【Original #1】Every Chinese loves WeChat

When Americans want to share pictures, send messages, or make video calls with their close friends, they may use Facebook, Messenger, or Skype. However, when you ask Chinese what kinds of apps they use to do the same things above, they may answer that they only need WeChat. WeChat, a free instant messaging application developed by Tencent company, may become one of the most popular apps in China.

WeChat, which is usually called as “Wei Xin” in Chinese, was first released in January, 2011. Just one year later, the number of WeChat users increased to 200 million. In March 2016, WeChat had about 700 million Monthly Active Users and 90% of them were Chinese (BI Intelligence). Why makes WeChat so successful? The answer may be simple. The strategies of differentiation and innovation WeChat used made it more convenient and attractive.

First of all, WeChat is a messaging app which has lots of different functions: advertising, E-commerce, digital content, online-to-offline services and finance (The Economist). By scanning the WeChat QR codes, customers can add other people to their contact list. Users can share different ways of instant messages, including text messages, voice messages, emoji, stickers, and even files with both individuals and friends in a group chat by using WeChat. Other things such as live and previously saved pictures, namecards of other users, coupons, current GPS location and Red Packets with money can be sent on WeChat as well. Video chatting is also available on WeChat, which means Chinese international students who are studying abroad can have a face-to-face chatting with their friend and relatives who stay in China at any time. WeChat customers can share their personal experience by using the function called Moments, and get response by other members in their “Friend Zone”. People can also play some online games on WeChat and share their scores on Moments, which is the same function as Facebook.

Another useful function WeChat has is a digital wallet service called WeChat Pay. Users can connect their debit or credit card to their own WeChat payment account, and then set a personal code to active this function when they want to pay bills online or transfer money to each other. This function allows Chinese users to send Red Packets, which can be formally called as “Lucky Money”, to each other during Spring Festival. In China, people believe that if you give others a small amount of money with red packets and special wishes, it will bring good fortune to both the sender and the receiver. To send a Red Packet, you just need to click the “red packet” button on the menu, and then fill in the number of Red Packets and how much money you want to send, attached with your special greetings. After that, input the PIN code of your WeChat payment account and choose the receivers. Then you are all set. After receiving in a Red Packet within your chat, just tap it and see what is inside, the money will transfer to your WeChat payment account as soon as you open it. During the holiday period of 2016, about 3.2 billion Red Packets were sent by WeChat users (Fast Company).

Compared to other apps, WeChat combined different functions together, which made its customers more convenient to communicate with others. More important is that customers can download WeChat for free from online app stores. Free and easy-to-use became the most advantage of WeChat. That is the main reason why more and more Chinese choose to use WeChat and its organization profits from it.