Weibo — China’s answer to Twitter — is the second largest social media site in China, boasting over 550 million active users a month.
But how can foreign businesses take advantage of this hugely populated channel?
Well, opening an official business account is a great place to start.
An official Weibo account will let you:
- Build a follower base of loyal fans
- Drive sales and conversions with targeted content
- Improve your business’ search ranking in China
- Get close to your customers
- Run ads on Weibo
Read – What Is Weibo & How To Use It To Promote Your Brand In China?
That’s why, we’ll be breaking down the complete Weibo international sign up process, and the steps you need to take to create an official Weibo account outside China.
So, let’s dive right in.
How to create a Weibo account overseas
There are two ways to create an international Weibo Account for your business:
- Directly, via Weibo
- With an external partner, like AdChina.io
So, let’s go ahead and break down both approaches to the Weibo international sign up process.
Step 1: Start the Weibo international sign up process on Weibo.com
First, follow this link and select ‘English’ in the bottom right corner from the language menu to sign up to Weibo in English.
You’ll then notice that there are two account options available: a personal account and an official account/official registration.
Click the ‘Official registration’ option, as this will put you on track to registering an official business account on Weibo.
Step 2: Fill in the requested information
After selecting the ‘Official registration’ option, you’ll then be asked to provide the following information:
This is very straightforward and shouldn’t take too long at all.
Your email address doesn’t have to be Chinese, and nor does your mobile number. You can choose which you’d rather register with, too.
Once you’ve filled in these fields, click ‘Sign Up Now’.
Step 3: Activate your account
Next, a pop-up should appear, asking for your mobile phone number. Weibo needs this to activate your account via an activation code that’s texted to your mobile device.
Simply select your country from the drop-down flag menu, type in your mobile number, and click ‘Get Activation Code For’.
You should then receive a text containing an activation code, which you’ll then need to type into the empty field. Once you’ve done that, click the button below the activation code to move on.
Step 4: Activate your account via email
As well as activating via your mobile phone, you’ll also need to verify your account via email.
Simply click ‘Check Mail Now’ to be taken to your email inbox, and follow the activation link Weibo has sent you. Your account will then be fully activated and ready-to-go.
Step 5: Fill in your account details
Once you’ve activated your account via email, you’ll then be able to update your profile with the necessary information, such as a bio and profile picture. This will help to attract followers to your account when you start posting content.
Step 6: Verify your account
Verifying your account is, by far, the most important step in the Weibo international sign up process. It’s what will help your account stand out from the crowd, and give it a whole host of benefits that unverified accounts don’t enjoy.
Benefits of a verified company account, for example, include:
- Having a blue V symbol that shows users you are legitimate and can be trusted
- Being able to upload your own cover image for increased brand awareness
- The option to upload up to five sliding images on your profile, which is ideal for promoting new products
Verifying a company account as an overseas business isn’t easy, however. You’ll need to get in touch with Weibo directly and provide them with the following documentation:
- Business license
- Letter of authorization
- Authorized purchase order form
- Authorized Weibo community convention
- Business card of a representative
- Official website link
- Company introduction
- Account bio
You’ll also have to pay a one-time $1000 USD fee to verify your account.
The verification process usually takes around six weeks, although this will depend on the accuracy of the documentation you’ve provided. You can speed this up by working with a third-party, which we’ll be exploring in our next section.
Step 8: Upgrade to a VIP account
After you’ve verified your account, you might then want to upgrade it to a VIP account for $17 USD a year. This isn’t a mandatory step, but doing so will unlock a number of useful features, such as:
- Being able to pin one post to the top of your profile
- Having the ability to upload a cover image on both mobile and desktop view
- Being able to change post backgrounds on mobile devices
- Enabling the option to edit posts after publication
VIP accounts also have a golden crown symbol next to their account names, which increases visibility and trust among users.
Step 9: Start posting
You’re then ready to start posting content on Weibo, growing your follower base, and generating leads on this powerful platform!
An alternative (and much easier) way to create a Weibo account for your business overseas
Looking for a way to simplify and speed up the Weibo international sign up process?
You need AdChina.io.
With a free AdChina.io account, you’ll be able to unlock a wide range of Chinese marketing services — including a Weibo business account creation package.
We’ll handle your application for you, work directly with Weibo on your behalf, and avoid any time-consuming delays, along the way.
And the best bit?
Once you’ve got an AdChina.io account, you’ll also be able to run ads on each of the main channels in China from an English platform you can trust.
Here’s how to get started…
Step 1: Register for AdChina.io
First, you’ll need to register for your free AdChina.io account.
Simply sign up with your email, and fill in some basic information. That’ll take no more than a minute or two.
Step 2: Head over to the AdChina.io Marketplace
Click on the ‘Marketplace’ tab, and scroll down until you see the ‘Weibo Official Account setup’ option under ‘Social Media Marketing’. Click ‘Get Started’.
Step 3: Purchase the Weibo Official Account setup service
Click ‘Activate Now’ at the bottom of the page.
You’ll then be prompted to pay the $1449 fee, which covers our costs and the direct fee to Weibo.
Step 4: Send us the required documentation
We’ll then get in touch and ask for everything we need to set-up your account. This will include the documents we’ve already covered in this article — but we’ll speed up the process by checking that everything is correct from the outset.
Step 5: Wait for your account to be set up
Next, we’ll send all your documentation to Weibo, and work directly with them to open your account. We’ll set you up with a verified company account, and upgrade you to VIP status if that’s what you choose. Just sit back and relax, and we’ll put everything in place.
Step 6: Start posting content
Once Weibo has verified your account, it’s time to finally start posting content.
To hit the ground running, you might also want to invest in our Weibo content marketing package, which includes content production and follower engagement on Weibo.
Our dedicated team in Oslo will do all the heavy-lifting for you, so your Weibo account delivers the results you need.
Ready to open your Official Account on Weibo?
Sign up for your free AdChina.io account, and open your Weibo account outside China in the easiest way possible today!
