WeChat Launches New Image Function to Compete With Little Red Book
Lv Qian | Liu Xiaojie
DATE:  Feb 20 2023
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
WeChat Launches New Image Function to Compete With Little Red Book WeChat Launches New Image Function to Compete With Little Red Book

(Yicai Global) Feb. 20 -- Tencent Holdings' instant messaging application WeChat has unveiled a new feature to rival Instagram-like e-commerce platform Little Red Book.

Owners of official WeChat accounts, usually brands, can make use of the new function to post up to nine pictures in a post with a text of up to 300 words, basically matching the format of Little Red Book, also known as Xiaohongshu, Yicai Global learned.

Tech behemoths Alibaba Group Holding, Pinduoduo, Tencent, JD.Com, Netease, and ByteDance have all launched similar mobile apps to Little Red Book, but none of them have succeeded in surpassing the popularity of the platform that combines influencer lifestyles and e-commerce.

The move is Tencent’s attempt to promote e-commerce through WeChat, Zhang Yi, chief executive of iiMedia Research, told Yicai Global. Tencent's other businesses are shrinking and it is becoming clear that the gaming business has its limits, the tech giant is pinning its hopes on WeChat, Zhang added.

Tencent aims to create new business growth via WeChat, which has one billion users, via valuable content and business models, Zhang said.

However, adding more features might make the platform lose its focus as some WeChat users reported on social media that they are not too happy with the platform imitating Little Red Book.

Little Red Book currently has more than 200 million monthly active users, based on official data. Some 173,000 brands from more than 200 countries and regions had entered the platform as of December 2022.

Editors: Shi Yi, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi

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Keywords:   Tencent,Xiaohongshu,Little Red Book