WeChat has launched a new mini-program that act as
“apps-within-apps.” Users don’t need to
download them to use them, which saves time and space on phones. Users pay through WeChat for products
featured in these small mini-programs.
These programs keep people within the WeChat platform since they don’t
have to transfer to a different app to conduct a transaction.
This expanding the WeChat ecosystem, which already allows
booking hotels and buying movie tickets.
An interesting development and one I think may influence the way we buy
online.
Our China agency ran a successful campaign in WeChat last
year selling Centrum vitamins using WeChat.
It allowed people to buy Centrum for their family members as a holiday
gift and share their purchase with others.
Their friends and networks could see that they had just bought a healthy
gift for their parents.
As we see in-social purchases expand and increase, like with
WeChat, I wonder if we will see a new consumption behavior develop – viral
referrals. In the social space, we are
connected to people through a variety of relationships that makes our network
webs increasingly complex. Making a
purchase in a social platform and sharing the purchase activity on our profiles
will start to act as a signal to others in our network.
Other blog posts have noted the trends around online ads
being skipped and the use of banners declining.
As these methods of digital advertising continue to be avoided by
consumers, I imagine we will see the socially-amplified purchase behavior serve
as an ad vehicle -- driving awareness
for the product or services, as well as providing credibility for the purchase. Data can be used to track purchase
influencers and special offers can be designed to entice influencers and
targeted to specific influencers in unique product areas. If it gets rid of pop-ups once and for all, I’m
all for it!
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