Choosing the right type of WeChat Official Account
WeChat OAs are similar to Facebook pages, in the way that both are social accounts through which multimedia content can be disseminated to followers, only that WeChat provides various utilities such as e-payment (WeChat Pay) and web app (Mini Programs), which are unmatched by Facebook at the moment.
WeChat OAs can be divided into two major categories: Subscription Account and Service Account. The biggest distinction between the two types of accounts is the frequency that messages can be published — toggle between them below to compare:
Subscription vs. Service Account
Built for frequency
- Broadcasts up to 8 individual messages daily
- Often preferred by media outlets where broadcast frequency is the highest priority
- No QR Code Tracking
- No Message Broadcast by Group
WeChat OA registration is virtually irreversible — once registered, the account type cannot easily be altered. Businesses are highly recommended to seek professional advice before deciding which type to open.
互動 · 試一試
Which account type fits you?
01How often do you need to publish?
02How much do you need to know where your followers come from?
03Do you want to segment followers and message each group differently?
This is a starting point, not advice — registration is virtually irreversible, so confirm with a specialist before you open the account.
Upon learning the difference in broadcast frequency, many enterprises may be in favour of the Subscription Account – after all, the more messages the better, right? What escaped their attention are features less noticeable, yet equally important: "QR Code Tracking" and "Message Broadcast by Group", which are exclusive to the Service Account. The decision determines the broadcast frequency, function and data availability, and ultimately the channel strategy of the business.
Focusing on two of WeChat's most unique features "Message Broadcast by Group" and "QR Code Tracking", we will elaborate on how WeChat breaks new ground in the social media world.
Message Broadcast by Group – Bringing relevance to social conversations
More and more businesses wish to establish WeChat OAs in order to reach audience in Asia Pacific. The biggest challenge they face is that language preference differs across the region. Below are two real cases of how brands take on different approaches to tackle this multi-language problem:
Two approaches to the multi-language problem
Broadcast everything, let readers choose
- Broadcasts multiple articles at a time, each in a different language
- Readers pick the article in their preferred language from the bundle
- Simple to operate — but every follower sees content that isn't meant for them
Language is merely one of many dimensions for segmentation — geographical location, gender, membership status and consumption behaviour are just some of the possibilities.
QR Code Tracking – Introducing data transparency to WeChat
The powerful WeChat OA isn't without its limitations – one of which is that its native platform can only provide aggregated data, meaning that traffic data cannot be tracked down to the level of an individual. It goes without saying that data transparency is therefore highly sought after in the world of WeChat marketing, especially for businesses that wish to gain deeper insights into their marketing initiatives.
In this case, the QR code tracking function of Service Account has proved to be helpful. In China, QR codes have become an indispensable part of modern life, thanks to the popularity of WeChat. The general public is accustomed to using the QR code to proceed to "the next step", whether it's visiting an external link or making payment.
The parametric QR code, however, is a special type that acts more than just a gateway. It records the identity of the person that scanned the code and also the time when scanning took place. It can track user behavior down to the individual level, without collecting intrusive personal information such as real name, phone number and more.
Data transparency is made possible through the implementation of parametric QR codes on WeChat, inserted in every business touch point. For example, when WeChat users start following an OA, visit an online store, register for an event and more.
This can be illustrated with a real example:
Agency B has just been engaged to replace Agency A for the management of a certain WeChat OA. Right after publishing their first message, Agency B notices that 108 people have unfollowed. A common misconception is to instantly find fault in Agency B. With the QR code tracking function, however, the company will be able to investigate further into the matter. What led to the following of these 108 "unfollowers" in the first place?
互動 · 108 unfollowers
Where the 108 unfollowers originally came from
60
共 108 unfollowers
KOL campaign. Organised by the previous agency (Agency A). Over 55% of the drop came from followers this campaign had attracted — not from Agency B's content at all.
As shown in the table above, 60 out of the 108 people (over 55%) that unfollowed had been drawn by a KOL campaign organized by Agency A, while 35 of them (32.4%) were attracted by a giveaway campaign delivered by the client's marketing department. This suggests that the quality of Agency B's work may not be the sole reason, if any, for the drop in followers. A careful analysis of these data would suggest that the level of brand loyalty and quality of fans attracted by Agency A or the client could be equally crucial in follower retention.
With WeChat's QR code tracking function, data transparency can be hugely enhanced, making KPI setting and measurement of campaign effectiveness much easier.
Machine Learning and Automation – The future for WeChat marketing
It is inevitable that different followers behave differently. Some are more willing to listen to your brand's story, while the others are more attracted towards perks and giveaway. Some are more inelastic when it comes to price adjustment, others flee when the discount period is over. Businesses are struggling to find better ways in identifying different user groups on social media, and subsequently devising dedicated marketing and sales strategies to capture their needs.
While other platforms are falling behind, WeChat is leading the way in demographic segmentation and personalized user journey, as pointed out in the examples above.
But as followers grow and the amount of data accumulates, it becomes increasingly challenging for the human administrator to analyze and categorize each user manually. Moreover, as user behavior becomes more complex, the segmentation of followers will become less of a straight-forward exercise. Businesses will need help in spotting follower behaviour patterns. This is where tagging automation comes into play.
As of today, WeChat is already compatible with third party tools that make use of machine learning algorithm to identity follower behaviour patterns. By simply setting a few conditions, the tool can automatically single out followers based on their behaviour, then places tags on them for further action. Tagging automation allows marketers to spend more time on decision making instead of processing complicated statistics and information.
Conclusion
Nowadays, businesses don't just look for more followers on social media channels – they are also constantly seeking relevant audience that can be converted to loyal customers. Otherwise, no matter how big a social following is, it will always remain as a number.
Fortunately for companies that are eyeing the Greater China market, WeChat has made things easier – it has provided the basic infrastructure for marketers to perform follower segmentation and create personalized user experience, offering them countless possibilities to interact with their audience. As WeChat marketing automation has become a reality, we are excited about what will come next.
Key Takeaways
- 01Choose your OA type carefully — registration is virtually irreversible, and the choice determines frequency, features, and ultimately your channel strategy.
- 02Service Account unlocks the data — QR Code Tracking and Message Broadcast by Group are exclusive to it, and they're what make WeChat a true CRM channel.
- 03Segment, don't blast — talking to followers in their preferred language (or by location, membership, behaviour) measurably improves relevance and click-through.
- 04Automation is the next step — machine-learning tagging frees marketers to focus on decisions instead of manual data processing.
