Both computer and smartphone applications have become one of the most essential parts of our lives. Different apps exist to help us with our daily tasks, making life easier. However, did you know you can create a WeChat Mini Program – an app inside another app? 

While most foreigners still wonder is WeChat safe or not, China is steadily embracing the use of WeChat Mini Programs. These are like our standard smartphone and computer apps. However, you can only use them through the WeChat app.  

Moreover, many big retail and service businesses are creating WeChat Mini Programs to promote their offerings better in WeChat. 

However, how can these apps be essential for businesses operating in China? Moreover, how can you create one and monetize it? 

Read this post till the end to learn answers to these questions! 

What Is A WeChat Mini Program?

As the term suggests, a WeChat Mini Program is an app you can develop inside WeChat. 

These WeChat programs function like any other app that you use on your smartphones and computers. However, its platform is the only difference between a standard app and a WeChat Mini Program. While a standard app is bound to its OS (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, etc.), you can only use a WeChat Mini Program inside WeChat. 

Moreover, most of these WeChat Mini Programs offer customer services. For example, retail businesses can create a WeChat Mini Program that allows users to access their program, buy products, and request customer service! 

Therefore, such features and accessibility make WeChat Mini Programs perfect for marketing in 2024! 

How To Discover WeChat Mini Programs?

To start using a WeChat Mini Program, you must first learn how to find it. WeChat has extensive features and a complex user interface that can make searching for Mini Programs challenging. 

In 2024, there are four primary ways to discover a new WeChat Mini Program, which are: 

1. Scanning Mini Program QR Codes

Most ecommerce and service-providing businesses in China have a WeChat Mini Program. However, if you check any of their advertisements (both digital and physical), you will find that they often include a WeChat Mini Program QR code. 

Therefore, you must scan these QR codes with your smartphone, and you will be directly redirected to its WeChat page! 

2. Searching For Official WeChat Accounts And Channels

If you know that a specific brand has an official WeChat Mini Program, you can search for it on WeChat. Therefore, go to the brand’s WeChat accounts or their WeChat Channels to quickly find links to their WeChat Mini Program! 

3. Searching The WeChat Mini Program Directory

You can browse through all WeChat Mini Programs from the app itself. Therefore, follow these steps: 

1. First, open WeChat. 

2. Then, open the Discover tab. 

3. Next, tap on Mini Programs. 

That’s it! Now, you can scroll and browse through all WeChat Mini Programs! Moreover, you can filter them using many filters to narrow down the list of apps you see! Furthermore, you can type the name of the WeChat Mini Program in the Search bar above! 

Additionally, if you like a WeChat Mini Program and expect to use it often, you can save it on your list of My Mini Programs! 

4. Sharing Links 

You can also share their links, such as how you find a WeChat Mini Program by scanning QR codes. Therefore, you can share the link to the Mini Program with others on WeChat and vice versa! 

WeChat Mini Programs: How Did They Revolutionize Chinese Industries?

After checking out most of the WeChat Mini Programs on the platform, I found that most can be sorted into “unofficial” categories based on their functionality.  

Therefore, most key features and functionalities of WeChat Mini Apps are: 

1. Ecommerce

Most WeChat Mini Programs are ecommerce apps. They allow users to browse products, place orders, and track their shipments from the Mini Program.  

Therefore, they are an adequate replacement for users placing orders from their official website or other ecommerce sites like Amazon! 

In addition, if you like a product or want others to find it, you can directly share its link with others on WeChat!  

For example, famous international brands like KFC and Hublot have set up their Mini Programs. Therefore, customers can browse their products and order directly from the WeChat Mini Program! 

2. Gaming And Gamification

Everyone loves to play video games. Therefore, why not play them directly on WeChat? 

WeChat has a collection of smaller, casual video games that you can play from the app itself. For example, you can play simple games like Chess, Snake, Pinball, Candy Crush, Uno, and more on WeChat! Moreover, since they are apps, they are categorized as a WeChat Mini Program. 

However, did you know that you can gamify marketing and advertising efforts on WeChat? 

Gamification is making interactive apps (like a game) to promote non-gaming elements. For example, a clothing brand can create a WeChat Mini Program, which allows you to dress their avatars virtually and allows others to rate your fashion sense. 

Therefore, creating a WeChat Mini Program is a great way to gamify your marketing efforts since its interactivity makes them more engaging! Moreover, this is what Coca-Cola did to celebrate the Year of the Tiger in 2022 by creating WeChat Mini Games! 

3. Education

Education has evolved significantly in the last decade, thanks to digitization and virtualization of teaching and learning processes. Therefore, it’s no surprise you will find educational WeChat Mini Programs! 

Through these Mini Programs, many educational institutions provide students with gateways to access online classes and educational materials. This makes education remotely easier and more engaging for students in China. 

For example, institutions like the University of Hong Kong and the University of Toronto have created Mini Programs that allow students to remotely register for courses, participate in online classes, and access study materials! 

4. Travel

Thanks to the introduction of WeChat Mini Programs, China’s travel and tourism industry got a significant boost. Many Chinese tourism companies have created WeChat Mini Programs to offer customer support services. 

For example, LY.com created a WeChat Mini Program to allow users to book flights, hotels, private transport, and more! In addition, DiDi (the Chinese equivalent of Uber) created their WeChat Mini Program to allow users to book cabs! 

Moreover, reports indicate that creating these Mini Programs allowed the Chinese transportation and tourism industry to surge after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

5. Healthcare

WeChat rose to the top of China’s instant messaging and social media app food chain due to its transformation into a healthcare hub for everyone. 

WeChat has a self-developed WeChat Mini Program – the WeHub. It is a hub for all your healthcare needs, providing quick access to Chinese hospitals and their services. 

For example, you can use the WeHub WeChat Mini Program to book appointments with doctors all over China. Moreover, if you need immediate medical help (in emergencies like accidents), you can use this Mini Program to find the nearest hospital and book treatments quickly! 

Furthermore, you can pay for healthcare services directly from the WeHub Mini Program if you learn how to use WeChat Pay! 

6. Advertising

Did you know that a WeChat Mini Program often shows ads for users who use it? 

Therefore, if your brand uses WeChat Advertising, you can show ads on relevant WeChat Mini Programs! 

Moreover, like websites and blogs, you earn money for every ad user you see on your WeChat Mini Program. Therefore, this can be a great way to monetize your WeChat Mini Program and earn money! 

This feature alone changed the digital advertising and marketing landscape of China. Since China has more than a billion WeChat users (over 85% of its population) – it serves as the best digital advertising platform in the country!  

Therefore, if you want your business to succeed in China, I recommend delving more into WeChat Marketing in 2024! 

WeChat Mini Program: A Replacement For Smartphone Apps?

Many business analysts and experts believe that a WeChat Mini Program has the potential to replace traditional smartphone apps in China.  

Since these apps are integrated into WeChat, they provide seamless experiences for WeChat users. Moreover, they take advantage of the social sharing factor due to this integration. Therefore, you no longer have to minimize and swap apps to send your friend links to apps and more! 

This is why I believe WeChat is slowly transforming into an all-purpose app with the introduction of WeChat Mini Programs. Moreover, it might soon transform itself into a smartphone OS as well! 

Thanks for reading this post! Please share this post with others who can benefit from the creation of a WeChat Mini Program for their brand!