WeChat Video Channel (微信视频号) is a short video feature launched by WeChat in 2020. The WeChat Channel is a platform that everyone can use to create and post content. Starting from June 2020, the monthly activity of the video account has exceeded 200 million. The WeChat Channel features four feeds based on the user’s followed accounts, content loved by friends on WeChat, trending content, and geo-localized content based on the user’s location. Because the WeChat Video Channel is fully connected to the entire WeChat ecosystem, which is completely different from the previous WeChat products and WeChat business models, it can connect people, content, and business, so that the official account, mini-program, Store and WeChat Video Channel can form a perfect union. What is really important is that, unlike the other WeChat products, It is a fully open platform. This means that videos and graphics are no longer only for WeChat friends or followers of the official account, but they can reach 1.2 billion WeChat users.
According to 青瓜传媒research on recently WeChat Video Channel algorithm mechanism the “social recommendations” account for 55% of the algorithm, while “hot recommendations” of high-quality content account for only 15%. This proves that the recommendation distribution based on the social relationship chain (you can read our post about private traffic here), such as Moments, likes, shares, and group chats are still the priority of the WeChat Video Channel. Also, considering the system distribution model, all types of high-quality content can be discovered by users in an equal manner.
Type of WeChat Video Channel accounts
Once you open your WeChat Video Channel account you have the possibility to verify it according to your business/area
· Interest Influencers (minimum 1000 followers)
· Professional (athletes, actors, artists, fashion designers etc.)
· Company
What you need to know as a company
One official account can only authenticate one WeChat Video Channel account
The name of the official account needs to be consistent with the WeChat Video Channel account
The account name prohibits the use of China’s country names, national flags, emblems, etc. (the names of foreign-funded or joint ventures that include "China" can be used); the name of a foreign country (except when the full name of a foreign institution in China), the names that are exaggerated propaganda and can be deceptive, e.g. "China's best wine".
Why do you need a WeChat Video Channel?
1. Video is trending. Graphics and texts are turning into video because the video is more intuitive and saves time.
2. You can link a WeChat mini shop (微信小商店 ) to the channel and sell goods directly or you can add a different link from Pinduoduo, JD, etc. to each different product/video.
3. Also personal pages can be linked to WeChat mini shop and can promote products from other stores.
4. You can use the WeChat Video Channel not just to post videos but also for live streaming. And yes, you can sell.
5. You can link it to your WeChat official account, Mini- Program, and so on. The WeChat Video Channel can be used to bring traffic to the official account, and the official account can also be used to bring traffic to the WeChat Video Channel.
6. You can use red envelop to promote the channel.
How to attract users in your WeChat Video Channel?
Values
· Content value: refers to whether the audience can obtain useful information from your video content and whether it is helpful to him.
· Emotional value: is whether the audience can arouse emotional resonance through your short video.
Tips and Tricks
· Post 1-3 videos every day.
· Comment in other accounts. The comment area is a place to interact with users, which helps to enlarge your WeChat Channel traffic pool.
· Create a nice and interesting cover of the video
· Avoid too much content in a single video but try to make one key point per video.
· Practical + Interesting. Try to choose original contents that are close to people's lives and to be practical; an F&B account (e.g.) shares food tutorials.
· Background music: When choosing background music, try to choose popular, classic, and dynamic music, which will attract more users' attention.
· It’s better (according to statistical data of Youwang) to release the videos from 7 to 9 in the morning and from 8 to 9 in the evening.
Advertising
From the end of February is possible to promote the WeChat Video Channel through the official advertising program (regardless of personal account or corporate account). At present, the minimum charge for a single promotion is 100 yuan (average 5000 exposures), CPM=20 yuan, and the maximum rechargeable value is 500,000 yuan.
The cost of live broadcast promotion is estimated to be 100 yuan to attract 50-300 people, and it’s possible to recharge the amount from 100 yuan to 100,000 yuan.
WeChat Video Channel advertising won’t promote the Ad in the WeChat Channel account feed stream, it will be directly displayed in the user’s moments.
Note: WeChat has strict review requirements for the opening of the advertising function of the WeChat Channel.
Red Envelope Cover (微信红包封面)
You can use the new red envelop cover to attract customers to your WeChat Video Channel. When issuing red envelopes, companies can add a link to the WeChat Video Channel, official account, or Mini Program at the bottom of the red envelope cover story, so as to gain exposure and attract users to follow the WeChat Video Channel. Now also individual creators and not just companies can use the Red Envelope Cover but they must have at least 100 fans. The red envelope cover is charged according to the number, 1 yuan/piece. A new feature of the WeChat Video Channel the red envelopes during live streaming. When an account starts a live broadcast, it’s possible to send a red envelope to the group the person is inside. Who wants to open the red envelope inside the group must enter the live broadcast room to receive it.
2021 Statistic of WeChat Video Channel
According to the “2021 Q1 WeChat Video Channel Ecological Trend Survey Report” For live streaming anchors focus more on fast-moving consumer goods for a wide audience and high user acceptance, such as food, beverages, daily necessities, etc.
The majority of the live streaming anchors of WeChat Video Channel are in the Guangdong area.
Sources: shihuizhu, 唐晓涵, 友望数据, 亿邦动力网