Tencent Advertising, or Tencent Ads (腾讯广告), is Tencent’s advertising platform. From one account, advertisers buy ads across WeChat, QQ, Tencent Video, QQ Browser and other Tencent apps, target them with Tencent’s user data, and send viewers to a mini program, an Official Account or a WeCom chat to convert them.
Where do Tencent ads appear?
- WeChat: Moments feed ads, ads at the bottom of Official Account articles, native ads in WeChat Channels, and ads in mini programs. WeChat had 1.439 billion monthly active users across Weixin and WeChat in the second quarter of 2026, according to Tencent’s results for that quarter.
- QQ and Qzone: ads in Tencent’s older messaging app and its social space.
- Tencent Video: video ads around series, films and shows on Tencent Video.
- QQ Browser and other Tencent apps for news, information and tools.
- Third-party apps of Tencent’s ad network, whose publishers sell ad slots to Tencent advertisers.
WeChat ads are one part of this offer: an advertiser can buy WeChat placements only, or the whole Tencent inventory. Our article on Tencent Ads vs WeChat Ads explains the difference and how to use both to grow an Official Account.
Targeting, formats and conversion
- Targeting: audiences built from Tencent’s data, with options such as age, gender, location, interests and behavior.
- Formats: images, videos, carousels and H5 pages, adapted to each placement.
- Conversion inside Tencent’s apps: an ad can open a WeChat mini program, invite viewers to follow an Official Account, or start a conversation with a sales advisor on WeCom. The buyer goes from the ad to the purchase or the lead without leaving WeChat.
For a brand, the ad is only as good as the place it sends people to. A WeChat agency in Shanghai builds the Official Account, mini program and WeCom setup that turn ad clicks into customers.
How to open a Tencent Ads account
- Go to the official platform. Open the Tencent Advertising website and register an account.
- Choose the account type. An advertiser account is for businesses or individuals promoting their own products or services. An agency account is for third-party service providers and requires a qualification review.
- Complete the verification. Companies provide their business license and unified social credit code, plus industry documents such as the company website, an app download link or an H5 link; some industries need extra permits. The contact person is verified by face recognition, and an employee acting for the company also needs an authorization letter. Bank account details are used for top-ups.
- Wait for the review. Tencent checks the documents before the account can run ads in the campaign management platform.
How to run and optimize a campaign
- Set the goal and the audience. Pick an objective (brand awareness, app downloads, leads, product sales, Official Account followers) and build the target audience.
- Create the campaign. Select the placements (WeChat Moments, Official Accounts, Channels, QQ, Tencent Video and others), set a daily or total budget, and choose a billing model: cost per click (CPC), cost per thousand impressions (CPM) or optimized CPM (oCPM), which lets the system bid for the conversion you chose.
- Submit for review. Every ad is reviewed by Tencent before it goes live.
- Optimize. Follow impressions, click-through rate and conversions in the dashboard, then adjust targeting, bids and creatives. Start with a small test budget and scale what works.
Can a foreign company advertise on Tencent Ads?
Direct accounts are verified with Chinese documents: a business license and a unified social credit code. A foreign company with a Chinese entity can open its own account. Without one, foreign brands usually advertise through an authorized Tencent Ads agency. In both cases the ads and their landing pages must follow Chinese advertising rules and pass Tencent’s review, and they work best when they lead to a Chinese-language WeChat presence.
How QPSoftware can help
QPSoftware is a digital agency in Shanghai, working with foreign brands since 2009, and it builds WeChat Official Accounts and mini programs for them. Before you spend on Tencent Ads, make sure the destination converts: our WeChat agency designs and builds the Official Account, mini program and lead capture your campaigns will point to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreign company use Tencent Ads?
Yes, with conditions. Opening a Tencent Ads account directly requires Chinese company documents, including a business license and a unified social credit code, so a foreign company with a Chinese entity can advertise in its own name. Without a Chinese entity, foreign brands usually go through an authorized Tencent Ads agency. Ads and landing pages must comply with Chinese advertising rules and pass Tencent’s review before they run.
What is the difference between Tencent Ads and WeChat Ads?
WeChat Ads are the placements inside WeChat: Moments, Official Account articles, Channels and mini programs. Tencent Ads is the wider platform that sells them, together with ads on QQ, Tencent Video, QQ Browser and partner apps. Both are managed from the same advertising account, so an advertiser can start with WeChat placements only and extend the campaign to other Tencent apps later.
How is Tencent Ads billed?
Advertisers set a daily or total budget and choose a billing model. Cost per click (CPC) charges each click, cost per thousand impressions (CPM) charges for visibility, and optimized CPM (oCPM) lets Tencent’s system bid toward a chosen conversion, such as a lead or a purchase, while billing by impressions. The account is funded in advance, and spending is tracked in the dashboard.