WeChat in 2025 and 2026 is far more than a messaging app. It has evolved into a full-stack commercial ecosystem that integrates social interaction, content consumption, commerce, and services. For any global brand aiming to grow in China, understanding how to navigate and integrate this ecosystem is no longer optional. It is a core capability.
This guide provides a practical overview of key features, content formats, and marketing best practices that matter most for brands on WeChat.
Core Features Shaping WeChat Marketing in 2025 and 2026
Marketing on WeChat is about stitching together multiple functions into a seamless user journey that spans discovery, engagement, conversion, and retention. The ecosystem continues to expand and deepen across these dimensions.
WeChat Stores as the Commerce Hub
WeChat Stores have become the central commerce infrastructure inside WeChat. They now connect with more than 10 traffic sources, including Channels (video and livestream), Official Accounts, Mini Programs, Search, Chats, and Moments.
Key product-led growth features include:
- Group-buying via Together Buy: Users invite friends to unlock lower prices, leveraging social connections for low-cost acquisition.
- Gift-sending (Blue Pack): Turns products into digital gifts that users can send directly in chat, creating emotional and occasion-driven shopping moments.
This ecosystem gives brands an end-to-end transaction loop without pushing users outside the platform.
Channels as the Engine of Attention and Conversion
WeChat Channels has evolved into a powerful content and commerce engine. Short videos now benefit from prolonged recommendation cycles, often reaching users for 7 days or longer. Livestreaming capabilities continue to improve with:
- Livestream gifting to boost interaction
- Scheduled product-release features to build anticipation
Channels is no longer a side product. It is a central battlefield for both awareness and conversion.
Mini Programs and WeCom as the Backbone of Private Traffic
Mini Programs serve as brand-owned digital stores and services. As of 2025 Q2, commerce-related Mini Program GMV has increased steadily year-over-year.
WeCom (the enterprise-facing version of WeChat) connects 14 million organizations to 750 million users. It enables brands to run highly personalized membership operations, segment users, and maintain long-term customer relationships.
Together, Mini Programs and WeCom form the structural foundation of private traffic in China.
AI as the New Intelligence Layer
WeChat is considered one of the applications most ready for AI agentification. AI now plays a growing role in:
- Content creation
- Customer service automation
- User insights
- Precision targeting and recommendations
Tencent Smart Retail and other Tencent solutions are already helping brands use large-model-driven marketing to increase efficiency and relevance.
Content Formats That Work Best on WeChat
WeChat is a multi-format environment. Choosing the right content mix requires understanding how each format influences user perception and behavior.
Long-form Content for Authority Building
Official Accounts remain essential for brands that need to communicate depth, such as B2B businesses or industries requiring expertise. Formats that work well include:
- Deep-dive articles
- Expert interviews
- Case studies
They help build credibility and thought leadership.
Short Videos and Livestreaming for Immediate Impact
Short videos and livestreams dominate user attention. While livestream commerce is especially strong for B2C products, B2B brands can use video for:
- Product walkthroughs
- Expert discussions
- Behind-the-scenes content
Livestream paradigms in China are diversifying into persona-driven shows, performance-driven sales rooms, and trust-based private-domain livestreaming.
Interactive Content for Engagement
Interactive tools such as polls, quizzes, or preference testing increase user participation. These formats create a feedback loop that blends interaction, co-creation, and sharing, making them especially suitable for campaigns and product launches.
Best Practices for Brands Marketing on WeChat
Understanding features and formats is only the starting point. Successful brands build strategy around execution.
Build an Omnichannel Operating Model
Tencent recommends shifting from isolated acquisition-focused strategies to an omnichannel operating system. A proven framework includes:
- User insights
- Precision targeting
- Membership segmentation
- Scalable private-domain operations
- Transaction optimization
- Full-funnel analytics
This approach ensures all WeChat touchpoints support each other.
Strengthen Membership and Private Traffic Operations
With paid traffic becoming more expensive, membership is a strategic asset. WeCom is the core tool for:
- Customer tagging
- Lifecycle management
- Personalized recommendations
- After-sales service
Industry cases such as China Eastern’s cross-business membership platform demonstrate the impact of unified data and rights across user segments.
Use Social-powered Viral Mechanics
Features like Together Buy and gifting create natural incentives for users to share. Effective social viral design includes:
- Clear value proposition
- Simple sharing mechanics
- Genuine benefits rather than aggressive promotions
Brands must balance virality with user experience to avoid fatigue.
Embrace AI-driven Marketing
AI enhances every step of the WeChat marketing funnel. Brands can adopt AI for:
- Automated and localized content creation
- Audience clustering
- Predictive segmentation
- Personalized content feeds
Tools like Tencent Qidian Marketing Cloud help brands create full-cycle AI-enabled consumer journeys.
Conclusion
Winning on WeChat in 2025 and 2026 requires a shift from a traffic-centric mindset to a full ecosystem operating approach. Brands that succeed will:
- Integrate WeChat Stores, Channels, Official Accounts, Mini Programs, and WeCom into one coherent system
- Focus on high-value content across both long-form and short-form formats
- Use data and AI to enable precise, efficient execution
- Invest in private traffic and long-term user relationships
With the right strategy, WeChat becomes more than a marketing channel. It becomes a brand’s long-term growth engine in China.