8 secret features on WeChat

Image credit: Cheon Fong Liew

You might have learned a bit about WeChat from my previous blog posts, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are certain features on WeChat that turn users into addicts. Apart from voice messages, voice chat, video chat, group chat, and web WeChat, there are 8 secret features on WeChat that business owners in particular will find useful.

1. Mention @someone

When you are chatting in a group on Skype or WhatsApp and you want to mention someone specific in the group, what would you do to notify that person you are referring to? It is actually impossible to do that in Skype or WhatAapp. Basically, your messages to that specific person will be drowned by other group members’ messages.

But on WeChat, if you want to mention someone in the group – you can simply type in @the name of the person you want to notify. For example: @Celine, and Celine will be notified. Easy as that!

2. QR Code = Business card

Are you still using traditional business cards? Have you ever discarded someone’s business cards as soon as you walk out the door? What if you met someone really interesting at a business event but forgot to bring your business cards?

No worries, all you need to do is show your unique QR Code to other people and they can scan your QR Code to add you to their contacts in seconds.

3. Search for people nearby

This could be the best or worst feature depending on how you use it. WeChat enables people to search for other WeChat users located within 100 meters – 20 kilometers.

If you find someone at an event that you want to connect with but don’t get a chance to talk to them, you can search for people nearby and you could find them if they are on WeChat (provided they use their own pictures as profile pictures).

Be careful, however, when using this feature. There are a lot of weirdos out there!

4. Share to Twitter, Facebook and Email

Your friends share news or a funny article with you, and you want to share it on Twitter, Facebook, or with someone else? You just need to press and hold the file, then choose from different options.

5. Share Location

Have you ever been in this situation? You and your friend arrange to meet at a place. You arrive first but your friend is struggling to find your exact location, especially at a place inside another place. In WeChat, you can simply share your real-time location with your friend so that they can see exactly where you are.

6. Record short videos

WeChat has a brand new feature that allows you to take 15 – 20 second mini videos, which you can share with your friends on WeChat, Facebook, or Twitter right away. If you want to show your products with a 360 degrees view, a mini video is perfect.

7. Multi-language animations

You probably never notice that when you chat with someone in WeChat and type in “miss you,” no matter in what language, and press send, you will see stars falling. If you type “xoxo,” you will see a rain of kisses; “happy birthday,” a rain of cakes. There are other seasonal animations too during special occasions like New Year’s, Christmas, etc.

8. Lucky money

Saving the best for last! This has to be China’s favorite feature! The whole idea came from the Chinese tradition of red envelopes. We give out red envelopes as gifts at every possible occasion, on New Year, birthdays, graduations, weddings, new jobs, and even when someone’s in the hospital.