WeChat Article Audit: How to Create Irresistible WeChat Contents

Criticism or appreciation of a WeChat article is often subjective, short, and shallow. These reactions aren’t useful to WeChat content marketers needing a constructive, objective understanding of what works and what does not.

After all, what makes a WeChat article go from average to brilliant?

Is it as simple as to use more animated gift ?????

No, no, I’m afraid not…

This is where a “WeChat Article Audit” comes into action.

In general, reading or editing a WeChat Article provides minimal feedback. It becomes impossible to determine why your WeChat article isn’t perfect.

You might try making simple changes such as tweaking the headline or choosing high-resolution images but is that enough?

Due to this, WeChat content marketers find it impossible to identify what’s required while giving out instructions to their content team. Of course, all of this change when you use the “WeChat Article Audit” tool.

Elements of a WeChat Article Audit

This read will highlight the 8 elements of a WeChat Article Audit and how it will help create picture-perfect WeChat contents.   Readers will also receive access to a comprehensive WeChat Article Audit tool.

8 Elements of a WeChat Article

• Headline
• Introduction
• Consumable
• Purpose
• Creatives
• Conclusion
• Comprehensiveness
• Consistency

Who this WeChat Article Audit Is For

This article will offer insight into using, refining, and evaluating these elements.

To clarify each element and its importance, the article will include multiple real-life examples. These samples will be critiqued using the all-encompassing WeChat Article Audit.

Before starting, let’s determine who can use this audit to improve their content creation.

1. Business Owners: Improve WeChat marketing by critiquing/auditing WeChat articles written by employees.
2. Content Marketers: Audit WeChat articles on your Subscript or Service accounts.
3. Agency Owners: Audit your clients’ WeChat articles to enhance their WeChat content marketing.

WeChat Article Audit Element #1: Headline

Features of a Perfect Headline

• Clear Promise of What’s in the Content
• Not Misleading or Erroneous
• Concise

The following headline uses this formula.

6 Tips for Cold Relief That Only Doctors Know

If you study any successful WeChat article, its headline will follow a clear-cut formula.

The headline will never use incomplete phrases, run-on sentences, or random statements.

Let’s analyze a few more.

• 6 Tips for Cold Relief
• The Introduction of Steve Jobs Theater
• Winter Jackets That Keep You Warm

You can tell these headlines are simple statements and could be improved. In most cases, all it takes is a simple tweak for the headline to become captivating.

• 6 Tips for Cold Relief That Only Doctors Know
• This Is The Last Art Work of Steve Jobs, Apart From Apple
• Where Those Make-You-Sweat-Under-20Celsius Winter Jackets Came From?

Of course, these headlines aren’t perfect but they’re 100 times better than the originals.

WeChat Article Audit Element #2: Introduction

Elements of a Perfect Introduction

• Pushes Reader to Continue Reading
• Easy to Read and Provides Rhythm to Your Post

For example, this WeChat article is a discussion around the psychology concept of “over estimating your effort” which is basically stating that people in a relationship always over estimate their contribution.

And as an introduction, the writer shared an interesting and related story about how wives will usually underestimate the husbands’ efforts on housework.

Tip: Begin the WeChat article with a brief, interest-building sentence, paragraph, or even story.

The idea is to build interest using a short, punchy sentence or stories. It will help grab the reader’s attention and create a metaphorical “chute” where the reader slides down the page.

If the reader starts going down the “slide,” he/she will find it easier to finish what they’re reading.

WeChat Article Audit Element #3: Consumable

Elements of a Consumable WeChat Article

• Includes Transitions between Sub-Headlines
• Easy To Read Formatting (Paragraphs, Spaces)

This WeChat article talks about various of food that is diabetic friendly. As you can see this article illustrate how to effectively use various of icons, colors, highlight, bullet point and well-paragraphed sentences to make sure it is clean and easy to consume for the readers.

Many articles on WeChat are extremely well formatted, this is largely due to the high expectation of WeChat users. If your article isn’t well formed and consumable they will simply move on.

Here are More Options to Format Your Article

• Block Quotes
• Images
• Animated Gifs (very popular in China)
• Color text
• Short videos
• Italics
• Numbered Lists

Use these to break up the text and make it readable.

Appropriate use of transitions between sub-headlines and/or ideas is handy. It helps readers pace themselves. While using transitions, it’s imperative to remain brief and smooth to prevent losing the reader’s interest.

Pay attention to this element because an incomprehensible WeChat article is unusable. The reader will refuse to read past the first or second paragraph.

WeChat Article Audit Element #4: Purpose

Elements of the Perfect Use of Vision

• Establish “Call-To-Action” (CTA) Related To Subject of WeChat Article
• Call-To-Action Should Entice Reader To Act
• Call-To-Action Should Be Located In Key Part(s) of WeChat Article

Above articles are from IKEA China, as you can see they always have a call to action in every piece of their content.

Many big box brands strategically place products and QR code into their content.  For example, if the reader is learning about building a staircase, they’ll find a new hammer/drill valuable and as part of your WeChat content, you can place a QR code that leads to another page or a link to purchase a hammer or drill.

To increase the conversion rate of your WeChat article, create your articles with a purpose.

Just keep in mind that, your purpose should be relevant (related to the WeChat Article) and consumable (easy to read). If not, the reader will ignore what you’ve written and move on. Your vision has to remain clear-cut, pertinent, and coherent.

WeChat Article Audit Element #5: Creatives

Elements of Perfect Creatives

• Includes Animated GIFs, Images, Video Clips
• All Included Media is Relevant, Concise, and Clear

Remember, the goal is to create a well-rounded WeChat article and this includes the use of visuals. One of the most compelling forms of creatives in China is “animated GIFs”. This is largely because of the highly mobile nature of Chinese consumer and that gifs are a perfect mixture between images and videos.

You don’t need to hire a professional GIF creator or graphic designer but it’s best to avoid stock collections. Everyone uses those collections and it’s important to stand out. Improving your “creatives game” is vital for long-term success.

Even in the most saturated industry in the world, high-quality creatives provide the boost your articles need to remain relevant.

This can be a lifeline for those who want to stand out and be different. If you continue doing the same as everyone else, it will hamper your conversion rate and bore your readers.

WeChat Article Audit Element #6: Conclusion

Elements of Perfect Conclusion

• Includes the Use of Humor, Insight, or Wit
• Closes the WeChat Article
• Pushes Readers to Share, Comment, or Read Other Articles, or Click On Your WeChat Menu

This example of GQ China demonstrates how to wrap up a WeChat Article without being repetitive, irrelevant, or inappropriate. It concludes the article naturally with a funny joke as well as a QR code to further engage the readers. Keep in mind, WeChat will automatically scan the QR code if the readers press and hold the QR code.

In most cases, a great conclusion can make or break how well it performs.

Without a good conclusion, the reader might forget to comment, share, click (Call-To-Action), or continue reading your WeChat contents.

Your conclusion will determine their next action. It doesn’t have to be life changing but it should wrap up the WeChat article. If not, the article will appear to have stopped abruptly.

The bare minimum is to at least state the points mentioned in your introduction before asking readers to share, comment, click, or continue reading. If not, they’ll forget and head to another site.

WeChat Article Audit Element #7: Comprehensiveness

Elements of a Comprehensive WeChat Article

• All Points are Mentioned in Detail
• Promise Made in Your Headline Is Delivered

Your headline and/or introduction are designed to provide a meaningful promise of what’s to come.

If ignored, you’ve cheated the audience.

A WeChat Article Audit helps clarify whether or not you’ve written a comprehensive article that delivers on the established promise. If not, it’s important to flesh out the blog post or modify your headline/introduction.

There is nothing worse than writing a WeChat article that fails to deliver on its promise. The reader will feel duped and might never return. This harms your conversion rate, tarnishes your brand, and makes it impossible to captivate those who take the time to read.

However, comprehensiveness is more than fulfilling your promise. It’s about evaluating the WeChat article for its readability, completeness, and quality.

This includes:

1. Examples/Facts/Samples
2. Creatives (Animated GIFs, Video, Audio, Images)
3. External and/or Internal Links (Relevant!)

The rule of thumb is to go “above and beyond” with your blog posts. If you go in with this mindset, it’s easier to create a well-written article. In fact, it’s better to create less in volume and emphasize comprehensiveness. One well-written article is better than ten run-of-the-mill WeChat articles.

You want the audience to want more!

WeChat Article Audit Element #8: Consistency

Elements of Consistency in a WeChat Article

• Content is Relevant to Other Information Produced By Organization
• Content is Consistent With Your Brand Image

For example Mimeng(咪蒙), who is one of the most famous influencer (KOL) in China on WeChat. The majority of her audiences are females between the age 25 to 30 that enjoy discussing topics around relationship and family matter from a female point of view.

As part of her brand image, Mimeng loves to describe herself to her audiences as if she is overweight, short and that she loves lobster. This is the image she wanted to kept with her audience so inevitability in almost every single article she will joke about the fact that she is overweight, short, and loves lobster.

In fact, in the above paragraph Mineng jokes that the reason she gave away her recent reward to one of her writers simply because the writer complimented her on her “skinny” body shape and she was very pleased.

The point is, if a brand is well regarded for thinking “out of the box” or being witty, you need to maintain the same tone in the WeChat article. It doesn’t make sense to start writing dry/boring content as it will confuse the reader and cause them to click away.

Before writing the WeChat, article determines what your brand/organization stands for.

Is it witty? Is it professional? Is it snarky?

Based on your answer, the article should remain in sync with this standard.

In addition, do not write WeChat articles where the information contradicts other articles on your WeChat official account.  For example, if you’re telling someone to use Product A, it’s unacceptable to turn around and say Product A is unusable in another post. This will confuse the reader and ruin your credibility.

It’s also important to match your content with relevant information in the niche. Your WeChat article shouldn’t directly contradict factual information as it sheds a negative light on your research, expertise, and editing. Take time to revisit your content and back-check everything.