Record some recent thoughts on Douyin and WeChat
1 What is Wechat and Douyin?
WeChat is a mobile instant text and voice messaging communication service and has become an important social media platform in China[1].
Douyin a social networking app for creating and sharing 15 seconds to one minute videos by which users can use a variety of filters, BGM (background Music) and lip-synching templates to communicate to the online community of viewers[2,3].
2 Why choose WeChat and Douyin?
WeChat and Douyin are the two main sources of information for Chinese students.
2.1 WeChat
By this year, WeChat monthly active users have exceeded 1.1 billion[4].
With 1.4 billion people across the country, WeChat monthly active users have reached 1.1 billion, making it the most popular APP in China. This makes WeChat the best choice for us to contact prospective students in mainland China.
WeChat currently has 1.5 million monthly Australian users[5].
WeChat is also very good tools to provide graduate application information and consulting services to undergraduates already studying in Australia (e.g. our current undergraduate student, transfer student from other institutions, or other normal users in Australia).
An ordinary use’s official account [5]
In a first post, an user wrote in Chinese: “I hope to establish closer channels of communication with Chinese Australians through this WeChat account to present my work and national policies.”
2.2 Douyin
According to the latest data report released by Douyin in January 2020, Douyin’s daily active users have reached 400 million, and Douyin users spend an average of 76 minutes per day browsing videos [6]. These data reflect that Douyin has become a highly viscous and highly active platform like WeChat and Weibo [7].
In terms of qualifications of the users, Douyin has higher qualifications users, with first- and second-tier cities accounting for 50% [6]. This shows that Douyin’s users have high income levels.
After March 2020, the number of Douyin users has increased significantly. QuestMobile released the “2020 China Mobile Internet Spring Report”. The report pointed out that the number of monthly active users of the mobile Internet in March 2020 exceeded 1.156 billion. The average monthly usage time per person per day increased from 5.6 hours last year to 7.2 hours, an increase of 28.6% [8].
2.3 What is the difference between WeChat and Facebook Messenger/ WhatsApp?
You cannot log in to Facebook/WhatsApp in China.
Due to long-term use habits and social circles, this is why most Chinese students are not used to using Facebook.
2.4 What is the difference between Douyin and Instagram?
You cannot log in to Instagram in China.
Other similar Questions
What is the difference between Douyin and Vine, Youtube, Vimeo, Tumblr, Hulu, Dailymotion?
Guess the answer.
2.5 What is the difference between Douyin and Tiktok?
Douyin can only be downloaded in China, Main users are Chinese
Tiktok can only be downloaded outside of China, Main users are outside of mainland China
The functions are similar, but the content is not interoperable.
2.6 SWOT
The advantage of WeChat: Chinese students use it every day
Disadvantages: too many, but no choice.
Douyin
3 How to use our social apps
3.1 Sources of people Team Panda may currently serve
According to the data from the Ministry of Education of China, in 2017, 608,400 Chinese students chose to study abroad [9]. In 2018, the total number of Chinese students studying abroad reached 662,100[10], China is still the world’s largest source of international students[9].
Team Panda serve students from the following sources.
| Sources | students |
|---|---|
| Oracle | Students who have received an offer – Oracle List |
| Current Student | In the WeChat group, current students who plan to apply for our honours or master’s programs |
| Inbound Call / CMCS Enquiries | We will also add WeChat to facilitate follow-up. |
3.2 WeChat
| service | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic consulting services | Serving students who have received an offer in the Oracle list. Inbound Phone enquiry, Wechat followed up. |
| 2 | WeChat group- Application information promotion | Serving current undergraduates and encouraging them to apply for master’s program |
| 3 | WeChat group - Post other theme information | Remind freshmen to enroll on time, Precautions during the epidemic. |
3.3 Dingding Meeting
An app like Zoom.
Regularly organize Hot students online meetings to answer questions that students are particularly concerned about. Including: Newcastle study abroad safety issues, introduction of Online Course, etc.
3.4 Content published on Douyin
Example 1 Theme video
- Promotional video of Online ELICOS
- How to apply for a master’s promotional video
- Newly established scholarship promotion video
- New Program promotion video (For example, MBA Global)
- Life information: Accommodation, transportation
- Experience sharing: how to enroll, how to select courses (classic and repetitive questions)
Example 2-Douyin Video Contest
You and Me in the Epidemic Douyin Video Contest
4 Some examples of Douyin
University of Melbourne – Agent Post
When you talk about RANKING.
When you talk about RESEARCH
University of Canberra post
When you talk about OPEN DAY.
University of Sydney – Student Post
When you talk about your CAMPUS.
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[1] C.H. Lien, Y. Cao, Examining WeChat users’ motivations, trust, attitudes, and positive word-of-mouth: Evidence from China, Comput. Hum. Behav. 41 (2014) 104–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.08.013.
[2] B. Omar, W. Dequan, Watch, share or create: The influence of personality traits and user motivation on TikTok mobile video usage, (2020).
[3] X. Lu, Z. Lu, Fifteen Seconds of Fame: A Qualitative Study of Douyin, A Short Video Sharing Mobile Application in China, in: G. Meiselwitz (Ed.), Soc. Comput. Soc. Media Des. Hum. Behav. Anal., Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2019: pp. 233–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21902-4_17.
| [4] 2019微信年度数据报告的分析洞察 | 人人都是产品经理, (n.d.). http://www.woshipm.com/evaluating/3310778.html (accessed August 12, 2020). |
[5] Scott Morrison joins China’s WeChat ahead of federal election, SBS News. (n.d.). https://www.sbs.com.au/news/scott-morrison-joins-china-s-wechat-ahead-of-federal-election (accessed August 12, 2020).
| [6] 现在做抖音来得及吗？2020年最新抖音运营攻略 | 人人都是产品经理, (n.d.). http://www.woshipm.com/operate/3416704.html (accessed August 2, 2020). |
[7] 微博-随时随地发现新鲜事, (n.d.). https://weibo.com/login.php (accessed August 12, 2020).
[8] 2020年春季报告：抖音用户规模达5.18亿人次，女性用户占比57%_游戏陀螺, (n.d.). https://www.youxituoluo.com/524829.html (accessed August 12, 2020).
[9] 中国去年出国留学人数首破60万_滚动新闻_中国政府网, (n.d.). http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2018-04/01/content_5278951.htm (accessed August 12, 2020).
[10] 2019年中国出国留学人数、留学归国人数及留学意向地区分布占比[图]_中国产业信息网, (n.d.). https://www.chyxx.com/industry/202001/828614.html (accessed August 12, 2020).
