Opening a Mini Program inside WeChat is a lot easier than downloading an app (think Facebook and all the little extras it has that keep you inside it’s own ecosystem – WeChat does the same with Mini Programs), and using a Mini Program is definitely an easy way for users to become familiar with your brand. Indeed, they are often used alongside other apps What About A WeChat Mini Program For My Business?įor businesses using Official Accounts or other marketing tools on WeChat, Mini Programs are a simple and easy way to reach new audiences. WeChat mini-programs are not necessarily a substitute for native apps or web-based apps. When Is Best To Use One?ĭespite the differences between Mini Programs and native or web-based apps, they do have their role in China’s market.ĭue to the very nature of WeChat and its role in the the daily life of hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers, businesses should without doubt maximise exposure and reach on WeChat. This is strict stuff, so you need to know what you are doing and tread carefully (this is actually true of most of the Chinese internet these days….)įinally, although Mini Programs can be sent to individual or group chats, they cannot be shared on WeChat Moments (the equivalent of your Facebook wall) – so you can’t publicly share them for download on a “one to many” basis. Unlike normal web-based apps that can work with any browser, these Mini Programs can only be used within WeChat.įor Mini Program development, it is important that creators are strictly adhere to Tencent’s guidelines, as Mini Program updates must be submitted to Tencent and programs can be blocked for violations. Because they don’t need to be downloaded, they are small – this limits functionality. There are some drawbacks to using Mini Programs as opposed to browser-based web apps or even native apps themselves. They are also shareable in WeChat conversations between users, so there is much more opportunity that your customers can pass on information (and potential sales) to people they want to recommend to your business. They don’t use up precious data in downloads. Additionally, they tend to run really quickly. This integration into China’s most-used app is a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to reach their audiences. One of the clear benefits is that users can access them within one app. Now, with Mini Programs, accounts can send subscribers both notifications and link posts to Mini Programs. Official accounts on WeChat were previously hindered by the inability to hyperlink products or services in WeChat. E-commerce programs offer users the ability to browse and buy without needing to download different shopping apps, and make payment slightly easier by integrating with WeChat Pay.In short, WeChat mini programs make is super easy for users of WeChat to quickly get to the nuts and bolts of your products or services.For lifestyle apps, WeChat’s Mini Programs offer the ability to hail cabs (or DiDi’s), unlock a shared bike, or even book a room (through AirBnb’s Mini Program).The most popular types of mini apps are games, lifestyle services and e-commerce Mini Programs.The mini-programs cover over 200 different categories: How Many People Are Actually Using them?Īn estimated 200 million people use WeChat Mini Programs daily in July 2019. However, those app stores have been around for a lot longer than WeChat’s Mini Programs. Apple’s App Store offers 2.2 million iOS apps, while Google Play offers still more, with 3.3 million Android apps on offer. Launched at the beginning of 2017, the growth of WeChat’s Mini Programs is considerable. With more than one million on offer, WeChat’s built-in app store offers users everything from games to bike sharing to food delivery.

Using this Mini Program allows you to stay in the WeChat ecosystem, get access to JD’s online offerings, and finalise purchases more easily because of the integration with WeChat Pay. But it also has a Mini Program within WeChat.

In the same way Facebook has games and lots of other little add-ons from third parties, so does WeChat…… An Example Of A WeChat Mini Programįor instance, Tencent’s e-commerce website jd.com has an app that you can download from your app store. These Mini Programs offer users the chance to experience the high-level benefits of a company’s app without the need to download an entire app.

Unlike full-function native applications, they are streamlined, ‘light’ versions of the apps. So what are WeChat Mini Programs? Well, they are app-like platforms that exist within the WeChat app itself.

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