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Table of Contents
1. Attracting Attention 5 2. Content Best Practices 18 4. Content That Converts 35
First impressions matter… 6 What Content Can Go in the Body 19 External Links 36
First Impression: Service Accounts 7 Setting Expectations 20 Links for E-commerce 37
First Impression: Subscription Accounts 8 Making Your Content More Human 21 Encouraging Engagement through a Call To Action 38
How Non-Article Posts Display 9 Original Content Designation 22 The Read More Gateway 39
Other Ways Users Will Encounter Your Articles 10 Reposting Original Content 23 Guiding Readers to Follow & Engage 40
Understand How Users Encounter Your Articles 12 Bringing Content to Life with GIFs 24 Linking To Previously Published Posts 41
Header Image Crop 13 Linking to H5 Pages 25 Call to Action Best Practices 42
Consistent Header & Thumbnails 14 Multimedia-Heavy Content 26 Creative QR Codes That Convert 43
6 Patterns for Crafting Good Titles 15 Rules & Standards for Multimedia Content 27 Leveraging Mini Programs 44
Increase Reads & Shares with Catchy 16 Ultimate WeChat Article Checklist 45
3. Article Layout 28
Article Summaries
Optimal Font Size & Line Spacing 29
Testing Different Header Image 17
Final Thoughts… 46
& Title Combinations Creating a Style Guide 30
Resources 47
Layout Flow 31
Author Credits 48
Landscape Creative Storytelling 32
31Ten 49
Proper Display on Desktop 33
KAWO 50
Tools for Designing WeChat Articles 34

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Introduction
Last year we set out to create the Ultimate Guide to WeChat Articles, and we were WH O IS T H I S G U I D E F OR ? W H AT C A N Y O U E XP EC T ?
amazed by the positive feedback we received. The PDF was downloaded thousands
‣ CMOs looking for a great reference ✓ A thorough understanding of WeChat
of times and spread rapidly in the English speaking China digital marketing
guide to give to their team for content’s key performance factors.
community. It became a reference and we realised we had answered a real need.
optimized content ROI.
✓ Integrating best techniques and tools
But as with everything WeChat, the environment changes fast, most notably with the
‣ Digital Marketing Managers in for optimal WeChat content
revamp of subscription accounts in June 2018. So this year we roped in our pals at
search of a best practices baseline to publishing.
KAWO to help update the guide for 2018. Their platform is used by hundreds of
benchmark their team’s output.
teams managing WeChat accounts and gives them almost unparalleled insight into ✓ Ensuring consistency and quality of

what works. ‣ Marketing Executives & Content content

Managers upping their WeChat
We hope you will find this edition even more comprehensive and an essential ✓ Producing content that is better at
game.
reference for creating awesome WeChat content. engaging and converting WeChat
readers.

Joseph Leveque
31Ten, Managing Partner

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The Challenge of Overcoming Declining Engagement

WeChat official accounts (OA) were first introduced in August 2012
and were instantly a huge success with 1.4m opened in the first year. 30%

Five years later there are now over 15 million official accounts inside Data from Showing WeChat Article ‘Open Rate’ over Time
WeChat publishing over 2 million articles every single day. 25%

With this level of competition for user’s attention it’s no surprise that
accounts across the board are seeing a decline in engagement (see 20%
17%
graph). Too many accounts are pumping out bland generic content
and the users are overwhelmed. 15%

Unlike social platforms in The West who are heavily dependent on

advertising WeChat has other revenue streams and can afford to 10%

prioritise the experience of their users over keeping brands happy. In

6%
the past year WeChat made major interface changes to help users 5%

browse content more easily and also unfollow accounts they find
boring. This means that all teams running OAs need to raise their
NOV FEB MAY SEP DEC MAR JUL OCT JAN APR AUG
game. As Bill Gates said back in 1996…
2015 2016 2016 2016 2016 2017 2017 2017 2018 2018 2018

“Content is King”

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1. Attracting Attention
K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

The decision to open an article is often very impulsive, remember WeChat

users are bombarded with content at all times. There are several elements you
have control over that dramatically impact the decision to open an article;

‣ Selecting the right header image and cropping it well.

‣ Writing a catchy title that compels users to click.

‣ Article summary text that supports the title and header image.

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First impressions matter…

The first step to engaging your WeChat followers is
persuading them to actually click and open your
content.

Your users are incredibly busy, and wherever they

encounter your content they will glance at it for less
than a second.

In this section we’re going to examine the challenges

and share best practices to overcome this first crucial
hurdle.

Boring cover image and Attractive cover image and

uninteresting title. enticing title.

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First Impression: Service Accounts

Messages sent from a Service Account
will appear among a followers personal
chat messages. The first 21 characters
of the title will appear under the account
name.

Once a follower clicks on the message

they will be able to see the cover image,
title and if it is a single article push, the
article summary.

The title and cover image are crucial

elements as they will attract the most
attention.

Single Article Push Multiple Article Push

For multiple article pushes the main ARTICLE SUMMARY
article header will appear overlaid on the
✔ Cover image displays well ✔ Push more content to followers
An article summary will only appear
header image, while sub articles will underneath the title of a single article ✔ Title easier to read ✘ Header image covered by title so
push, however it is always important to ✔ Description text displays harder to read
have a thumbnail image & title only.
include a summary as it will display
✘ Description text doesn’t display
when sharing a post.

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First Impression: Subscription Accounts

Messages sent from a Subscription Only the first sub article will appear, any NEW Subscription Account Feed
Account will appear in the Subscription additional articles will have to be clicked ✘ Summary doesn’t display
Account Folder in chronological order. If on to expand. ✘ Only top 2 articles display, lower
your account happens to have just articles hidden and show on click.
As you are allowed up to one push per
published an article when a follower is
day, accounts should strongly consider
browsing his/her messages, the first 21
publishing only one or two articles each
characters of your account name, and
push to achieve maximum views.
the article title will appear.

As a user browses through the

Subscription Accounts Folder, articles
appear with a title at the top, then a
cover image followed by any sub
articles.

Because a follower will only see the title

and cover image at first glance it
EASY TO UNFOLLOW
becomes extra important to use Recent changes have made it easier to quickly swipe and
impactful titles and cover images to grab unfollow. If your content isn't awesome, it may be better

attention. to not publish at all than risk losing followers.

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How Non-Article Posts Display

Aside from articles there are four other types of post Official Accounts can publish and they display slightly differently…

Simple Text Audio Images Video

Service Accounts
Subscription Accounts
Come Watch The Sea Turtles Hatch

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Other Ways Users Will Encounter Your Articles

S EA RCH INS ID E WECHAT ARTI C L ES H I S TO RY

Users can also come across your content by searching for keywords within the All published articles can be viewed from the Official Account by selecting "All
WeChat Search function. The article thumbnail will appear along with the article title Messages." The article thumbnail and title will appear here.
and a short text except.

Post displayed in search Search text from inside the article. Account homepage shows 3 recent articles. Full history of published articles.

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Other Ways Users Will Encounter Your Articles

S H ARE D A RTICL ES Post shared on public Moments feed Post shared into chat group
no description displayed only thumbnail and title. thumbnail, title & description displayed. ARTICLE SUMMARY
Keep in mind that WeChat is a social Failing to put an article description
means losing out on a valuable
media platform. Users are constantly
opportunity to grab attention.
sharing content with each other. Whether
that is by posting it on Moments (similar
to a Facebook Newsfeed) or sharing
between one friend, or up to 500 in a
chat. Content that is shared by someone
you know and trust becomes incredibly
powerful.

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Understand How Users Encounter Your Articles

It’s important to understand how users are discovering STAT S FO R TWO ARTIC LE S P U B LI S H E D T O TH E SA M E A C C O U N T
your content. Luckily WeChat gives you a great
breakdown for each individual article which overtime
you can use to learn about the effectiveness of different
types of content.

There are now so many official accounts pushing out so

much content that the average user can’t possibly
check all the accounts they follow. Users are
increasingly reliant upon their contacts to curate that
content for them through their moments and by sharing
in group chats.

If your content is only being viewed inside your account

then it’s a sign you’re not creating enough value for
your readers and you won’t reach readers outside of
your existing audience.

Poor quality article not read by many followers Great article read by many followers and then
and very few shares. shared widely gaining even more reads.

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Header Image Crop

WeChat only lets you upload one header image which they then crop for Top Article (Old Version) 16:9
you in different ways for all the different places your article can appear.
Top Article (WeChat v6.7) 2.35:1
Understanding how your header image is cropped is essential to making
Account History 4:3
sure it looks good no matter where it shows up. Depending on where
users are finding your content they may be seeing a full size image, or Sub-Articles, Sharing & Search 1:1

just a tiny thumbnail.

Top Article (Old Style) Top Article (WeChat v6.7) Account History Sub-Articles, Sharing & Search

HANDY TIP
KAWO’s WeChat editor makes it easy to
resize your images to get the best results
across all article display formats.

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Consistent Header & Thumbnails

Build a stronger brand by creating
continuity in header and thumbnail
design. This can be especially helpful
for a content series or heavily branded
content.

A well-planned header image can stand

alone, or create a larger message such
as account Dedao (得到 far right) has

done by using characters which string

together to form the phrase written on
the main article header.

D I FF ERE N T S TY LE S:

‣ Pictures using similar filters

‣ Custom graphics/captions

‣ Series of text

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6 Patterns for Crafting Good Titles

Creating a catchy title is one of the most 3 . “ HO W- T O” 5 . W H Y/ H O W
HANDY TIP
important things you can do to increase
For English titles try a title testing tool:
open rates. There are a few formulas that https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer
can help you craft irresistible titles;

1 . M AKE IT A QU ESTION AVOID CLICKBAIT TITLES

6 . C O N T EN T S ER I ES If content is of insufficient reader value,
creating or relying on hype for thin, low-
‣ Use TV series-like tiles:
value content might give good short-
Season I: Theme, Episode I: Topic
term results but ultimately creates a trust
‣ Use flags in titles: deficit, and increased unfollow rates.
download | event | analysis | trends, etc.
4 . B E N EF IT- P R ES E NT IN G
‣ Use brackets to highlight certain words.

2 . L IS T OF TIPS

“X Ways|Tips|Tricks To {Solve Your

Problem}”

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Increase Reads & Shares with Catchy Article Summaries

Last but not least, the article summary is the final factor affecting the snap decision to open your article. It provides additional
context to the viewer, giving you one last opportunity to craft a compelling hook.

CRAFTING A GOOD SUMMARY WARNING

‣ Stick to a central theme and evoke the After WeChat version 6.7, you only can
desired emotion, such as; suspense, see an article summary from:
urgency, validation or anticipation for ‣ Service account single article push
example.
‣ Article sharing in chats
‣ Remember that the maximum
permitted length is 120 characters
regardless of language.

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Testing Different Header Image & Title Combinations

A/B testing helps you figure out what CA SE ST UDY BY D IG ITAL LU X U RY G R O U P
YOU NEED DEDICATED
resonates with your audience the most. A/B testing different header images for a high end hotel chain saw a +24% increase
SOFTWARE
You can test different headlines, cover in readership and +21% increase in conversion by using a shot of a suite (right) Using the default WeChat backend, A/B
images, and lead-ins. instead of the iconic Statue of Liberty (left). testing is nearly impossible because
each variation will consume a monthly
However, never test more than one push for your account and WeChat does
variable. For example, test two different not allow for automated follower
segmentation.
cover images against each other, without
changing anything else, and measure the Use social CRM software such as:

difference in open rates and shares.

‣ JingSocial.com
‣ WeChat Now by
MobileNowGroup.com
Play around with different versions,
measure the result, and always analyze
what you have learned.

Source: DLG – Luxury Society

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2. Content Best Practices

K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

Now that you've gotten the user to click on your article you must deliver on the promise you made in
your header and article description.

‣ Time is limited! You only have a few seconds after the article is opened to capture the reader's
attention, and you'll need to continue to engage your user throughout the entire article.

‣ Dynamic content can come in many forms, choose the right form based on how you want readers
to interact with your content - how will they read, engage with, share and remember it?

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What Content Can Go in the Body

When crafting your WeChat article it is Article with images and text Embedded Audio Mini Program

important to define the purpose of your

content and the experience you want the
reader to have. Once you know this,
choosing the right format comes next.
There are several different types of
content that can be embedded in the
body of an article:
Embedded Video
1. Text

2. Image

3. Audio

4. Video

5. Mini Program

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Setting Expectations
Readers today are busy, and they have a Provide the reader with a time estimate. Provide a summary at the beginning. List a clear outline of the contents.

lot of content to go through! Set

expectations at the beginning of what
the post is about and how long it will
take to read through. Being clear upfront
encourages readers to scroll through to
the end.

PROVIDE INFORMATION
‣ Clearly state the value of reading the
whole article.

‣ Avoid just repeating the title intro.

‣ Refer to the root problem, concern, or

interest.

‣ Showcase any persuasive facts or

eye-catching statistics.

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Making Your Content More Human

Boost perceived reliability and authenticity Simple author name listed at the top. More fancy author bio embedded in the article.
AUTHOR TIPPING
by crediting the author of the article.
An orange button at the bottom of an

✓ Lends credibility, authenticity article with a thumbs up symbol and

“Like the author”. Readers can enter any
and transparency to content
amount they wish, with a few suggested
✓ Helps readers relate better with amounts as buttons.
the brand/publication and builds trust

✓ Particularly crucial when pursuing

an influencer building strategy

✓ Gives recognition to the writer and

an opportunity for readers to reach out
to them, follow them and look up
their other work

✓ Motivates team members to share

their expertise and ensures they feel
a personal sense of responsibility for
the quality of content

✓ Encourages the author to share within

his/her network for recognition

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Original Content Designation

Original content is WeChat’s way of protecting content B EN E FI T S O F O RI GI N A L C ON T EN T
creators. An account can declare their content as
“original” which protects that content from being copied
‣ Once invitation received and feature activated, content producers
can use the "original content declaration" button in the backend
by another account and labeled as “original.”
when publishing to claim full ownership of the content.
H OW TO Q UAL I FY
‣ Original content accounts are also first to be considered by
Content producers fulfilling the following criteria are sent
Tencent for its display partner programs.
an invite from WeChat to use this feature:
‣ Beyond the default sharing option, Official Accounts (OAs)
✓ Consistent publication schedule.
whitelisted by certified accounts can either share entire articles
✓ High-quality content that is well researched and (with a link to the verified OA automatically displayed at the
considered valuable.
bottom), or make edits if provided the permission by original
✓ A history of publishing articles compliant with local owner.
laws as well as WeChat community guidelines
‣ Enables certified OAs to access a wider audience when allowing
Invitations cannot be solicited, and requirements other OAs to reshare, without losing ownership of their material.
themselves are fairly opaque. It’s not known if there is a
minimum period of operation for accounts to qualify. ‣ Original content is remarkably useful for KOL promotions since

Some official accounts have been invited within weeks of KOL accounts need only share existing original content.

launching.

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Reposting Original Content

Data from showing the
✓ P RO S

Average Lifespan of a Consolidates analytics - no matter how

WeChat Article many times you repost an Original article
all metrics are calculated under one
article. If you do not use this feature, it
becomes a headache to track open rate,
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 6 reach, and engagement.
73% 17% 4% 3% 1% 1% 1%

✘ CO NS
The average WeChat post receives 90% Bad UX - the reader is two taps away
of it’s engagement within the first two from the article. First have to open the
days. Reposting old articles can be a preview, then tap on the article to be
great way to maximise your investment. redirected.

This is a feature in the WeChat backend Low customisation - cannot choose the
where you can repost an article that has excerpt, it will auto generate from the
been published with the Original Content first piece of text. This can negatively
tag. This reposted article can be used as impact opening rate.
the main article, or sub-article. There are
several pro's and con's:

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Bringing Content to Life with GIFs

GIFs are great for visual storytelling and keeping
readers engaged. In an era of short attention spans,
GIFs that are ten seconds or less can pack more feeling
and emotion into content than words.

GIFs are easy and cheap to create, and unlike videos

within a WeChat post, will automatically play. They can
be a great way to break up text, and transition between
ideas.

CREATE GIFS EASILY WITH DONGCI

Use this handy tool to easily turn video clips into GIFs
optimised for WeChat: http://dongci.kawo.com/

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Linking to H5 Pages
An H5 (HTML5) page can be integrated into a WeChat post and link to interactive content, sometimes even including audio. H5's are great for event invitations, forms, and
quizzes. Quizzes will often reward participants with a customised image, that can be shared on Moments or forwarded to a friend. Here are two great examples…

Chinese Valentine's Day quiz from BMW Family Mart “ Don’t care much what to choose” quiz
Answer questions about your loved one and receive the perfect car Based on the answers you chose, it generates a beautiful long
match based on your answers. You’re then encouraged to share the sentence, which reminds you of all the good things that will happen
image on your moments with a QR code that links back to the quiz. soon, and promotes the newest summer drink at the final page.

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Multimedia-Heavy Content
Create branded posts through a mixture of text, images GIFs + Static Images Vertical scrolling Videos/GIFs Text overlaid images

and backgrounds.

Overlaying copy on an image allows text indexing and

can give SEO boost as opposed to an image with text
which will not be indexed by WeChat.

Scrolling right to left

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Rules & Standards for Multimedia Content

VIDEO AUDIO Embedded WeChat Audio. IMAGES

Video hosted on WeChat Audio hosted on WeChat ‣ Formats : PNG, JPG , GIF

‣ Formats: mp4, flv, f4v, webm, m4v, ‣ Formats: mp3, wha, wav, amr ‣ Size : ≤2Mb
mov, 3gp, 3g2
‣ Size: ≤30Mb ‣ Best width for images in articles is
‣ Size: ≤ 20 Mb
‣ Length : ≤ 30 min.
750 pixels
Embedded QQ music track.
‣ Length: ≤ 10 Hr
‣ No need to submit track for review
‣ Images uploaded on WeChat are
recompressed and lose quality
‣ No Ads
‣ No ads
Tencent video sharing platforms
Clickable music embedded on QQ
‣ No size restrictions music Embedded Videos.

‣ Has ads ‣ No size restrictions

‣ Track needs to be submitted and

VIDEO TOO LARGE? reviewed
Using a video coded like H.265 may
allow you to compress larger videos ‣ No ads
enough to host on WeChat.

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3. Article Layout
K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S
The layout of your article affects the entire user experience. You can write amazing copy, but if it is not
displayed in an easily digestible way, the purpose is lost. Important things to consider when designing
the layout:

‣ Readability

‣ Credibility

‣ Branding

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Optimal Font Size & Line Spacing

You want the awesome content you’ve
HANDY TIP
put so much effort into writing to be easy
Using a smaller font size with wider line
for your followers to read. Simple things spacing is often more readable than a
like font-size and line spacing can make larger font size as it’s easier for the eye
to scan across the lines.
a big difference for your readers. It’s
important to remember your content will For fashion and luxury brands try using a
be read on devices as small as an smaller font size with wider line spacing
to create a feeling of opulence.
iPhone 5 to ones as large as a phablet
and even desktop computers.

R EC OMMEN DATION S

‣ Body Text 14px - 18px

‣ Headings 18px - 24px

Headings stand out and body Headings blend in and the body
‣ Line Spacing minimum 1.8 text is easy to read. text feels cramped.

Source: https://www.zhihu.com/question/23640203
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Creating a Style Guide

It’s really important to create consistency
Heading ✓ GO O D
HANDY TIP
across your articles. Building a style
24px Bold #CB297B Keep your style guide saved as a draft
guide is a great way to do this. article inside the WeChat backend or
your favorite editor.
Define all the standard typography you Sub Heading
will need and set clear formatting. Think 20px Bold #007B76 Inside KAWO users can favourite pieces
about how you want to use images to of content and re-use them later on.
Both saving time and helping keep
represent your brand and give good and Body Text
consistency across articles.
16px Regular #000000
bad examples for others to follow.
Clear focal point and happy faces.
Your style guide should be a living • Bullets
✘ BAD
document that changes over time. So • Bullets

start simple and don’t be afraid to 16px Regular #000000

occasionally break the rules or add to it

over time. “Quote”
18px Italic #000000

No focal point and and muted feeling.

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Layout Flow
Your content doesn't need to be in strict
left-aligned or justified paragraph form.
Don't be afraid to utilise the (limited)
space you have in a creative way.

Whether you're a chemical brand or

doing e-commerce, leverage different
alignments of text to keep readers
engaged throughout the entire post.

WECHAT SEO
If you are using images with text as
part of the image keep in mind that
these keywords will not be found
through WeChat Search. Make sure
your article summary and title include
the important keywords.

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Landscape Creative Storytelling

MA K ING TH E MOS T OF THE SCRE E N
Pull readers through your content from start to finish by changing the layout of your WeChat post to horizontal view. This is a great way to tell a story in a very visually appealing way. For
WeChat, the less text, the better. If you can guide viewers along a narrative with compelling visuals, you’ve made great use of a mobile screen.

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Proper Display on Desktop

WeChat desktop readership is common
among a B2B audience who are utilising Centred
WeChat as their central professional Images
communication channel.

Click a WeChat article URL on the

desktop app to pop up a preview, or
▼ Article Preview in
WeChat Desktop App
open in your default browser. WeChat
will align images left by default.

Left Aligned
Images

Ensuring that you've properly aligned images becomes

important when considering desktop view. Left or right
aligned images may not appear so on mobile, but on
desktop it can make a big difference.

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Tools for Designing WeChat Articles

As the WeChat backend is limited in terms of styling options, using a X IU M I XIUMI Editing Panel

third party editing platform is quite common. You can choose from xiumi.us
different templates, saving your favourites so that you can reuse them Most popular choice.

later. Most editing platforms are similar and it usually comes down to I PAIB A N
personal preference. ipaiban.com
HTML editing options.
Sparse formatting options available in the WeChat backend
135 EDITOR
135editor.com
Easy to get started.

M AK A
iPaiban Editing Panel
maka.im
Easiest to use H5 tool.

TEST, TEST, TEST

Always preview your WeChat article
before publishing, especially when using
a third party WeChat editor as the
formatting can become corrupted.

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4. Content That Converts

K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S
The way brands measure effectiveness on WeChat is changing, it's no longer about
views and followers, but how active followers are. Drive engagement with:

‣ Clear, contextually relevant, cohesive Call To Action (CTA)

‣ Utilising the 'read more' link

‣ Leveraging mini programs

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External Links
The ‘Read More’ link is the default way to direct users E X TE RN AL LI NK S O UT SID E O F WE C H AT Linking to an external link outside WeChat

to an external website, however this limits you to only Only Service Accounts with WeChat Pay enabled are
one link right at the end of your article. There are allowed to link to external articles outside the WeChat
several other ways in which you may include other ecosystem.
links, however it depends on the type of account and
Using the same process as linking to another WeChat
needs certain features enabled.
article, this time select 输⼊入地址 and copy/paste the
L I NKIN G TO AN OTHER W E CHAT ARTI CL E URL into the box.
Both Service and Subscription Accounts have the
WeChat external links are especially handy for e-
ability to link to other WeChat articles within the article
commerce brands, however there are some restrictions Selecting another article to link to
body. Simply highlight the text you wish to hyperlink,
on where you can/cannot link to, such as:
select the hyperlink icon, select 查找⽂文章, type in the

name of the WeChat account that published the article ‣ Taobao & Tmall

you want to link to, then select the individual article. ‣ Toutiao

‣ Short video platforms

MORE INFORMATION Content with external links must also avoid incentivizing
This information on this slide is summarised from a post
readers to share by offering cash, discounts or
by JingDaily, see the original here:
https://jingdaily.com/external-links-wechat/ coupons.

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Links for E-commerce

WeChat is becoming increasingly
e-commerce friendly. You can easily link
photos to WeChat shops for a seamless
buying experience.

MULTIPLE LINKS
Link pictures directly to the item of sale
so that shoppers don't have to spend
time searching for the product. Instead
they are just a few clicks away from
purchase.

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Encouraging Engagement through a Call to Action

Wrap up your article by encouraging the Click to redirect to a specific page Asking a question to encourage comments Encouraging comments through rewards

reader to perform an action whether that

be:

‣ Following the account

‣ Comment

‣ Sharing

‣ Click to redirect to a specific page

‣ Clicking on the ‘read more’ link

Remember that KPI's now focus on how

active readers are. Crafting an impactful
Call to Action is the last step in creating
quality content.

PLACEMENT
Most accounts place the hook before the
actual call to action.

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The Read More Gateway

The 'Read More' link at the bottom of a
WeChat article is the default Call to
Action. Remember, you should always
be including a link here, even if it just
links back to your website or your
account content history.

Remember to always include a Call to

Action that clearly communicates the
value add to the reader if he/she clicks.

AVAILABLE FOR EVERY

ACCOUNT
While not all accounts may be able to
enable external links - the 'Read More'
link is an option for any account.

USING IMAGERY
Arrows or images make the 'Read More'
link stand out and remind the reader to
continue engaging.

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Guiding Readers to Follow & Engage

Use visual indicators to guide readers to
where they can click in order to follow
your account, like the post, or access an
external link. Much like the summary box
at the beginning on an article, a visual
indicator points out the most important
points right away and guides the readers
attention to the most important
elements.

Use to;

‣ Direct to 'like' button.

‣ Highlight external links.

‣ Get readers to follow the official

account.

‣ Leave comments at the end of the

article.

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Linking To Previously Published Posts

Extend the life of your content by linking Images Article Titles Category Keywords

to previously published posts at the

bottom of an article.

Articles can be categorised by;

‣ Popular/trending

‣ Related topics

‣ Recent articles

There are many different styles you can

use to link to old content;

‣ Category keywords

‣ Article Title

‣ Images

NOT TRACKABLE
It’s not possible to track clicks on articles
linked in this way.

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Call to Action Best Practices

‣ Any information such as phone
AVOID
number, email address or WeChat ID
should be published as text or text ‣ Multiple QR codes at the end of the
post - this can confuse readers as to
overlaid on an image - most phones which QR code they should scan.
allow you to copy and paste text
‣ QR codes without branding - be sure
either into your browser or directly to have your logo present in the

dial if it is a phone number. Don’t lose middle of your QR code to convey

legitimacy.
a conversion opportunity by making
your readers memorise this
information!

‣ Remind users to long press the QR

code.

‣ The most natural placement of a QR

code is at the end of an article
(before the ‘Read More’ link).

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Creative QR Codes That Convert

GET CREATIVE
QR codes don't have to be boring or
ugly. Get creative and turn your QR code
into a work of art. Just remember to
remind readers to scan it!

ID: wisersBigdata

DON'T FORGET TO TEST!

It may seem like common sense but it's
a mistake that happens all the time.
Send a test post to make sure that your
QR code works from within your post
and that it leads to the right landing page
or Account.
ID: Guokr42

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Leveraging Mini Programs

WeChat mini programs have the ability to Link directly to the MP. Embed an official MP card inside the article. Display the QR code for the MP.

offer membership programs, loyalty

systems, and can link directly to an
ecommerce store. Mini programs offer a
seamless, customised experience and
have been a growing focal point of
WeChat development overall in the past
year. Mini programs are a sophisticated
Call to Action that lead a reader into an
experience highly optimised for
conversion.

There are four different ways an Official QR CODES AS THE ONLY

Account can link to a mini program: OPTION
You can only link to an MP if it has been
‣ Photo
verified and associated with your
‣ Text WeChat Official Account. If this isn’t the
case then QR codes like the one above
‣ QR code are your only option.

‣ Card

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Ultimate WeChat Article Checklist

ATTR A C T E NG AG E C O N V ERT
Header image cropped Article body connects to title Added call to action
标题图像裁剪 ⽂文章链接标题 优化转换率

Selected awesome title Article has author name and credits Call to action benefit clearly stated
选择吸引眼球的标题 添加作者的姓名 明确说明优化转换率的效益

Considered article title SEO Consistency and continuity of fonts Added account QR code at the end
⽂文章标题搜索引擎优化 保证字体的⼀一致性和连贯性 在⽂文章后⾯面添加⼆二维码

Added article summary Headers stand out from body text Links to previously published posts at the end
添加⽂文章的描述 明确定义标题 添加之前已发布⽂文章的链接

A/B test title & header image Styling elements appear correctly Read more link inserted
A/B 测试你的标题和封⾯面图⽚片 样式元素呈现正确 阅读原⽂文的链接已经插⼊入

Colours & styling remain on-brand Read more link has been tested
颜⾊色、款式适合品牌路路线 确保阅读原⽂文的链接是正确的

Tagged as “Original Content" (if applicable) Preview draft article & check for mistakes
将⽂文章打上“原创”的标签（如果适⽤用的话） 发布⽂文章之前⼀一定记得预览⽂文章效果

Images correctly aligned for desktop

图⽚片的位置准确对⻬齐

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Final Thoughts…
At KAWO over the past 5 years we’ve helped hundreds P LA N N I N G
of teams to manage social in China and we’ve learned E FFE CT IV E M A RK ET I N G P R O C E SS Set a 6-12 month plan that is clearly shared between
what makes the best teams successful. different teams, agencies and clients.

Collaboration, organisation and transparency are at the C R EAT IO N

heart of the most successful teams. Stay up to date with the latest best practices and
ensure you’re using up-to-date tools and techniques.
When working across language barriers, cultures and
timezones it’s essential to work together effectively. C O L LA B O RAT I ON
Importing western ideas without listening to and Involve multiple team members and allow good time
learning from this rapidly evolving market is a sure path for feedback and improvements.
to failure.
R EP O RTI N G
Establish a clear and transparent process for your Regularly share the performance across your teams so
content marketing and be disciplined in sticking to it. everyone gets to see the outcomes of their efforts.

I N S IG H T S
T RAN SPAR EN C Y
Learn from what did and didn’t work in the past and
Essential for building trust and undoubtedly the most
share those learnings amongst your team.
important behaviour of successful teams.

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WeChat Accounts to Follow

Here are 11 great WeChat accounts
31TEN China Channel ChoZan
you should follow to help you stay up 31TEN is a professional digital China Channel helps non- ChoZan is a training and
agency based in Shanghai. We Chinese organizations make sense resources platform for marketers
to date with the latest WeChat
cover all kinds of digital projects of WeChat through training, cons who work with Chinese social
marketing trends… with genius. ulting & events. media, such as WeChat and
Weibo.

DaxueBlog Grata KAWO PARKLU

Daxue Consulting is a market Grata is a Customer Service KAWO is a SaaS platform that PARKLU is China’s Premier
research firm specialised in being Console for Official Accounts. makes brands loved on social Influencer Marketing Platform.
your portal to relevant data on the media in China.
Chinese market.

TechNode WalktheChat WeAreSocial WeChatGlobal

TechNode is the number 1 WalktheChat is a cross-border e- We are a global agency. We deliver The official account of WeChat
resource for news and information commerce platform. We help world class creative ideas with Global Marketing. Publishes useful
about China's startup and tech foreign businesses sell to China forward thinking brands. We guides and interesting case
ecosystem. via WeChat. believe in the power of social studies.
insight to drive business value.

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Author Credits
This year’s version of The Ultimate Guide to WeChat Articles was a collaboration between KAWO and 31Ten.
It wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and hard work of these WeChat Marketing experts:

Alex Duncan Joseph Leveque

KAWO, Product Lead 31Ten, Managing Partner
linkedin.com/in/acjduncan linkedin.com/in/josephleveque
[email protected] [email protected]

Lola Luo Olivia Plotnick

KAWO, Product Manager Ogilvy, Marketing &
linkedin.com/in/lolahluo Communications Manager
[email protected] IPWS Marketing & Communications
FitFam Brand & Communications
linkedin.com/in/olivia-plotnick
Mario Juarez [email protected]
31Ten, Digital Strategist
linkedin.com/in/mario-juarez
[email protected]

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U LT I M AT E G UI DE T O W E CHAT ARTI CLES 2 0 1 8

‣ WeChat Solution Design & Development SE LE C TE D C L IE N T S C O N TA C T

‣ UX & UI
‣ Online Performance Analysis

31Ten is a digital agency specialised in building tailor-made web

applications for WeChat: "mini programs", "H5" or integrations with Clement Ledormeur
existing customer-facing or enterprise-grade solutions. In 3 years of Deputy General Manager
existence, we have served 40+ brands across 90+ projects. (+86) 186 2104 2230

31°10′N: our name is derived from Shanghai's latitude, where we are [email protected]

based to serve as a compass that guides our clients in leveraging linkedin.com/in/clement-ledormeur

China's super app to reach, engage, convert and serve an increasingly

agile customer. Our constant R&D ensures we will help you choose the Add Clement to WeChat:

best interface, user flow and WeChat infrastructure to make your

project a success. So get in touch with one of our expert consultants
today and we’ll show you how we can can build your WeChat footprint
effectively, together.

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KAWO is a SaaS platform that makes Trusted by over 500 global brands including…

brands loved on social media in China,

by making it easy for them to understand
& connect with their audience.

For 5 years the KAWO team has been working with

some of the worlds biggest brands to build the best
platform for publishing to WeChat and Weibo. From
Planning and publishing to reporting and insights.
Teams using KAWO create better content, save time
and gain deep insights into their brand in China.

KAWO is the digital foundation for your social

marketing team. Manage multiple accounts at
enterprise scale with data based insights & work flow
management.
Sales Enquiries Follow KAWO
Visit KAWO.com to learn more.
[email protected] on WeChat

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