Written by We are all overwhelmed by the TikTok phenomenon, in fact the growth of the popular micro-video app (30 second video) which in China is called DouYin, seems unstoppable.
But WeChat remains China’s largest social media / app, and Tencent hasn’t missed the opportunity to live in competition with DouYin. Thus was born “WeChat Channel”, one of the latest functions available on WeChat.
But what exactly is it? And how can international companies use this new WeChat feature to their own advantage?
In this article, we will answer these and other questions, also explaining how to link your Official Account to a WeChat Channel.
First things first: what are WeChat channels?
Launched in early 2020, WeChat Channels is a new short video platform within WeChat that allows users to create and share short video clips and photos on their WeChat channel. A mix between the Stories of Instagram and the micro-videos of DouYin, unlike the Official Accounts, is accessible to all those who “surf” between the channels, thus guaranteeing greater visibility.
The most popular content on WeChat channels is very similar to that of TikTok: viral nature videos, trends, hashtags, dance challenges, funny skits, memes and fashion and food videos.
How exactly do WeChat channels work?
Users just need to click on the “Discover” tab in the navigation bar on WeChat, select the “WeChat Channels” option and start a primary scroll on the content feed.
In the feed, you can view content in four separate tabs:
- The default friends tab, which shows the videos most liked by a user’s friends
- The Follow tab, which includes WeChat channel posts from followed accounts
- The trending tab, which includes popular content from untracked accounts
- The location tab, which filters content based on a user’s current location
In each feed, users can like a post, comment on it, and follow the publisher’s account if they don’t already. They can also share posts in individual chats, group chats, and their WeChat Moments profile.
So, as mentioned, one of the main advantages of WeChat channels is visibility, as it offers users a direct way to discover accounts that they do not already follow (Unlike the “Moments” of WeChat, or the “wall” of, where you can only see content posted by friends and followers).
Users can also search for content with specific hashtags using the WeChat channel search bar, another way they can discover accounts outside of their social search.
How to promote an Official Account through WeChat Channels
Those who have an official WeChat account know very well that the difficult part of the job is acquiring new followers and gaining visibility in WeChat’s “closed garden”.
With WeChat Channel each video can be linked to an article of an official account. This allows us to connect the brand’s official platform to videos accessible to everyone.
Not only will this increase your official account’s followers, it will also give you a way to redirect (and capitalize on) any receipts you receive from your channel uploads.
Let’s see how to open and publish on a WeChat channel through the official account
Come and create a WeChat channel
- Step 1: Log into your WeChat account
- Step 2: Go to the WeChat Channels section: Click the “Discover” tab in the main navigation bar and select “WeChat Channels”.
- Step 3: Click the camera icon in the upper right corner
- Step 4: Complete your WeChat channel profile. You will then be asked to provide some data.
How to link your WeChat Channel to your Official Account
After opening a personal WeChat channel, you can link it to your brand’s Official Account and start your promotion. Here’s how it’s done:
- Step 1: Click the dashboard icon on the main menu in the WeChat channel feed.
- Step 2: settings access menu
- Step 3: Click on the “Verify” option and select “Business Verification”.
- Step 4: Link your personal account to your official account
After clicking on the “Company Verification” option, a QR code should appear on the screen. An official account administrator, the person who opened your brand’s official account, will then need to scan that code from their phone.
Once the admin has scanned the code, your personal account WeChat channel will now function as your brand’s official WeChat channel and you can start posting content on it.
How to post on your WeChat Channel
It’s very simple. Just click on the same camera icon in the top right corner and post!
You will be able to take new photos / videos with your camera or upload photos / videos taken on your phone.