Over the past 7 years, WeChat has become an essential part of China’s mobile internet today. To understand WeChat, we need to understand how its users evolve with the platform.
Number of active users on Wechat
WeChat evolved through its innovations. In 2016, it generated an information consumption of 174 billion RMB, that is to say, 231 million euros in 2016, or a year-on-year increase of 26%.
(The information consumption here represents the data consumption and the content on WeChat).
In 2013, there were 335 million active users on WeChat compared to 889 million in 2016.
Time spent by users on Wecha
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The time spent by users on Wechat is constantly increasing.
Indeed, we observed that the daily duration of users on Wechat, more than 4h per day, doubled from 2015 to 2016. (16.3% in 2015, 33.9% in 2016)
In 2016, only 3.4% of users connect less than 10 minutes per day, compared with 21% between 1 and 2 hours, compared with 18.1% between 2 and 4 hours.
Read as well: WeChat Guide for Foreign (Cosmetics) Companies in China
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Number of Wechat contacts
As a communication tool, WeChat has helped users improve communication efficiency and broaden their social networks.
The number of contacts per average user of WeChat grew strongly in 2016: about 45% of users reported having more than 200 contacts compared with 28% of users between 100 and 200 contacts.
Number of Wechat contacts per month
In terms of new contacts on Wechat, the majority of users do not add more than 5 new contacts per month.
More than 40% of users over the age of 46 and seniors report adding zero new contact.
Different categories of new Wechat contacts
The majority of new contacts are mainly co-workers and people in the professional environment then, mostly friends and family.
Themes preference on Wechat
| Content do you share on moments | Content would you prefer to see on moments |
| 1. Personal life posts | 1. Personal life posts |
| 2. Shared content of interest | 2. Expression of personal opinions |
| 2. Work-related content | 3. Shared content of interest |
| 2. Expression of personal opinions | 4. Trending news |
| 3. Trending news | 5. Work-related content |
| 3. Products or brands display | 6. Products or brands display |
Using Wechat at work
- Users and companies are currently working through wechat.
- 80% of users in cities complete work-related tasks on Wechat.
- Wechat is a main communication channel at work.
For small businesses:
Wechat plays an essential role for small businesses in their daily business operations: 90% use it
Transactions via Wechat have become essential (70% make transactions)
Wechat continues to simplify its payment functionality.
- Wechat : a Communication tool used daily for work
The most used communication tool is:
- Wechat (in large cities and rural areas)
- Telephone calls, text messages, faxes (in big cities and rural areas)
- Email (mostly in large cities)
● Reasons to join focus groups of over 100 people
Focus groups are an important channel for professional networks.
Indeed, more than 40% of users join groups of discussions of more than 100 people for internal communication within the company.
34%: join a discussion group to expand their professional network.
32%: to share leisure activities
17%: sharing information (Online race)
8%: group fan
35%: Passively added to focus groups
● Advantage of Wechat at work:
- Provides a useful communication tool
- Facilitates social advancement
- Provides a convenient desktop tool
- Facilitates the management of personal networks
- Facilitates the provision of high-quality information
See also Wechat For Companies and Business here and Here
Payment via mobile phone
Mobile payments have a high penetration rate in China.
Convenience stores have become the main channel of WeChat pay for transactions. The means of payment by the users, in the shops, are with:
- Wechat with 92% (in large cities and rural areas)
2. Cash
3. A Credit Card
● Spending with Wechat Pay
Compared to 2015, Wechat pay has grown considerably.
Indeed, by 2015 the population spends mostly less than 500 RMB or 66 euros per month, and little more than 500 RMB.
On the contrary, in 2016, the population spends more between 500 to 5000 RMB or 66 euros to 660 euros
● What are the reasons for paying with Wechat pay?
1. Fast
2. Easy
3. No need to have cash on your own
4. No additional charges
5. Benefit of reduction
Where wechat pay is most used
1. Supermarkets
2. Shopping online
3. Dining options
4. Shopping Centers
5. Obtain reductions
6. Entertainment and Recreation
7. Beauty salons and sports halls
8. Hospitals
More information about Wechat E-Commerce and About Luxury Shop on Wechat
● Mini-programs of Wechat:
Mini-programs were launched in early 2017, as a key tool for WeChat expansion in offline use cases.
For now, most merchants and developers are still exploring the best cases of users.
32.8% of people have never heard of these mini-programs against 46.70% say they have heard but never used them.
More than half of the users have searched for a mini program in the WeChat databases for their specific needs or have accessed a mini-program shared by WeChat friends.
Users do not use mini-programs because it is not clear at the level of the functions and it is hard to find them in the application.
To conclude, the ratio of users of mini-programs is currently relatively low.
You can see the Guide for Wechat Official Account here
Offers and cards of Wechat
● Offers
Wechat cards and offers seem to be more successful for offline consumption as they have been integrated into the wechat pay.
Fast food has the best performance for Wechat offers.