Using a WeChat official account is a practical and popular thing you can do to promote your business. At the same time, it’s increasingly necessary to know how the APP's rules and regulations work so that you don’t end up getting blocked and wasting a ton of time and effort. The majority of those rules aren’t new, but a lot of people may not be aware of how many different regulations WeChat has and what will get your official account banned.
The big no-no
Soliciting Shares
The act of forcing or inducing a user to share a post to his/her moments with rewards and incentives. Those include but are not limited to physical prizes, virtual prizes (i.e., points or information), and so on.
Convincing a user to share a post before continuing with “next steps”.
Solicit the users to share a post in which it stated that they have won, to share a post to increase lucky draw opportunities.
Inciting users to share using exaggerated language to coerce users to share. Including but not limited to "If you don't forward you're not Chinese," "Please kindly forward," "those who forward will be blessed, and so on.
Adding a "tutorial" at the bottom of the article to educate users on how to share.
Adding a pop-up in a mini-game to induce users to share the game in moments
The “Grey Area”
The above picture is a class registration guide. There are two ways to sign up, one is to share "moments", the other one is to send red envelopes. By setting two registration methods, the account avoided the problem as it is equivalent to not forcing users to share.
Soliciting Follows
Force or solicit the user to follow an account through the external link, the Official Account card, QR code, and so on giving rewards in exchange. The incentives include but are not limited to physical prizes, virtual prizes (i.e., points or information), and so on.
Other regulations that get you banned
Pyramid schemes
Content that violates laws and regulations (pornography, gambling, violence, black trading, etc.)
Clickbait titles
Distorting, vilifying, insulting, blaspheming, denying the deeds and spirit, or infringing upon the names, portraits, reputation, or honor of heroes and martyrs.
The content is seriously inconsistent with the title
Inappropriate comments on natural disasters, major accidents, and other disasters.
Showing blood, horror, cruelty, etc. that cause physical and mental discomfort.
Inciting crowd discrimination, regional discrimination, etc.
Plagiarism
Clicking your own public account ads
Advertising click fraud (e.g. creating groups on WeChat to exchange "clicks" on each other advertising)
Words and phrases to ban from your WeChat vocabulary
The "Advertising Law" expressly prohibits the use of 最高级 (the most advanced)、国家级 (national)、最佳 (top) 、顶级 (best)、极品 (best)、第一品牌 (first brand).
Attributes that cannot be proven by objective evidence: 绝无仅有 unique、顶尖 top、万能 universal、第一 first、销量+冠军 sales + champion、抄底 bargain hunting、全国首家 national first、极端 extreme、首选 first choice、空前绝后 unprecedented、绝对 absolute、世界领先 world Leading、唯一 unique、巅峰 - 顶峰 peak.
最 Most, and everything related to it.
Sentences in which "一" (one) has the following meanings: 中国第一 first in China, 全网第一 first in the whole network, 销量第一 first in sales, etc.
Sentences associated with 级/极, for example, 国家级产品 national-level products、全球级 global level、极佳 excellent、终极、极致, 国家级 National level (except those issued by related units).
Sentences related to 首/家/国. 首选 first choice, 独家 exclusive, 全国首发 national debut, 全国销量冠军 national sales champion, etc.
Other types of attributes related to the brands that cannot be proven: 领袖品牌 leader brand, 世界领先 world leader, 之王 - 王者 king, 冠军 champion, 史无前例 Unprecedented in history, 纯天然 pure natural, 100%.
Sentences that stimulate consumption e.g. "错过就没机会了" (If you miss it, there will be no other chance).
And a jolly…
Do you know you can lose your WeChat official account if you don't log in?
If the user fails to log in for a period not less than 210 consecutive days, the user's account along with some or all of the function may be terminated. After the termination, the account name and other related restrictions will be terminated, and the registration of the mailboxes, identity cards, WeChat, and other information will also be canceled.
Sources: 腾讯, 顺飞科技, 微信公众平台