The number of businesses using WeChat marketing in Singapore as part of their advertising strategy has increased since the app’s inception. According to recent data, the app is being used by 26 ecommerce stores in Singapore.
With 28.2% monthly users in Singapore, it’s no surprise that businesses have started to take note of this platform and use it to run ads. Additionally, the app has expanded by offering users payment systems and social networking. This has given brands a digital space where they can reach a wider audience.
If you are a business owner interested in this platform, this guide will teach you how to start advertising on the platform. We’ll help you learn how to unlock WeChat marketing tactics and advertising options that suit your needs.
What is WeChat?
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Ever since its launch, WeChat has been the most popular messaging app in China. When Tencent first launched the app in 2011, it was called Weixin and it resembled Whatsapp. But ever since the number of users reached 100 million, the developers changed the name to WeChat to adapt to a more global market.
Although it started as a messaging app, it has grown to include other important features. To date, WeChat has over 1.3 billion users worldwide. The app developer, Tencent, also reported that the app has 1 billion daily active users, which is pretty impressive.
Image Credit: WeChat Advertising
Out of the number of users reported, 50% spend over 90 minutes per day using the app. This allows businesses to make the most out of their WeChat marketing efforts.
Image Credit: Dragon Social
WeChat in Singapore
Image Credit: We Are Social
Although WeChat isn’t the most used social media platform in Singapore in 2024, it is still included in the top 10. Singapore is also listed as the 14th country with the most WeChat users with 1.5 million users. Interestingly, Malaysia ranks number two with 12 million users while China tops the list with 810 million users.
| Number of WeChat Users by Country | |
| Country | Number of WeChat Users |
| China | 810 million |
| Malaysia | 12 million |
| India | 10 million |
| Russia | 9.5 million |
| Japan | 5.5 million |
| South Korea | 5 million |
| United States | 4 million |
| Indonesia | 3 million |
| Mexico | 2.5 million |
| Thailand | 2.5 million |
Data from World Population Review
Because of the vast number of people using WeChat, the app developer was able to transform it into a “super app.” Apart from messaging, the app has allowed users to make purchases, transfer money, plan holidays, contact customer support, and more.
WeChat Marketing in Singapore: How to Advertise on China’s Super App
Brands have also started using WeChat, thanks to its WeChat Mini Programs and WeChat channels that the developers included in 2017 and 2020, respectively. These features were designed for brands to make the most out of the app. As such, if you still haven’t started WeChat marketing in Singapore, you’re missing out on this key channel.
WeChat Official Account Types
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Before you can start using WeChat to market your products or services, you will need to set up an official account on the platform. This will allow you to do the following:
- Attract target customers
- Increase brand awareness
- Build customer loyalty
- Push notifications to followers
- Redirect users to your website/eCommerce store
An official account will also allow you to run advertising campaigns on WeChat. However, the signup process isn’t as straightforward as other messaging apps. There are three types of accounts on WeChat:
- Subscription Account
Image Credit: The WeChat Agency
Subscription Accounts on WeChat are intended for celebrities or small, individual businesses to post content to engage with their followers. Updates from these accounts go straight to the followers’ subscription folder to prevent incessant spamming.
Subscription Accounts can only publish once a day to subscribers, with up to six articles on each. The posts then appear on WeChat Moments, which is comparable to the News Feed on Facebook. The limitation of a Subscription Account is that your posts will not get prioritised based on what the algorithm thinks you will like. Instead, the posts appear on WeChat Moments in chronological order.
- Service Account
Image Credit: The WeChat Agency
On the other hand, a WeChat Service Account is perfect for small, medium, and enterprise-sized businesses. It gives you more sales and service-oriented features like a CRM, API integration, or customer service. Through this account type, you can create your own Mini Programs to process online check-ins, booking services, and respond to customer service requests.
When you send a broadcast, your account will go up to the top of your followers’ contact list. WeChat will also send a push notification to them. But you are limited to only four broadcasts per month.
- WeChat Work
Lastly, WeChat Work is an enterprise account intended for internal communication and management. It is comparable to workplace communication tools like Slack or Google Chat but with countless features available.
Unlike the previous two accounts, WeChat Work users need to be corporate accounts that have been verified by internal staff. They are not available to the public and are not intended for marketing purposes.
| Features | Subscription | Service |
| Number of Posts | 1 post/day | 4 posts/month
(1-6 articles) |
| Push Notifications | None | ✅ |
| Visibility | Inside folder | On the main screen |
| CRM | 48-hour window to respond to user messages | ✅ |
| Custom Menus | None | ✅ |
| WeChat Pay | None | ✅ |
| Mini Programs/Paid Advertising | Available only to businesses with a Chinese licence | ✅ |
How to Create a Verified Official Account on WeChat
Because the Chinese government retains control over the information shared online, creating an official account on WeChat is not as easy as 1-2-3. Before you can have an official account, you will need to register and pay the annual verification fee of SGD 129.
You then have two options to create an official account, if you are situated outside of China:
- Use a foreign business licence
- Use a third-party Chinese business licence
| Type of Licence | Verification Fee | Processing Time | Ownership |
| Foreign Business Licence | SGD 129 | 2 weeks | Yes |
| Third-Party Chinese Business Licence | SGD 651 | 2 weeks | No (The account remains linked to the Chinese legal entity) |
Data from Marketing to China
There are unverified accounts on WeChat, but they get cancelled after 30 days. These are also not recommended since they have limited functionality. A verified official account on WeChat will give you full access to the app’s features. It will also allow you to use the app to market to your customers.
How to Use WeChat for Marketing in Singapore
With the growth of WeChat, Tencent has also introduced more features for businesses to leverage. Particularly, it has allowed businesses to use the app to advertise their brand through these options:
WeChat Moments Ads
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As mentioned above, the news feed on WeChat is called Moments. Official accounts can advertise on this section with the use of text, a single image, a video, or a gallery of images.
Users can engage with Moments Ads by commenting or “liking” them. They can also see the comments that their friends left behind, but cannot see the comments from outside their network.
The advertising formats that can be used on a Moments ad include the following options:
- Regular ads
- Showcase ads
- Combination card ads
Interactive ad formats may also be used to execute a certain action in response to the ad. Some examples include swiping, long-pressing on the ad, or shaking their device.
WeChat KOL Accounts
Image Credit: Marketing to China
For an effective advertising campaign, you might have to consider collaborating with one of the Key Opinion Leaders on WeChat. An opinion leader is someone very active on social networks with a large following. You get a lot of exposure and get a following when an opinion leader shares your content.
WeChat Official Account Ads
Image Credit: Marketing to China
These ads appear within articles that have been published by official accounts. They can appear on:
- WeChat’s messages section
- Bottom or middle of an article
Official Account ads can come in the form of an image or video. One perk of this ad type is that users can share it on Moments or privately with their friends. But unlike the previous type of ad, users cannot comment or “like” on them.
WeChat Channel Ads
Image Credit: Nanjing Marketing Group
WeChat has a section for videos called “Channels,” which largely resemble TikTok accounts. The short videos uploaded here can be viewed by a user’s friends and other strangers. A good thing about Channels is that they have the opportunity to gain viral exposure, especially if they become really popular among users. Channel ads can either appear as an overlay below a video or in the comments area.
WeChat Mini Program Ads
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These ads are integrated into Mini Programs as interstitial ads, banner ads, or timed ads on launch pages that users can interact with regularly. These ads can be interactive, which gives a more immersive experience to users.
WeChat Search Ads
WeChat also has a built-in search feature that can be used for ads. Unfortunately, the process of running Search ads on non-Chinese companies without a Chinese business entity can be complicated, which is why many refrain from it.
How to Use WeChat for Marketing in Singapore Examples
Most of the brands that use WeChat for marketing in Singapore target Chinese consumers, both locals and tourists. One reason for this is because Chinese visitors are among the top spenders with SGD 2.3 billion spent in 2023. Here are some examples of how these brands used this platform for marketing purposes:
Orchard Road Business Association (Orba)
Image Credit: Local New Singapore
The Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) rolled out its official WeChat account in 2016 as a way of targeting Chinese tourists. The executive director of the shopping district also reasoned that “it is impossible to communicate or reach the Chinese audience in China without an official corporate WeChat account.”
Through their Official Account, they share the following content:
- Exclusive deals
- Shopping and F&B content
- Promotions
- Events, especially the annual Christmas light-up event at Orchard Road
Zalora Singapore
Image Credit: Zalora.sg
Zalora Singapore joined the WeChat trend in November 2014 to promote their “ILoveZALORA” campaign on Singles’ Day. Under this campaign, they gave SGD 11 worth of Zalora vouchers to the first 1,000 users who would follow them on the app.
Today, Zalora Singapore continues to use WeChat as a way of letting its followers know about the latest promotions and fashion news. The company has also integrated built-in keyword shortcuts so users can easily navigate through the online shopping app.
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore
Image Credit: ACN Newswire
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore made its mark as the first Singapore-based hotel to join WeChat. During their launch in September 2014, they ran a “Share and Win” campaign as they encouraged their users to share that they are now part of the app. The winner of the campaign would receive an overnight stay in the hotel’s Garden Wing Pool View Room with breakfast for two.
Through its WeChat Official Account, Shangri-La Singapore allowed users to:
- Learn more about special promotions
- Discover the hotel’s facilities
- Book hotel rooms
- Book dining appointments
ION Orchard
Image Credit: ION Orchard
Several retailers from the ION Orchard shopping mall joined forces with FOMOPay to run a WeChat marketing campaign in Singapore called the “WeChat Shake” (摇一摇). The campaign takes place over the 7-day Golden Week in China holiday that takes place every October.
Through this campaign, WeChat users in Singapore were able to get gifts and discounts from participating brands, like Nespresso, Lee Hwa Diamond, Proof, Diane von Furstenberg, Skin Inc., Timberland, and many more.
Key Considerations When Using WeChat Marketing in Singapore
Since WeChat is a semi-closed platform, it’s important to fully assess whether it’s the right marketing channel for you to use. Some things you need to remember when using WeChat for marketing include:
WeChat Post Lifespan
A WeChat post has an extremely short lifespan. When you use this platform for marketing, you have to choose the right time to post since the first 48 hours after publication will be its most crucial time when 90% of interactions and reads take place.
Since WeChat users get bombarded with millions of articles getting published by Official Accounts, the competition for clicks and views is tough. You will need to prepare a well-executed content plan to compete against the volume of posts.
Cost to Run Ads
Another thing to consider when running ads on WeChat is the cost involved to run an ad. To start running a Moments ad on WeChat, you will need SGD 9,775 to buy ads with targeting options. Official Account ads, on the other hand, are a more affordable option since they start at around SGD 209.
Strict Advertising Rules
WeChat follows China’s strict advertising rules that have been implemented to safeguard its consumers’ health and safety. Non-conformity can lead to your ad getting rejected or worse, you could be banned from using the platform.
Some brands are also only allowed to advertise if they have a specific reputation. The cultural values of the brand should also be aligned with the demographic in China, so it’s best to research when creating ads intended for WeChat.
Specific industries are also restricted from advertising on WeChat. These include the following:
| Industry | Restriction |
| Pharmaceutical/Drugs | Restricted |
| Tourism | No hotels with casinos |
| Websites/Media | Restricted |
| Cigarettes | Restricted |
| Hospitals | Restricted |
| Skincare/Cosmetics | Only with imported cosmetics hygiene permit |
| Clothing/Accessories | Only brands with a good reputation |
| Government | Requires Chinese government approval |
| Universities | Requires approval by the Ministry of Education |
| Banking | Only banks with Chinese entities have to have the proper paperwork |
| Real Estate | Only those with Chinese entities |
| Pornography | Restricted |
Banned Countries
WeChat is banned in Canada and some US states. Before getting banned in 2020, there were 10 million users in India. The Netherlands also recently issued a recommendation for government employees to refrain from using apps found to have offensive cyber operations against the state.
For more information on this restriction, you can visit this page.
WeChat Marketing In Singapore
With its vast number of users, WeChat marketing in Singapore would be a great strategy to use to advertise your business. But with the restrictions and trouble needed in creating an Official Account, this can be a struggle to begin with.
Make sure you check whether this platform is something you wish to explore for your marketing. You can speak with seasoned experts who can help assist you in launching an ad on WeChat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WeChat good for business?
With 1.5 million users in Singapore, WeChat is a powerful platform to explore for your marketing strategy. It provides a powerful way to build a database, collect feedback, and connect with your customers.
Which countries use WeChat the most?
While WeChat has reported over 1.3 billion users in the world, its main users are based in China, where it has 810 million users. The majority of the people who use WeChat are between 16 and 64 years old.
Are there influencers on WeChat?
Influencers are called Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on WeChat. However, unlike influencers, they have a stronger influence on WeChat as they are capable of boosting a brand’s credibility and visibility on the platform.
Do people shop on WeChat?
One of the neat features of WeChat is WeChat Pay, a service that allows users to use the platform to make payments, shop online, pay bills, and order takeout.
