Tag: WeChat

China – The WeChat mini-game advertising sector is experiencing rapid expansion, with the number of games running ads surging by 113% year-over-year (YoY), according to the latest joint report from SolarEngine and Insightrackr.

According to the report, between January and October 2024, over 18,400 WeChat mini-games launched ad campaigns, more than doubling from 8,600 in 2023. By year-end, the total hit 19,937, nearly doubling from 10,300 the previous year, underscoring the sector’s rapid growth.

Ad creatives also saw a 107% YoY increase, reaching 3.7 million from January to October 2024, up from 1.8 million in the same period last year. The full-year total is projected to hit 4.3 million, reflecting the growing scale of mini-game advertising.

The report notes that this growth reflects expanding opportunities for developers within China’s evolving mobile gaming ecosystem.

The report also highlights a growing reliance on low-cost, high-volume ad creatives, shaping distinct trends in the WeChat mini-game advertising landscape. Image-based ads make up 55.9% of mini-game ads, while video accounts for 44.1%—a notable contrast to the 59.4% video adoption in standard mobile games.

Vertical ads dominate at 61%, followed by horizontal (35.3%) and square (3.7%) formats. Meanwhile, only 5.3% of mini-game ads feature real-person elements, significantly lower than the 10.6% seen in broader mobile game advertising.

While cost efficiency and quick turnaround remain key priorities, the report indicates that higher-quality creative optimisation could become a competitive advantage. As competition grows in WeChat mini-game advertising, data-driven creative strategies may play a crucial role in enhancing user engagement and conversion rates.

Rita Ju, head of SolarEngine, said, “The WeChat mini-game space is undergoing a massive transformation, offering developers a lucrative, fast-growing advertising environment. As advertising intensity increases, it’s critical for developers to not only focus on creative innovation but also to leverage data-driven insights and precise marketing analysis. Tools that enable high-quality user behaviour analysis, precise targeting, and efficient data integration are becoming crucial for success.”

Beijing, China –  Mastercard announced that its cardholders can link their cards to WeChat Pay, or as it’s known locally, ‘Weixin Pay’, a mobile payment service within the WeChat app, as a new payments option that further improves the digital payment experience of foreign visitors to the country.

Expanding on a partnership established in 2019 that offers enhanced digital payment solutions, the latest development gives Mastercard full access to WeChat Pay’s merchant network in China and provides a safe and convenient way for international travelers to pay when traveling around the Chinese Mainland.

The extended merchant network includes categories such as dining, transportation, shopping, accommodation, and more. International travelers with Mastercard cards can now utilize multiple payment methods through the app, such as QR codes, payment codes, mini programs, and in-app payments.

In their press release, Mastercard stated, “For merchants, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, the Weixin Pay-Mastercard tie up gives them more opportunities to transact with international travelers who now have access to one of the most widely accepted payment methods in China, allowing them to get around easily, without hassle.”