From Broad Messaging to Human-Centered Communication

Not every content challenge is about numbers — sometimes, it’s about how to speak more human in a highly regulated space.

After exploring boutique brand strategies, I’d also like to share a few insights from working with large, established companies — particularly in regulated industries.

A few years back, I worked with two global healthcare providers, one from the US and the other from France. Both had strong reputations and solid WeChat followings — the goal wasn’t to chase growth in followers or sales, but to improve how they communicated with the public.

They came to us at a time when:

• WeChat’s algorithm began prioritizing more interactive, meaningful content (rather than just reach).
• The traditional one-way approach — “Here’s what we launched,” “Here’s our news” — was becoming less effective.
• And in healthcare especially, there are strict limitations on promotion to avoid misleading information.

Our task: reposition their WeChat accounts — from being corporate bulletin boards to becoming trusted healthcare communicators.

Here’s what we did:

1. Telling patient-centered stories
   Instead of directly promoting treatments, we shared real patient experiences — their journeys, struggles, and breakthroughs. This human approach helped the audience connect emotionally, and subtly framed the solutions without brand overexposure.
2. Visual content + interaction
   We moved away from text-heavy articles and used infographics, illustrations, and calls to engage. Comment prompts (with small rewards) encouraged two-way communication — something WeChat increasingly values.
3. Most importantly, we made the account feel more human. Instead of sounding like a distant institution, the tone became warmer and more empathetic. The goal was for followers to feel like they were hearing from a person who understands, not just a company informing.

📌 One takeaway: Even established brands need to adapt when the platform shifts — and that doesn’t always mean “doing more,” but communicating better. Especially in sensitive industries, storytelling and design can quietly lead trust and influence.

Until next time,
Hongyu & the WeClick Team
Click. Communicate. Connect with China.