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August 2024 WeChat Advertising Guide: How to Advertise on WeChat

Updated: Aug 8


The comprehensive WeChat Advertising Guide.

WeChat’s monthly active user base reached 1.36 billion in 2024. The sales of WeChat advertising from Tencent increased by 26% in Q1 2024, indicating that an increasing number of companies are investing their marketing budgets in WeChat advertising.

 

In this article, we’ll explore how WeChat advertising can benefit your business and how you can maximize its potential to enhance brand awareness and drive leads in the Chinese market.



Table of contents




What is WeChat Advertising?

Launched in 2015 by Tencent, WeChat advertising offers a versatile and powerful advertising platform that enables businesses to reach a wide audience through various ad formats and targeting options in China, similar to Facebook advertising.

 

WeChat advertising offers international brands with a robust platform to promote their products and services in Chinese market or to overseas WeChat users. With its vast user base, advanced targeting capabilities, diverse ad formats, and integration with the WeChat ecosystem, brands can effectively reach and engage with Chinese consumers, driving brand awareness, trust, and sales.

 

There are two main portals to advertise on WeChat:


  1. Through the backend platform of the WeChat official account;

  2. Via the Tencent advertising portal (https://ad.qq.com/).


The backend of WeChat official account for managing WeChat advertising.
The backend of WeChat official account

The Tencent advertising portal for managing WeChat advertising.
The Tencent advertising portal



Who can Advertise on WeChat?

Only companies with a Chinese business registration can directly open a WeChat advertising account through the WeChat backend platform.


The backend of WeChat official account for creating WeChat ads.
The backend of WeChat official account for creating WeChat ads.

For foreign companies without a Chinese business registration, you must apply for authorization manually through Tencent’s customer service.



WeChat advertising is subject to strict industry regulations, especially for foreign companies. Below are the industries that are either prohibited or require special approval from Tencent:


  • Prohibited Industries:

    • Web portal (e.g., news community forums)

    • Merchant Services

    • Marriage and dating services

    • Prenatal care

    • Healthcare

    • Tabacco

    • Legal services

    • Police equipment

    • Casino and lotteries


  • Industry Required Special Approval:

    • Education

    • Financial services and banking

    • Real estate

    • Business service

    • Gaming

    • Agency associations

    • Sexual health products




Advertising Cost on WeChat

WeChat advertising cost can be categorized into two types:


  • Contract-based Cost Contract-based advertising cost involves advertisers signing a cooperation agreement with the WeChat platform (or its agents). This agreement stipulates that advertisements will be displayed for a certain period with a fixed amount of placement, specified advertisement positions, and other predefined conditions. In contract-based advertising, only two pricing models are currently supported:


CPM

Cost per thousand impression

CPT

Cost per time (This pricing model allows advertisers to purchase exclusive use of a specific ad position on WeChat for a set period. The cost is based on the duration of the ad placement, rather than the number of impression or clicks.)


  • Bidding-based Cost Bidding-based advertising cost determines the display position of ads through a bidding mechanism. In the WeChat advertising system, advertisers set their bid price and placement strategy according to their needs and budget. They then participate in the bidding for ad positions. Advertisers with higher bids and high-quality ads have the opportunity to gain more exposure. Bidding-based advertising on WeChat is sold under different rules depending on the type of WeChat ad. There are five pricing models:


CPM

Cost per thousand impression

CPC

Cost per click

CPA

Cost per action (e.g., download)

oCPM

Optimized CPM

oCPC

Optimized CPC

In addition, the cost of WeChat advertising is also influenced by the target city where you plan to run your campaign. Cities are categorized into three groups:


Core Cities (Tier 1 Cities)

Beijing, Shanghai

Key Cities (Tier 2 Cities)

Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Suzhou, Chongqing, Nanjing, Tianjin, Xian, Shenyang, Changsha, Qingdao, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Dalian, Xiamen, Jinan, Harbin, Fuzhou

Other Cities (Tier 3 Cities and more)

All other cities excluding the 22 mentioned above


These classifications impact the cost of advertising, with core cities generally being more expensive due to higher competition and audience reach.




How to Set Up WeChat Advertising?

To set up WeChat advertising, you can access the platform through a WeChat official account or the Tencent Advertising Portal. Here’s an overview using the Tencent Advertising Portal, it involves several key sections:


Tencent advertising portal for creating WeChat ads.

  • Ads Objective

    • Select your campaign objective: product sales, brand promotion, increasing followers, lead collection, or user acquisition (for apps and mini-programs).

    • Choose the advertising subject: promote an offline store/shop or online platforms like WeChat Channels, WeChat Channels live streaming, or WeChat official accounts.


Ads objective of WeChat advertising
Ads Objective
  • Ads Placement

    • Choose where your ads will appear: WeChat Channels, WeChat Moments, WeChat Official Accounts, or WeChat mini-programs.


Ads placement of WeChat advertising
Ads Placement

  • Ads Targeting

    • Define your target audience by geography: province, city, district, or street in China. For overseas targeting, only Malaysia and Singapore are available via the portal. You need to contact Tencent's customer service if you want to target overseas countries beyond these two.

    • Set demographics: age (14-66+), gender, and network types (WiFi, 5G, 4G or more).

    • Customized audience: upload your own audience list from previous WeChat ads for precise targeting or exclusions.


Ads targeting of WeChat advertising
Ads Targeting

  • Ads Bidding and Budget

    • Choose between oCPM and CPM bidding.

    • Select bidding types: stabilized conversion or maximized conversion. Input your bid price and review the bidding reference to gauge the likelihood of your campaign running at that price.


Ads bidding and budget of WeChat advertising
Ads Bidding and Budget

  • Ads Setting

    • Set the ad duration and specific display times.

    • After submitting these settings, you'll be redirected to the ads content creation section to design your ads and landing page.


Ads setting of WeChat advertising
Ads Setting
  • Ads Content Creation

    • Upload ad materials: upload your ad materials, including banner designs, copywriting, and display formats. Ensure that all elements are correctly formatted for optimal display.

    • Design landing page: create a landing page that aligns with your ad’s goals and provides a smooth user experience.

    • Content compliance check: before running your ads, click ‘Detect Content Creation’ to verify that your ads meet Tencent’s advertising requirements and rules.

    • Preview your ads: preview your WeChat ads on a desktop or scan the QR code to view them on your mobile device to ensure everything appears as intended.


Ads content creation of WeChat advertising
Ads Content Creation



Types of WeChat Advertising

WeChat offers six different ad formats for businesses to choose from:




 

WeChat Moments Ads

WeChat Moments Ads are one of the most popular and essential advertising formats on WeChat. These ads are displayed within users' Moments, similar to Facebook news feed ads, and seamlessly blend with friend-generated content within the WeChat moments.


WeChat Moments is a highly engaging social feature that users frequently use to stay updated on their friends’ and relatives’ activities. According to 2021 data from WeChat, 780 million user engage with WeChat Moments and 120 million users post on WeChat Moments. With this high level of engagement, WeChat Moments Ads become the premier choice for advertisers, known for their effectiveness in reaching target audiences.


The WeChat Moments Ads
WeChat Moments Ads


Cost of WeChat Moments Ads

  • Contract-based Cost

    • Minimum budget for WeChat Moments contract-based ads starting from CNY 50,000/ campaign (approximately USD 6895/ campaign);

    • Advertisers can start placing advertisements within 1-28 calendar days;

    • The duration of the advertisement ranges from 12 hours to 6 calendar days (4-6 hours for time-limited promotional advertisements).


Video advertising content

Image advertising content

Core cities

USD 25/ CPM

USD 21/ CPM

Key cities

USD 17/ CPM

USD 14/ CPM

Other cities

USD 9/ CPM

USD 7/ CPM


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • Minimum budget for WeChat Moments bidding-based ads starting from CNY CNY 50/ day (approximately USD 7/ day);

    • The cost is between USD 2/ CPM - USD 13/ CPM (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation).



WeChat Moments Ads Specs - Image

Format
Image Specs
Image Format
Image Size
Remark
Example

Classic

800*800px

640*800px 800*640px

png/ jpg/ jpeg

less than 300k

Text content should occupy no more than 30% of the image. QR codes in the image cannot be recognized by long-pressing.


The classic format of WeChat Moments ads.

Card

800*450px

png/ jpg/ jpeg

less than 300k

Text content should occupy no more than 30% of the image. QR codes in the image cannot be recognized by long-pressing.


The card format of WeChat Moments ads.

Multi image

800*800px 640*960px 640*1136px

png/ jpg/ jpeg

less than 300k

Text content should occupy no more than 30% of the image. QR codes in the image cannot be recognized by long-pressing.


The multi image format of WeChat Moments ads.



WeChat Moments Ads Specs - Video

Support for External Style
Video Type
Video Specs
Video Parameters
Other

Card (full-screen card ads, swipe card ads, long-press card ads)

Long video

Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px (suggested height: 422px/ 1334px/ 1500px/ 1536px)

Format type: High Profile Video bitrate: less than 2000kbit/s Duration: less than 600s (suggest 90s) File size: less than 30M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Video bitrate: larger than 800kbit/s Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5

Card (full-screen card ads, swipe card ads, long-press card ads)

Short video

Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px (suggested height: 422px/ 1334px/ 1500px/ 1536px)

Format type: High Profile Video bitrate: less than 1200kbit/s Duration: 6-30s File size: less than 5M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Video bitrate: larger than 800kbit/s Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5

Card ( basic card ads, label card ads, action card ads, choice card ads)

Long video

When the video used as ad cover: 640*360px When the video used as ad content: Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px (suggested height: 422px/ 1334px/ 1500px/ 1536px)

Format type: High Profile Video bitrate: less than 2000kbit/s Duration: less than 600s (suggest 90s) File size: less than 30M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Video bitrate: larger than 800kbit/s Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5

Card ( basic card ads, label card ads, action card ads, choice card ads)

Short video

When the video used as ad cover: 640*360px When the video used as ad content: Width: 750pxHeight: less than 1536px (suggested height: 422px/ 1334px/ 1500px/ 1536px)

Format type: High Profile Video bitrate: less than 1200kbit/s Duration: 6-30s File size: less than 5M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Video bitrate: larger than 800kbit/s Audio format: AACAudio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5



Who Should Advertise on WeChat Moments?

  1. Companies with a large budget: businesses with substantial budgets are ideal for WeChat Moments Ads, which require significant investment.

  2. Companies seeking rapid visibility: brands wanting a quick boost in impressions and brand awareness will benefit from WeChat Moments Ads.

  3. Companies launching major campaigns: brands running crucial annual campaigns aiming to reach a broad audience of Chinese consumers are well-suited for WeChat Moments Ads.



WeChat Moments Ads Case Studies

Smart
Dior

The auto brand Smart has launched WeChat Moments Ads to promote their new product, the Smart #1. The brand used a short promotional video as compelling advertising material to attract target customers. When users click on the video, they are redirected to a sales leads collection form.

Dior launched a limited edition gift package for Chinese Valentine's Day and advertised it on WeChat Moments. The engaging ad allows WeChat users to shake their phones to reveal a Chinese Valentine's Day red envelope. Additionally, it redirects user to purchase the gift package through Dior's WeChat Mini Program store.

The WeChat Moments ads of Smart #1 campaign.
The WeChat Moments ads of Dior new product campaign.
Scan for QR code to view the ad
The QR code of Smart WeChat Moments ad.
Scan for QR code to view the ad
The QR code of Dior WeChat Moments ad.




WeChat Channels Ads

Short video have become the dominant force in Chinese social media market, leading to the launch of WeChat Channels in 2020. In 2022, WeChat Channels Ads were introduced, with several brands including BMW, Yili Dairy and Armani participating in the beta testing of this new ad format.

 

With WeChat Channels Ads, companies can advertise through in-feed video ads, short videos and live-streaming. Alternatively, they can collaborate with WeChat channels influencer to create advertisement on WeChat Channels.


Tencent WeChat Channels Advertising Collaboration Platform
Tencent WeChat Channels Advertising Collaboration Platform


Cost of WeChat Channels Ads

  • Contract-based Cost

    • Minimum budget for WeChat Channels contract-based ads starting from CNY 50,000/ campaign (approximately USD 6895/ campaign);

    • Advertisers can start placing advertisements within 1-28 calendar days;

    • The duration of the advertisement ranges from 1-15 calendar days.


Cost of Contract-based WeChat Channels Ads

Core cities

USD 14/ CPM

Key cities

USD 11/ CPM

Other cities

USD 7/ CPM


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • The cost is between USD 2/ CPM - USD 13/ CPM (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation)



WeChat Channels Ads Specs

Video Type
Video Specs
Video Parameters
Other

Short video

Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px

Format type: Main Profile Video bitrate: less than 800kbit/s Duration: less than 15s File size: less than 1.7M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/secAudio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5

Long video

Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px

Format type: Baseline Profile Video bitrate: less than 1600kbit/s Duration: less than 90s File size: less than 20M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (24fps) Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5



Who Should Advertise on WeChat Channels?

  1. Companies with a short video marketing strategy: businesses producing a lot of video content for short video channels can leverage WeChat Channels ads to maximize their reach and engagement.

  2. Companies with established WeChat Official Accounts: brands with a presence on WeChat Official Accounts for over a year looking to significantly boost their brand awareness and increase their followers.

  3. Brands launching comprehensive campaigns: businesses planning a campaign and seeking a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote it across all Chinese marketing channels will benefit from using WeChat Channels Ads





WeChat Banner Ads

WeChat Banner Ads, also known as WeChat Official Account Ads, are widely used by international brands and companies. These ads offer various placements within the WeChat official account article to maximize visbility and engagement.

 

There are four placements for WeChat banner ads:


Four placements for WeChat banner ads
Four placements for WeChat banner ads


Cost of WeChat Banner Ads

  • Contract-based Cost

Ads Placement

Subscription account list

At the bottom of official account articles

In the middle of official account articles

Minimum Entry Budget

Starting from USD 138/ campaign

Starting from USD 138/ campaign

Starting from USD 138/ campaign

Core cities

USD 6/ CPM

USD 6/ CPM

USD 4/ CPM

Key cities

USD 5.5/ CPM

USD 5.5/ CPM

USD 3/ CPM

Other cities

USD 5/ CPM

USD 5/ CPM

USD 2.06/ CPM


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • The cost is between USD 0.06/ CPC - USD 2/ CPC (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation)

    • The cost is between USD 2/ CPM - USD 5/ CPM (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation)



WeChat Banner Ads Specs - Image

Image Specs
Image Format
Image Size
Remark

800*800px

640*800px 800*640px 800*450px

png/ jpg/ jpeg

less than 300k

Text content should occupy no more than 30% of the image. QR codes in the image cannot be recognized by long-pressing.



WeChat Banner Ads Specs - Video

Video Type
Video Specs
Video Parameters
Other

Short video

640*480px 640*360px

Format type: Main Profile Video bitrate: less than 800kbit/s Duration: less than 15s File size: less than 1.7M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (suggest to 24fps) Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5



Who Should Advertise on WeChat Banner?

  1. Companies with a limited budget: ideal for businesses with a smaller budget for WeChat advertising.

  2. First-time WeChat advertisers: suitable for brands new to paid advertising in the Chinese digital market, looking to test the waters.

  3. Brands seeking alternatives: perfect for companies that have tried ads on other digital channels like Douyin, Weibo or Xiaohongshu and found them ineffective.

  4. Long-term advertisers: suitable for businesses implementing a long-term advertising strategy with a fixed annual budget.





WeChat Mini Program Ads

WeChat Mini-Program Advertising refers to ad formats displayed within WeChat Mini-Programs. These ads can be directly embedded into the pages or scenarios of the Mini-Program, integrating seamlessly with its content and functions. This provides users with a more native and smooth advertising experience.


The WeChat Mini Program Ads.
The WeChat Mini Program Ads


Cost of WeChat Mini Program Ads

  • Contract-based Cost


WeChat Mini program banner ads

WeChat Mini program pop-up ads

Minimum Entry Budget

Starting from USD 138/ campaign

Starting from USD 138/ campaign

Core cities

USD 3.4/ CPM

USD 9.7/ CPMM

Key cities

USD 2.8/ CPM

USD 9/ CPM

Other cities

USD 2.1/ CPM

USD 8.3/ CPM


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • The cost is between USD 0.06/ CPC - USD 2/ CPC (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation)

    • The cost is between USD 2/ CPM - USD 5/ CPM (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation)



WeChat Mini Program Ads Specs - Image

Image Specs
Image Format
Image Size
Remark

Width: 750px Height: less than 1536px

png/ jpg/ jpeg

less than 300k

QR codes in the image cannot be recognized by long-pressing.



WeChat Mini Program Ads Specs - Video

Video Type
Video Specs
Video Parameters
Other

Short video

640*480px 640*360px

Format type: Main Profile Video bitrate: less than 800kbit/s Duration: less than 15s File size: less than 1.7M

Video format: MP4 Video codec: H.264/ AVC Frame rate: less than 30fps (suggest to 24fps) Audio format: AAC Audio bitrate: less than 96kbit/sec Audio sample rate: 44.1 kHz Maximum keyframe interval keyint: 10 Minimum keyframe interval min-keyint: 5



Who Should Advertise on WeChat Mini Program?

  1. E-commerce Companies: Businesses in the e-commerce industry using WeChat Mini-Programs as e-stores can effectively redirect potential customers through Mini-Program advertisements.

  2. B2C Businesses: Companies looking to attract customers to their online or offline shops can use WeChat Mini-Program advertisements to send coupons as advertising content, driving traffic and engagement.




WeChat Search Ads

WeChat offers a search feature called '搜一搜,' meaning 'search' in Chinese. This functions like a search engine within the WeChat ecosystem. Ads can be placed in WeChat search results, known as WeChat Search Ads. There are two types: Brand zone Ads and in-feed ads.


Brand zone ads prominently feature a brand within the search results, providing high visibility. These ads provide a comprehensive WeChat advertising strategy, allowing you to promote all your brand information, including your WeChat Official Account, WeChat Mini-Program, WeChat Channels, store information (address and contact), and recent marketing activities, all in one place.


In-feed ads appear within the search results feed, blending seamlessly with the organic content. These ads increase the visibility of your WeChat ads when users search for information within the WeChat search feature.

The WeChat Search Ads.
The WeChat Search Ads

Cost of WeChat Search Ads

  • Contract-based Cost

    • The minimum budget for Brand Zone WeChat Search Ads starts at CNY 50,000 (around USD 6,895). The pricing is based on the CPT (Cost Per Time) model.


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • The cost is between USD 0.06/ CPC - USD 2/ CPC (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation).


Who Should Advertise on WeChat Search?

  • Brand Zone WeChat Search Ads

  1. Companies with sufficient budget: Businesses with a monthly budget exceeding USD 7,000 should consider Brand Zone WeChat Search Ads for maximum impression and brand exposure. Brand Zone ads offer a unique and prominent advertising effect that other WeChat ad types cannot provide. Unlike other WeChat ads that typically redirect users to a single channel, Brand Zone ads can present multiple channels, enhancing visibility and engagement.


  • In-feed WeChat Search Ads

  1. Business consultancy companies: ideal for companies in the business consultancy industry, as potential customers frequently search for questions and information within the WeChat search engine.

  2. Brands adding value through content: brands can use in-feed WeChat Search Ads to enhance their product's value by promoting case studies or user stories. For example, a coffee machine manufacturer can advertise not only their products but also content like "10 Tips to Make a Great Cup of Coffee." This way, the ad will appear when potential customers search for related information in the WeChat search engine.




WeChat Watching Ads

WeChat Watching Ads appear within the "watching" areas of the WeChat ecosystem. These in-feed ads blend naturally with other "watching" content, making them highly engaging. Potential customers are more likely to click on ads that interest them while browsing other news and content within the watching area.


The WeChat Watching Ads.
The WeChat Watching Ads

Cost of WeChat Watching Ads

  • Contract-based Cost

    • Minimum budget for brand zone WeChat search ads starting from CNY 50,000 (approximately USD 6895).


  • Bidding-based Cost

    • The cost is between USD 0.06/ CPC - USD 2/ CPC (specific price will fluctuate based on industry, target audience and bidding situation).


Who Should Advertise on WeChat Watching?

  1. Companies promoting new products: ideal for businesses looking to promote new products, product evaluations, or events.

  2. Targeting older audiences: perfect for companies whose target customers are over 40, as WeChat Watching Ads are highly engaging for users in this age group.




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