How top global brands strategically leverage WeChat Minisites to engage China consumers.
How top global brands strategically leverage WeChat Minisites to engage China consumers.
WECHAT IN 2015
WeChat ended 2014 with 500 million monthly active users, putting it among the five largest social networks in the world, and cementing its position as the most important mobile platform for brands in China.1 With Weibo usage plateauing, WeChat offers a powerful tool for brands to engage with consumers on a one-to-one basis and tap into intimate networks that organically amplify sharing and word of mouth.
ROLE OF MINISITES
Outside of maintaining official accounts, WeChat minisites (weizhan) are powerful tools for brands to create unique interactive experiences for consumers. Essentially mobile-optimized HTML5 websites, minisites can be linked to directly from the WeChat account navigation menu and are often used in support of campaign initiatives. Weizhan design is limited only by developer creativity, and brands have only just begun to explore the possibilities with minisites ranging from interactive brochures, to location-based games, to social fitness trackers.
SHARING & ENGAGEMENT
Brands most frequently create WeChat minisites to engage users in campaign activities and promote sharing through the Moments feed. Brands will often use mini games that use touch and gestures on smartphones to educate consumers on new products and campaigns. Giveaways and contests are also used to incentivize sharing on WeChat Moments, although mechanisms are currently clunky and require users to send screenshots of their feed in order to be eligible.
O2O & CONVERSION
Brands are only beginning to explore the potential of WeChat minisites for O2O integration. Innovators have begun to drive WeChat followers to retail stores through sampling programs and location-specific coupons. Marketers are also using minisites to deepen engagement at offline events, combining QR codes with interactive maps to boost traffic and sharing from brand locations.
Tiffany: WeChat minisite enables user generated content sharing.
1. PHOTO CUSTOMIZATION
Through the Unlock the Possibilities WeChat campaign minisite, users can upload photos for customization with a filter inspired by famed artist Yu Hong’s portraits of campaign ambassadors.
2. KEY SELECTION
Users choose from one of three featured Tiffany Keys to associate with their portrait.
3. INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE
Users choose from one of nine inspirational quotes.
4. PHOTO UPLOAD
User photos can be uploaded or taken directly from their smartphone camera.
5. APPROVAL
Tiffany sends the customized photo to participants through WeChat as well as a link to a webpage where the image can be shared to Sina Weibo.
Jacob’s Creek: WeChat Minisite integrates KOLs to inspire user photo sharing.
1. KOL INFLUENCERS
To promote the Made True photo-sharing campaign minisite, Jacob’s Creek worked with popular KOLs to create seed content and inspire participation by promoting the activity on their personal Weibo accounts.
2. USER PARTICIPATION
To participate in the activity, fans were directed to a campaign minisite (weizhan) where they could upload their photos and invite friends to customize them with Jacob’s Creek bottle tags – which could be shared on the Moments feed for the chance to win Tmall vouchers, brand tennis merchandise, and Jacob’s Creek wine.
Coca-Cola: Interactive WeChat Minisite lets users show feelings with music.
1. WECHAT CAMPAIGN MINISTIE
To promote the Lyric Bottle campaign, Coca- Cola created a WeChat minisite (weizhan), and promoted it through their account navigation menu. The experience was called “Show your feelings with song” (以歌傳情), and combined campaign visuals with simple interactions to drive user sharing.
2. MINISITE INTERACTION
To access the minisite, followers link directly through a tab in the navigation menu of Coca-Cola’s WeChat account.
- • Users are prompted with a trending topic such as graduation – “Can you name everyone in your class?”
- • Based on their response, the minisite displays an inspirational message with interactive on-screen elements.
- • A relevant lyric is then presented from among the available campaign bottles.
- • Users are encouraged to use WeChat’s built-in sharing functionality to share their results with their contacts or on their Moments feed.
Adidas: WeChat minisite as social platform for gamified group fitness.
1. ADIGIRLS WECHAT MINISITE
The Adigirls WeChat minisite (weizhan) is a social fitness platform that allows followers to create groups and earn points through exercise missions and sharing activities.
2. GROUP ACTIVITY FEED
Users can add friends through WeChat message invites. The activity feed tracks points, activities and fitness missions.
3. FITNESS MISSIONS
Users can select fitness challenges from this area categorized by activity type such as running, shaping, or multi-day missions.
4. MISSION DETAIL
Missions consist of tasks tracked by smartphone GPS and motion sensors. If all group members complete the same mission within the countdown period, multiplier bonus points are awarded.
5. POINTS REDEMPTION
After accumulating campaign points through missions and campaign activities, followers can redeem products and prizes through the minisite.
Ray-Ban: Adapting Weibo campaigns to WeChat.
1. WECHAT CAMPAIGN MINISITE
Ray-Ban makes all elements of the Never Hide Your Talent campaign available from the brand WeChat navigation menu.
2. MATERIAL THEMED ENGAGEMENTS
All eight material theme mini-games and engagements can be accessed from WeChat, and are optimized for mobile interaction. Similar to Douban, content created can only be shared back to Sina Weibo.
3. MATERIAL PERSONALITY TEST
WeChat followers can also access the campaign material test and share their results on Sina Weibo.
4. CAMPAIGN MANIFESTO
The Weibo app for the campaign manifesto is also presented in a mobile-friendly format for content creation and sharing on Weibo.
5. CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
All eight campaign ambassador videos can be accessed on Youku through the WeChat navigation menu.
BMW: WeChat Minisite incentivizes followers to join regional events.
1. CAMPAIGN MINISITE
After the campaign launch, BMW directed their WeChat followers to a custom minisite (Wei Zhan) promoting a five-city tour of Live Free For Action offline events.
2. FIVE-CITY CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE
From June 20th-30th, BMW hosted campaign experience events in Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
3. AUGMENTED REALITY ACTIVITIES
Through the WeChat minisite, BMW promoted unique augmented reality engagements – teasing opportunities to win up to 10 prizes a day by participating on their smartphones while at events.
4. EVENT ACTIVITIES
BMW also promoted activities that would take place at each event.
5. TEST-DRIVE SIGN UP
BMW created opportunities to convert minisite traffic into test-drive registrations.
H&M: WeChat Quiz boosts participation, awareness and education.
1. CAMPAIGN QUIZ ENGAGEMENT
H&M launched a WeChat campaign minisite, promoted on Sina Weibo, that quizzed followers on elements of the capsule collection as well as Alexander Wang – encouraging fans to learn about the designer and explore available products.
2. CONTEST MECHANISM
After driving Weibo fans to follow the official H&M WeChat account via QR-code scan, users are sent to a campaign minisite (weizhan) where they are asked to answer 10 questions about the capsule collection and the collaboration with Alexander Wang. Once all questions are correctly answered, participants are entered to win brand products as well as store passes to bypass retail queues on launch day.
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