China presents a unique opportunity for businesses due to the tremendous amount of people who own smartphones and are active online. However, China also poses certain difficulties that should be taken into account.
With its infamous Great Firewall protection, the Chinese government has set uncommon regulations for China’s mobile application market and services. These regulations ended up cutting most of the foreign tech world out and turning China’s mobile application market into a particularly isolated one.
So any business looking to get a piece of China’s mobile application market needs to take an inventory: What are the best ways to enter this market and how not to fail with the obstacles on the way.
Things you need to master before you enter China’s mobile application market
Localize your app to China
You can’t just expect to enter the China market just like that, throw your app to the top app store markets, and wait for the money to start rolling in. Unfortunately, things aren’t as easy as that. Much deeper localization is required here for the apps than it is in other international markets.
You guessed right, the process begins with language transition, of course, though that’s not where it ends. You’ll also need to tailor the entire content of your app to the Chinese user’s taste. Since you’re aiming for a Chinese audience, that means creating content in Chinese—which could entail quite a lot of extra work in terms of developing characters and plots.
Adopt a unique China payment system and utilize QR codes
In the West, we are all used to doing our online payments with credit cards, debit cards, or sometimes Paypal. Things are pretty different in China. Chinese people dropped the traditional payment methods long ago and adopted a completely Chinese native payment system.
Almost everything from grocery shopping to in-app payments, everything is done with smartphones with the famous WeChat and Alipay. So unsurprisingly, to accept payments through your app, you would need to integrate WeChat and AliPay accounts. Additionally, QR codes must be integrated into the app for a variety of purposes.
Register your app officially
You probably know that your original app will not operate in China without the VPN service. But even if it does, you still need to get a Chinese business license registration from the official departments to work with Chinese law.
In addition to that, you also need to get other licenses to fully enter the market. One of the essential ones is the copyright license. The Software Copyright license protects your app’s intellectual property in China and is required to launch on Chinese app stores.
Are you having trouble with the registration process? Don’t worry we are here to help. Our agency can help with the entire process of getting your app registered and licensed in China. We have a team of experienced professionals who can take care of everything for you so that you can focus on your business. Contact us today to get started.
Promote your app
One way to promote your app and take it to another level of popularity is by creating a loyal community around it. And to achieve that well-trusted and respected influencers can be very beneficial. Word-of-mouth marketing in China is one of the key marketing strategies. Chinese people are more likely to purchase a product if it is recommended by someone they trust. Therefore, Chinese influencers focus on developing relationships with their followers instead of simply selling to them.
Also, consider creating a WeChat Official Account. It is indeed an excellent way to construct trust and keep customers coming back. From there you may incentivize users to write reviews for your app on the App Store, which would be an effective way to advertise in China.
Moreover, chat rooms and forums are popular platforms for people to share unique experiences and reviews. They provide an opportunity to build a community for your product.
Team up with a Local Partner
If you find the various elements of marketing your app in China to be daunting, one solution is finding a partner company that already has expertise in the Chinese market. Fortunately, there are many ways to identify potential partners.
When searching for a partner, it’s important to consider their industry experience, track record, and whether they have a good understanding of your product and target market.
We are a GMA agency. Our team has significant experience launching apps in China, and we would be happy to discuss the possibility of working together. We can help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of the Chinese app market and ensure that your app is a success.
Another benefit of working with a local partner is that we can provide valuable insights into the Chinese market. At GMA, we have a deep understanding of the Chinese consumer and what they are looking for in an app. We can help you tailor your app to the Chinese market and make sure it is a success.
If you are interested in launching your app in China, feel free to contact us. We would be happy to discuss the possibility of working together.
