On June 20, 2018, Tencent released the latest WeChat version (6.7.0) on iOS. The updates significantly affect marketers’ operations on the platform.
The biggest change is that WeChat subscription accounts are now formatted to display more of a Facebook-style news feed.
What other changes emerged in WeChat version 6.7.0? Let us explain 7 of the most significant updates:
1. Subscription Accounts: Names List Turns to News feed
Before Update
- Previously, the Subscription Accounts tab displayed only the names of the accounts you follow along with the truncated title of the company’s latest article.
- The red notification numbers signified unread articles from the related account.
After Update
- Now, the articles from your subscribed accounts are displayed in a more intuitive content feed with a headline and header image.
- Each account can show just one headline and image at a time in your feed. The remaining articles are accessible by clicking on the account name.
- The article’s timestamp now appears on the news feed.
- The news feed also displays how many of your WeChat friends have read the article.
Impact of Update
- Users’ reading experience is improved.
- There are greater strategy requirements for the lead article title and image.
- The reading rate may decrease for non-lead articles.
- A push notification will appear when a followed Subscription Account posts a new article.
- Content is given greater emphasis than brand awareness.
2. Account Information: “Type” removed, “Unfollow” added
Before Update
- Previously, the Account Information page introduced the brand, registered business name and verification status of the account.
- More information and functions were also available under the top-right corner ellipses button.
After Update
- The Account Information page has been simplified:
- “Type” has been removed.
- “Unfollow” has been added.
- The article number and the number of users’ friends following the same account now appear in “View.”
- A verified Subscription Account may display 3 top articles and 3 service tabs on the Account Information page.
Impact of Update
- “Unfollow” is more convenient for users.
- Account following may be affected by friends’ behaviors.
- There is greater emphasis on content and service and less emphasis on verification ID.
3. Greater Emphasis on Original Articles and Authors
Before Update
- Original articles were marked with the original label.
- The author name was displayed in grey beside the label.
- The end of the article shows how many users read that article and gave a thumbs-up.
After Update
- The article leads with the original label and author name.
- A timestamp is now at the bottom of the article.
- Thumbs-up and readers appear on both sides of the article.
Impact of Update
- There is greater emphasis on protecting accounts and author copyright.
- There is greater emphasis on writing original articles.
4. Improved Communication with Followers
Before Update
- Previously, it was easy for users to ignore or miss push notifications.
After Update
- Now, push notifications appear in two places:
- At the top of the Subscription Account message page
- On the notification list to check previous messages from official accounts
Impact of Update
- The chat function between the brand and followers has been improved, facilitating better communication and stronger relationships with followers.
5. New Feature: WeChat Search Bar on Every Page
- A universal search bar is now always present at the top of each WeChat page, through which users can easily find information, music, novels, etc. from a series of Tencent products.
General Search
Subscription Account Message Search Articles
Official Accounts Search
Impact
- WeChat will become another important search engine.
- Marketers may reference keywords and search trends.
6. New Feature: Floating Window
- If you haven’t finished reading an article and you want to reply to a WeChat message, you may now press the ellipses button (in the top-right corner) and choose the floating window function.
- This will minimize the article to a small circle that can be dragged anywhere on the screen.
- Users can press to open the article again or drag it down to the bottom right corner to remove the floating window.
7. New Feature: Search within a Page
- This is a convenient function that searches keywords within a page.
- You may input up to 33 characters to search keywords, which appear in highlighted format.
