You may have read about WeChat Moments Advertising being open to overseas companies, but not all industries and business types outside of China are allowed to place ads. So, before you jump the gun and register an official account hoping that you can place ads on the coveted WeChat Moments feed, read on for some key points you need to know about WeChat Advertising and to find out if your business category is allowed to place ads.

1. WeChat Advertising is available across different formats including WeChat Moments Ad, WeChat Official Account Advertising (this means placing your ad in other brands' WeChat Official Accounts), and WeChat Mini Program Advertising (placing your ad inside of another company/brand's WeChat Mini Program). 

2. WeChat Ads are 'sold' based on competitive bidding.

3. If you are targeting users who are 'overseas' (ie. residing in markets outside of Mainland China), here are the 14 industries that are allowed to place WeChat ads: Travel, clothing & shoes, skincare & cosmetics, home decor, transportation & logistics, marriage services, retail, automotive, daily conveniences, lifestyle services, digital and home appliances, VR, sports & outdoor gear, watches & jewelry.

So this means if your business doesn't fall within the above 14 categories, then, unfortunately, you will not be able to place ads targeting overseas users. For example, if you are a business located in Canada, and your business does not fall within the 14 business categories outlined above, that means your industry/category is currently unable to place ads targeting consumers in Canada (or any of the overseas users in other regions).

What is Defined as 'Overseas Users'?

If WeChat user spends the majority of their time in overseas markets (defined as outside of Mainland China as shown by their GPS pinpointed locations), then they are defined as an 'overseas' user. Overseas users are mainly in the United States, Australia, Hong Kong SAR, and 11 other countries and regions. This means that not all regions will have a WeChat audience for you to target. 

Note that this article is as of January 24, 2020, and WeChat policies and standards continue to shift as the platform grows and expands its reach overseas, so make sure to follow and subscribe to our blog to ensure that you get the latest news on whether your business is eligible to place WeChat ads!