Most traffic to digital properties in China does not come through search engines but through social media platforms. One of the factors that drives this is that more than 95% of internet users in China use mobile devices to go online. So, it is mandatory for brands to utilize content and advertising on the major Chinese social media platforms to gain
any sort of market share.
WeChat or Weixin in China is the largest of the social media platforms and it goes beyond a simple messaging app with branded landing pages hosted by the platform itself, mini programs, ecommerce and payments functions and much more. Every brand has a presence on WeChat and of all the social media platforms mentioned here, it will be the most important touchpoint for your customers.
To market your brand effectively, a variety of WeChat marketing strategies can be used. Outside the myriad of advertising options available it is important to create quality content to gain followers. Content that creates a return on the engagement afforded by the user is important. Brands can also offer many types of incentives to attract followers and conversions, including exclusive offers and strong loyalty programs. Many companies also use methods like QR codes that can be scanned at physical locations for discounts to funnel Online to Offline sales (O2O).
Weibo started out as the Twitter of China but has slowly morphed into a social media platform of considerable heft with more features. A lot of users in China use Weibo to keep up with the latest news and trends and follow their favorite celebrities. With more than 248 million daily users, Weibo should be an important part of your digital strategy.
In terms of advertising, there are three types of opportunities available. News Feed ads let you sponsor your content to get more views. Fan connect ads have more targeting options beyond the basic options available for news feed ads and experienced search engine marketers will find the options here more familiar. Brand Share ads are a more pricey option but allow more customization in terms of the creatives used and are popular among bigger brands looking to create a more personalized experience for the viewers. Weibo also allows you to leverage influencers (KOLs) to promote your brand, create giveaways to drive traffic to your properties and create personalized content around peak shopping times like festivals.
Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu)
Xiaohongshu is another social network that is on the rise in China. Originally starting as a small community of shoppers who shared products on Pinterest style boards, the app has grown to incorporate powerful ecommerce and social features. Think of it as a combination of Instagram, Pinterest and ecommerce sites but to create useful customer journey maps, it is important to understand the uniqueness of the platform. The audience tends to be on the younger side who use the platform to keep up to date with the latest trends in food and fashion.
To leverage the power of the features, brands can open online stores on the platform, create official accounts to push content and offers and create strong loyalty programs. Influencer marketing through KOLs is also integral to the strategy as often the first touch point for a product may be when a KOL posts about it on their own page. Paid advertisements are also available. It is also very important to create a clear content funnel as the journey on the platform may be very different from western social media platforms.
Douyin
By this point, Douyin will need no introduction. The original version of Tik Tok, Douyin is one of the trendiest social media platforms on the internet. To unlock the full potential of Douyin as a marketer, you will need to create a business account which requires a mainland business license, ICP license (if directing to a website), an application letter and pay an yearly fee of 600 RMB. With a business account, you will be able to host an in-app shop or integrate a third party ecommerce platform like your Taobao shop. Features like custom stickers and more will also be unlocked.
Many companies also used sponsored challenges, live streaming demos of products and longer branded videos to gain followers and convert into sales. Additionally, like other social media platforms, KOLs are very powerful on Douyin and collaborating with influencers in relevant niches will reap benefits. Use of custom hashtags, interactive videos and more should also be integrated into the strategy.
Conclusion
While WeChat should form the foundation of your social media strategy in China, other platforms should also be added into the mix according to your segmenting and targeting. Testing will help narrow down the content, advertising and messaging mix that works best.