WeChat Official Accounts Explained
If you have no idea what a WeChat Official Account before, it is basically like having a Facebook Business Page (except for Enterprise account) that you can use to do all kinds of marketing on WeChat.
WeChat official accounts is really the cornerstone of WeChat marketing without having at least one, you can still market on WeChat but you’ll be extremely limited.
Types of WeChat Official Accounts
Yes, there are different types of WeChat official accounts and each has it’s purposes.
Which account should you get?
Well.. remember you can create 15 WeChat official accounts under just one business name, so you really can have multiple of each account type if you want but you probably won’t need it and won’t have the time to manage it.
Which brings me to the next point. If you don’t resources and time is limited then you’ll want to stick to one account type to get started and create more after if needed.
There are really only 2 types of WeChat official account that you should really care about which is the subscription and service account. Let me explain…
Business WeChat Subscription Account
WeChat subscription account is designed and best used for publishing a ton of contents using a “news feed” like setup. With the subscription account, users can publish (up to 6 articles) once a day to their subscribers’ list. To notify users, the updates are sent directly to their subscription folder.
There are several reasons for setting limits on WeChat subscription accounts. In general, WeChat has a built-in search algorithm to prioritize specific updates based on time. As a result, recent articles are given preference. By setting limitations, WeChat can control what shows up while ensuring spamming doesn’t become a concern.
It’s important to note, WeChat subscription accounts limit engagement based on how users are notified of new posts. The notification is delivered straight to their subscription folder, which takes away from the account’s engagement rate. Other WeChat accounts do a better job of increasing the brand’s exposure.
Personal WeChat Subscription Account
This the same as a Subscription account except it’s personal. Unlike the business subscription account and all other official accounts which require additional verification (i.e. business licensing). This type of WeChat official account can be open by individual users using a Chinese ID and are often used by famous personalities and bloggers.
If you’re looking to gain a large following by publishing a lot of content and build your personal brand awareness, then a personal WeChat subscription account is perfect if you can get one.
WeChat Service Account
A WeChat service account is an all-encompassing option with several high-end features including e-Commerce, CRM, API integration, and customer service. This official account provides more for brands to work with while developing an online subscribers list. The same accounts can sign up for WeChat Pay and WeChat Store for a well-rounded e-Commerce experience. Once verified, the account gains access to additional features including Payments, GPS, and Instant Customer Service.
These accounts can post 4 times per month (up to 6 articles each). Once the posts are up, users are notified using push notifications in their chat list. While users post less with a WeChat service account, they gain additional exposure through well-placed push notifications.