Originally published on WeChatWiki, last updated August 3, 2020. Republished by Nanjing Marketing Group.
What if you could have an experience as smooth as a native iOS or Android APP without downloading and managing it? Tencent makes this alternative come true with WeChat Mini Programs.
From there, their vision is greater: building an ecosystem of online services and productions running within WeChat that can be interfaced with the offline world.
Learn more about WeChat Mini Apps’ growth here.
101: What are WeChat Mini Apps, and How Do They Compare to Native Apps and H5 Mini-Sites?
What are WeChat Mini Programs?
Mini Programs are “mini-applications” built within the WeChat platform. WeChat allows third-party companies to develop Mini Programs, providing advanced features to users that run within the app.
The technology supports the objective of WeChat to provide its users with an all-in-one experience.
By opening their platform, a rich ecosystem of WeChat developers has emerged, a common characteristic with Apple’s APP ecosystem.
They are considered WeChat’s own “app within an app” with two benefits:
- Instant loading
- Ease of use
They don’t take up memory on your phone.
This technology enables WeChat to bundle features and capabilities into a single mobile native app, based on the “super app” model. Users never need to leave the WeChat application.
For these reasons, WeChat turns into an app store with this technology.
The cross-functional ecosystem around it is progressively positioning this “super APP” as “(social) Operating System” for everyday life.
How does it work?
Inherent properties of this technology:
- Mobile
- Instant (no download needed), eliminating this barrier to entry
- Light to offer a smooth user experience
- Integration within the WeChat ecosystem
- Users have access to a large range of applications/services (e-commerce, games, productivity, reading content, etc.) without leaving WeChat
- Enhancing the user experience with WeChat features and APIs
- The WeChat brand zone can link to the Mini Program of your choice
This allow users to avoid all the friction and inconvenience of native apps.
Mini programs are a kind of app that doesn’t need to be downloaded or installed to be used. They realise the dream that apps can be accessible everywhere. Users just scan or search to open the app. They ‘use it then go,’ you needn’t worry did you install too many apps. Apps can be absolutely everywhere, you can use them anytime, but you don’t need to install anything.
WeChat’s founder Allan Zhang
Capabilities to embed in a Mini Program
- WeChat Pay
- eCommerce features with WeChat JS SDK integration
- Livestreaming
- Interface with offline connected objects
- Geo-location
- Social connections
- Notifications
- And many more
Official Account? Mini Program? H5?
- Increasing conversion – Official Account or Mini Program? | February 2018 [Rikai Labs] => Mini Program is a better conversion engine than an Official Account
- User/customer support: Official Account or Mini Program? | March 2018 [Rikai Labs] => The Official Account still wins
All in one place – essential reports to learn the basics
Further readings
- An Essential Guide to WeChat Mini-Program | December 2016 [CIW]
- A Tour of WeChat — Mini Programs, their benefits and how they work [Nanjing Marketing Group]
- Answer these questions before you build a mini program | April 2018 [Technode]
- Why and when users like to use WeChat mini Apps | October 2018 [UXSpot]
- 4 Philosophies Underlying the WeChat Mini-Program – Lessons from the Father of WeChat | August 2017 [Zara Zhang]
Mini Program case studies
- Mini Program examples: ride-hailing, shopping and loyalty programs [Nanjing Marketing Group]
- Case studies of WeChat Mini-Programs: they are taking social commerce by storm | November 2017 [WalktheChat]
- WeChat Mini App Part II: 4 recent case studies and more updates | June 2017 [Yelin Qiu]
Luxury
- Chow Tai Fook’s WeChat Mini-Program Lets You Customize Your Own Diamond Necklaces | March 2019 [Azoya Consulting]
- Top 5 Luxury WeChat Mini-program Marketing Tactics | November 2018 [Jing Daily]
- 5 Ways Mini Programs Will Reshape Luxury Retailing in China | June 2017 [Jing Daily]
Tourism / Travel retail
Explore more case studies on how to leverage WeChat for brands and businesses
Mini Program: strong pillar to drive sales with a variety of models and features to integrate
In the strategy of Tecent to catch up with Taobao/Tmall’s shopping experience leveraging WeChat’s strengths, Tencent is positioning Mini Program as a key channel to drive sales.
That’s why they keep on improving it by regularly adding new features.
More and more brands are using Mini Programs to sell their products.
Mini Programs have proved to be an effective e-commerce tool. In 2018, 18% of Mini Programs were dedicated to e-commerce.
E-commerce well-known platforms (VIP.com, JD.com, Pinduoduo) are helping to drive towards this trajectory with significant adoption of their own Mini Program (vs. their native APP)
Example of mobile shopping Mini Programs:
- JD.com
- Pinduoduo
- VIP.com
- Kuaishou shop
- RED
Tips, tactics and best practices to sell efficiently through this channel
Case studies
Traffic to a Mini Program – Entry points and flows between MP and OA
- Learn more about the entry points here: + Traffic entry points to a WeChat Mini Program
- By diverting campaign traffic from the Official Account to a Mini Program, you lose the multi-touchpoint opportunity of turning the visitors into followers. Only a fraction of the MP traffic will make it back to the OA, despite the new entry points.
Developing WeChat Mini App
- Learn more about WeChat Mini App development here:How to develop a WeChat Mini Program: requirements, tools, best practices, how is it different from a web application?
User Experience and design best practices
- WeChat Mini Program Design: 15 best practices to create a killer user experience | January 2019 [31Ten]
- Apps Within Apps: UX Lessons from WeChat Mini Programs | September 2018 [NNGroup]
Design guidelines
Measuring the performance of a Mini Program
Mini Programs everywhere: Alibaba, Baidu, Bytedance and phone makers following suit
All the other Chinese Internet giants have jumped aboard the Mini Program train and have rolled out their own instant Apps. WeChat’s competitors launched their own versions.
Learn more about it here: + Mini Programs / Instant Apps: how Baidu, Alibaba, Alipay, Bytedance and Phone Makers fare compared to Tencent’s?