As an overseas business expanding into the lucrative Chinese market, building a strong presence on WeChat can be a crucial step. With over 1.36 billion monthly active users, the ubiquitous “super app” provides a direct channel to connect with Chinese consumers.
However, many companies venturing into the WeChat ecosystem face a common challenge – while new follower growth remains sluggish, they find themselves losing existing followers shortly after publishing new content. In this article, we aim to assist in overcoming this hurdle and effectively retain your WeChat audience.
Understand Your WeChat Target Audience
The first step is to deeply understand the demographics, interests and pain points of your current WeChat follower base. Analyze data points such as age, gender, location and content consumption habits. Use these insights to develop buyer personas and tailor your content accordingly.
For example, Starbucks has built a strong WeChat presence in China, in order to keep their audience engaged, Starbucks regularly posts behind-the-scenes content, product teasers, and interactive games. They also leverage WeChat mini-programs to offer mobile ordering and payment, creating a seamless online-to-offline experience for customers. Starbucks’ understanding of its young, urban Chinese customer base has been central to their success.
Optimize Your Content
Shift the focus from simply promoting your products and services to providing informative, educational and entertaining content that your target audience truly values. Experiment with different content formats like articles, videos, and interactive polls to keep your followers engaged. Ensure your messaging is localized and culturally relevant.
Sportswear giant Adidas has optimized its WeChat content strategy to cater to its young, active Chinese followers. Adidas publishes workout tutorials, athlete interviews, and event livestreams that resonate with its target audience. They also run interactive challenges and giveaways to encourage user participation and sharing. By aligning its content with the interests and lifestyle of its WeChat community, Adidas has built a loyal following.
Foster Interactive Experiences
Make your WeChat presence more than just a one-way broadcast channel. Encourage your followers to actively participate in the conversation. Respond promptly to comments, queries and feedback. Initiate discussions, run surveys, and gamify your content to incentivize sharing and user-generated content.
For example, Ikea China has leveraged WeChat to not only promote its products, but also provide useful home decor tips and interior design inspiration. The brand’s WeChat articles often feature user-generated content, such as customer photos showcasing Ikea furniture in their homes. This strategy has helped Ikea build a loyal follower base and foster a sense of community, as fans actively engage with and share the brand’s content.
Diversify Your Promotional Channels
While WeChat’s built-in features like Moments sharing and group messaging are powerful, don’t limit your promotional efforts to the platform alone. Explore integrating your WeChat presence with other social media channels, as well as offline marketing touchpoints. This cross-pollination can help you reach new audiences and keep your existing followers invested across multiple touchpoints.
The French skincare brand L’Occitane has found success on WeChat by creating personalized, data-driven content. They analyze their follower demographics and interests to tailor beauty tutorials, ingredient explainers, and product recommendations. L’Occitane also runs exclusive WeChat-only promotions and flash sales to keep followers engaged and coming back. By diversifying its promotional efforts across WeChat, e-commerce and physical stores, L’Occitane has built a cohesive omnichannel strategy.
Analyze WeChat Performance Metrics
Closely monitor key metrics such as follower growth, view counts, engagement rates and content performance. Use these data-driven insights to fine-tune your content strategy and identify areas for improvement. Regularly conduct A/B testing to optimize your WeChat posts and campaigns.
For example, Sephora’s WeChat strategy focuses on providing a seamless omnichannel experience for its Chinese customers. The brand integrates its WeChat presence with its e-commerce platform, allowing followers to browse products, book in-store appointments, and access exclusive online-to-offline promotions. Sephora’s ability to leverage performance data to connect its digital and physical touchpoints has been instrumental in driving customer loyalty and sales.
Continuously Iterate and Adapt
Treat your WeChat operations as an ongoing experiment. Be willing to try new approaches, gather feedback, and make iterative changes to keep your content fresh and aligned with your followers’ evolving preferences. Regularly assess your strategy, and don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary.
By implementing these strategies, you can build a thriving WeChat community, nurture stronger relationships with your followers, and drive meaningful business outcomes for your overseas venture in China. The key is to adopt a customer-centric mindset, leverage data-driven insights, and continuously innovate to stay ahead of the curve in this dynamic digital landscape.