The Ultimate Guide to WeChat Ads: Key Strategies & Practices

Last Updated on October 23, 2024

WeChat has grown from a messaging app into a key platform that connects businesses with millions of consumers in China. As part of the Chinese digital lifestyle, it has become a gateway for building a strong brand presence, especially with the help of its dynamic advertising ecosystem.

However, foreign businesses need more than basic knowledge to launch a successful WeChat advertising campaign. It requires a deep understanding of its unique features. That’s where we can help.

In this article, we will show you how to use WeChat Ads to unlock your brand’s potential in China and help you choose the right advertising approach for your goals.

 

What is WeChat Advertising?

WeChat Ads are powerful digital marketing tools for businesses looking to boost the visibility of their products or services in China’s social media landscape. With over 1.3 billion monthly active users, the app provides a highly diverse user base and distinct advertising formats designed to reach and engage a targeted audience segment.

When creating paid campaigns on WeChat, advertisers can choose from options like display ads, moments ads, official account ads, mini-program ads, and influencer collaborations.

 

How does advertising work on WeChat?

Typically, advertising on WeChat revolves around official accounts that function as business profiles. To open a WeChat official account, you must first set up, apply, and submit specific requirements.

Once verified, you’ll be granted access to the WeChat Advertising admin platform, which provides ad creation, targeting, and management tools. From there, advertisers must define their target audience based on demographics, interests, behavior, and location.

 

Specifying these parameters in your advertising campaigns is crucial to increasing their effectiveness in the long run. This strategy will allow you to deliver tailored ads to your intended user segments and avoid wasted resources.

You can create and manage ads through the WeChat advertising platform or partner with authorized advertising agencies in China. These agencies can assist with ad campaign planning, copywriting, creative design, targeting, and optimization.

Pro Tip: Remember that WeChat has specific guidelines and regulations for advertising content. Paid promotions must also adhere to China’s general advertising policies, prohibiting misleading information and absolute terms. If not, advertisers are at risk for content removal or account suspension.

 

What are the different types of WeChat Ads?

 

 

WeChat Moments Ads

WeChat Moments Ads are native advertisements that look similar to getting an update from a friend but with a small sponsored button displayed on the top corner. They are the most common ad format on the platform and can be considered the equivalent of a Facebook ad. 

Tencent has given considerable thought to how these ads impact user experience. As such, they designed them to appear only after a user has received at least four WeChat moment updates and automatically disappear after 6 hours if it does not get likes or comments.

The WeChat Moment ad is the only form of advertisement on this platform that supports physical store promotion. They appear in several visual variations, such as image and text ads, video ads, basic card ads, card ads with options, and interactive advertiser ads. 

Once launched, all this promotional content will receive traffic based on targeted location, age, gender, interest, device type, and phone network.

 

 

WeChat Moment Ads are pure and simple: a chronological account of what a WeChat user’s direct contacts have chosen to share. It makes the Moments feed attractive for advertisers, as ads placed there will not have to compete with other forms of content.

There are two main formats in which a WeChat Moments ad may be displayed: as a post, which looks almost identical to an average user’s post, or in a card format.

 

 

The platform provides special formats for WeChat Moment Ads for advertisers with substantial campaign budgets exceeding one million RMB. 

They include the ability to feature links to external sites outside of the Tencent advertising ecosystem and the inclusion of full-size videos. 

These ads also come in card posts with two buttons for user engagement, interactive videos that allow Chinese consumers to engage through touch or gestures, and 360-panoramic image displays for a more captivating visual experience.

 

 

Depending on the type of WeChat Moment Ads you choose for your advertising campaign, your media or content will have the following components:

• Display Ads

 

• Videos for WeChat Moments Ad

Example of the user journey for WeChat Moment Advertising:

 

 

How Can Advertisers Target Users With Moments Ads?

WeChat Moments offers extensive targeting settings to help advertisers reach their target audience. 

The ad panel within the WeChat app allows you to adjust demographic, geographic, and behavioral parameters. This will enable you to tailor your brand’s ad campaigns and ensure they reach the most relevant users on the platform.

 

WeChat Public Accounts Ads

On WeChat, public account ads can appear within articles published by subscription or service accounts. These advertisements typically come in three primary content formats, each serving a specific purpose.

The first two formats are relatively easy to understand and include large-format single-image or video ads that prominently highlight a brand’s title or logo. These ads can be positioned at the end or in the middle of a WeChat article.

Like Moments ads, these banners can redirect users to specific destinations such as online stores, WeChat official accounts, or mini-programs. This enables advertisers to drive traffic to desired landing pages and garner more engagements from their WeChat followers and target audience. 

 

 

• WeChat Article bottom Ads

Article bottom ads are another prominent advertising format within the platform. When Chinese WeChat users browse articles, they appear to capture the user’s attention just before they finish reading and click on other content. 

Typically, you’ll spot these WeChat banner ads between the last paragraph of the article and the content’s dedicated comment section. This format supports both video and image media types.

 

• WeChat In-text Ads

You’ll also see in-text ads in WeChat official account articles. However, unlike the bottom ads, their exact placement is often in the middle of a published article. 

Because they’re seamlessly incorporated into the content, these WeChat banner ads are more likely to generate better click-through rates. Generally, users perceive them as relevant to the article’s topic or the reader’s interests.

 

• Subscription accounts messages listing Ads

These news list ads operate within WeChat’s subscription account messages folder. They appear as native, horizontal images and videos designed to reach a large number of targeted users based on their chosen subscription options and other parameters. 

 

WeChat Mini Program Ads

Beyond typical WeChat banner ads, businesses looking into advertising on China’s biggest super app should also consider the platform’s Mini-Programs feature. 

This internal function gives brands the power to create sub-applications where users can access almost any type of service they’d like.  

WeChat Mini Programs are a convenient way to captivate your audience and change the tedious format of targeted ads. Instead of directly leading users to your company’s landing page, these ads come in the form of mini-games, interactive banners, and pop-ups. 

 

 

• Rewarded Ads

Rewarded ads are short video ads (6-60 seconds) that offer users an incentive, such as bonus points after they watch or interact with the content for at least 15 seconds. 

After that, the user will receive the corresponding incentive provided by the mini-program (such as bonus points, etc.). Because of its highly customized nature, this advertising format requires expertise in WeChat Mini Program development.

 

• Banner Ads

These types of WeChat advertising options are strategically placed within mini-programs, and the owner has the sole authority to determine their placements.

You can utilize WeChat’s targeting capabilities to match your ads with relevant mini-programs based on your target audience. These WeChat advertising content often factor in user demographics, interests, behavior, and other parameters to ensure your ads are displayed to the most relevant audience.

 

• Pop-up Ads

Pop-up ads are triggered by specific user actions, such as pausing a video or navigating within a mini-program. They are designed to capture user attention at crucial moments without disrupting the flow of the experience.

 

WeChat Search Ads

WeChat Search Ads allow brands to display their campaigns using social search results. This feature includes paid keyword targeting, enabling advertisers to focus on high-impact, short-tail keywords relevant to their industry.

Your ads will appear in various sections within the platform when a user performs a search. Because of this, you’ll be able to reach WeChat users who are already actively looking for your brand or similar search terms related to your business.

 

 

• WeChat Search Results

When a user searches for a keyword, WeChat typically displays relevant results like official accounts, Channels, Mini Programs, articles, and more. By choosing this ad format, businesses can boost their visibility within these results. 

Your ads will appear alongside the organic results whenever a user searches for your targeted keywords. These advertisements will also have an “Ads” tag.

 

• WeChat Super Brand Zone

On the other hand, WeChat’s Super Brand Zone is a special advertising feature that directly promotes the brand’s official content. 

These search ads will appear specifically for queries related to your business information, products, and services. Typically, these features give users easy access to your official account and mini-programs within the platform.  

 

WeChat Channels Ads

WeChat Channels is a short video platform that was integrated into the app in 2020. It’s a public domain traffic source, which means it has more audience reach than Moment ads and is more interactive than typical ad banners.

Like any other feature on this super app, advertisers can choose different ad formats to display within their video stream. Here are paid content promotions you can explore:

 

 

• WeChat Channels Mutual Selection Ad

This type of WeChat Channel advertisement requires collaboration between advertisers and content creators. 

While both parties can choose each other based on their preferences and requirements, the account owners can set the content marketing fee. Currently, the platform supports two quotation options: 1-60 seconds and more than 60 seconds.

These ads blend organically with the rest of the video content, resulting in a more seamless and immersive viewing experience for users.

 

• WeChat Channels Small Task Ad

Through this channel ad, advertisers can initiate tasks that multiple creators contribute independently. Typically, it includes creating and sharing content based on the advertisers’ requirements. 

Creators are then compensated based on the effectiveness of their work in driving engagements and conversions.

 

• WeChat Channels Native Ad

Advertisers can add promotional content to native ads within WeChat Channels through real-time live broadcasts or short video content. 

When advertisers promote their content during live broadcasts, it’ll seamlessly blend into the video stream. 

Meanwhile, native ads appear as half-screen landing pages that don’t interrupt the viewing experience. They accelerate conversions by allowing users to make purchasing decisions while watching. 

 

How Does WeChat Distribute Impressions?

Tencent’s sophisticated ad distribution system helps advertisers reach their ideal audience without overwhelming users. By focusing on relevance and personalization, WeChat ensures a seamless experience where users view ads as valuable and relevant rather than intrusive, making it a win-win for advertisers, users, and the platform.

 

How much does it cost to advertise on WeChat

Advertisers can customize their campaigns to reach specific audience segments, but pricing may vary based on the selected targeting options and campaign objectives. Nevertheless, here are the estimated WeChat advertising costs you can expect when running different ad formats.

1.  WeChat Moments Advertising: The minimum entry price for Chinese and foreign companies is 50,000 RMB. The cost is determined using two key metrics: CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) and CPC (cost per click). For text and picture ads in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the CPM ranges from 150 RMB to 180 RMB for video ads.
2. WeChat Banner Ads: When targeting top-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the CPM for WeChat Banner Ads is around 25 RMB. Meanwhile, in large cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, it is 20 RMB. For other cities, the CPM is 15 RMB.
   
3. WeChat Mini-Program: These advertisements also have the same minimum cost. Like banner ads, the pricing varies based on city size. In core cities, the CPM is 25 RMB, while in large cities, it is 20 RMB. For other cities, the CPM is 15 RMB.

 

What Are The Bidding Methods On WeChat?

Here are the WeChat advertising bidding options brands must fulfill in each campaign type:

• Scheduled Ads: Minimum investment of 50,000RMB per day for Moments ads.
• Bid by Impression: Banner and mini-program ads start at 1,000RMB per time.
• Bid by Click: Moments ads require a 50,000RMB down payment for bidding, while other formats do not.

 

Always remember that the pricing variations are based on target location and ad format:

• Core cities (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai) have the highest rates.
• First and second-tier cities are relatively more affordable.
• Third-tier cities and below have the lowest rates.
• Single-image ads are the least expensive, while additional images or videos increase the price.

 

For precise pricing, it’s recommended to consult an agency or log in to the WeChat advertising backend to enter campaign details.

 

Source: WeChatWiki

 

How to Target An Audience On WeChat?

WeChat offers diverse targeting options:

• Location: Target specific areas in China and Chinese travelers abroad (useful for post-pandemic travel).
• Gender and Age: Define the target audience by gender and age range (5-60 years old).
• Interests: Select from 18 industries (e.g., technology, education, fashion) and 122 sub-categories for precise audience targeting.

 

How to Set Up WeChat Advertising

Now that we’ve understood the platform’s ads and how they work, here’s the step-by-step overview of setting up campaigns in the WeChat backend admin platform.

 

Step #1: Log in to the Official Accounts Platform

 

 

When venturing into WeChat advertising, log into the WeChat backend and choose between subscription and service accounts, considering their advantages and disadvantages. It’s important to note that this decision should align with your broader marketing strategy rather than being solely based on advertising considerations.

 

Step #2: Open WeChat ads and select industry

To start advertising on WeChat, you must review and accept the terms and conditions, select your industry type, and provide additional licenses related to your industry. 

You’ll also need to provide the contact details of the person responsible for managing advertising for your company.

 

 

 

 

Step #3: Select ad format

In the picture below, you can see official account promotions and WeChat Moments ads. It’s now also possible to select a Mini-Program ad.

 

(Source: WeChat Wiki)

 

Step #4: Select the promotion and payment type

The type of promotion you choose on WeChat will depend on your specific objectives, whether you aim to direct users to a WeChat official account, promote a mobile app, or create a general brand promotion. Consider your goals and target audience when determining the most suitable promotion type.

 

 

Before proceeding with the following steps, it is important to clearly understand whether you prefer bidding or scheduled payments for your WeChat advertising campaigns. Bidding allows for flexible pricing based on competition, while scheduled payments involve predetermined costs. Assess your requirements and preferences to determine which payment method aligns better with your advertising strategy before proceeding further in this guide.

 

Step #5: Select launch time and target audience

 

Step #6: Set budget

As mentioned in the cost section, the required fees may vary. For major campaigns like Moments ads, the minimum budget is set to 50,000RMB.

 

 

Step #7: Choose an ad template, or promote WeChat official account article.

From here, several templates and customization options will be available.

 

 

It’s also possible to choose at this stage to promote a WeChat official account article:

 

Step #8: Sign the agreement and submit the funds

Tencent will need to review the ad for approval.

 

 

Step #9: Double-check and preview your WeChat ads demo before the launch.

After approval, sending the ad to an allowlist of people is possible. If no adjustments need to be made, it can be launched on schedule.

 

 

Step #10: Monitor and analyze the performance of your WeChat Moments or other advertising campaign.

Your account is open, your ad has launched, and it’s time to bask in the light of insightful data. Check back for all manner of metrics.

 

 

These tools show how well your WeChat ads work through their impression, interaction, and sharing data reports.

 

WeChat Public Account Ads

So let’s start with the basics. Before going any further, it’s important to understand that only service and subscription accounts can buy or display public account ads.

 

How does it work?

Verified public accounts on WeChat can become advertisers and launch ads at the bottom of eligible posts published by other public accounts, given that the advertiser and publisher have compatible targeting preferences.

Advertisers pay on a CPC (cost-per-click) basis, and the generated revenue from clicks is shared between Tencent and the publisher.

 

What requirements must publishers fulfill to display ads?

Would-be publishers with protected content (meaning that they regularly publish original content) require at least 10,000 followers to display ads, while public accounts with unprotected content need at least 20,000 followers.

 

What targeting options are available to advertisers and publishers?

On WeChat, publishers and advertisers can choose partners based on industry compatibility. Advertisers can target specific users for their WeChat marketing plans by demographics, such as gender, age, location, and interests.

 

What Types Of Brands Should Use WeChat Advertisements?

A WeChat advertising strategy may not be suitable for small companies with limited budgets. For example, Moments ads are expensive and more convenient for well-known brands. Meanwhile, smaller companies may benefit from using KOLs or exploring other Tencent advertising channels. 

WeChat official account ad stickers and mini-program advertisements are relatively cheaper options, but exposure depends on the account or program’s popularity.

 

Businesses That Cannot Participate In WeChat Advertising

Specific business industries are not eligible to participate in WeChat advertising. It includes e-businesses related to smartphones, smart wristbands, power banks, and heating vests.

In the gaming industry, apps and platforms involving certain money transactions and card games are restricted. Food and wine categories such as health food, shark fin/sea cucumber, and tobacco are also excluded.

Similarly, personal services like phone repair, pet hospitals, lottery, sauna/massage centers, and e-cigarettes are restricted. 

According to WeChat advertising restrictions, entertainment sectors, including art auctions/collections, video dating, and adult products, are also not eligible. For the complete list of restricted business industries, please contact us directly.

 

Best Practices When You Advertise on WeChat

The lengthy registration time leaves brands plenty of time to develop marketing strategies and familiarize themselves with some WeChat advertising best practices so that every campaign can succeed.

1. Choose your ad type wisely.
2. Use eye-catching, upbeat visuals.
3. Set clear goals aligned with specific objectives.
4. Create a WeChat-specific marketing funnel and map out KPIs.
5. Focus on high-quality content to drive follower growth.
6. Utilize interactive features like group chats, games, and competitions.
7. Localize your content for the Chinese audience.
8. Maintain consistency across channels within the WeChat ecosystem.

 

By following these best practices, brands can maximize the success of their WeChat advertising campaigns and ensure a cohesive brand image and user experience.

 

Quick Q&A

Can I run ads on WeChat?
Yes, businesses and individuals can run WeChat Ads. To make promotional content on the platform, you don’t need a Chinese business license or citizen ID.

However, you must still undergo account registration and get approved by WeChat. Because of this, we highly advise getting familiar with China’s internet laws and researching which industries are prohibited from advertising in the app.

 

Your Trusted WeChat Advertising Partner in the Chinese Market!

Chinese consumers dance to a different beat when it comes to WeChat advertising. To truly captivate their interest, you must unravel their unique preferences and tailor your advertising approach accordingly.

 

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Don’t let the complexities of the Chinese market hold you back! Our team is here to guide you through every twist and turn, transforming your brand’s potential into a resounding success.

 

 

Whether you’re crafting a compelling WeChat marketing strategy, harnessing the power of SEO, or planning to work with a KOL, we have the digital solutions you need. Contact us today, and let’s map your growth in China’s competitive consumer market.