Is WeChat Already a Worldwide Application? Not Yet

According to Tencent and TechinAsia, WeChat, a successful messaging and social application from China, has 40 million users living outside China.

Overseas Chinese are important because some of them of China birth or new expatriates are very likely to use WeChat. VALUE2020 estimates than almost 10 million users of WeChat outside China are of Chinese origins.

The other users who are not of Chinese origins are likely to be mainly located in Malaysia, Hong-Kong, Indonesia (some are contacts of overseas Chinese), and India (there you have less than 200,000 overseas Chinese). Tencent bets on India to get volume and an international audience.

In March, downloads in Canada were growing compared to the first world map of WeChat users. Usage is strong in China and Malaysia. Argentina, Mexico, and Spain were down compared to January.

Above: top views per country of a blog on WeChat as of March 31st, 2013

Social Sharing in China – February 2013

WeChat and SinaWeibo dominating the market
TencentWeibo, Renren, Kaixin decreasing
QZone stable

Chinese Social Networks

Top 3 Social Networks

•  Qzone (in blue above)

The most popular social network in China with over 500M registered users. Thanks to QQ and other connected serices, this network has been first for years! Includes a system of virtual currency. Owned by Tencent Holdings

• Sina Weibo (in red)

Most popular microblogging platform in China. Strong Influence. Launched in 2009 as a Twitter-alike platform, it has better features than Twitter and around 300 million users. Became first sharing platform in May 2013. Owned by Sina Corporation.

• WeChat (in green)

Successful messaging and social media application since 2011 and since 2013, in a few other countries like Malaysia and India. This application has a great potential. Owned by Tencent Holdings.

Check the Current Top 3 Ranking Now!

Other networks generating substantial traffic

-Tencent Weibo
Microblogging platform owned by Tencent Holdings; it counts 400M registered users. Today its popularity among Chinese users is declining in favor of WeChat. Owned by Tencent Holdings.

-QQ
Instant messaging program launched in 1998, now with over 700M active users. Owned by Tencent Holdings.

-RenRen

Founded in 2005, with a series of features very similar to Facebook. Very popular before the success of Kaixin.

-Kaixin 001
Social network with several Facebook-alike features, introduced in 2008. Very popular before the success of Sina Weibo.

Other social networks

-Fetion: messaging application of China Mobile

-Jego: new messaging application from China Mobile released in May 2013. No free calls therefore not competing against WeChat but maybe against Skype or other services

–Douban
Reviews-based social network. Alexa Rank= 112. Created by entrepreneur Dr. Yang

-YY.com
Interest-based social network featuring video sharing and including a system of virtual currency.

-DianDian
Tumblr-alike blogging platform, very popular among a young, fashionable target

-Melishuo
Pinboard-style photo sharing website, very popular amongst Chinese users

-Mogujie
Pinboard-style photo sharing website, founded in 2011 in Beijing

-51.com
Chinese blogging and social networking platform

-Juayuan
One of the biggest dating websites in China

-Pengyou
Chinese blogging and social networking platform. Owned by Tencent Holdings

-Tuding
Social photo-sharing application

–PaPa
Very interesting application. Pinterest-alike pins, Instagram-alike photo-sharing, voice message-sharing. Not having the success the app worth

Location-Based Services

-Dianping
Location-based review website popular all across China

-Momo
Chinese location-based dating app

-Jiepang
Location-based social network. Launched in 2010, it has only a couple million users. Chinese people are not ready to share this kind of information today

From http://www.digitalintheround.com/areas/china/ modified, completed, and updated by the VALUE2020 team

Baidu Expansion Outside China: Update of 2013

Chinese firms have the willingness to go international.

The strategy of expansion of Baidu is more complex than Tencent. Search, the main service of Baidu, is dependent on local languages while Tencent developed a unique product for the world with WeChat.

The Chinese firm goes abroad directly to get customers for the Chinese market and directly or through partnerships to gain international users.

Japan Since 2008

Baidu started to go international in 2008 launching Baidu search Japan.

Brazil Since 2012

The first Brazilian offering from Baidu, was a directory called Hao123. In 2012, the media spoke about Baidu to open a local office.

Africa & Middle East Since 2013

Baidu signed a partnership with French company Orange.

Arabic countries seem also targeted by Baidu.

As of today, no special effort has been made to reach the USA. The only action was back in November 2010 with the creation of Baidu USA LLC (Baidu U.S), a research and development facility controlled by Baidu Japan Inc.

According to the map provided by Baidu, Latin America should be the next target.

Like Tencent, Baidu is right now open to acquisitions helping to become a leader in mobile services.

 

Sources:

Baidu

The Next Web, URL: http://thenextweb.com/la/2012/07/27/chinese-web-titan-baidu-dips-into-brazil-with-portuguese-version-of-hao123-directory/

Chinese Users: Always On!

Beijing Subway: Chinese Internet users always connected!

We already explained reasons for high involvement of the Chinese Internet users.

Happy New Year of the Snake!

 

Year of the Snake 

Water Element 

Privacy, Terms & Security: WeChat vs. Facebook

Back in 2010, at the time to set the strategy for global expansion, Tencent Management and external consultants had in mind what the users are looking for. To compete against other existing app, WeChat had to offer a new experience.

Read about why WeChat respects more privacy than Facebook.

Terms are under investigation. More to come!

Chat Mobile App in Africa: MXit under threat of WeChat? 1 million coming!

Equipment in smartphone in Africa is low. Therefore, African players like Mxit, the current leader, have an advantage of the habits of the users.

In countries with more smartphones like South Africa, Chinese app WeChat is gaining users. VALUE2020 consultants estimate that the total population of WeChat users will reach 1 million this semester.

WeChat’s enormous size (15MB), however, works against it, especially in Africa where data is expensive and speeds might be very slow at times.

Learn about WeChat Marketing

See a World Map

Protected: Strategy to Use the Right Social Media to Market your Brand in China and more: WeChat & Sina Weibo

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10 Ways To Convert Your Facebook Fans Into WeChat Followers (Strategy) – Part 1

1/ Make your customers or targets download and use the application launching games or contests

2/ Display the WeChat QR Code both online (posted on websites & social media) and offline (visible on physical stores)

Part 2 here!