
FlowBeijing
In this article you will be guided through the process of creating a WeChat Official Account:
Since its launch in 2011, WeChat has become a must-have mobile app and a vital aspect of everyday life in China. WeChat Official Accounts were introduced as a special kind of WeChat account for businesses, quickly becoming an essential marketing tool to increase brand awareness, build relationships and communicate with clients in China. WeChat analytics is now a powerful tool to gain insight into the audience’s behavior and demographics.
Setting up an official WeChat account is a multi-step process. Typically Tencent will process your application within 1-5 business days for Mainland China companies and 5-10 business days for all others.
Please note: With an ever-increasing number of application submissions, Tencent processes accounts on a case-by-case basis. You might encounter some variations during your application process.
If your business is registered in China, it has a greater chance of being approved, in a shorter period of time and at a lower cost. If your business is not registered in China, you either need to have a third-party Chinese business license or use your international business license.
Note: WeChat official account features will be limited when using an international account and there is a higher risk of it not being approved.
Visit the WeChat Official Account Platform page and click “Register Now” at the top.
Choose the type of Official Account that you would like to set up.
Input the email that you will be using to login and manage your WeChat Official Account. WeChat will send you a verification code here.
Choose the country where your business is registered. If you are using a third-party local license, select “China Mainland”.
You will need to provide the following:
It is required to have a unique account name without spaces and special characters. This should be your business name. Only alphanumeric and Chinese characters are permitted. If someone is already using your chosen account name, you will need to choose a different one. You can only change your account name twice per year.
Your account is now registered! Now you must verify it.
For verification, you will be asked to fill in a form and provide additional company information, such as:
If you have other legal documents to provide, e.g., company landline statement, business permits, etc., you can upload it in this verification process.
If your brand name is trademarked, use the trademark option and upload the relevant documentation. If you are a news agency, use the media name option and upload your Broadcast license. Otherwise, choose the optional vocabulary which will give you freedom to put your desired WeChat official account name.
This step is for businesses registered in Mainland China. For all others, this step does not apply to you.
For those registered in Mainland China, scan the QR code and pay 300 RMB to verify your account. For all others, enter the bank account information and pay $99 USD.
Typically Tencent will process your application within 1-5 business days for Mainland China companies and 5-10 days for all others.
While Tencent is processing your application you can still access you account, set a profile picture and change the account name (remember you can only change it twice per year). You will not be able to post or use WeChat pay until it is verified.
Tencent will email you when you account is approved (or rejected). Congratulations! Start gaining followers and pushing content!
FlowBeijing