Anand Mokashi – 
‘WeChat’ app has become one of the most sophisticated and powerful digital apps with more than 889 million users in China.
Developed by TenCent Holdings Limited, a Chinese social media application developer, WeChat has become one of the most popular apps, with more than 768 million people using this application every day, with half of them spending at least 90 minutes sending and receiving messages and images.
The above was sourced from Wikipedia.
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Intriguingly however, almost all this success has come from China, where Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are officially blocked.
Endorsed by David Marcus who runs Facebook Messenger, as ‘inspiring,’ it is only of late, that the western world has woken up to the success of this extraordinary social and marketing tool.
WeChat’s Unique Features:
Moments: Somewhat akin to Facebook’s timeline function. A post via a user’s profile can be seen on a contacts’ moments.
Official subscription accounts: This is very similar to the Facebook concept of Business Pages. It allows an organization to set up and offer subscription-only accounts to share content with their audience
Microsites and ‘apps-within-the-app’: A feature that enables setting up of custom websites or mini-apps, run within WeChat itself.
WeChat e-wallet: WeChat’s version of Apple Pay, allowing use of the app itself for payment in a range of stores (either digital or physical). WeChat provides five different ways of making payments using the app, once certain formalities are completed.
So What?
Angela Southall in her post on mention-me.com said that WeChat has created a ‘super channel’ that integrates the disjointed social media infrastructure of the West which typically revolves around (WhatsApp for instant messaging, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for social engagement and content sharing, Amazon and Trademe for shopping, and Apple Pay for virtual payment functionality).
In China, all of this equates to one WeChat.
The conversation, the product sharing, consideration and purchasing, and even the payment method itself all take place via WeChat.
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For those wishing to tap into the Chinese consumer market, WeChat appears to be the absolute go-to channel to leverage. Alex Phillips, Head of Sales and Marketing at LNP China, which specializes in helping Western companies to do business in China said, “WeChat undoubtedly demonstrates the advanced state of the Chinese digital industry A vast range of constantly evolving features demands dedication and a tailored strategy in order to effectively target Chinese consumers”.
“When you consider that 98% of Chinese nationals living in the UK use WeChat, the opportunity is there for any business to leverage the platform without having to be in China,” he said.
Prominent Western brands, including Burberry, Coach, and British Airways, are leveraging WeChat to influence, attract, and ultimately convert new customers.
While early movers are likely to have a definite advantage, those who ignore this gentle giant potentially would be at the risk of being dropped out of chat.
Anand Mokashi is an IT Lecturer, Consultant and Digital Media Specialist with a passion for all things online. Email: anand_mokashi@consultant.com
Image: Flickr
