ads
There are three main types of WeChat ads:
- WeChat Moments advertising
- WeChat Banner advertising (WeChat Official Account ads)
- WeChat Mini-program advertising
In addition to those three, since influencer marketing is a very important and frequently used marketing tool, we also cover the topic of Key Opinion Leaders advertising on WeChat. There are also WeChat Search ads and WeChat Channels ads that have gained importance in recent years.
WeChat Moment Ads
These ads appear in the Moments feed, akin to a Facebook timeline, making them highly visible to users as they scroll through updates from friends and family.
Since 2015, the platform has enabled businesses to leverage WeChat Moments Ads, which are strategically placed as the fifth item in a user’s Moments feed, marked as sponsored content. Clicking on these ads directs users to a customized landing page, which can host a variety of content forms such as images, videos, interactive cards, and dynamic elements tailored to the business’s objectives.
The primary aim of WeChat Moments Ads is to promote a spectrum of marketing targets, from branding and specific products to physical sales outlets, official brand accounts, or special offers and coupons.
Due to WeChat advertising restrictions of limiting ad exposure to two per day per user, Moments Ads naturally experience a lower frequency of impressions compared to ads on other platforms. This scarcity, however, contributes to their effectiveness; the ads are less intrusive and highly targeted, leading to significantly higher engagement rates as users are more inclined to interact with, and share, these ads within their private networks.
How to design a good WeChat Moment ad?
WeChat Moment Ads are designed to blend seamlessly into a user’s Moments feed. Visually, these ads resemble regular Moments posts but are marked as sponsored content to distinguish them from organic user posts. Here’s what they typically include:
- Profile Information: The advertiser’s name and profile picture at the top.
- Content: A combination of text, up to 9 images in a carousel, or a short video (6-15 seconds).
- Description: A concise ad message or call-to-action, limited to 40 characters.
- Engagement Features: Similar to regular posts, allowing likes, comments, and shares.
- Clickable Elements: Directs users to a detailed landing page with more information or interactive content.
- CTA Button: Encourages users to take a specific action related to the ad.
This concise structure, similar to Facebook ads, ensures WeChat Moment advertising are both engaging and informative, fitting perfectly into the social media experience.
WeChat Banner Ads
WeChat Banner Ads are integrated within articles or Mini Programs on the platform, so they are a bit less intrusive. Ad banners are placed at the end of WeChat official account articles. Thanks to that, they capture user attention without disrupting content consumption.
Banner advertising on WeChat is designed for precise marketing objectives, such as highlighting new products, driving traffic to sales channels, or boosting brand awareness. Their strategic placement ensures they remain visible yet unobtrusive, fostering higher user engagement through targeted and relevant content.
The key here is relevance to the user’s current engagement, enhancing click-through rates. As they are found in a specific WeChat article, they target users already interested in the topic of the just-read post. It makes the banner ads more attractive and precise when it comes to targeting a specific type of consumers. WeChat banner ads cost is lower than Moments ads, but the reach is also smaller.
How to design a good WeChat Banner ad?
A WeChat Banner Ad is strategically crafted to capture attention within the context of articles or Mini Programs. Key components include:
- Visual Design: Harmonizes with the surrounding content, featuring engaging images or graphics.
- Ad Copy: Delivers the message succinctly, emphasizing the ad’s value proposition.
- Contextual Relevance: Aligns with the article or Mini Program’s theme to maintain user interest.
- CTA Button: Prominently placed to encourage user action, such as visiting a landing page.
These elements ensure the Banner Ad not only draws the viewer’s eye but also prompts meaningful engagement.
WeChat Mini-program ads
WeChat Mini-Program Ads are designed to seamlessly blend into the user experience of Mini Programs, enhancing their practicality and appeal (similar to Moment ads). They often feature interactive content such as mini-games or quizzes, which not only capture the user’s attention but also encourages active participation.
In WeChat Mini-Programs, various ad formats are available for engaging users:
- Pop-up ads: appear during interactions such as opening the program or switching sections
- Banner ads: they integrate within the program’s interface for optimal visibility
- Mini-games: incorporate video ads, often linked to in-game incentives, making the advertising experience more interactive and enjoyable
Some format examples can be seen below:
How to design a good WeChat mini-program ad?
Designing effective WeChat Mini-Program Ads involves blending the above-mentioned ad formats into a good user experience. The key is making sure these ads fit well with what users are doing in the Mini-Program.
Important components are eye-catching designs and clear messages that tell people what’s great about the offer. The ads should feel like a natural part of the Mini-Program experience, keeping users interested. Including a clear call-to-action, like a button that takes users where they can learn more or buy something, is a must. This approach makes sure the ads not only grab attention but also encourage users to take the next step.
WeChat Key Opinion Leaders ads and influencer marketing
WeChat Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Ads leverage the influence and reach of popular Chinese personalities to promote products and services. KOLs can share sponsored content directly on their WeChat Moments or through their official accounts, where they have amassed followers who trust their recommendations.
These ads can take various formats, from written articles and reviews to images and videos, all tailored to fit the KOL’s style and audience preferences. The effectiveness of KOL Ads lies in their ability to provide a personal endorsement, making the promotion feel more authentic and relatable. Brands often collaborate with KOLs to create content that resonates with their target audience, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates compared to traditional advertising formats on WeChat.
Cost of WeChat advertising
The pricing models for WeChat ads vary depending on the ad format chosen. Moment Ads and Banner Ads typically operate on a Cost-Per-Mille (CPM) or Cost-Per-Click (CPC) basis, where advertisers pay based on impressions or clicks. Mini-Program and KOL Ads may involve negotiated rates based on the KOL’s reach and the campaign’s complexity. There is also a possibility of charging based on user conversion (CPA), which is a purchase, reservation, appointment or any other interaction made through the ad.
Below you can see the current prices for the most common ad formats used on WeChat. In addition to Moment, Official Account and Mini-Program ads, Channel and Search ads are also gaining popularity, so you can check their pricing below as well.
WeChat targeting options
Targeting options for WeChat ads vary by ad type, enabling precise audience engagement:
- Moment Ads and Banner Ads
- Demographic targeting: Age, gender, and location.
- Interest-based targeting: User hobbies, lifestyle preferences.
- Mini-Program Ads
- Behavioral targeting: Based on user actions within Mini Programs.
- Enhanced demographic and interest-based options for more personalized ads.
- KOL Ads
- Follower demographics: Reach is defined by the KOL’s specific audience.
- Niche targeting: Leverages the KOL’s influence within particular sectors like fashion, tech, or health.
These options allow for tailored campaigns across different WeChat ad formats, ensuring ads reach the most relevant audiences.
Which WeChat advertising method is the most efficient?
Here’s a comparison table of the four types of WeChat advertising, highlighting their reach, targeting options, cost, engagement rates, and optimal use cases:
Generally speaking, WeChat Moment ads are ideal for brands seeking broad visibility and high engagement, making them suitable for industries like automotive, luxury goods, and large consumer brands aiming for wide-reaching brand awareness campaigns. They have the highest cost, but in return come with the high engagement rates.
WeChat Banner ads work well for niche targeting and content relevance, benefiting sectors such as education, healthcare, and B2B services, where content alignment and specific audience interests are important.
WeChat Mini Program Ads are best for industries focused on interactive user engagement and direct actions, such as e-commerce, gaming, and retail, offering an immersive ad experience within the app ecosystem.
KOL Partnerships are highly effective for industries where authenticity and influencer endorsements play a key role in consumer decisions, such as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands, leveraging the trust and loyalty KOLs have built with their followers.
How do brands advertise on WeChat? Successful case studies
Achieving success in WeChat advertising hinges on a deep understanding of audience preferences, the creation of visually engaging content with relevant messaging, and adherence to cultural relevancy.
Here are some of the best WeChat advertising campaigns:
FILA: anniversary lucky draws promotion
When the sports brand FILA celebrated its birthday, it organized three rounds of lucky draws on WeChat, where attendants could win clothes, red envelopes and sports accessories. To expand the reach, in addition to organic promotion and celebrity endorsement on Chinese social media platforms, the brand also promoted the campaign with the use of WeChat Moment ads.
Users were supposed to click on the ad to move to the WeChat landing page of the event. The lucky draw winners were then taken to collect the prize, while the ones left with no prize were channelled to the brand’s mini-program.
On the first day of the FILA lucky draw campaign, the brand’s WeChat index jumped by 4,600% and #FILA searched increased by 50 times, while the official channel search volume grew 10 times.
Honmi food e-commerce store Moments ads campaign
Honmi is an e-commerce store operating in Japan, that sells authentic Chinese ingredients. The store decided to run WeChat Moment ads for Chinese people in Japan, offering them ‘a taste of home’ outside of China.
The ad would appear in their feed and then redirect them to a landing page, to further promote the store’s WeChat official account. The results indicate a 7 times higher viewing rate in comparison to the industry average and a 2.5 higher click-through rate.
WeChat advertising is only an optional element of a brand’s China marketing strategy
Although it seems like WeChat advertising opens many doors in the digital marketing journey, it’s not for everyone. As associated costs are very high, it’s rather an add-on to the overall WeChat marketing strategy, most suitable for big, renowned and well-known brands in China.
Advertising on WeChat is challenging and the ROI might not be as good as in the West. In addition, it presents challenges such as navigating strict regulatory requirements, the high competition for user attention, the complexity of targeting in a vast user base, and the need for content that aligns with Chinese cultural nuances and consumer behaviors. Additionally, foreign companies face extra hurdles due to platform restrictions and the necessity for local partnerships or entities to advertise effectively.
Key Takeaways
- WeChat advertising’s most popular methods include Moment Ads, Banner Ads, Mini Program Ads, and KOL collaborations, but Channel ads (short videos) and Search ads are also gaining popularity.
- Moment Ads blend into the Moments feed with visuals and interactive content, marked as sponsored. They are the most efficient, but also the most expensive.
- Banner Ads are placed within articles or Mini Programs, designed to be contextually relevant.
- Mini Program Ads offer interactive experiences like mini-games, enhancing user engagement.
- KOL Ads leverage popular personalities for authentic promotions, leading to high engagement.
- Advertising costs vary by format, using CPM or CPC models for Moment and Banner Ads, and negotiated rates for KOL and Mini-Program Ads. Initial fees start from 1,000 RMB (around 150 USD) and 15 RMB per CPM (2 USD).
- Targeting options range from demographic and interest-based to behavioural and niche, depending on the ad type. But they are not as advanced as Google or Facebook ads.
- Effectiveness varies by ad type: Moment Ads for broad visibility, Banner Ads for niche targeting, Mini Program Ads for engagement, and KOL partnerships for authenticity.
- WeChat advertising faces challenges like regulatory requirements, competition, and cultural nuances, making it more suitable for established brands.
Contact us for a WeChat advertising strategy
Daxue Consulting harnesses its in-depth knowledge of WeChat advertising to provide specialized services that cater specifically to brands looking to penetrate or expand within China’s digital landscape. With a focus on data-driven and consumer-centric strategies, we ensure that each advertising campaign is deeply rooted in an understanding of Chinese consumer behaviours and preferences on WeChat.
Our expertise extends across a broad spectrum, offering detailed analyses of advertising trends on WeChat, providing actionable insights for effective ad placement, content creation, and audience targeting. This comprehensive approach covers all the essentials for a brand’s advertising success on WeChat, from conceptualization to execution and optimization.
If you’d like to know more about our offer, contact us!
