Apple and Wechat Agreeing to Restore ‘tipping’ Feature

Apple and Wechat are bringing the tipping function back after reaching a deal on sharing

WHAT ARE THE NEW MODELS OF E-COMMERCE INTRODUCED IN WECHAT THROUGH WECHAT MINI PROGRAMS?

In an attempt to revolutionize mobile apps in China, creator of WeChat Tencent offered WeChat Mini Programs just last year as the “upgraded version” of mobile apps. Mini Programs are low memory apps located inside the WeChat app and can be used such as normal apps without the need to install in the device.

When the Wechat Mini Programs came out, it became such as big hit among Wechat users. In fact, according to 2018 statistics, WeChat Mini Programs garnered a total of 170 million daily users with 50% of the users come from the lower tier cities. Also, by January 2018, a total of 580,000 Mini Programs were made for the users to enjoy.

The most amazing thing about Mini Programs is that they are exactly like apps but easier to use and not heavy on the phone memory. There are Mini Programs for stock market monitoring, taxi booking, hotel booking, flight booking, and most recently, Wechat eCommerce stores. Slowly, Mini Programs may possibly replace actual mobile apps like the ones you download from Google Play.

The Introduction of eCommerce In Mini Programs
Just like regular apps, various developers in China have been experimenting with different kinds of Wechat eCommerce models. According to general manager of Wechat Open Platform Hu Renjie, there are three models of eCommerce found in the Wechat Mini Program market. These are:

Platform eCommerce

Platform companies have been seen creating Wechat eCommerce platform in the Mini Programs itself to promote their stores. They make their own Mini Programs so that they can take advantage of the big user base that Wechat has.

Brand eCommerce

These platforms refer to membership type of systems that allow points, purchases, coupons, and other types of special member privileges for those who want to become loyal members. They also have group deals and other special discounts for members.

Content eCommerce

Content eCommerce refers to original content that is related to eCommerce. Content companies make use of Mini Programs so that they can spread their promotions throughout Wechat. Although this is not as widespread as the other two platforms, Wechat will also look into helping these types.

Each of these platforms makes use of the revolutionary Mini Program market because of the untapped oil well of followers found there. Since Wechat has about 900 million users or more with a lot of them using Wechat Mini Programs, businesses can tap into this big user base to sell their products, their services, and their memberships.

The Technology That Mini Programs Use
Aside from Mini Programs riding on the technology of the Wechat platform, it also makes heavy use of QR code technology and the existing Wechat Pay platform. For example, KFC has its own Mini Program that works pretty much like the existing KFC app. Customers of KFC will be given a QR code that can be scanned by their Wechat apps. This will allow them to access the KFC Mini Program where they can order from KFC and check out promos.

Aside from QR code technology, Mini Programs also ride on the Wechat Pay system to pay for whatever purchases that customers make while using the app. For example, if you’re paying for in-game purchases when you play a game, you can use the Wechat Pay digital wallet to make the transaction. That way, you won’t have to worry about using your card.

Enhancing KOL Sales Campaigns And Social eCommerce
With regard to KOL sales campaigns, eCommerce platforms will have a really swell time using Mini Programs for promotion. In fact, luxury boutiques have made their own Mini Programs for successful campaigns. Examples of retailers like these are Gogoboi and Shiliupo. More boutiques and online stores are expected to benefit from Mini Programs as the platform develops itself.

Of course, we’ve also got social eCommerce on the table. With social eCommerce (like Wechat eCommerce shop), local shops can help give customers a good shopping experience. This can also be done through Mini Programs. Their Mini Programs will give a more interactive shopping UX for existing customers.

Conclusion
With Wechat Mini Programs probably becoming the next biggest thing in China, we can anticipate the eCommerce industry to boost even further. In fact, maybe Wechat eCommerce will become a separate entity in itself. Probably the only challenge that Wechat may be facing would be how to further promote the use of Wechat eCommerce through Mini Programs. However, Wechat seems to be addressing that pretty well. With the growth and development of Mini Programs, we can expect the overall Wechat eCommerce statistics to increase over time.

SHOULD I CHOOSE A SITE BUILDER OR WORDPRESS FOR MY WEDDING BUSINESS WEBSITE?

Almost every service provided in the wedding industry needs an online presence. Professionals rightly wonder which type of site they should opt for. The most frequent dilemma is deciding between WordPress and other website builders.

SO, YOU ASK: WHICH ONE IS BETTER FOR YOUR WEDDING PROJECT, A SITE BUILDER OR WORDPRESS?

Understanding the way these platforms work can provide you with an answer or at least, help you gain insight into their very nature. Unlike Squarespace or Weebly, which are website builders, WordPress is actually an open-source platform. That means the commercial restrictions are virtually non-existent and your project can be hosted anywhere. That alone can be a reason enough to prevail in its favor.

SYSTEMS SUCH AS SQUARESPACE AND WORDPRESS ARE EQUALLY ESTEEMED.

Yet, these content management systems do differ in several aspects.

First of all, being in the wedding industry demands creativity. This is where WordPress features outweigh those of Squarespace or Weebly. Its customizability makes it the most popular platform of this kind in the world because thousands of widgets, themes and plugins work visual miracles.

On the other hand, Squarespace offers fewer themes than WordPress does but quantity and quality in this instance come with strings attached. Unlike WordPress, Squarespace is cloud-based and that means everything is pre-installed and downloaded. Squarespace is generally a lot easier to use, especially for people who do not have any or have very little experience in website building.

Being a cloud-based platform, Squarespace comes with a massive drawback, though. All updates and installments are done automatically so the moment the system goes down, your project is likely to go down with it. Conversely, WordPress is being continuously maintained and this can save you a lot of time and nerves.

ON TOP OF THAT, WORDPRESS BRINGS THE CREATIVE EXPERIENCE TO THE MAXIMUM.

The themes (so-called “skins”) WordPress employs support a range of website types – publications, blogs, online stores etc. Along with the plugins – tools for social sharing or e-commerce payment systems, WordPress delivers unparalleled customizability and functionality ideal for building an online wedding project.

SO, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE PURPOSE OF YOUR PROJECT.

What is the name of your game? Are you a blogger? Then, the ease of use Squarespace offers could be the right solution.

One thing is irrefutable – Squarespace is characterized by its overall simplicity and usability. But, as with any other business, you want to think ahead and minimize your website’s flaws in the long run. This is exactly why WordPress is a safer bet.

Wedding industry is an ever-growing one. The services you provide need to be presented with a dose of responsibility and professionalism. WordPress is fully-featured and depending on your desired content, the complexity it offers exceeds any other platform.

The bottom line is that with WordPress, you have the upper hand in the business you are trying to pitch. This top-notch web publishing system exceeds any other on the market by enabling unrivaled performances suitable for any kind of online business and weddings are no exception.

HOW TO SET UP A WECHAT SHOP

If you are not a regular WeChat user, you might be wondering what the entire stuff all about is. Here is some important information that might help you get some ideas on it.

What is a WeChat Shop?
It is an e-commerce platform that exists within the WeChat App. A majority of Chinese consumers in today’s date make use of this app in order to purchase and consume different things. It is a mobile website that can help in connecting with the official account of WeChat.

How to register and setup WeChat shop?
If you want to reach your target of Chinese consumers, you should certainly think of setting up this shop. There are some steps involved in opening a WeChat store. Based on whether you have a Chinese business or a Non-Chinese business, the step might be different. However, it is an easy step where you can set up the shop through a 3rd party ecommerce platform. This can include anything from Youzan, WalkTheChat, Weidian, JD.com and Lewaimai.

The best part about these platforms is that they are very easy to use. Even if, you are a first time user, things will not be difficult for you and you can Create WeChat shop to reach your Chinese consumers. You will get lots of supportive user interface along with multiple payment methods. This is not the end. The app is supported by lots of other features that will blow your mind.

Below is a list of some of the features of the platforms that will help you easily walk through the process of opening WeChat shopping mall.

YouShop: In this platform, they accept 5 different methods of payment methods and these are absolutely for free. The methods of payment include WeChat payment, as well. The platform comes with an English version and the interface is easy to use.

Youzan: It accepts around 4 different methods of payment, which also include WeChat payment. The platform is available with several features and it has around 5000 RMB/year. The best thing about this platform is that the design can be customized and it includes lots of menus and music.

JD.com: This store accepts around 2 free payment methods with WeChat Pay and COD. This trusted platform comes with a good User interface due to which it will not be difficult even for a first time user.

Lewaimai: The platform supports 4 different payment methods, but it is ideal for food delivery stores. It even comes with the feature of GPRS.

By now you must have got an idea of the overall process. Thus, you can now Open WeChat shop and increase the numbers of your customers.

IS DOUYIN THE NEXT BIG PLACE FOR BRAND MARKETING IN CHINA?

Launched in 2016, Douyin is on the path of becoming the most popular short video app in China. Owned by ByteDance the app is based on another app owned by ByteDance i.e. Musical.ly which is very popular in rest of the world especially in the US. The app allows the users to create 15-second videos and provide a huge collection of background songs and dialogues. It has amazing filters and editing tools which help the users to create high-quality content. There are many other features which are attracting more users like Live videos.

The increase in popularity
There are many other applications that run on the same concept but the strategically planted advertisements and better features helped Douyin to grab the topmost position in the market leaving other apps like Kuaishou, Miaopai, and Haokan Shepin behind. In August 2017, the app crossed 1 billion views on videos which were a great achievement in a very short span of time.

KOL love Douyin
The team behind the app did not leave any single chance to attract Key Opinion Leaders or KOLs. As the app gained popularity more KOLs started using the app which further attracted more users in form of their followers. Douyin has special events for KOLs and also give them monthly incentives in form of gifts etc.

The Generation Z’s favorite app
As the technology is getting advanced, the younger generation with age group 18-24 better known as the Generation Z wants to have applications that provide entertainment but do not waste their time as well. This young generation loves to multitask and longer videos are a big hurdle in it. Thus apps like Douyin became their preferred app. Douyin’s user base has around 33% of Generation Z users. Also, the application is famous in all sections of the society and even in smaller cities as well. It has attracted women from all age groups as well and a good percentage of KOLs are women on the app.

Cheaper options
Using Douyin is not at all expensive for anyone. All income groups can use Douyin to make quality content without using any additional software etc. The app provides a special platform for the brands and companies to promote their goods and services on the app via short videos. These brands often collaborate with KOLs and take advantage of their reach. In return, the KOLs are paid in terms of goods and money.

The live video feature is gaining popularity among the KOLs especially for promoting brands. They combine their entertainment streak and subtlety promotes the brand while interacting with the followers. Some of the live videos are direct promotions as well. Even the big brands like Audi, Pizza Hut, and Michael Kors are exploring the platform in extreme possible ways.

The problems with Douyin
Although the platform is perfect for brand promotions there are many issues which are worrisome for the brands, KOLs and general users. It has been noticed in past that apps disappear from the market without any notification. The way Douyin gained popularity is not normal for any market and despite being backed by a large corporate house; there will always be some fear that app will leave the market.

Another problem which brands are facing is the fake KOLs. There are a lot of people who are exploiting the loopholes in the code of the application to gain followers unethically. There are services who charge for providing followers as well. The problem is that majority of them are fake profiles. Paying heavy amount to these fake KOLs result in a major financial loss for the brands. The app has to take drastic steps to remove such fake accounts.

Conclusion
Douyin is one of the best ways for the brands to explore social media platforms and reach new groups of customers at a very affordable price. However, it is still not as big as WeChat which has way more active users than Douyin. We can only hope that in coming days the app will gain more users and address the problems faced by brands and KOLs.

THE IMPACT OF VIDEO CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY

The present era can be referred to as highly ‘socially active.’ By ‘socially active’ we mean that the usage of social media platforms today is at its peak, especially the rise of video content is one of the biggest trends on social media today. There must be only a few who aren’t there on any social media platform; otherwise, the rest of the world is crazily active on social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO IS THE MOST VIEWED CONTENT

The number of videos appearing in our newsfeeds on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. has exponentially increased. As we keep scrolling the newsfeed, a new video appears. Thus, it is pretty much evident that video content is used for almost every purpose, be it marketing a brand, awareness of a societal issue, spreading information, etc. According to TechCrunch’s report for 2016, over 8 billion videos are viewed on Facebook alone in one day and about 100 million hours of video content is viewed on Facebook every day. Big number, isn’t it?

SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO CONTENT IS MARKETERS’ FIRST PREFERENCE

Social media video content has now become one of the most powerful and effective marketing tools. People in the marketing field have adopted and they practically follow the phrase that says, “actions speak louder than words.” This is true from all depths that what our eyes see leave a deeper influence as compared to using words. Therefore, TV advertisements, promotional videos, campaigning videos have become more and more common as they are the most effective means of brand engagement.

According to Social Media Examiner’s survey, 72% of the marketers think social media video content brings them the best ROI. On average, a social media video’s organic reach is 135 percent more than a static post. Furthermore, we see many videos that are about awareness of a certain issue or are for the welfare of the animals, humans etc. People now know that words cannot be as influential as the videos!

We understand why videos are being used for marketing, promotions, awareness but ever wondered why do we see videos flooding on our newsfeeds on all our social media accounts?

Well, this is because the people today rely majorly on their social media accounts. Videos have caused social media platforms to become a place for the marketing of products, awareness of issues around the world. Almost everyone we know, companies, NGOs, individuals, etc., uses social media video content to promote their business. Through uploading videos on such platforms, the message can reach a wider audience all around the world without much effort. And not only that, it is considered as an easier way to influence the minds of the major population of the world.

According to Social Media Examiner’s report for 2016, 60% of the overall social media marketers use video content, about 14% of them used live video feature on Facebook or YouTube. 1 out of every 4 marketers or brands falls behind a video as their cornerstone content.

Social media was introduced for easy communication between friends and family members who live far away and to know what’s going on in their lives but it has now taken an altogether different shape.  Apart from social networking, the social media today has also become a wonderful platform for video marketing, spreading awareness, creating brands and many more activities.

Videos and social media together serve as the best tool to grab the attention of the world. Social media video content has become the king and is ruling all social media platforms. The world is evolving and we see innovative ideas springing up from every corner of the world. Today video content has become the most popular means of conveying messages all around, let us wait and see what the future holds, what new ways will replace the old ones!

PRO PHOTO – A PHOTOGRAPHER’S DREAM THEME MEANT FOR EVERYONE

When we talk about WordPress themes, there are some industry standards like Genesis and Thesis themes which are widely used by almost every section of the professionals. However, in case of photographers, architects and other fields where photographs and other media play a wide role in the business, these themes fail to do 100% justification to the media content. This is where themes like Pro Photo grab the market. On the first look, it may seem to be a theme designed for photographers only which are not true. The details they have taken care of while designing and coding the theme is extraordinary and you can actually use it with almost every niche.

• Tech support: For any premium theme service provider, customers are the most important part of the business. Pro Photo has a dedicated team of customer care executives who are well versed in front and back end of the themes provided by the company. They are always online and reply to the queries almost immediately.
• Automatic updates: WordPress is an evolving CMS. They keep on adding new features and upgrade it to keep it secure. If you do not log in to the admin panel for a month, you may miss executing some important updates for the plugins and themes which can be problematic. Pro Photo has the solution to the problem. It updates the system automatically and ensures your website is safe and secure.
• Images without plugin: It is a well-known fact that if you want to showcase photographs or other media on WordPress based CMS, you need additional plugins to add special effects. However, in case of Pro Photo, the theme already has enough features for the media.
• Optimized for the mobile view: Smartphone has become an essential part of everyone’s life. Most of the users browse the websites from their mobile phones only. A majority of them do not even own a laptop or desktop. This is why it is very important to have a mobile version of your website which can show the content in a compressed format and without any distortion. The Pro Photo theme provides an inbuilt mobile website interface and you do not need to do any additional coding or what so ever.
• Social Media integration: The theme provides buttons and call functions for your social media accounts as well. You can connect them to your website and make it simpler for the users to share the content on social media with adding any additional code or plugin.
• Image protection: If you are a photographer, designer, artist, or architect etc. it is very important to keep your media content under copyright on the website. The theme has an option to add watermark to your media files automatically which makes it simpler for you to add the content as you do not have to add watermark to every photograph individually.

Pro Photo theme has been around for quite some time and one of the major benefits of the theme is that they have concentrated on the details a lot. Every single minute function has been designed to ensure that the user does not feel any difficulty in managing the website.

THE STUNNING IMPACTS OF VIRTUAL REALITY THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD

Have you got hypnotized by the fascinating virtual reality? A majority of VR lovers see it as a glittering thing. No doubt, the topic about the impacts of virtual reality is so hot that it lures everyone. But do you know that it comes with a handful of benefits that are worth your attention? Well to start with, let you make familiar with what this flashy thing is all about. Virtual Reality aka VR is a computer-generated environment which allows the users to do things virtually and shows its effects in real-time.

VR makes you feel like you are watching the real world around you, where you can see, hear, play, walk and do many things that you actually do in the real life. Let’s shed more light on the amazing impacts of virtual reality that leave on our lives.

1. VR HAS TOUCHED EVERY SPHERE OF OUR LIVES

Virtual reality has come a far way off in our lives and has touched many industries. The positive impacts of virtual reality have left many fields stunned with its useful effects that are not less than a blessing. To name a few, entertainment and gaming industries are the prominent ones. The reason is that a user wants to be a part of the scenario while watching a movie or beating a villain. Learning from it, tech giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon and various others are trying to incorporate VR in their product offering and developing the platforms, so as to attract more and more users. These changes are paving the way to bring a revolution in the way you experience the world around you.

2. VIRTUAL REALITY PUSHES LIMITS LIKE EVER IMAGINED

Virtual reality lets you push your limits beyond imagination. Till now, users have been limited by space, time and medium but VR breaks these thresholds. The usage of the internet will not be confined to just a small screen of your desktop or laptop. With this mind-blowing technology of virtual reality, you can go beyond and use 5, 10, 15 or whatever number of screens you want. Interestingly, one of the positive impacts of virtual reality is that it’s going to make you feel independent, independent of the hardware you use. The content on the web will not be constrained by the hardware as anything could become the viewing window for you. Hail the VR with lots of praises, won’t you?

3. VR PAVES WAY TO BETTER BUSINESS-CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP

From the business point of view, the impact of virtual reality can bring a boom as this is going to revolutionize the way brands connect with the customers. They will be having a whole new medium. Virtual reality also allows information to be displayed in ways you have never imagined before. If the technology gets to mass adoption and is linked with the web, miraculous things could happen. It will change the web design landscapes like anyone has ever predicted before. Resultant? Better relations with customers, eventually, giving them a feeling of fulfilling.

4. VIRTUAL REALITY IS THE MOST USER-FRIENDLY OPTION AROUND

Internet, which has become a necessity of everyone’s life, can do wonders if collaborates with this newest form of technology. From searching the Internet to browsing websites, VR is going to make things handy for the users. It would bring to your table an enhanced browsing experience that you will vouch for. What more you could ask for than exploring the Internet world in the loveliest way that doesn’t bother your hands? Using this platform, informing, educating, connecting and entertaining the people around the globe would be easier than ever.

In synergy with VR, the user experience will be polished up for better. It will be like an icing on the cake for the users. After all, everyone is willing to improvise, develop and beautify the experience of living. They won’t mind greeting VR in their lives with both the hands as it brings many positive impacts to our lives.

THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE POSITIONING OF WECHAT MINI-PROGRAM

After opening multiple portals for the Alipay mini-program, Alibaba took a step further and invested heavily in mini-programs. After 25th of Jan, the news was already circulating that the mobile-based Taobao will launch its mini-programs in March. If that news ring true, it means that Alibaba will put two core resources to deal with the mini-programs competition.

The industry commonly believes that in order to compete against Wechat’s weekly success of 580,000 mini-programs and 170 million active users, Alibaba must now utilize this double-edged strategy for the late market entry gap. Certain groups also point out that Alibaba’s new interest and enthusiasm in the mini-program market doesn’t act as a single-minded competition strategy targeting Tencent alone, it paves the way for a new retail concept too.

One year ago, Tencent’s mini-programs was born unprecedentedly with a silver spoon. Within that single year, mini-programs were capable of releasing 32 times and add up to 100 items. Releases were made at an average once every one and the half-week while daily users reached 170 million with a total of more than 580,000. Mini-programs are not only accepted in first and second-tier cities, the coverage was about 50% in third and fourth-tier cities as well as those below. Meanwhile, the number of backend development users (businesses + individuals) has exceeded one million. Excluding specific industries, the majority of the mini-programs can be up selling on the market platform within two hours. With a third party platform of about 2300, games that are released with a mere duration of a month can retain 65% of their users the next day, 52% within the next 7 days while the 2017 average user retention rate is at 4 %.

However, being a light app, What's mini-programs isn’t first of its kind and light apps are nothing new. Way before Wechat, there was Facebook, Baidu and UC, each launching their own light app products. Nonetheless, after Wechat announced its mini-programs, the come-to-stay factor and the heavy traffic allows the app to be continuously revisited, attracting users of the newer generation, positioning it as a competitor to all other light apps.

In fact, Wechat’s mini-programs weren’t as smooth smailing this whole year. When it was just launched, it peaked till 98,000 but its heat dropped to 140,000. Some of the companies even gave up the development of mini-programs, branding it tasteless and a failure.

The data show that as of June 2017, the number of Wechat mini-program users increased exponentially. Since April, Tencent has continuously updated Wechat’s mini-program, opening up various capabilities such as allowing entry through QR Scans, supporting third-party platforms usage, adding data analysis features, allowing all official accounts to access to mini-programs, and lower the hassle during the registration of mini-programs. Meanwhile, ever since May, Tencent increased their mini-programs forwarding capabilities, improve jumping from official accounts to mini-programs, offers custom keyword searches and adds mini- program links via group chat platforms.

Regardless of the outcome, Tencent doesn’t overhype the mini-programs. With a slight restraint of expansion in place, Zhang Xiaolong, senior executive vice president of Tencent Group and president of WeChat Business Group, has repeatedly stressed that mini-programs will not replace native apps and will not have a centralized flow of traffic, making it appear less of a threat.

Alibaba is the most successful low-key mini-program provider, having the best app ecosystem. After launching mini-programs last September, Alipay welcomed it first large-scale release of its mini-programs the early of January. In this release, Alipay announces neighboring mini-programs, jumping between mini-programs, the notifications center, industry channels, aid in data entry, custom user data analysis etc.

Besides opening up different entry points, Alipay also provides data assistants and screenshot user analysis. At the same time, Alipay included third-party mini-programs, while its ISV is capable of issuing bots to an open third-party platform to help businesses, organizations, and operations. If you were to judge base on the perspective of its release, the steps they have taken are in a similar order with Wechat’s mini-programs.

As for this, Alipay is quite smart. Compared with Tencent, Alipay isn’t as good in products. Hence, rather than allocating a large amount of cash to get it done, they go with the rhythm. An anonymous insider did mention to the Beijing News team that Alipay is more inclined to connect members and credit systems since it stays true to their brand.

However, Alibaba is not easily satisfied. After Alipay’s mini-programs were released, there was news that their mobile department Taobao is developing on mini-programs as well and is expected to release in March, with its pre-release hinted right after spring.

The insider also reveals that the mobile, Taobao joins the market of mini-programs to enhance connectivity. Since the inclusion of live moments, mini Taobao and Taobao headlines, the mobile usage of Taobao has become fragmented and diverse, so it really requires a quick come-and- go platform for users to execute their desired action. As for this, mini-programs have the swiftness required to bring an outstanding performance.

Although mobile Taobao’s release is not officially confirmed, famous data analyst Liu DaPeng views that Alibaba and Tencent launch their mini-programs in their attempt to create their own ecosystem and uses the traffic to attract businesses to sign up so as to get more users and user data. Compared with Alipay, Taobao has a better personalized connectivity with users, making it a wiser choice for the development of mini-programs.

THE E-COMMERCE BATTLE

Why is Alibaba so keen in developing mini-programs? The industry believes that mini-programs acts as a new breeding ground for online merchants and budding retailers. At the e-commerce level, Lynx and Taobao are the two core products of Alibaba’s. With mini-programs the potential to be third, next strong force for the offline market, it even allows offline transactions and payments to be made, making it a necessity in the eyes of Alibaba.

For Tencent, mini-programs are also an opportunity for e-commerce. according to the Aladdin Index Retail List, decentralized retail concepts like mini-programs are important in the ecosystem. Of the top ten mini-programs released by Aladdin in December 2017, 5 of the top ten mini-programs are business related. At the same time, in Wechat’s 2017 Data Report, e-commerce mini-programs are one of the five major industry categories with the highest monthly visit. According to Hu Renjie, Vice President of WeChat Open Platform Foundation, 95% of the e-commerce providers have ventured into mini-programs, such as JingDong, PingDuoDuo, Mogujie etc.

There are indications that Zhang Xiao Long’s phrase “mini-programs are not specifically prepared for the e-commerce market” seems more like a positive nod towards its capabilities. In November 2017, Tencent also insists that it's not aggressively attacking businesses by opting for e-commerce. Businesses need not be that afraid of the customer traffic outflow. They still hope to maintain their decentralized concept in promoting brands and platforms for businesses and retailers alike.

Liu DaPeng believes that for Tencent, mini-programs acts as an offensive weapon. Besides providing a better service to sign up businesses, it opens new beginnings into the e-commerce route. To Alibaba however, mini-programs acts more defensively in the shadows. Allowing existing businesses to expand into e-commerce, it functions similar to Taobao’s initial release.

He further explained that mini-programs are a new retail spot and experimental field. Through the collection of data online, it improves each retail procedure. Not limiting itself to just product-selling, it evens focuses more on the service and user experience end. This coincides with the core feature of mini-programs, that is to collect user data and translate it into services befitting all.

USB MENU INTERFACE – THE NEXT-GENERATION PERSONALIZED WEDDING VIDEOS

Everything you need to know about USB Menu Interface and it’s important for wedding video clients and vendors.

Wedding photographs and videos are among the most important part of a couple’s special day. There are a lot of aspects of the wedding which the couple and the family miss during the event and these videos and photographs are the only way to relive those moments. There was a time when wedding albums were mainly provided in printed format only along with DVDs or CDs for the videos. Yes, the wedding albums are still more charming in printed format for the photographers are now providing soft copies in CDs or DVDs as well.

THE SHIFT TO USB INTERFACE

In the last few years, the USB drives are penetrating more into the wedding business. There are a lot of benefits of providing USB drives instead of CDs or DVDs. First of you can present them in custom-made boxes. It is even possible to engrave the company information on the USB drive. These drives come in a variety of shapes and sizes and some companies even offer custom made USB drives as well. Additionally, the TV screens and home theater systems have USB compatible ports where you can play the content directly from the drives. In the end, they are extremely easy to store.

Now, in the case of CDs and DVDs, there is an option, in the beginning, to choose the particular part of the event and play it. That selection menu is called DVD Menu Interface. Unfortunately, most of the videographers do not understand its importance or do not know how to add such interface in USB drives. USB Menu Interface is an interactive autoplay file of the drive which provides the user to select a particular portion of the event or the slideshow of the images to play.

THE PROS

The main point is, it is very important to give the content a personal touch in connection with the couple. Let us discuss the benefits of the USB Menu Interface for the end user or we can say the couple.

• User-friendly: It is a fact that not all users or couples are tech savvy. No matter how advanced the technology is in this world right now, there are a few people who do not want to get in touch with it. They can be the couple themselves or the family members of the couple. With USB Menu Interface, you can make the watching experience much more user-friendly. All they need to do is to plug-in the drive on TV or computer and it will auto load the menu.

• Attractive: Think about it and imagine what you will prefer. Would you like to receive the files as just list of events or you want the drive to auto loads the menu with your photograph in the background? Of course, you will like to opt for the second option and it is same with every single user.

• More personal: There are so many options that can make it more fun to watch. You can add couple’s best photograph or a collage of photographs in the background of the menu which will give it a personal and emotional touch.

• Easier navigation: With the USB menu even a technologically challenged person can choose the event to watch without external help.

Let us now discuss the benefits for the vendors i.e. videographers, cinematographers and the photographers.

• Personalized approach: You, as a vendor, can add a lot of information on the menu. You can provide a link to your website or social media accounts. You can add a logo, the name of the company and contact information right on the menu.

• Saves time: In comparison to Blu-Ray, DVDs, and CDs, creating USB drives for product delivery is much faster.

• Quick rendering: When you convert the content to Blu-Ray, DVD or CD, it takes a lot of time to render all files in right format. It is much quicker in case of USB drives.

For any newly wedded couple, the wedding videos are the amazing ‘ray of joy’ that brings back a flood of emotions. These videos and photographs are watched repeatedly over time and USB drives are the best way to preserve them. You can not only make quick copies of the drives but the USB Menu Interface can add a special personalized touch for every couple receiving the end product.

WHY DO GLOBAL INTERNET BRANDS FAIL IN CHINA?

For most international internet brands, China is an oil mine for business since a population of 1 billion users is on the internet as per a report for 2017. This figure is expected to increase to 1.14 billion by 2022. Aside from that, China’s economy has been on the rise for the last few years and has been stable ever since.

Of course, this prompted a lot of international brands to enter the Chinese market. While the Chinese market is extremely huge and ripe for taking, it isn’t easy to penetrate. In fact, a lot of big brands that tried to enter got stomped out. Some of the big companies that failed in China include Nike, Uber, Groupon, and even Google.

Now, most people wouldn’t have thought that an internet giant like Google would become one of the business failures in China. Google, being the biggest search engine in the world, is expected to take over the Chinese market easily! However, Google found out that their services weren’t compatible with the Chinese market. The thing about Google and other international brands for that matter is that they didn’t go into China prepared. Here are a few reasons why Google failed in China:

Google didn’t have an ICP certificate which the Chinese government required.

Google couldn’t block sensitive content which rendered it not suitable under the Chinese government.

Majority of the Chinese people couldn’t really pronounce Google and couldn’t retain the brand name in their heads.

Why do global internet brands fail in China?

Aside from Google, why can’t other foreign startups in China seem to push through? There are six main reasons why they can’t grab the Chinese market:

Not Understanding the Language

The reason why local companies trump the foreign companies is that local companies know how to talk to the Chinese since they’re all Chinese too. In the Chinese language, two Chinese characters have their own separate meanings. If you put these two characters together, a whole new meaning may pop out.

Nike found out the hard way when they tried to use two Chinese characters separately when promoting their Chinese New Year brand. One character meant wealth and the other meant prosperity. Together, the word meant getting fat. This was a big fail on the part of Nike that made the locals poke fun at the brand.

Not Understanding the Culture

Chinese are very particular about their culture. If there is something that goes against their culture, they will immediately take offense and dislike it. Such is what happened to big internet brand Groupon. Although Groupon partnered with Chinese giant Tencent, they didn’t grab the Chinese market because of cultural insensitivity. They used rather inappropriate humor for some of their marketing campaign which turned off the locals.

Not Doing Market Research

Foreign companies, especially from the West, often think that the strategies that they use in their hometown can be applicable abroad as well. While they are right in some cases, China is completely different. Let’s take the big home appliance brand Home Depot for example.

In America or other Western countries, DIY repairs and maintenance are a norm, especially since most people live in big houses that are often bare and need DIY fixing. In China, however, most people live in newly furnished small apartment buildings, so they don’t need a DIY shop. Also, most people don’t do DIY in China as they usually call for labor to do the jobs for them.

Not Finding a Local Partner

We already established that entering the Chinese market is going to be really hard because the Chinese market has a completely different demographic. For this, foreign companies need to team up with a local one to succeed. If they don’t, they’ll get stomped by the competition.

Let’s take Uber China for example. Uber China decided to penetrate the Chinese market without a local partner. When they went in, they had to face an equally big ride-sharing company, Didi Chuxing. As Didi Chuxing knew the Chinese market better, they were able to stomp out Uber. Eventually, they were bought out by Didi Chuxing. If they partnered with Didi Chuxing or another local ride-sharing company in the first place, Uber China could have still penetrated the market.

Not Using Chinese Social Media

In other countries, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. are social media platforms that are all effective in promoting brands. In China, however, the locals have their own brand of social media platforms like Wechat, Weibo, and others. Most foreign startups don’t make use of the Chinese social media apps to promote their businesses. As most locals are on these apps, foreign businesses fail to take the opportunity to dig into an already existing gold mine.

Conclusion

While the Chinese market is a huge one with lots of business potential, it’s definitely not an easy one to penetrate. If foreign companies want to tap into the Chinese market, they have to study it very carefully first. If possible, they must get a local partner so that they’ll know how to navigate the environment successfully.