Why and when users like to use WeChat mini programs

The popularity of WeChat mini programs exploded in 2017, shrugging off any doubts they would be a short-lived fad. Come 2024, brands and tech giants are ramping up their mini program presence as a cost-effective way for users to easily access content, services, and products to cater to hundreds of millions of active mini program users.

These web-based mini programs, limited to a couple of MB in size and loaded dynamically inside the WeChat app, are shaking up how brands and companies are trying to reach their customers in China. However, some don’t understand why and when users like to use them, especially compared to native mobile apps (iOS/Android).

We wanted to explore these questions the best way we know how. With qualitative user research. So, we ran a series of focus groups interviews at our user research facility in Shanghai, gathering insights through interactive exercises, comparisons, card sorting, and deep-dive discussions.

The information we present in this article assumes some understanding of WeChat in the context of the China digital landscape and focuses on service mini programs, not in mini games (that's another bag of fish).

Faster and clearer access to information is at the top of Chinese consumers' minds. These patterns of behavior become evident when we glance at how they live their lives online.

We started by looking at why users like to use Wechat mini programs. Through keyword association exercises with the participants, we could quickly see patterns emerge, painting a picture of convenience. Diving deeper into these keywords we uncovered some further interesting insights.

Convenient

Useful, effortless convenience.

“I can order in advance, I don’t need to wait in line at the cashier” - KFC mini program.

Efficient

Simple, often single-task functions.

“My aim is very clear. I just want to buy a movie ticket. It won’t have much afterthought.” - Maoyan mini program

Daily needs

Supports participants' daily activities and tasks.

Saves memory

Saves time and memory on their mobile use. Particularly for infrequently performed tasks.

Easier

Accessing mini programs from one of the many (60+) entry points within WeChat is easier.

Payment

Avoids jumping back and forth from app to WeChat to make payments.

“If I’m in an app (native) I need to select payment method, select WeChat, jump to WeChat app and pay, then go back to the app. So a mini program is more convenient”

Sharing

Easy to share information, promotions etc. with friends.

Using card sorting exercises we looked at what are some of the most important parts of the user experience when using a WeChat mini program. We gave users a stack of cards and asked them to sort them in the order of most importance. Let’s take a look at the results.

To generate ideas of scenarios when participants find WeChat mini program’s convenient, we used interactive mind-mapping exercises to tap into the creative side of the group's brains, stimulating thoughts and feelings. This isn’t a be-all-end-all list of possible scenarios, but it does present an interesting visualization of when it’s perceived to be convenient to use a mini program.

It's interesting to see that many of these scenarios are situational and location-based. Single-task functions that take a previously offline and manually performed interaction one might encounter throughout the day and make it more efficient by leveraging the strengths of WeChat. Quick access and payments.

With the rise of mini programs, we noticed a lot of popular apps were recreating but trimming down functions and features on WeChat due to the limited size limit. But are users happy to use a simplified mini program version of their favorite apps? What omnichannel strategy should apps take when launching on WeChat?

We compared popular apps in China, such as C-trip, Ele.me, and KFC, with their WeChat mini program counterparts, with participants, ranking information architecture and exploring opinions to see which users preferred to use and why.

Hotel, flight, and train booking platform.

Using the C-trip native app was mostly preferred due to more options, clearer information architecture and the ability to search, explore and read options easier.

C-trip simplified the mini program to the point that it was missing key functions users had become accustomed to.

“I prefer the native app, as I can see the customer service icon which makes it feel more reliable.”

“The app has a notification function, which I think is useful when I want to book a trip”

Food and grocery delivery service.

Using the Ele.me native app was preferred due to more in-depth functions and previously formed strong habits.

Ele.me seems to have duplicated their native app as much as possible but without core functions that users had become accustomed to.

“I will always open Ele.me (native app) because for me it's necessary to have the full functions”

“The mini program is missing the most significant section, food categories. So I would choose the native app.”

Self-service order and home delivery. (we tested the self-service mini program against the full-featured app)

Using the KFC mini program was preferred because it has the required functions to execute tasks and is easier to use. 

“I would definitely use the mini program because the only purpose for me is to order food quickly. The native app is too complex.”

KFC succeeded in creating a mini program experience that has a better user experience than their mobile app. They do this by working with the limitations of WeChat and breaking up the apps core functions into two mini programs. One for self-service ordering in-store (which we tested) and another for home delivery.

From looking at these comparisons, we can draw some conclusions when it comes to omnichannel strategies of apps launching mini programs.

The needs of users don’t change, but behaviours do. The way users engage with mini programs and native apps are not the same. Participants showed they had predefined expectations for certain digital experiences depending on their complexities.

WeChat mini programs have an advantage when the functions are simple, easy to use and they make life's daily tasks more convenient. They should be fast to load, straight-forward and not take too much of the users time.

Native mobile apps are still preferred when users need more time to read, explore options, make decisions and use more complex functions.

“If I don’t need more functions, I think it’s more convenient to use a mini app… I don’t need to waste time downloading (native) apps”

To recap our study, here are some key takeaways that can help you formulate your strategy when deciding if you need and/or design a WeChat mini program for your business.

If you want to do further research, design, and build your own WeChat mini program in China user engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty are important. Contact us and start a discussion; we can help you win in China.

UXSPOT is a user research facility based in Shanghai. We run usability testing, focus group interviews, user interviews, and UX & co-design workshops for world-leading companies in China and APAC in our custom-built user experience lab.