WeChat: A new challenge for marketers

It is time to revert back to the days of old, where interacting with customers was both a personal experience as well as a stage for building your ‘brand experience’. Using an app called ‘WeChat’, organisations are able to communicate with consumers both directly and using rich media content. This mobile phone app provides a fresh way of client interaction and marketing to a geo-targeted community.

The Logistics

• The app launched in January 2011 and by September 2013 had 350 million registered users
• 50% of the users white-collared aged 25-30

Sticking with the content-on-demand purpose of digital marketing, your business will register on WeChat and sign up for a Services account. This means that consumers are able to view your promotions, updates and other marketing materials as they like. They will have access to a live chat feature which embraces the concept of a mobile destination for your customer services. A vast level of service deliveryIt is also possible to create a two-level mini website on your WeChat account, sharing media such as videos and images relating to your brand.

One keen example of this mini website is that of Southern China Airline. They installed services – making ticket booking and online check-in available for their WeChat subscribers.Unlike mobile sites, and just like apps such as Whatsapp and Blackberry Messenger, this will not deplete the user’s data bundle. This difference makes WeChat an attractive alternative for consumers to use. They can send queries and get responses almost instantly – at no extra cost to themselves. When using the text messaging services only, this app will use 40% less data than the competitor would.

The new challenge

Unlike Twitter, you cannot be promoted based on the amount of followers you have. WeChat calls for creativity, updates and new ways of attracting your market’s attention. This app offers a fantastic platform on which to run campaigns for brand awareness. Here is an example that the China Merchant Bank undertook:

There is a function called ‘Drift Bottle’. The China Merchant’s Bank made use of this feature as part of a campaign. They ‘Threw a bottle’ containing a voice or text message into the sea of public users. If a user picks up a bottle, a conversation may be initiated. The message in the bank’s bottle read, that for every 500 replies received, the bank would donate a professional training course to autistic children all over the country. This campaign not only added to their brand awareness, but they built on their reputation, increasing in popularity.

Another use of promotion is to make a QR code available to consumers in public places. This is part of a campaign used by Nike, to draw the attention of their target market in specific geographical locations.

Tips to embed WeChat with your Marketing strategy

1. Set up a content plan, defining the role WeChat plays business model
2. Use the Location Based Services to determine your target audience
3. Develop ways to promote your QR code
4. Use the ‘Message in a bottle’ function
5. Be current: do regular content updates
6. Create a ‘personal’ experience with clients
7. Make use of all the multimedia tools available to you

Marketing itself is fast becoming an industry reliant on creativity. As the luxury of the monopoly dies out, companies need to experiment with new means, new platforms and new strategies of keeping and acquiring loyal customers. The personal touch, which WeChat offers so subtly, will fast become an important tool for marketers to use and the role of the live chat function even more so. But that is a discussion for another day…

Mari Roelofse is a Digital Journalist & Content Editor for Sound Idea Digital | mari@soundidea.co.za | Sound Idea Digital | www.soundidea.co.za