TMG WebinarsFollower Acquisition on WeChat
Outline
I. Getting your account ready
II. Creating shareable content
III. Viral marketing techniques
IV. Promotion through paid channels
V. Offline promotions
VI. Examples
Presented by
Co Founder & Global Head of Client Strategy
TMG Worldwide
Jeff Fish is the Co-Founder and Global Head of Client Strategy at The Momentum Group. Hehelps our customers launch successful China marketing campaigns leveraging WeChat. Jeffhas worked with a variety of organizations, from hospitality to financial services, and is afrequent speaker on the implications of content marketing at global scale. He has aseasoned background in social networking, content marketing, mobile strategy andemerging technology.
Jeff Fish
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyfish
WeChat:
GET YOUR ACCOUNT READY
1 2 3
Determine marketing goals
Create an engaging microsite
Create 2-3 seed posts
CREATESHAREABLE CONTENT
for
Create attractive content
1
The most popular form ofmarketing is through Rich TextMessages
The following formats can be sentout as a message broadcast: Audio,Image, Video, Rich Text MessageDigest
Message tone is typically casualand uses a lot of images
Striking visual or video content ismost effective
Offer WeChat exclusives
Offer promotions exclusive to WeChat followers to increase your follower base
Promotions that extend beyond a single user to family and friends increase sharing
Keep promotions fresh
Example: Grand Hyatt, New York offers a free suite upgrade to only its WeChat followers
2
Follower polls & surveys
Learn more about your followers
through the polling feature
Create more engaging content based
on actual user feedback
Get feedback from your customers
Send polls to all followers or just
specific groups like
women/men/specific location
3
VIRALMARKETING TECHNIQUES
for
Cross platform promotion
1
Promote your WeChat account on Chinese social networking platforms such as Weibo, Q Zone or Renren
Weibo is complementary to WeChat. Use it!
Weibo for brand exposure and WeChat for 1:1 brand engagement
Promote the activity without a direct QR code reference
Games & contests
Incentivize more people to follow and share your brand by organizing group games with prizes
Mass viral sharing is the key
Example: Coach launched its own WeChat fashion promotion through a red envelope game in which users could send special offers to friends and family.
2
Incentivize sharing
Encourage customers to share
content from your account in their
WeChat ‘MOMENTS’
Create simple share and win contests
Example: Offer a free meal or a
discount on the bill if they’ve shared
a photo of theirs enjoying their stay
at the hotel
3
Virtual loyalty cards
4
Offer virtual loyalty cards using WeChat
Owners of such loyalty cards can have their QR code scanned at the location for discounts or points collection.
Leverage partners/ franchises
5 This works well for corporate brands
with franchises all over the world.
Any brand under the corporate umbrella can be promoted through WeChat accounts of franchises in the Mainland
QR code promotions
6
Add WeChat QR code everywhere
Publish QR code prominently on your website and other digital media
Publish WeChat QR code on all collateral targeting Chinese audience
Publish WeChat ID and Account Name on Weibo
PAID CHANNELS
for
Leveraging KOLs
1
Recruit KOLs to post positive content about your brand helping you reach thousands if not millions of potential consumers
Identifying the right KOLs
Weibo KOL score
Geographic Relevance
Subject Matter Relevance
Invite KOLs for product launches/a free hotel stay for coverage in blog
WeChat Advertising
2
Banner Ads on WeChat
One click to follow ads
Picture driven
Ads with coupons
Promotional ads
Advertising on WeChat Moments
Target users according to their location, interest, age, gender, device and phone network.
Better choice for well known brands with visually attractive products
Minimal entry price: 200,000 RMB
OFFLINE PROMOTIONS
for
QR codes on packaging
1
Including the QR code on product packaging, brochures and any other printed collateral
Example: The Met printed the WeChat account’s QR code on the maps it hands out to all visitors
Incentivize scanning: Scanning a code could offer a discount or a coupon for this or other product.
Print campaigns
Traditional newspapers, magazines
and other print collateral are great
options to place the QR code
Combine the QR code placement
with an offer or discount to
encourage scanning
QR codes are a very popular method
of marketing on large scale print
formats like posters and billboards
2
Offline events
3
For hotels and destinations, welcoming the Chinese guest has to be an important part of their WeChat strategy. Programs such as Welcome Chinese which seamlessly integrate the cultural experience for the Chinese guest are an example.
Hilton's Huanying is one such effort implemented at most global locations with a considerable number of Chinese visitors.
EXAMPLES
Qixi Festival Campaign1 Tiffany & Co, the world’s premier jewelers, developed a
highly effective campaign for Qixi Festival, the Chinese
Valentine’s Day. Through WeChat, followers had to
share affectionate pictures showing their “proof of
love” for a chance to win gifts.
Tiffany & Co.
Mid-Autumn Festival Campaign
Kate Spade took advantage of gamification via
WeChat and launched a flying-lantern game that
allowed followers to choose a lantern color, write
wishes and greetings on it, and send it off into the sky.
2
Kate Spade
Travel Season Campaign
Players of the game have the chance of winning a free night by correctly answering questions related to three stories told in three different Chinese dialects (out of nine). Once all stories are 'decoded', players can enter into a lucky draw for the freebie. If players get stuck on one story, they can enlist their friends to help by utilizing the 'Moments' functionality of WeChat.
3
IHG
Shop and StayCampaign
The Venetian offers exclusive offers to all WeChat
Members. The QR code is displayed prominently on
the offer page to encourage scanning and following
the account.
4
The Venetian
Cool Cups Social Contest
To enter the contest Starbucks asked users to follow the
Starbucks official account on WeChat and post a picture that
contains the following elements: 3 people and 3 Frappuccino.
Once done, they would have to fill in a simple contact form
and submit it to enter the contest.
5
Starbucks
Online2OfflinePromotion
Shanghai Wine Bistrot chain Burdigala experimented with online
promotions to drive users in-store. In this campaign, followers
were required to share the official account name card with their
friends and if 5 of their friends followed the account, they would
get a free bottle of wine in one of Burdigala’s venues.
6
Burdigala
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