How WeChat can make you a better Facebook marketer

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

WeChat marketing is essential for any brand that operates in China. But marketing on Facebook Messenger is just starting to become a hot topic. More and more marketers are seeing Messenger as a better communication channel than email marketing. Some marketers reports impressive results with Messenger marketing: open rates above 90% and click through rates above 50%. If you are targeting users outside …

How Alipay is betting on India’s mobile payments

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

Earlier this year, Alibaba bought a 40% stake in PayTM, the largest mobile payment processor in India. What’s Alibaba’s strategy? Why is India such a good “next step” for Alipay today? That’s what we’ll deep dive today. When India got rid of cash On the 8th of November, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and announced a revolutionary measure: …

WeChat blocks a viral Mini Program, Apple starts to reinforce 30% “Apple tax”, and a viral Mother’s Day campaign

Tingyi Chen New WeChat features

Mini Program updates in May Tencent may be slow to update any WeChat features, but they are definitely pushing the evolution of Mini Program. Here is a list of new Mini Program features released in May Brands can now display different content depending on specific WeChat group ID or group name where their Mini Program is shared. Mini Program “near …

What is WeChat search and why is it game changing?

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

Last week, Tencent released a feature that made the buzz in tech circles: WeChat search. As Baidu seems to be losing traction, the entrance of Tencent and its explosive growth in the search business is likely a good changer. Let’s take a closer look. How to activate WeChat search? First of, you might notice that search is not on your …

2017 Alipay Report shows growing credit spending among Chinese youth

Tingyi Chen New WeChat features

DT Caijing and Huabei,  a personal line of credit product within Alipay app (450 million users), recently released the 2017 Chinese young consumers spending report. The report shows an increase of credit spending by the young Chinese consumers. This line of credit product was released in April 2015, and grew to over 100 million register user within 2 years. 37.4% …

Alipay releases “mini-programs” in response to WeChat

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features, WeChat news

Alipay quietly released its own mini-programs: light applications accessed through Alipay, loaded directly (like web pages) but with performance similar to web-APPs. Let’s have a close look into that. What do Alipay mini-programs look like? Alipay mini-programs look, in many ways, exactly like WeChat mini-programs. Like WeChat miniprograms, Alipay miniprograms… are accessed usually via scanning QR codes are built on …

Luxury Brands Finally Begin to Master WeChat Commerce

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

Although the global personal luxury market is stuck in a holding pattern for the foreseeable future, China is likely to continue to make up for weaker demand elsewhere. China’s Domestic Luxury Market Expands Data published by global management consulting company Bain & Company in 2016 shows that China’s domestic luxury spending has been on the rise from 2014 to 2016, …

How to change WeChat Official Account without losing followers

Tingyi Chen New WeChat features

A problem has been plaguing companies on WeChat for years: the inability to change WeChat Official Account from one business entity to another. If you wanted to sell your account, or somehow change legal entity, you would have to create a new WeChat Official Account and start follower acquisition from scratch. Businesses could face a huge risk, especially if they relied on third …

Tencent canceled Tip feature, declaration of war against Apple?

Tingyi Chen New WeChat features

Last night, WeChat made two announcements: Due to Apple’s new regulation 3.1.1, iOS users can no longer use the “Tip Author feature” (which enable to give small sums of money to support a WeChat Official Account). Authors can still post personal QR code to collect payment from users 6 hours later, WeChat posted another article: same announcement, but the workaround …

Why is Facebook Payment failing?

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

WeChat payment is the superstar feature of WeChat, the one which makes it stand out amid a sea of messaging APPs. So it’s no surprise Facebook tried to copy it. But did it succeed? Here is a timeline of the feature updates of Alipay, WeChat Payment, and Facebook Payment What Facebook payment looks like In early 2015, Facebook launched a …