WeChat is usually known for being a great messaging tool, whether casually talking with friends or chatting it up within certain video games. However, now it’s about to become a whole new kind of beast, one that revolves around becoming an advertising platform.
Tencent, the publisher and operator behind the social channel, said it has launched a new service across China, where companies with verified WeChat accounts can pay fees to place ads on other companies’ pages that have more than 100,000 followers. As a result, the fees will be shared between Tencent and the companies that host the ads, proving beneficial for both parties. It’s worth noting that Tencent is the world’s largest game company, so it would be logical to expect that games are going to be an important subject for this new ad platform.
How would a chat channel be able to use advertising Well, it utilizes Facebook-like profile pages, which provide opportunity for photo-sharing and other features. Companies are able to set up said pages for free in order to build followers. As a result, advertisers can take part in placing ads on said pages, and Tencent can profit even further with its WeChat service.
The ads will not be distributed as obtrusive instant messages, but rather appear at the bottom of corporate pages that are browsed, targeting viewers based in specific markets, such as gender, age, location and personal interests. From there, Tencent’s back-end system would be able to match up the right advertisers for the right customers, depending on which ones are best suited for content.
Marketing opportunities through messaging apps aren’t really a big practice right now, due to their limitation. “Most people do not want brands to interfere on such intimate turf,” said Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson. “They prioritize interactions with family and friends and do not see the benefit of connecting with brands.”
It’ll be interesting to see how this practice plays out in the months ahead.
Source: Wall Street Journal
