Branding is the key to success in China

In China, a strong Brand will always win against an unknown brand. Chinese consumers tend not to trust brands they don’t know and therefore not to buy their products. In addition, without a strong brand, you can’t expect to find resellers, distributors, to land a spot on Tmall or JD, or people to buy your products/ services.

A well-known brand is a synonym for safe to buy in China. It means the brand is reliable and credible therefore consumers are not scared to pay for it. Therefore, brands should put their efforts into building a strong brand value and image while also maintaining brand consistency.

Starting a Brand business in China in 2024 requires a deep understanding of digital trends, consumer behavior, and the regulatory environment. By embracing e-commerce capabilities on platforms like Douyin, engaging with consumers on Xiaohongshu, and collaborating with KOLs, businesses can effectively tap into the vast Chinese market. Additionally, focusing on sustainability and technological advancements will align with consumer values and technological trends, setting a strong foundation for business success in China’s dynamic market.

The importance of brand consistency in China: a Coca-Cola case study

Coca-Cola’s Content and Creative Excellence Director in China, Richard Cotton, revealed that consistency is key to success for the Coca-cola company in China, where a complicated retail landscape and a highly competitive category offer challenges to brands.

He explained that building brand awareness starts with getting the basics right, including price, distribution, and brand message. For example, Coca-Cola clearly shows its consistency of being a drink that makes you happy and is shared with others, while at the same time adapting to the tastes of the Chinese market:

• the Chinese name of Coca-Cola可口可乐 “kekoukele” which means “tasty fun”,
• Coca-cola marketing campaigns in China on Wechat, show groups of friends and family having fun together.

Brand consistency is the key to earning customer trust and elevating your ROI. Branding is the key to every sector, but it is much more than colors, nice fonts, and a fancy logo localized to the Chinese market and culture.

Brand consistency is the trick for your public image, and for your reputation. An identity with which people can relate, share ideas, and find solutions to their problems.

Managed well, branding can meet:

• customers’ expectations
• new customers
• leads

Did you know that the average revenue increase attributed to always presenting the brand consistently is 33%?

Brands should put efforts into maintaining brand consistency, why?

A big reason for maintaining brand consistency is that it can help to prevent consumer confusion. When a brand changes its look or feel too dramatically, it can be hard for consumers to keep track of what the brand represents, and this can lead to them being less likely to trust or buy from the brand in the future.

Another reason for keeping branding consistent is that it can help to create a sense of stability and reliability for customers. If they know that a certain brand always looks and feels the same, they’ll be more likely to turn to that brand when they need something, because they’ll know that it will consistently meet their expectations.

Customers are very demanding when it comes to buying beauty products. They are very cautious in their choice and spend a lot of time online looking for information on companies and their products.

Brand consistency ensures visibility and recognition within target groups, so you can stay on top of the choice when they need your product. An example is Starbucks when someone needs coffee in China.

A brand is what people will remember most about your company, so if you want to make an impression among Chinese consumers, it should be:

• representative,
• strong,
• consistent,
• others.

If you want to be their go-to company, Chinese customers should feel as though they could recommend you to friends and family. If you achieve this, your success in the Chinese market is almost certain. Why? Because the Chinese, in their pre-purchase phase, rely on relatives and friends for the choice of brands and products to use.

A good e-reputation is crucial success with E-commerce in China

In China more than everywhere else the reputation of a brand is what will make the difference. Chinese consumers do trust new brands and are not risk-takers, resulting in a very low conversion rate.

For an unknown brand with no E-reputation, the cost of getting visitors will be the same as for a famous brand, the difference is that they will get 100 sales for 1000 visits while the unknown one will get 1.

E-reputation should be the base of your marketing strategy when doing e-commerce in China, whatever platform you choose.

Brands should find a balance between brand localization and consistency

Localization is essential to entering the Chinese market because, in China, you cannot simply translate your message and expect the same level of interest from an audience with a different background.

However, it can create issues in brand consistency which is also important to be successful in this market.

• Localize too much, and you may lose your brand’s authenticity
• Fail to localize enough, and the product may not be to Chinese tastes.

Therefore, how do find the right way to localize and maintain brand consistency?

No matter the aspect (taste adaptation, product adaptation, or product promotion ideas) having a dedicated development process for products intended for the Chinese market is a key aspect to successfully entering the Chinese market. The idea is not to turn your back on your brand identity or culture, but rather to leverage the elements that make your product popular in the Chinese market and study what to leave intact and what to adapt to Chinese culture.

For example, Coca-cola managed to find this balance, adapting its advertising campaigns to the Chinese market (this is the marketing campaign for the Chinese Valentine’s Day 520), but maintaining its consistent and recognizable brand.

How to maintain brand consistency in China?

Companies should consistently apply branding guidelines

Every business should set and consistently apply branding guidelines which include details about:

• Brand’s tone of voice,
• preferred professional terms,
• general code of conduct.

Not applying them is a waste of time and above all your staff and customers might not understand your brand’s value and image. The creation of marketing materials and the representation of your company would suffer from it.

Educate all staff members about the brand’s value and image

As soon as you have created the branding guidelines, you will need all staff members to be aware of them. You can do this by having a meeting with them about the brand, describing in detail everything they need to know about the company’s history, fundamental values ​​, and tone of voice.

In addition, you should keep the brand guidelines to allow staff to review this document if they are unsure of how to represent their brand.

Thanks to this you will no longer have online and offline marketing messages that confuse potential customers and you will be able to maintain the consistency of your brand.

Companies should provide staff with branding resources

How can staff maintain consistency if they need to create things for external use?

A company should provide them with branding resources like:

• Logo variations
• Graphics
• Color palettes
• others

Whether it’s social media graphics or white papers, branding resources can maintain consistency and avoid confusing potential customers.

Brand consistency: From your website to social media and e-commerce platforms

Many companies believe that a logo and a website are sufficient to express the value and image of the brand and to offer an excellent customer experience. But this is absolutely wrong because every phase of the customer experience must be marked to maintain consistency. Therefore, from your website to social media and to the e-commerce platform it should be branded.

If your brand is inconsistent, a purchase is unlikely to occur as Chinese customers buy from brands they can trust, leading to questions asked and money spent elsewhere.

How to work on branding and e-reputation in China?

China has a history of scandals and a culture of scams. Everyone has been scammed once in their life or has been taught since childhood to be aware of scams. Therefore, any Chinese consumers or businessmen will do research before converting with you.

If they can’t find anything online about you, you’ll probably be considered spam. Letting them find you when typing related keywords on Baidu and then doing some research about your company will help the conversion process.

The other important point is that mailing does not work in China. Peoples use Wechat to communicate. Chinese businessmen expect you to be on Wechat and to have an e-brochure to share with them.

Building your online image

The construction of your image passes first of all by creating a loyal community of followers. This can be done through WeChat as well as on other Chinese social media such as Weibo, Douyin but also blogs, and forums in your sector.

Social media in China are the best place to work on Branding

Social media in China are the best place to work on your branding and storytelling. Choosing the right social media to reach your goal is the most important step of your journey, however, there are so many, therefore it can be tricky.

GMA help you with that and run campaigns according to your need:

• KOLs,
• buzz,
• content,
• storytelling,
• sales
• etc.

PR is a good way to build your e-reputation

It is one of the most cost-effective solutions there is out there. It is a basic of marketing where the right people talk about you. Our job? connect you to the right people and use their credibility to help you grow in China.

In China, E-reputation is key to success and PR is a good way to build credibility. Not only you are getting experts talking about you, but it also means backlinks from authority websites which means: Visibility.

Having contact with the specialized press is essential for an effective branding campaign. Our PR campaigns with the press are organized around several elements:

• An extensive network of contacts (We are connected with over 2000 journalists)
• A regular relationship (We will provide you with a detailed report on our PR campaigns every month)
• High-quality content (We don’t just simply create content for you, we create the right content for your target type)
• A team of experts (Our communication with online customers is very effective because we employ a team of native speakers).

Forums and KOLs to strengthen your credibility

Complete your PR efforts and strengthen your credibility with UGC using forums and KOLs to talk about you. KOLs and communities are powerful and widely listen to on the Chinese internet. Their opinion matters the most. Let us create a community around your brand and connect you to the right KOLs.

Loyalty in China , the ultimate goal for brands

Maintaining brand consistency is crucial for success in any market, especially in China, where consumer expectations and competitive landscapes are rapidly evolving.

For businesses aiming to leverage brand consistency as a strategic advantage, here are five critical questions to consider:

How does brand consistency affect customer perception and loyalty in China?

This question explores the impact of a consistent brand identity (including logos, messaging, and customer experience) across all channels on building trust and recognition among Chinese consumers. A consistent brand is often seen as more reliable, which can enhance customer loyalty and facilitate repeat business.

What role does brand consistency play in differentiating products in a crowded market?

In China’s highly competitive market, standing out is key. Understanding how consistent branding can make your products or services easily recognizable and memorable compared to competitors is vital. Consistent branding helps ensure that all marketing materials and product lines reflect the core values and quality the brand promises, reinforcing the brand’s position in the market.

How can maintaining brand consistency across all platforms increase engagement and conversion rates among Chinese consumers?

With the prevalence of digital platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo in China, ensuring your brand is consistently represented can lead to better engagement. Analyzing how unified messaging and visual identity across these platforms can lead to higher conversion rates can help in optimizing marketing strategies.

What are the best practices for integrating brand consistency into new market segments or product lines specifically for the Chinese market?

This question addresses how to maintain brand consistency when expanding into new market segments or introducing new products. It’s crucial to understand how to adapt and integrate the core brand elements into new offerings without diluting the brand identity, ensuring that the brand’s promise and quality are clear.

How does cultural adaptation affect brand consistency and revenue growth in China?

This involves investigating how brands can adapt to local tastes and preferences without compromising their global brand identity. It’s essential to explore strategies for balancing localization needs with maintaining a consistent brand image, such as through localized marketing campaigns that reflect cultural nuances but still adhere to the brand’s global standards.

Answering these questions can provide valuable insights into how strong, consistent branding can serve as a powerful lever for increasing revenue. This is especially true in China, where brand perception can significantly influence purchasing decisions and consumer loyalty.

To sum up the Importance of Being Consistent With the Brand in China

After implementing these steps in your branding efforts, you will soon see a wave of results. Stop changing your message repeatedly and lose the interest of your customers. Do you want or don’t want others to remember your brand?

Do you want to know more about the power of brand consistency and the impact it has on your brand reputation in China and more?

Contact GMA, a digital marketing agency, that specializes in the Chinese digital market.

We offer branding and communication services like:

• Choice of channels (Branding in China passes through several channels, and these are usually fewer than those used in the West)
• Our Savoir-Faire (We have experience in many sectors, whatever the market in which you operate, we are able to help you).
• A complete strategy (For rapid and effective development social networks are not enough, but we have the right advice to help you)
• Analysis of results (Every month we will provide you with an analysis of the results of your campaigns and discuss them together to develop an even more effective strategy).

In China, as in many cultures, the role of the mother is deeply respected, with traditional values emphasizing filial piety—a Confucian virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors. The modern celebration of Mother’s Day offers an opportunity to express gratitude and love toward mothers through gestures like giving gifts, sending messages, and spending quality time together.

Mother’s Day Celebrations, opportunities for Brands

Common ways to celebrate include:

• Gift-giving: Popular gifts include flowers, particularly carnations and roses, which symbolize love and gratitude.
• Diner: Many families take mothers out for a meal, whether it’s a simple gathering or a lavish dinner.
• Health and wellness : It’s also popular to gift health and wellness-related items or experiences, such as spa treatments or health supplements, reflecting the Chinese emphasis on long-term health and well-being.

Brand Involvement

In China, Mother’s Day has also become a significant retail and promotional event. Brands across various sectors—ranging from electronics to cosmetics—often launch sales promotions to coincide with the holiday. This commercial aspect is similar to trends seen in Western countries, where Mother’s Day prompts significant consumer spending.

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Brands ecommerce events in China

The concept of a “brands festival” around Mother’s Day isn’t traditionally established but can be likened to shopping festivals such as Singles’ Day (November 11th) or the Mid-Autumn Festival, during which companies offer special deals. For Mother’s Day, brands might offer themed promotions specifically tailored to popular gifts for mothers, such as jewelry, beauty products, or household appliances.

This blend of traditional respect for mothers with modern commercial opportunities reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of cultural celebrations in China today, balancing reverence for familial roles with the realities of contemporary consumer culture.

This Mother’s Day, what should be a relaxing day for mothers often gets drowned out by the bustle of everyday life. This year, we’ve decided to reclaim Mother’s Day for its true protagonists—the mothers—by exploring ways to break free from the long-standing exhaustion that burdens them and offering a chance to enjoy a journey of relaxation and freedom on this special day.

Breaking away from the traditional ways of celebrating Mother’s Day, we’ve observed that mothers are still entangled in trivial matters during the festival. Despite receiving blessings and flowers, they are unable to truly relax. Scheduled on the second Sunday of May, Mother’s Day should be a weekend of rest, but is it really a break for mothers? How can we break this cycle of hardship and give mothers the real rest they deserve?

“All holidays are like labor days for mothers.” This statement profoundly captures the ongoing sentiment of mothers. This year, we advocate for mothers to take a ‘breakaway’—to temporarily shed their roles, return to themselves, and enjoy a liberating experience. From official calls to action to social responses, the #MothersEscapePlan campaign has sparked a trend online, offering mothers a chance to ‘skip out’ and revel in freedom.

On May 9, three guests took the lead in ‘breaking away,’ initiating this unique Mother’s Day celebration. Through campaigns like #NotJustAnActressTodayBeJiangQinQin#, mothers were encouraged to drop their burdens and take a day off for themselves. On May 10, we provided a series of ‘escape tips,’ such as mini-trips, social outings, and embracing nature, allowing mothers to fully relax and enjoy their own time on this day.

“A mother’s life is a wilderness, not a narrow circle of busyness; a mother is an architect of life, not a standard building.” These campaign slogans poignantly sketch the image of mothers and resonate with their desire for freedom. During the campaign, mothers were also invited by XiaoHongShu’s maternal and child influencer @ShuBaoBao to visit XiaoHongShu’s Beijing headquarters to discuss special co-branded Mother’s Day events. This series of activities not only provided relaxation for mothers but also sparked societal attention to their needs.

By May 11, as the campaign’s popularity soared, netizens created numerous memes expressing their wishes for mothers to ‘escape.’ These memes reflect mothers’ longing for a brief freedom and a desire for relaxed times. Each meme is a romantic confession to the mothers, making them feel the care and understanding of society.

This Mother’s Day in China, Babycare, in collaboration with their brand ambassador Zhang Yuqi, launched the innovative campaign titled ‘Don’t Call Me Mother Today’. The campaign featured a poignant short film released on May 10, which resonated deeply with the slogan, “A good mother remains a good mother, even without the title.” Subsequently, the hashtag #ZhangYuqiDontCallMeMotherToday# (张雨绮 今天别叫我妈妈)

The film presented several narratives of motherhood to challenge traditional perceptions with messages like, “Motherhood does not necessarily involve enduring birth pain, but rather changing societal attitudes,” “A mother isn’t solely responsible for raising a child; it’s a collective family effort,” and “There is no fixed way to be a mother, only the way she chooses to be.” Babycare used the opportunity to promote its “Painless Childbirth” initiative, now active in 11 hospitals across 7 provinces, and to announce the renaming of “mother and baby rooms” to “nursery rooms” to avoid gender-specific labels in childcare.

The campaign, a departure from typical Mother’s Day celebrations, highlighted the complex realities of motherhood rather than merely celebrating it. On the same day, Babycare shared ‘99 moments when I didn’t want to be called mum,’ a compilation of sentiments from mothers, further emphasizing the theme. Zhang Yuqi, who has shaped a public image of independence through her personal and professional life, lent significant influence and authenticity to the campaign.

The campaign received mixed reactions on Weibo. Many users admired Zhang Yuqi’s portrayal of motherhood, appreciating her representation of an authentic, multifaceted woman over the traditional idealized mother. However, some questioned whether the theme of downplaying traditional motherhood roles was appropriate for a Mother’s Day campaign by a brand focused on mothers and babies.

In a broader trend, other brands also adopted unconventional approaches to Mother’s Day. For instance, skincare brand HBN debuted a documentary titled ‘Becoming a Mother’ to inspire single mothers, and Jingrun Pearl coined the term ‘Jenbeng Mom’ to celebrate motherhood, promoting it on RED . Similarly, children’s medicine brand Xiaokuaike released ‘Rumoured Superpowers,’ advocating shared parenting responsibilities and supporting the diverse community around mothers.

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If you’re doing business in China, it’s important to adapt your digital marketing strategy to the latest trends in the Chinese market, so that Chinese consumers get attracted to your offer. In this article, we present 10 trends you need to know about. From WeChat marketing to live streaming, these are the top ways to reach Chinese consumers online.

Overview of China’s Digital Ecosystem

Millions of people in China go online every day, and the country has one of the most active digital ecosystems in the world. Chinese consumers are avid users of mobile payments, social media, and e-commerce, and businesses are increasingly looking to tap into this market.

But this is where the struggle begins. Chinese Internet users have access to completely different websites, social media platforms, online marketplaces, and search engine options than ‘the rest of the world’. Most of the foreign companies entering the market don’t even realize, how different the digital sphere in China is. 

Let’s look at the graphics above. Do you recognize any of those logos? We don’t use any of them. The most popular search engine in China is Baidu, accounting for more than 70% of the market share. Baidu is a whole ecosystem itself, offering many forums, video platforms, encyclopedias, libraries, and more. 

When it comes to social media, the most popular social media platform is definitely WeChat, gathering more than 1.26 billion monthly active users. Other popular applications are; Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Kuaishou. 

When it comes to e-commerce platforms, Alibaba Group is the definite leader of the market, being an owner of the biggest B2C platform – Taobao, and the biggest B2B platform – Tmall. But there are also many other platforms, like JD.com, Kaola, Vipshop, and Pinduoduo, to name a few. 

What is most important to understand is that the Chinese market lowes ‘super-apps‘, so all the apps and platforms, from social media to e-commerce, have multiple different functions and features. Chinese Internet users are used to extreme convenience and simplicity, having access to almost everything they need, inside one application. This is why, when working on digital marketing strategies for the Chinese market, it’s crucial to have an overall approach, to leverage those applications in the best possible way. 

Best Digital Marketing Strategies in China

As you have an overall understanding of how the digital world works in the Chinese market, let’s take a look at the trends shaping digital marketing in China in 2023. 

Storytelling and good branding are the key

Nowadays, branding and content are the most important factors when optimizing your marketing strategy. Chinese customers are not patient and are really selective, if they don’t like it, they will just pass on it.

Young Chinese consumers are more aware of the environment and global changes and they start being more selective when choosing brands they want to buy from. They want to be more sustainable and invest in products that don’t harm animals, the environment, or the economy, so it’s important to be transparent and tell the story of your brand and its values instead of just promoting the products. 

If you have attractive, well-designed content, you will not only attract your customers but you will encourage them to buy and even make them become loyal to your brand (this is harder as Chinese customers are not really typically loyal if they find something better they will often change). Branding is very important for consumers in China, and no one will buy from unknown brands with unclear values.

Influencer marketing

So-called KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) are Chinese influencers that have huge power over the shopping decisions of Chinese consumers. They became popular a few years ago and today the use of Chinese influencers in your digital marketing strategy is almost essential, especially in sectors like fashion, beauty, baby products, new technologies, etc. 

KOLs are internet celebrities and most of them are specialists in their fields of interest, attracting many brands, that want to collaborate with them. A good influencer campaign can bring millions in sales, as word-of-mouth marketing in China is far more effective, due to many scandals and counterfeiting products on the market. Chinese consumers trust recommendations from their friends, family, and favorite influencers more than official brand announcements. 

Today we see a shift in the strategy, and many brands, also the biggest ones, decide to work with KOCs instead of KOLs. KOLs are big internet personas, gathering millions of followers. But recently China has seen many scandals with KOLs being involved and the audience is slowly losing trust in all those stars. Instead, they move on to KOCs, which are ordinary users of products they promote to a smaller audience, gathering more engaged followers and gaining trust among their fans. 

Live-streaming

Live streaming is one of the biggest revelations of recent years and it became especially profitable and popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. As people were locked at home, they started watching streaming videos, to see the quality and usage of products they were interested to buy. Live streaming is a huge industry in China, attracting more and more consumers and streamers every day.

One of the main reasons for its popularity is the fact, that due to many scandals with fake products and bad quality of services, most consumers don’t trust the official promotion of brands. They prefer to rely on friends’ and influencers’ opinions and recommendations. Live-streaming is another step, as they can see products live, in real use. 

There are many streaming platforms, like Taobao Live, Douyin, and Wiya, where there are long live streams, showing how to prepare meals, or do perfect make-up. There are also streams of people picking vegetables, showing the exact quality of products that are available to purchase. Live-streaming is one of the leading tools in digital marketing in China in 2023 and it’s worth investing money and time in leveraging this function for your brand. 

Video is the future

The number of Chinese video users is constantly increasing year after year, this number is also due to the booming of smartphone users and the booming of the digital era. It is not only about watching movies, short films, or music video clips. You can deliver a message, target a customer, engage your customer, display a video ad, and make consumers buy.

A video is an all-in-one tool; utilizing visuals, text, and audio, which is the reason why it is a really efficient tool. Apart from longer videos, the digital marketing landscape in the Chinese market is being flooded by applications and features offering short videos. 

The most popular one, Douyin, known as Tik Tok outside of China, is one of the most successful mobile apps worldwide. In China, Douyin offers much more functions, with integrated live-streaming and e-commerce features, offering consumers an all-in-one experience.

Apart from Douyin, there are other apps, some are dedicated to short videos and live-streaming only (like Kuaishou), while others add the short-videos feature to their existing offer (like WeChat Channels in the WeChat app). 

WeChat, the king of mobile

Wechat is one of the must-have apps if you want to succeed with your marketing campaign because it has the strongest position on mobiles. Wechat is on the way to becoming the most powerful app in the world.

WeChat, which started as a simple messaging social media app, nowadays is a whole ecosystem itself, offering multiple functions. Examples include; messaging, video calls, official accounts, short-videos sub-platforms, WeChat payment method, e-commerce stores within the app, access to other services, like taxis, bikes, medical help, and much more. 

However it is not an easy social media to enter, Wechat is not based on exposure or influence but more on a one-to-one, personalized and dedicated communications with users.

Wechat is perfectly understanding the huge success and booming of mobile and is taking advantage of it by offering brands the opportunity to combine social aspects and commercial ones. The app tends to be what we can call a “social e-commerce platform” enhancing social media and e-commerce activities in conjunction with one another (more on that below). 

The app has perfectly understood the benefits of embracing mobile technology in China. As you can see in the graphic above, WeChat offers WeChat Stores, and most of the brands in China and foreign companies use this function to offer their products inside the platform. 

Apart from that, WeChat also has a great online consumer management system, you can be integrated with consumers by sending them newsletters, special discount coupons, or even private messages. There are also functions like WeChat H5 brochures, where you can present your brand in a short, interactive mini-app. And of course, all your products can be purchased with the use of WeChat Pay, without the need of leaving the app. 

Ecommerce is becoming more social

M-Commerce (short for Mobile Commerce) is clearly booming because the Chinese are spending a lot of their time on their mobile devices. The place to reach your customer is on their mobile, it is more convenient and they are more willing to receive advertisements. Customers spend most of their time on Chinese social media platforms, therefore this is where e-commerce is heading in China. 

Social eCommerce is just beginning to know a bright future in China. Especially Wechat which is on the way to becoming the future e-commerce platform in China with brands able to launch micro-stores within the application itself. In fact, most Gen Z is purchasing through WeChat Stores, believing it’s the most convenient way. 

Most of the apps are integrating e-commerce within social media, which is becoming very useful for consumers. It’s partially due to the popularity of influencers and live-streaming, where it’s very convenient to put links directing consumers to the product page within the platform so that they can buy the item in just one or two clicks. 

Another reason is the fact that, as we mentioned earlier, Chinese people prefer word-of-mouth marketing and they strongly value the social aspect of digital shopping. They want to see the reviews, engage with other users of products they want to buy, and so on. This is why platforms like Xiaohongshu or Douyin integrate e-commerce in their offers, and e-commerce platforms like Taobao or Pinduoduo add social features to their platforms. 

Metaverse, phygital and virtual realities

You have probably heard many times about O2O, it is the new trend that you need to optimize if you want to succeed in your marketing campaign. The connection between online and offline seems to be closer than ever. Consumers are discovering products online, making a selection of the products that they like the most, they can then experience it offline by going directly to the showroom or to the stores, the whole process can still be linked digitally with interactive WeChat accounts and websites.

Another thing that really speeded up in 2023 is the metaverse, and the use of virtual reality in marketing and e-commerce. Something that is still rather unknown in the West, is a whole big thing, leveraged by most of the biggest brands in China.

Companies like Maybelline, Gucci, Coca-cola are opening their metaverse stores, collaborate with games to create engaging content for younger generations, that are very excited about the new trend and want more. There are virtual fashion shows on Xiaohongshu, or virtual collections of NFTs to purchase. We can say, that this is definitely the hottest trend of this year and it will definitely stay. 

User experience and customization

Because of the huge number of marketing campaigns, you have to focus on your customers’ sensibilities, and experience and you have to understand your customer’s needs and create a real, meaningful experience. However, the point here is to be creative, you have to engage your customers not only by sending them advertising messages but also by encouraging their self-expression and individual participation.

More and more brands are turning their consumers into designers or brand representatives. Consumers are not loyal to brands and can easy switch to other foreign companies offering similar products, if they have more attractive branding or more engaging UX design. 

Young consumers want their products to be unique and personalised, so that they can show off something different than all the rest. Many companies offer customized products or engaging experiences, to attract young consumers to their brands. Offering something unique is also very helpful in creating buzz and attracting Key Opinion Leaders, that might get interested and start to talk about your brand. 

Social Media in China

We cannot really call social media a trend now, it has been a must-have for many years, but its importance and influence on shopping decisions on Millennials and Gen Z is growing rapidly. Most brands are present on social media, what is actually the trend now is to know how to link the advertising campaigns effectively to the social aspect.

Apart from WeChat which we talked about before, there are many other platforms that are super popular in China. The most popular are; Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin. All of them have different audiences and will be suitable for different brands, but it’s best to leverage all of them for your digital marketing in China. 

Social media platforms in China are more complex and convenient than the Western ones and can really help you make your brand known in China. You can use them to promote your products, collaborate with influencers, sell your products directly in the app through social e-commerce or simply contact your consumers, as they don’t even open emails, so you can’t count on Newsletters like we do in the West. 

Focus on Local 

The last point but certainly not the least important is to focus on local marketing strategies. You may have probably heard this a million times, but focusing on local doesn’t mean that you will need to completely change your products, tastes, and preferences to local ones. The idea is actually to understand the customer’s needs and adapt your product whilst not forgetting one’s core product strategy.

For example, have you ever tried those colorful burgers at KFC, a pink spicy hamburger? This is roasted cheese spicy chicken with pink bread. The brighter colors proved to be a strong novelty in China and effectively generate sales for KFC, they kept a distinct brand whilst responding to consumer demand. Below you can see another of localized products in KFC – Chinese hot pot. 

Another example is Starbucks, that, apart from coffee, offers a big variety of tea flavours in its cafes. The most famous and the biggest one, located in Shanghai, offers more than 20 different tea flavors.

Are You Interested in Implementing These Digital Marketing Trends in Your China Strategy? Contact Us!

Following trends in digital marketing in China is not an easy task. Many of them are new, as China is the trendsetter when it comes to the digital world in general. Another thing is the fact that China’s online ecosystem is completely different than anything we are used to in the West. What is more, those trends change super fast, so it’s important to act now!

We are a China marketing agency with more than 10 years of experience in digital marketing for the Chinese market. We worked with over 600 brands from different industries, helping them navigate through China’s online world and creating the best-suitable marketing strategies for each brand.

We offer many different services, depending on the needs and budget of our customers, starting from market research, web design, localization, naming, branding, e-reputation, influencer marketing, e-commerce, social media set-up, online reputation management, and many more.

Check some of our case studies:

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us to discuss your project in China. We offer a free discovery call, where our experts can learn about your brand and see what are the best ways to help your brand in China.

Let’s dive in!

Top 8 Marketing Strategies for China

1. Branding is everything in China: brand building and e-reputation
2. Social media as a brand awareness tool
3. Engagement will make a difference
4. Key Opinion Leaders as sales channels
5. E-commerce is more powerful than retail
6. Explore niche & specialized platforms
7. PR, Chinese forums, and content marketing
8. Chinese website couples with Baidu SEO

For the past decade, numerous global brands have entered China. And now they see it as their main arena for growth as well as new, smaller businesses looking for opportunities to make a fortune in this country. The most important question remains as to what digital marketing strategy works well in China.

Your overseas reputation or financial capabilities may grant you certain advantages. However, both international companies and start-ups face similar challenges when it comes to understanding Chinese consumers and their buying behaviors.

China’s unique, ever-changing digital ecosystem as well as the way people live and interact in it make a difference. Here are the top marketing strategies to succeed in the Chinese market.

Branding and e-reputation are everything in China

It is not exaggerated to say that Chinese consumers are scared of new and unknown brands.

China is huge and thus the Chinese market is a complicated one in the sense that there are countless producers. Yes, merchants are selling everything you need for life here. Meanwhile, the legal system to protect consumers from fake goods is not yet as fully developed as in the West.

Many consumers have been cheated with counterfeit products, fake reputable brands, and domestic brands that are expensive but of poor quality. Accordingly, they become paranoid and cautious toward less recognized or unbranded products.

Additionally, Chinese people buy brands not only for the functions they have but also to reflect their social status. Moreover, they improve how other people perceive them. Chinese consumers are willing to pay more if the brand can bring them prestige and respect in their social circle. That’s why luxury consumer products enjoyed such phenomenal growth in China for the past 2 decades.

Brand awareness should be your priority of focus if you are new to China. So, how to increase your brand awareness?

Social media marketing is of paramount importance to build e-reputation in China

95% of people who live in large Chinese cities have an account with at least one social network.

Not only that, but China’s social media users are far more active than in other countries. With 91% of them saying they had visited a social app site in the past six months.

Social networks also have a larger impact on the buying decisions of Chinese consumers than on those of any other country.

If a Chinese consumer sees a product being discussed positively on an SM, especially by a friend or acquaintance, they are far more likely to actually purchase the product than their counterpart in other countries. Peer recommendations have a huge influence on Chinese culture, as formal institutions are less likely to be trusted.

China’s social network landscape is fragmented and sophisticated. Today, we are taking a deeper look at WeChat and Weibo in comparison as well as other more niche and specialized platforms so that brands have an overall picture. For a better deep dive into all major Chinese social networks, please, check our Top 10 Chinese Social media guide where we look at all the marketing features of these channels.

What is Wechat

WeChat is the most powerful APP in China. It is a personal messaging app, social media platform, online payment tool, online shopping place, and more; all included in just ONE app. WeChat’s ambition is to integrate itself into every aspect of the daily life of customers. It is helping them perform different activities without leaving the app.

Wechat is a great app to generate private traffic through an official account and every other tool available to businesses on the app. The aim of private traffic in China is to build loyalty through traffic acquired on social media accounts.

What is Weibo

Meanwhile, Weibo is a more open platform where users come to socialize with friends and new people. To entertain themselves, they watch videos as well as discover trendy topics or hot social information.

Celebrities, famous bloggers, media outfits, government departments, and ordinary users all create and share content on Weibo, making it a very bustling and exciting social hub to hang out.

Xiaohongshu

Xiaohongshu is often called “Chinese Instagram” because the core of the platform lies in user-generated content. The app was created mostly for women and they are the main audience, making it a perfect platform for beauty, lifestyle, and fashion content.

Xiaohongshu is very popular among Chinese influencers, it also offers e-commerce services etc.

Douyin

Douyin is a fairly ‘new’ revelation in the Chinese social media landscape. This short-video app, known as TikTok outside of China, managed to climb to the place of the second most popular social media platform in the country.

Douyin is popular thanks to fast, funny content but it also offers many business features for brands wanting to target their Chinese audience with the use of short-videos.

Generate awareness through content marketing

No matter which platform you choose to do your branding on a Chinese social network, high-quality content that users repost or share is the most important element. Unique, informative, and interesting content will engage followers and attract new ones.

After registering an official account on social media platforms of your choice, brands can post content or push feeds to their subscribers.

Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu are open platforms where even non-followers can view your posts and the posting default setting is public. In addition, everyone can also see the reposts, comments, or likes.

Therefore, they are very suitable for viral campaigns or viral content, which aim to boost brand awareness extensively and help you grow your potential Chinese customers base.

WeChat is a closed community. Normally, WeChat users can only see posts pushed by official accounts to which they subscribe. So your followers on Wechat tend to be more condensed and targeted.

In terms of content type, on Weibo, businesses can make use of the media-rich nature of Weibo to create multimedia content including things like videos, pictures, live streaming, and adding emojis to their posts. Besides, the “@tag” function enables users to tag relevant parties in the posts, while the “#hashtag” function leads users to a dedicated page that garners all posts with the same topic.

On WeChat, the content that users like to repost is interactive with text and photos/audio/video. This makes it a good place for long, detailed articles to introduce a business but also mainly to share interesting tips.

The language style is also more formal and professional. Remember to highlight the most essential parts so that it’ll be easy for readers to skim. Attractive visuals and a well-designed layout are also important to retain readers.

Other platforms are dependent on the type of your brand. You can post videos on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, use influencers, sell products directly on the platform, and promote products through live streams, challenges, etc. They give more opportunities for promotion but are more dependent on the type of products or services you offer.

Influencer marketing helps you gain the trust of Chinese consumers

Key opinion leaders play an important role in your digital marketing strategy. The rise of KOL marketing had an important impact on the Chinese culture of consumption as Chinese consumers are looking up to them for suggestions and confirmation.

On the Chinese market, KOLs can be bloggers, celebrities, authorities, or professionals in a certain industry who have a huge number of followers/ subscribers.

The social influence of KOLs is enormous. Their posts not only reach a large and loyal audience but also influence significantly the purchase decisions of their fans.

Brand awareness will expand and brand equity will be reinforced through the credibility of KOLs with whom they cooperate.

The most common form of cooperation with KOLs involves sponsored content creation. Brands find a KOL who likes their products and is a good fit for their positioning. They then negotiate and arrange for them to write promotional articles and recommend their products or services.

KOLs can also share/ repost messages of brands or co-organize online campaigns.

The other benefit of KOLs is market segmentation. You won’t hire the same Kol to reach Chinese customers in lower-tier cities as you would for Shanghai or Beijing for instance.

China Social eCommerce Craze

Social commerce is gaining traction in China. This is understandable when social media is already a place for Chinese consumers to discover new brands, and read reviews/ opinions/ experiences of other people with products and services before making purchases.

The online shopping function of Chinese social networks just makes the whole buying process faster, and more convenient, and thus the conversion rate of social commerce is very high.

Buyers can easily access and browse shops smoothly as well as make purchases with one-click payment without leaving the app for an e-commerce platform.

Explore niche and specialized Chinese social networks to reach a super-targeted audience

A solid presence on WeChat, Weibo or Douyin is a must. However, it is increasingly competitive to get your brands noticed by customers in the noise of millions of posts, tweets, and campaigns happening every second on those well-known sites.

Meanwhile, you can take a look into more specialized platforms that serve unique niches. These smaller, passion-based networks allow Western companies to connect with conversations that really matter and drive authentic traffic to your business.

Here are some niche social media platforms that are growing in popularity:

Xueqiu (Snowball): Equity & Finance Social Network

Founded in 2010, Xueqiu is the one-stop platform to discuss and learn about a wide range of financial services. This could be the ideal platform for foreign companies in the financial or real estate industries that want to enter the Chinese market and reach out to target Chinese consumers.

Keep: The Hub of Health and Fitness Enthusiasts

Launched in February 2015, Keep is a platform dedicated to the health and fitness niche. This platform is a great choice for international companies and brands that want to take part in the rise of the fitness industry in China market and create relevant sports marketing campaigns.

Mafengwo: Chinese people’s favorite tour guide

As Chinese travelers are increasingly sophisticated and knowledgeable, they prefer to create their own unique travel experiences. Many navigate to Mafengwo to help them plan their trips.

For businesses in the tourism industry, this is the ideal place for marketing in the Chinese consumer market.

PR, Chinese forums, and content marketing

Another powerful strategy is to tap into the large and active user groups on local forums. Forums in the West may be outdated but in China, it’s still significant. Large communities of similar interests gather on different forums to discuss their favorite topics.

For international brands, forums can be a source of valuable insights into your targeted customers as well as a place to seed your content strategy to increase brand awareness, expertise, and image.

In addition, peer reviews are highly influential in a collectivist society. Consumers really care about feedback from other consumers. Positive discussions about brands online can greatly lead to more trust and sales, but negative ones spread fast like cancer and damage the brand image.

Therefore, it is critical for brands to involve, monitor, and promote a positive reputation across forums.

Another advantage of being active on forums is that posts on forums rank highly on Baidu, thus contributing to your visibility on the most popular search engine.

Here are some of the most popular forums in China:

• Baidu Tieba 百度贴吧

It is known for allowing users to create their own “吧” (sub-forums), about any topic under the sun, such as your favorite idol, your favorite game, your city, or even your high school.

• Zhihu 知乎

Zhihu provides good information and analysis on a wide range of topics, and there are lots of famous people actively participating in discussions.

If you want to know the opinions of “intellectual elites”, Zhihu is the best place to go.

• Douban Group 豆瓣小组

Douban has a reputation for being a community of young intellectuals. Anything from literature to minimalism to travel is being discussed here within communities of like-minded people.

Chinese website coupled with Baidu SEO

You will need a website in China, and you should see it not as a separate hub of information but as a part of the digital ecosystem that consumers would pass till they reach the buying stage.

What to keep in mind before launching your website in China

• Well-integrated with social media

When you create a website, you need to look at all the points at which social media popular in China can be utilized. For example, WeChat or QQ should be used for logins to a website built for China.

While virtually every Chinese netizen has an email address, it is used far less than you might expect. Inputting a mobile phone number and receiving a unique SMS confirmation, is much more widespread.

Youku or QQ video should be built into a Chinese website for embedding videos, and WeChat pay and/or Alibaba’s Alipay should be the payment method integrated.

• Design and UX

UX or design requires thoughtful and methodical consideration of factors such as environment, attention span, and screen space. As with anywhere, it is highly important that the purpose and audience are clearly defined when creating a website for China.

China is a mobile-first country, so your website must be adapted for mobile device usage. Additionally, integrating the website that you create for China with WeChat or building a Chinese WeChat minisite will create a more seamless user experience.

Besides, when looking to build Chinese websites, the content architecture, image choice, and user flow must be evaluated for Chinese audiences.

• To succeed in China, a Business Localized content instead of translated content

The Chinese language is full of high-contextual meaning and your website will have to be using the Chinese language (Chinese characters). International businesses can not afford to be cheap! You should hire professionals for your china content.

When creating a website for China, it is important to keep in mind that the content should speak directly to your target market: the Chinese consumer.

Rather than hire a translator, hire a copywriter with knowledge in your specific industry that can adapt and polish your content for a Chinese audience.

• Domain and Hosting

If you want your website to rank on Chinese search engines, your website must be hosted in China.

To host your website in China, your Chinese website domain name must be managed by a Chinese registrar, your organization must be registered in China, and you must apply for an ICP license.

An ICP license is a permit issued by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that is mandatory for China-based websites to operate in China.

Applying for an ICP license can take some time, so it is important to plan this in advance when you build a Chinese website.

A website is pointless if not seen on Baidu

Similar to the West, search engine optimization is one important pillar of your digital marketing plan. And in the Chinese market, Baidu is the king.

Considering that +80% of Chinese consumers conduct intensive searches online (either on search engines, social media, or e-commerce platforms) to learn about products or services, being visible on Baidu is critical to capturing targeted traffic to your website and ultimately generating sales.

In China, Baidu holds the most market share. A myriad of smaller and vertical search engines like Google CN, Sogou, Soso, eTao, and Qihoo 360 exist – each caters to a specific target group.

Knowing which China Search Engine to invest in and the right budget allocation makes all the difference in your search ROI.

In addition, an integrated search engine strategy that combines both China Search Engine Marketing (SEM PPC) and China Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is also important to your overall China Search Marketing ROI.

Need Top China Marketing Advice? Contact the #1 Agency for Marketing in China

In a market where online channels are constantly evolving, having people who know the place like their pocket can be a previous help.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency is your ideal ally in this journey. With our deep understanding of the Chinese market and cutting-edge strategies, we help brands make a significant impact.

Our Services: Designed for Your Success

• Market Insight and Analysis: Understanding the Chinese market is crucial. We provide comprehensive insights into consumer behavior and trends.
• Brand Localization: Your brand’s voice matters. We fine-tune your message to resonate with Chinese audiences while keeping your brand marketing and core values intact.
• Digital Marketing Excellence: Utilizing platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat, we create campaigns that engage and convert. We also check your Western marketing efforts for comparison, so that nothing goes to waste.
• E-commerce Strategy: Dominate online sales on Tmall, JD.com, and more, leveraging our e-commerce expertise to successfully market your brand.
• Social Media Mastery: From content creation to community management, we handle it all.
• Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with the right KOLs can elevate your brand. We make those connections happen.

Why Partner with Us?

• Proven Track Record: Our portfolio is a testament to our success in bringing brands to life in the Chinese market.
• Cultural Savvy: We’re not just marketing experts; we understand China’s unique cultural landscape.
• Innovative Approaches: Stay ahead of the curve with our forward-thinking strategies.
• Focus on Results: Our goal is to deliver measurable success and ROI.

Whether you’re new to the Chinese market or looking to expand your presence, we tailor our services to your needs. With Gentlemen Marketing Agency, your brand is in capable hands.

Interested in learning more? Explore our range of services and success stories on our website. Let’s connect and discuss how we can help your brand soar in China.

It’s hard to neglect the fact, that today short-video are ruling the social media marketing scene in China. Research points out that around 87% of marketers lean towards using video as their key marketing tool.

But why would we talk about this platform? Jianying is used by the majority of influencers, Key Opinion Leaders, and content creators in China, so it’s about time you learn about this app, as it will benefit your influencer marketing efforts.

This article serves as your comprehensive guide to Jianying (known globally as CapCut), an all-rounder video editing platform tailor-made for influencers in China.

Key Takeaways

• Jianying is a powerful video editing platform specifically designed for influencers, offering a wide range of features to create stunning and captivating content.
• The app is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both beginner and experienced editors.
• With Jianying, influencers can create watermark-free videos with high-quality edits, including top music hits, sound effects, stickers, text options, special effects, and more.
• Advertising on Jianying provides benefits such as increased user engagement, targeted advertising capabilities, native advertising integration opportunities, brand promotion boost through influencer collaborations, cost-effective online advertising solutions.

What is Jianying?

Jianying is a powerful video editing platform for influencers that offers a wide range of features to create stunning and captivating content.

As you can see below, Jianying is a definite leader of all the video-editing apps on the Chinese market.

Features of Jianying

Jianying has many features that make it great for video editing. First, it gives influencers a wide range of video effects. They can add sparkles, fade outs, and more to make videos shine.

The smart features are also worth noting. With these, creators can auto-correct colors or adjust the speed of your clips.

Another cool thing about Jianying is the templates. They save time and help newbie editors create like pros. It prides itself on its user-friendly interface. It’s easy to find what you need, and everything runs smoothly.

The app also has an English version for people outside of China.

Watermark-free videos

Jianying provides watermark-free videos for a clean output. Watermark removal is key to give videos a polished look. Most users love this feature because it makes their work seem more professional.

So, if you want high-quality, sleek-looking content without brand marks, Jianying is the video editing app for you!

High-quality editing

Jianying offers high-quality editing tools to enhance videos. With advanced features and smart technology, anyone can create professional-looking content that grabs the attention of the audience.

From trendy transitions to text templates, Jianying has everything one needs to make videos that stand out. The app also provides a wide range of video effects and AI tools for even more creative possibilities.

Top music hits and sound effects

Jianying offers a wide range of top music hits and sound effects for users to enhance their videos. These music hits and sound effects are of high quality, comparable to those found in professional editing software like DaVinci.

Douyin (Chinese TikTok), a social network known for user-generated videos, also highlights the popularity of incorporating music and sound effects into videos. With Jianying’s template library, users can easily find and incorporate these top music hits and sound effects into their own videos, adding an extra layer of creativity and appeal.

Stickers and text options

Jianying offers a wide range of stickers and text options to help make videos more engaging and visually appealing. You can choose from festival-themed stickers, templates, and trendy effects to customize videos according to your branding needs.

These stickers and text options help you add branded elements, transitions, and trendy effects without the need for any upgrades. With Jianying’s easy-to-use interface, you can easily edit and customize your videos with just a few clicks.

Special effects

Special effects are an important feature of Jianying (CapCut). With its advanced AI technology, it offers a wide range of special effect templates for video editing. These templates make it easy for users to add creative and eye-catching effects to their videos.

Image, audio, and text editing capabilities

Jianying has great editing features for images, audio, and text. You can add text overlays to your videos and choose from a variety of fonts and colors. It also offers tools for audio editing, allowing you to adjust the volume or add background music to your videos.

When it comes to images, Jianying lets you enhance them with filters, crop them, or add stickers. With these capabilities, you can create professional-looking videos that stand out and grab attention.

Why Should You Advertise on Jianying?

Brands should advertise on Jianying because it offers a unique platform to reach a large audience of Chinese influencers and provides advertising solutions tailored specifically for brands, including growth hacker marketing solutions and Chinese festival marketing solutions.

Burst of video editing apps in China

Video editing apps have experienced a burst of popularity in China, with Jianying leading the way. These apps offer advanced tools for content creation and have contributed to a surge in video editing and influencer marketing.

It’s not surprising that influencers are jumping on these apps to create visually appealing and engaging content for their audiences. With the availability of easy-to-use features, high-quality editing capabilities, top music hits, special effects, stickers, text options, and more, these apps have become go-to choices for influencers looking to enhance their video content.

Benefits of advertising on Jianying

Advertising on Jianying offers numerous benefits for influencers and brands, including:

• Increased User Engagement: With a highly influential user base, Jianying provides a platform to connect with a wide audience. Advertising on Jianying can effectively capture the attention of users and drive engagement.
• Targeted Advertising: Brands can reach their desired target audience through advertising on Jianying. By leveraging user data and insights, advertisers can create targeted campaigns that resonate with their intended audience.
• Native Advertising: Advertising on Jianying allows brands to seamlessly integrate their products or services into influencer-created content. This native approach makes the advertisement feel more authentic and resonates better with viewers.
• Boosting Brand Promotion: Influencers on Jianying have a significant following and influence over their audience. Through advertising collaborations, brands can tap into this influence to promote their products or services to a wider audience.
• Influencer Collaboration Opportunities: Advertising on Jianying opens up opportunities for collaborations with influencers who already have established credibility and trust with their followers. This collaboration helps in building brand awareness and credibility among the target audience.
• Cost-Effective Online Advertising: Compared to traditional forms of advertising, advertising on Jianying is often more cost-effective while still yielding impactful results. It offers an efficient way for brands to allocate their marketing budgets towards online advertising strategies.

Advertising solutions offered by Jianying

Jianying offers a range of advertising solutions for brands looking to promote their brand and engage with influencers. With its video effects, banner ads, and branding templates, Jianying provides the tools needed to create impactful advertisements.

These ads are designed to be engaging and can help drive audience engagement and ultimately lead to sales conversion. As the official Douyin video editing app, Jianying has a strong presence on one of China’s largest social media platforms, making it an ideal choice for influencer marketing campaigns.

By leveraging the advertising solutions offered by Jianying, influencers can effectively market their brand and reach a wider audience.

Growth hacker marketing solutions

As a marketing manager, you’re always looking for effective growth hacker marketing solutions. Well, Jianying offers exactly that for brands. With their advertising platform, you can quickly grow your business and reach influencers you need.

Influencer marketing is known to be one of the most powerful tools for growth hackers, and Jianying provides the perfect opportunity to tap into this strategy. They offer advertising solutions tailored specifically to influencers, including growth hacker marketing tactics and promotional options.

By leveraging these tools on Jianying, you can maximize your exposure and accelerate your business growth in no time.

Chinese Festival Marketing Solutions

Chinese festivals provide unique opportunities for influencers and brands to engage with their target audience. With a highly influential user base, Jianying offers effective marketing solutions during these festivals.

By leveraging the app’s features, creators can create eye-catching videos that resonate with their followers and drive engagement. The app provides special effects, stickers, and text options that can be customized to align with the festival theme.

With Jianying’s festival marketing solutions, influencers can captivate their audience and promote products or services in an authentic way.

How to Download Jianying on PC or Mac?

To download Jianying on PC or Mac, follow these easy steps and start editing videos like a pro or join Jianying advertising for brands.

Official download method

To download Jianying on your PC or Mac, follow these simple steps:

1. Visit the official website of Jianying by searching for “Jianying” in your web browser.
2. Look for the “Download” option on the website’s homepage.
3. Click on the “普通下载” (regular download) option to start downloading the software.
4. Once the download is complete, locate the installation file in your computer’s downloads folder.
5. Double-click on the file to begin the installation process.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Jianying on your PC or Mac.
7. After installation, you can launch Jianying and start editing videos right away.

System requirements

To download and use Jianying on your PC or Mac, you need to make sure your computer meets the system requirements. Having a compatible computer is important to ensure smooth video editing and avoid any issues.

The software requires sufficient memory (RAM) because video editing tasks are more demanding compared to regular computer usage. So, it’s recommended to have a higher amount of RAM for efficient performance.

Make sure your computer has enough storage space for the software installation and also consider the file processing capabilities of your machine. By meeting these system requirements, you’ll be able to enjoy using Jianying for all your video editing needs.

Contact Us To Find The Most Suitable Influencers on Jianying!

Jianying is a powerful video-editing platform that offers a wide range of features for influencers and brands. With its easy-to-use interface, watermark-free videos, top music hits and sound effects, and special effects options, it provides everything influencers need to create high-quality content.

Whether you’re a social media influencer in China, or you’re a Western brands looking out for quality influencers for your brand promotion, Jianying is a platform you should consider for your marketing and advertising strategy.

If you need help with setting an account or you’d like us to provide the best marketing strategy and help with finding the right influencers and Key Opinion Leaders for your brand promotion in China, don’t hesitate to contact us!

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at Xiaohongshu. We’ll explore user demographics, analyze spending habits, and gauge the trust users place in the platform. We’ll also examine eCommerce trends, uncover which product categories are leading, and discuss the emerging trends and technologies shaping Xiaohongshu’s future.

Join us as we delve deeper into the evolving world of Xiaohongshu and uncover the insights and trends shaping its journey in the digital marketplace.

Overview of The Xiaohongshu App, Valued at More Than $3 Billion

Xiaohongshu, also known as “Little Red Book,” made its debut in China in 2013, and swiftly became a sensation. Why did Xiaohongshu experience such immediate success? The answer lies in its innovative approach: it introduced a unique blend of social media and e-commerce, where users could collect recommendations and reviews of products and later purchase them on the platforms. Users could not only explore and share lifestyle content but also purchase recommended products directly through the app.

This novel combination of content sharing and online shopping struck a chord with users, filling a gap in the digital landscape and leading to rapid growth for Xiaohongshu. The platform’s distinctive model and success have since paved the way for its continuing evolution and influence in the social commerce sphere.

As of 2023, Xiaohongshu boasts almost 200 million monthly active users, with a majority of them being females looking for shopping notes and user-generated content from other Xiaohongshu users recommending and reviewing products.

So let’s take a closer look at user statistics that make the Xiaohongshu platform a unique one among other Chinese social media platforms.

User Base and Demographics

Xiaohongshu platform started as a hub for female users who were searching for a safe space to post their photos, showcasing fashion outfits or skincare routines, to discuss them with other females under their social media posts. Because of that, the platform grew into a very ‘consumer decision-making’ platform, where users (mostly female, as male users take up more or less 1/3 of the whole audience) were sharing reviews and recommendations, looking for advice, etc.

Xiaohongshu boasts 190 million monthly active users

This is very important to understand, because it is the core to understanding the purpose of the platform, and it’s core demographics, with it’s purchasing habits and social media usage.

As mentioned earlier, Little Red Book currently has 190 million monthly active users. 72% of those users are under 30 years old and around half come from first and second-tier cities.

The app presents a big opportunity for all baby-related products and services

What is important to understand is that a majority of users are females (around 70%), but also from all the users, 66% are married, and of those, 83% have babies. This means it’s a perfect platform not only for fashion and cosmetics, but baby care, maternity clothes, and everything from the baby and children’s market.

Main types of Xiaohongshu users

Apart from the fact that the majority of users are young, it’s good to understand their main motivations.

Here are 6 main types of young people using the platform:

• Generation Z: Engaged in social interactions, following trends, participating in online gaming, achieving learning milestones, and being involved in competitive sports.
• Urban Trendsetters: Focused on fashion, mindful of personal image, thinking independently, and opinionated.
• Exquisite Moms: Valuing quality of life, attentive to appearance, indulging in high-end consumption, and investing in skincare.
• Emerging White-Collars: Financially independent, enthusiastic about work, energetic, and showcasing individuality.
• Singles with High Income: Financially self-sufficient, in pursuit of enjoyment, valuing quality, and inclined towards moderate consumption.
• Pleasure Seekers: Valuing entertainment, indulging in hobbies, seeking experiential consumption, and prioritizing enjoyment.

Xiaohongshu Usage Statistics

Xiaohongshu, colloquially known as “Little Red Book,” boasts impressive usage statistics that underscore its burgeoning popularity in the digital domain. With millions of active users, the platform witnesses a diverse range of demographics engaging daily, sharing insights, and making purchases.

The statistics above reveal intriguing insights into the diverse user behavior on Xiaohongshu. With 37% of users seeking authentic reviews on topics or products of interest, it underscores the platform’s credibility and the value users place on peer opinions. The close 36% that are drawn to the app to keep abreast of current Xiaohongshu trends signifies the app’s role as a trendsetter in the digital space, particularly in areas like fashion and lifestyle.

The 30% of users driven by posts shared on other social platforms highlight the app’s cross-platform influence and the interconnectedness of the social media ecosystem. Furthermore, the notable 40% actively searching for products or topics, especially in categories such as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, underline Xiaohongshu’s strength in catering to diverse interests and needs.

Lastly, the 33% who visit Xiaohongshu for inspiration point to the platform’s rich and varied content, confirming its status as a go-to source for creative ideas and lifestyle trends. Overall, these figures paint a comprehensive picture of a vibrant and engaged user community, each seeking something unique, yet collectively contributing to Xiaohongshu’s dynamic ecosystem.

Influencer Marketing and Social Media Trust

Thanks to being a very user-generated content-focused platform, Xiaohongshu is the main platform of choice for influencer marketing. Xiaohongshu is the primary platform for a majority of Chinese Key Opinion Leaders and Key Opinion Consumers, with 91% of influencers picking this platform as the most valuable one.

Xiaohongshu is the primary platform for Chinese influencers

67% of influencers select Little Red Book as their primary platform with 43% of them using it more frequently than in the previous year. Xiaohongshu, with its users who are searching for product and service recommendations and reviews, is a perfect choice for word-of-mouth marketing.

Costs for Xiaohongshu-sponsored posts are growing

But this preference comes with a cost. High-quality content done by top influencers is expensive, and here is the breakdown of average post costs on the Little Red Book app:

• Over 1M followers: 125k RMB (US$17k) – 380k RMB (US$53k)
• 500k – 1M followers: 60k RMB (US$8.5k) – 190k RMB (US$26k)
• 300k – 500k followers: 35k RMB (US$4.5k) – 120k RMB (US$17k)
• 100k – 300k followers: 15k RMB (US$2k) – 35k RMB (US$4.5k)
• Under 100k followers: 3500 RMB (US$500) – 15k RMB (US$2k)

As you can see, the costs of influencer marketing on Xiaohongshu are high, so it’s best to work with professionals, so you know precisely how to find the right influencers and get the best ROI.

Chinese consumers trust social media the most when it comes to gathering information about products and services

Social media has established itself as the predominant channel for discovering premium products, with Xiaohongshu leading the way in this digital evolution.

A considerable portion of the Chinese population, over 53%, is investing more than 3 hours daily on social media apps, positioning platforms like Xiaohongshu as the initial touchpoint for discovering, discussing, and developing interest in products.

As depicted in the accompanying chart, a whopping 82% of Chinese consumers prefer social media for researching and verifying information about new products. E-commerce platforms trail behind at 50%, followed by video platforms at 17%, offline experiences at 8%, recommendations from friends and family at 6%, traditional advertising at 3%, and search engines at a mere 2%.

Xiaohongshu Content Statistics

Over 2021, Xiaohongshu has witnessed a remarkable influx of content, amassing around 360 million posts. The majority of this content falls within the realms of food, beauty, and entertainment, which have contributed 33.686 million, 26.956 million, and 20.342 million posts respectively, making up 23% of the total posts.

Given that the platform is predominantly utilized by female users, these statistics align seamlessly with the user demographic, reflecting Xiaohongshu’s inherent strength in product recommendations and fostering a sense of community.

Food-related content leads the way, comprising 9% of the total posts, with users sharing a plethora of food tutorials, culinary explorations, food pairings, and more. Beauty content is also a significant pillar of the Xiaohongshu community, representing 7% of the overall posts in 2021 and showcasing a myriad of beauty tutorials, product recommendations, and makeup sharing.

Other very promising categories are pets (the category increased by 22.4% month-on-month in 2022) and gaming, an absolute winner, with a 31.9% month-on-month increase. Other categories recording growth include: home and renovation content, medical and health content, and tech & digital content.

This insight into the content landscape of Xiaohongshu underscores the platform’s role as a vibrant space for sharing lifestyle tips and trends, particularly in the realms of food and beauty.

Xiaohongshu eCommerce Statistics

Xiaohongshu, to our surprise, is a winner when it comes to branding. Today, when everyone is talking about the impressive growth of Douyin, we must see, that we got surprised with those stats. But after some thought, indeed, Xiaohongshu scoring 57% in the most effective platform for branding purposes via influencer marketing is no surprise, as this is the king of word-of-mouth marketing in China.

Xiaohongshu is also the most effective platform for social e-commerce, which goes hand in hand with the previous statistic. People see some product recommendations from their favorite influencers, check comments, other reviews, and maybe live streams, and, when convinced, move on to purchase. As simple as that, yet very effective and impressive.

Xiaohongshu’s 80% of revenue comes from advertising

Xiaohongshu, valued at more than $3 billion in 2023, is more dependent on paid ads and search ads than other social media platforms, with ads revenue accounting for 80% of the total revenue. The remaining 20% comes from e-commerce, as the platform has its own built-in online marketplace.

Promoted and sponsored posts account for 25% of the advertising revenue on the platform and this number will only grow, as influencer marketing is the core of its functioning and the main reason why the target audience visits the platform (word-of-mouth marketing).

Content Trends on Xiaohongshu

Current content trends

User-Generated Content

Xiaohongshu thrives on authentic user-generated content, especially reviews and recommendations, which helps in building community trust and drives product discovery.

Lifestyle and Wellness

Content related to health, wellness, and sustainable living has gained significant traction, reflecting a growing consumer focus on holistic well-being.

Short-Form Video Content

Short, engaging videos, especially tutorials and product demonstrations, have become increasingly popular, providing users with quick and visually appealing information.

Localized and Niche Content

There is a rising trend in localized and niche content, catering to specific interests and communities, thus fostering a more personalized user experience.

Future Trends to Come:

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Try-Ons

Integration of AR technology for virtual try-ons and product visualization is expected to enhance the shopping experience and drive user engagement. Advances in AI technology will enable more personalized content recommendations, tailored to individual preferences and browsing behavior, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.

Sustainability and Ethical Consumption

Content focusing on sustainable products and ethical consumption practices is likely to become more prominent as users become more environmentally conscious.

Enhanced Community Engagement

New features and tools for community building and user interaction are expected to be introduced, further strengthening the sense of community and trust among users.

By keeping abreast of these evolving trends, brands and content creators can better align their strategies to meet user expectations and optimize their presence on Xiaohongshu.

Elevate Your Brand with Gentlemen Marketing Agency

Navigating the dynamic landscape of Xiaohongshu can be challenging, but with Gentlemen Marketing Agency by your side, you can turn these challenges into opportunities. We specialize in crafting tailored marketing strategies that resonate with the unique user base of Xiaohongshu, ensuring your brand not only stands out but also thrives.

• Expertise in Trend Analysis: Stay ahead of the curve and tailor your content to align with user interests and emerging trends.
• Innovative Marketing Strategies: Amplify your brand presence and foster meaningful connections with cutting-edge strategies and influencer collaborations.
• Global Brand Expansion: Seamlessly introduce your brand to Xiaohongshu’s diverse audience, integrating global products with local preferences.
• Community Engagement: Build trust and foster a loyal customer base by enhancing user interaction and encouraging authentic reviews.
• Data-Driven Insights: Optimize content performance and maximize ROI with comprehensive analytics and insights.
• End-to-End Support: Achieve your business goals with our dedicated team providing support from consultation to implementation and analysis.

Ready to unlock your brand’s potential on Xiaohongshu? Contact Gentlemen Marketing Agency and let’s craft your success story together!

What Western Brands Are Doing Wrong in China?

From luxury fashion labels and fast-food chains to tech giants and automobile manufacturers, numerous Western brands have ventured into China with high hopes of tapping into its potential.

Succeeding in China isn’t simple. The market is unique and varied, and understanding it is crucial. Western brands can’t just use the same strategies that work elsewhere; they need to adapt to what Chinese consumers want and how they think. This is vital for building good relationships with customers and ensuring long-term success in a very competitive market. In short, truly understanding the Chinese market is a must for any brand hoping to thrive there.

As you can see above, the majority of American giants, even after years of struggling, eventually fail in the local market conditions. So what are the reasons for Western brand failure in Mainland China?

A bad marketing or branding campaign can result in an absolute mess

I remember, there were times when products ruled and manufacturing was the king of trade. But slowly and surely, the market moved on further in another direction, and then came the time of digital marketing and branding. The right branding can even sell an average product.

In China, the lack of understanding of Chinese consumers and how they shop has caused many international brands to fail in China. For a growing number of retailers, China presents a major opportunity for expansion as local consumers get richer and demand quality goods and services. Yet there are many high-profile cases in which Western brands have fallen short in their pursuit of the Chinese consumer.

Being inauthentic

According to the figures, the most fundamental reason brands fail is a lack of authenticity and transparency. Without the customers’ needs insight and a focus on the wrong things, businesses could easily lose the consumer’s trust.

Without focus, your business will lose its competitive edge. It is impossible to have a strong strategy on a startup budget. What makes startups succeed in China is their ability to quickly pivot, and the lack of focus leads to the inability to make the necessary adjustments.

Rather than risk that from happening, focus on being authentic, and transparent, and finding ways that you can give more rather than take. It’s a rare commodity in business, but one necessary if it’s going to survive for the long term.

Breaking your brand promise

When the marketing strategies are built to cover up the reality, the brand doesn’t last very long. If there is one important rule in the branding game that stands above all others, it’s: make a promise to your customers and keep it. It’s true that not everything can be told to the consumers but the product has to complement the brand promise or the company could get a great fall.

Deception, in today’s digital age, would no longer result in the success of a brand as Chinese consumers are much aware of the current scenarios and, with an increase in competition, aren’t hesitant to switch over to a new brand. Such strategies may result in a decrease in brand equity and also affect the brand image of the business.

Failure to connect with the target audience

Every business will tell you that the customer is number 1, but only a small percentage acts that way. Businesses that fail lose touch with their Chinese customers.

Your brand exists in the minds of your Chinese customers. That means that in order to properly manage your brand, you must have all your attention continually on the Chinese customer needs, understanding your customer’s ever-changing needs and motivations. The minute a brand becomes disconnected from Chinese customer needs is the moment it has failed.

Keep an eye on the trending values of your Chinese customers. Always try to get some feedback from your audience. Find out if they still love your products. Do they want new features? What are they saying? Are you listening? I once talked to the CEO of a training company who told me that they don’t respond to negative reviews because they are unimportant. What? Are you kidding me?

Failure to optimize conversions

It’s critical to build a strong company culture inspired by core values. Most entrepreneurs have so much that they need to deal with that they forget to address the absolute heart of any business. Without optimizing conversions, no matter what a business does, especially if it raises money and has a high burn rate, it’ll be futile trying to survive when the money runs dry. Address the conversions early on to ensure that there’s a positive ROI on any ad spends. Then you know you have a sustainable business.

You can’t solely rely on organic traffic methods like search engine optimization. Without conversion optimization, any business is wasting its time. Even long-shot unicorns and niche brands need to focus on income-producing, conversion-optimizing activities, even while building up a customer base. Without it, it’s merely a matter of time until the money runs out and executives are scrambling to keep the doors open.

Telling ineffectual brand stories: Failure to deliver real value

Your Chinese customers spend their days on their smartphones receiving relentless marketing messages coming at them in different ways from online shopping and social media platforms. If you hope to get your story heard, it has better be meaningful, compelling, and unique. Brands that fail are brands that fall short of telling a relevant and memorable story to their audiences.

At the heart of any business is value. The world’s most successful businesses deliver the most value. Plain and simple. Find a way that you can under-promise but over-deliver.

If you are going to succeed in business you will have a clear definition of your customer. It is not an abstract idea. It is something that can be expressed in numbers.

Dolce and Gabbana is a good example of the most embarrassing branding mistakes of 2018

In November, the luxury fashion line D&G released a marketing campaign full of ethnic stereotypes. An advertisement for the company shows a Chinese model attempting and failing to eat various Italian dishes with chopsticks. Even aside from the sexually suggestive content, people were outraged over the depiction of Chinese culture and people as lacking refinement and a cultural understanding.

Things only got worse from there. Following the campaign, Diet Prada, a fashion-focused Instagram account, posted screenshots of an Instagram DM exchange between founder Stefano Gabbana and model Michaela Tranova, during which Gabbana says “the country of [series of poop emojis] is China,” and “China Ignorant Dirty Smelling Mafia.” The Diet Prada post went viral, and the backlash was immediate. The hashtag #BoycottDolce reportedly began trending on the Chinese social media site Weibo.

Gabbana and his co-founder Domenico Dolce have since apologized to the public but were forced to cancel their Shanghai runway show, costing them millions.

Having a chaotic brand architecture

The existence of parent brands and sub-brands isn’t in and of itself a cause for concern. But failure comes when a brand’s architecture becomes so convoluted and diffuse that the hierarchy no longer makes sense. Brand architecture and business models should maximize your marketing efforts by providing the infrastructure for powerful cross-promotion between your sub-brands.

Most businesses lack strategic and effective leadership. Without real experience in the Chinese market, most newcomers to the entrepreneurial fray struggle with the overwhelming amount of demands placed on them. When problems do arise, which they often do, navigating those murky waters becomes an impossible task. That’s why businesses, big or small, need to build up their board of seasoned counselors and find trusted mentors if they’re serious about longevity.

If you are going to succeed in business you will have a clear definition of your customer. It is not an abstract idea. It is something that can be expressed in numbers.

Unable to compete against market leaders

Staying afloat is exponentially harder when competition is fierce and smaller businesses have a bullseye on their backs, especially true in lucrative markets where the stakes are high. If foreign companies can’t compete against domestic brands, they must find ways to pivot and stay in business. To do that takes a keen business sense and true guts.

One of the best qualities of a strong brand is consistency. But too often consistency meets with complacency, which leads to one of the worst qualities a brand can embody: stagnation. Now, more than ever, the Chinese marketplace waits for no one. Your brand must be nimble, dynamic, and relentlessly abreast of current trends. Avoiding failure means avoiding irrelevancy.

Most businesses fail because they create products or services without involving their customers (as opposed to Chinese brands). If you are really serious about success in China, you will build your products with your Chinese customers in mind.

Failure to create the proper business systems

Sales funnels aren’t the only automation required to run a successful business that’s built for the long term. Other proper business systems need to be put in place. Policies need to be enacted. Financial audits and tracking procedures need to be created. And so on. Without a good deal of systems and automation, the amount of work becomes overwhelming and the details can easily be overlooked.

Trying to change your stripes is nothing new in branding. It happens to the best brands and is an inevitable thought when things start to go wrong. Many companies have launched campaigns or new branding strategies that fail to connect or make customers unhappy. In most cases, the voices of a few loud consumers will be the main problem, and all you need is minor tweaks to your existing design. However, some companies may panic, and decide to throw everything out the window to start again.

It may seem tempting, but the reality is that brands aren’t a one-off thing. They take time to cultivate and grow, and starting over repeatedly will do more harm than good to your image. Remember, your brand is as valuable as your product, and throwing it away means losing the goodwill you’ve built.

How to Help Ensure the Success of Change Initiatives in China?

There are many different marketing techniques both online and offline to ensure success. Major offline examples include trade shows, networking, and in-person speaking engagements. Essential online methods include a Chinese website, ongoing search engine optimization (SEO), and social media presence.

Taken together, online and offline marketing techniques allow you to reach Chinese Clients wherever they may be. Traditional, offline networking has been an important part of the professional services industry for some time, but these days crucial relationships are forged more and more often through social media.

Search engine optimization (SEO) on Baidu

Going hand-in-hand with a lead-generating website is a thoughtful strategy for search engine optimization. SEO marketing on Baidu is really a long-term solution for a variety of techniques designed to make sure that your valuable content gets in front of the right audiences online.

One of the most important of those strategies is to ensure that your content really is valuable. You must develop well-written content that is truly useful to your specific target audience.

SEO isn’t a one-time effort, but an ongoing strategy to create quality content that is easy for your audience to find. This is an absolutely crucial technique for generating low-cost, high-quality leads online and the only reason it’s not higher on the list is that its impact is primarily on the online side of your marketing equation.

Online short-video

Online video allows for many of the benefits of face-to-face interaction. With live mini-video, you can also pick up on visual cues like body language. The video also allows you to share detailed, highly visual tutorials or demonstrations easily.

You can use video as a live communication tool with distant prospects or clients, through services like  other times, you might distribute recorded video on platforms like Douyin.

Professional services are ultimately all about people, and video is an exceptional way to showcase your audience. In addition to communication, some common uses for mini-video include:

• Brands overviews
• Overviews of your service areas
• Video case studies
• Video blogging
• A “meet the team” video

Rich Content

There is the main objective of publishing rich content: maintaining your brand awareness. Written content is a great way to protect your brand’s particular expertise, the way of thinking. Some research shows that more than 50% of Chinese buyers would read articles or publications to learn more about a topic important to them professionally. By educating your audiences, you demonstrate your relevance to them and show them your qualifications as an expert.

The rich article is an excellent way to increase the drawing power of your website. Search engines like Baidu look for fresh content on your website. They also give preference to content in the Chinese versions. A good website with engaging content on your own site is a great marketing technique to deliver good benefits.

Building Brand Value

The last step in strategic brand management is when you build value for your brand by taking various necessary measures. The role of strategic brand management to plan is not to be able to offer too much value to the customer.

It has to make do with whatever it has. So to increase the value of the brand, the company has to enter new products and possibly new markets. It is the work of the brand manager to keep adding value and repeat the previous steps to keep changing the brand positioning as per the market demand or the demand of the customers.

Social Media Marketing

In this digital era, social media has taken over everyone’s life. Think about it; how many times a day do Chinese people open WeChat or Weibo casually just to see what their friends are up to? They are on there at least 20 times a day mindlessly scrolling and brands are smart. they’ve caught on to this behavior.

That’s why while you’re scrolling through your friend’s post you’re likely to see a brand pop in there every so often. Brands, big and small, make mistakes on social media all the time and in the digital age, brands put a wedge between themselves and their followers, you can bet everyone is going to be talking about it.

In today’s world, Chinese social media can be a highly effective way to increase brand awareness and bring in customers but only if it’s used the right way. As you’re creating your social media campaigns, keep in mind to not offend your audience or cross the line into being insensitive towards a wider audience. If you’re creating something and you question the content or context of the campaign, bring in a couple of other opinions otherwise you may see yourself on our next social media fail list.

If You Don’t Want to Follow The Footsteps of Failed Companies, Contact Us!

The most effective marketing techniques are a diverse root of online and offline strategies. Each technique is most effective when it is working in concert with the others. Effective search engine optimization will help draw relevant audiences to your lead-generating website, where a targeted offer helps convert visitors into leads.

GMA is a global leader in helping international brands grow faster and become more profitable in China. Creating a brand isn’t hard, and making a lasting impression will help you make the biggest impact on your Chinese consumers. We offer you innovative ways to create a powerful and memorable branding strategy.

If you’d like to know how to approach this complex market and don’t want to be left behind Chinese firms, contact us. We have experience in China and we know exactly what to do to help you succeed. Entering China is only the first step! But how do you keep growing instead of failing? Contact us, let’s have a chat!

If you aren’t particularly close to China, you may think WeChat is just another messaging app that can be replaced with another. But in reality, in the last 10 years, Tencent’s main social platform has become an everything-app for any individual, local or foreign within the country. Let’s dive into today’s topic!

Short Introduction to WeChat

WeChat is a social and business powerhouse that has only continued to grow since its inception. The app boasts 1.3 billion monthly active users in 2023, despite some resistance to its use in certain countries.

Why You Should Use WeChat Web

Although WeChat offers great apps for both iOS and Android smartphones, there are still times when you need to access WeChat on your computer. For registered users, scanning the code via the mobile phone connects to the WeChat web in an instant.

WeChat Web is very helpful at work, especially if you need to constantly send files. Big files can be difficult to send and receive. For example, imagine that you need to transfer big files through WeChat on iOS, first of all, you have to save them in the cloud. Viewing pdf or other files sent on WeChat mobile can be torture to your eyes. Through the WeChat web, you can view any shared file in full size on your computer.

Wechat web saves you from the hassle of sending files from your mobile phone to your computer. When you log in to your WeChat web, all the files sent to your mobile WeChat account can be viewed or saved right on your computer simply by opening them.

Imagine you are at work and you have to switch from mobile phone to computer every five minutes. It is very not practical. While you are on the WeChat web, you get a little pop-up when you receive a message or a file. So you don’t have to use your mobile at all. Multitasking on the same device makes you work more efficiently and saves you time whether you’re in the office or at home.

WeChat web also helps you save mobile data. Let’s say you are having a long video call, you may run out of data and get disconnected during an important meeting. And it is not just that. Not only does WeChat web save your mobile data, but it also makes video calls more convenient with much better video call meeting options.

How to set up WeChat Desktop Apps for Windows and Mac

Almost all foreign accounts are blocked for WeChat’s web access. It is critical to download and install the desktop app. It is a relatively easy process and the outcome is worth the few minutes of hassle.

To get WeChat on your desktop computer, go to the official website and click on either the Windows or macOS icon. Once clicked, follow the application directions from there.

On the following screen, you can either download the app directly from this website or find it on the Mac App Store or Microsoft Windows Store. After you download the app, install it and then open it.

It will show a QR code for scanning with your mobile phone.

Get the WeChat app on your mobile phone and continue scanning the QR code from your computer.

There will be a profile photo of your WeChat account on the desktop.

Your mobile WeChat gives you permission for desktop login. Finally, you can log in to the desktop app and begin using it in an instant.

Voila, you are all set up and ready to use your WeChat web!

If you want to learn more about how to use WeChat in your marketing strategy, we are here to asist you.

Are You Planning to Create a WeChat Marketing Campaign?

We can help you!

At GMA, we provide marketing agency services that extend to WeChat and beyond. By sharing content about your company and its products on this easily accessible platform, you are more likely to engage potential customers.

Additionally, we help manage and define your strategic online presence through active reputation maintenance across platforms like forums, comments sections, and question-and-answer sites.

At our agency, we focus on promoting your brand in areas where potential customers are located. By utilizing a combination of SEO and Ads strategies, we drive qualified traffic to your WeChat store. One example of how we do this is by helping you integrate with WeChat groups. These have much larger communities than other platforms, meaning that the information relayed within these groups is trusted more by consumers.

Additionally, Chinese consumers are sensitive to promotional offers–with a good campaign, your sales can increase significantly. Our agency specializes in creating these types of high-performing campaigns for our clients.

When done correctly, WeChat marketing can be a powerful tool to increase brand awareness and sales in China. Our team of experienced professionals can help you create and execute a successful marketing strategy on WeChat.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you grow your business in China.

Providing internet services in China, Tencent has become one of the leading companies globally. Ranking as the top internet company in Asia and second worldwide, Tencent boasts over 900M active audiences. Tencent Holdings is mostly known as the owner of WeChat, but there are far more apps and advertising options there. Let’s explore some of them!

Tencent: The Creator of Glorious WeChat

WeChat, the insanely popular social media platform that all brands are competing to conquer, is indeed owned by Tencent. With more than 1.6 billion users as of 2023, WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China and it is this app that made Tencent popular and put it in the group of the biggest tech companies in the world. It’s also where most of Tencent’s revenue comes from.

However, WeChat is not the only star in Tencent’s sky. In 2020, a quarter of Chinese businesses’ online advertising allocation was spent on WeChat- but that’s just the beginning. By advertising with Tencent, your ads will be over hundreds of thousands of applications and millions of users will be under your radar. That’s how big the company is, not to mention that Tencent continues to expand.

Advertising on Tencent is one of the most popular ways to reach potential Chinese customers. Advertising on Tencent products gives companies the chance to reach Chinese consumers who spend the majority of their time online – 55% of mobile internet usage.

Advertising Options on Tencent

Tencent offers a variety of ad types, including banner ads, video ads, and native ads. The most common ones are:

Banner ads 

Banner ads are static or animated images that are displayed on a web page or app. In terms of cost, they are more budget-friendly. They may be cheaper options but they still work pretty well and produce good results. Tencent also utilizes a location feature for banner ads, making them tailored for each user.

Video Ads

Unlike other types of ads, incentive video advertising is more immersive and can be placed in a variety of positions to make it more noticeable.

Native ads 

Native ads are the type of ads that are used with the surrounding content and are integrated into the content of a web page or app. Highly effective, native ads make up most of the brands’ views on Tencent.

Alternative Tencent Platforms for Advertising Apart from WeChat

While WeChat advertising is most brands’ top priority, there are many available platform options to advertise and reach out to a wide range of audiences.

Advertising on WeChat

WeChat advertising allows brands to show ads on users’ timelines and WeChat Official Account articles, which is fantastic for expanding official account followers as well as steering internet traffic.

WeChat Moments Advertising

This type of advertising is a Facebook-style ad that appears on users’ timelines. Users and ads are selected as a match according to factors like age, location and many other aspects.

WeChat Official Account Advertising (Banner Ads)

Official account ads are usually preferred by established and well-known brands. Official accounts are usually followed by millions of users if you can create and develop effective marketing strategies.

The various types of WeChat official account ads are article banners, text-type banners, influencer banners, and video-type banners. Banner ads are image-based and can be up to 8MB in size. The banner ad is placed at the top of an official account article.

WeChat Mini-Program Advertising

This type of ad can be a big priority for your brand to reach users in China, as WeChat mini-programs have become extremely popular. These ads come in the form of gaming ads, banner ads, or pop-ups.

Advertising on QQ

QQ is another social media platform that is owned by Tencent. Similar to WeChat, almost all Chinese people living on the mainland have an account there. It is the most popular text exchange app and instead of emailing Chinese people use this app to communicate with each other.

This platform is especially popular among the young generation and brands who target popular items make use of this platform effectively to reach their target customers.

QQ’s algorithm lets businesses fine-tune their campaigns by optimizing for screens, apps, pop-ups, and banners. QQ also helps brands meet diverse targets like e-commerce expenses or product/brand promotion.

Advertising on Tencent Music Platforms

Tencent also controls some of China’s most popular music apps, so-called ‘Spotify’ such as QQ Music. By utilizing tailored Tencent music ads, brands can reach out to bigger groups of people who love listening to music.

Advertising on Tencent News Platform

China’s one popular mobile news app Tencent News is the perfect website for global advertisers who want to target Chinese users. The ads can be based on user browsing data and choices, which enables brands to reach out to the target audience.

Tips for Successful Tencent Ads

Here are a few basic strategies to help you run a successful Tencent ads campaign:

Study your target customers, and define your audience and objectives

Before starting any type of marketing campaign, you need to study your target customers. This is even more important when advertising on Tencent. You need to understand who your target audience is, what their needs and desires are, and what type of content they are most likely to engage with.

You can target your ads on Tencent by age, gender, interests, and even location. This allows you to create very specific campaigns that are tailored to your target audience.

Set a budget, bid strategically, and choose your ad type wisely

Tencent offers a variety of ad types to choose from, each with its strengths and weaknesses. You need to understand the differences between each type of ad to choose the right one for your campaign.

Mobile is the future, invest in the mobile version

The mobile version of Tencent’s apps is growing rapidly, with more and more users accessing the internet through their smartphones. This trend is only going to continue, so it’s important to invest in creating a strong mobile presence for your business.

Invest in multiple Tencent platforms

While WeChat is the most popular Tencent app, there are many others that you can use to reach your target audience. By investing in multiple platforms, you’ll be able to reach more people and create a stronger presence on Tencent.

Monitor your results and adjust accordingly

As with any advertising campaign, you will need to monitor your results and make adjustments as needed. This includes testing different ad formats and targeting options to find what works best for your business.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency: Your Agent Based In China

Tired of the drawn-out process that comes with getting your WeChat account verified? 

GMA can help get it done quickly and easily.

GMA offers a wide range of WeChat marketing solutions to help businesses reach their target audience on the world’s largest social media platform. From WeChat account verification to content creation and distribution, our team of experienced professionals can help you every step of the way.

Contact us today!

In this blog post, I will explain to you how public relations work in China market and share some of the best strategies to make them work for international brands.

How to Manage Public Relations in China?

Public Relations (PR) in China is about strategically sharing press releases with the right media. It’s all about crafting profiles that highlight your company. This can happen through traditional media like newspapers or blogs, Chinese social media platforms where influencers talk about your brand, or even the community discussing your brand on social media.

PR has a unique advantage – it endures over time and gets you noticed by trustworthy sources on other websites, lending credibility to your brand. So how to manage them correctly just like Chinese companies do? Let’s take a look.

Define a public relations strategy

Knowledge of these external influences can determine the success of your China public relations strategy.

Traditional newspapers vs. online reading in China

China is one of the few countries where print media has not faced a steep decline. Newspapers are still successful among consumers.

The development of Internet technology and the rapid changes in new media have led to huge changes in audience reading habits and media contact behavior. Therefore, the traditional newspaper industry is facing the dilemma of reader loss.

The increase in online media made the landscape even more fragmented and seems complicated for new players in the market. But it presents great opportunities for China’s public relations strategy. Many of these online media platforms are independent of the government so it will be easier to access this kind of platform.

Focus on the localization of your content

When you want to do PR to promote your branding, of course, you will think about using Chinese in your campaign, but pay attention to which Chinese you use. In China, there are two types of written Chinese, that are:

• Traditional Chinese: Hong Kong and Taiwan
• Simplified Chinese for China’s mainland

You need to adapt your PR communication to be more effective. Localization, not only in PR content but also in strategies, is the most important aspect of developing your public relations strategy in China, Most social networks that foreign companies are used to are blocked by the Chinese Great Firewall.

In China, they have their own social media. WeChat, the leading social platform, has more than 1.3 billion active users. It is also a powerful tool for marketing strategies in China.

If you work with Chinese specialists and/or native content writers it’s better. They have the keys to writing the perfect message for your consumers and for the government. It will be more effective for your target.

Legal restrictions should be taken into consideration when doing PR

Media are always “controlled” by the Chinese government for the country’s interest. Articles thus must stay aligned with the overall official state perspectives.

Those platforms for public release in China set a system of sensitive word captions, which means if your articles include certain sensitive words, they will be blocked or you can even not publish them.

Those words are very difficult to know, and they are changing all the time, but they are normally in 3 categories:

• Politically sensitive words: There are many violations involving politics, usually mentioning the government, the name of the country leader, the error of the country’s leadership position, the name of the country’s institution, etc.
• Pornographic content, vulgar words: those are all illegal words.
• Malicious promotion words: Vocabulary such as account number, card number, payment, remittance, payment, payment, Alipay, bank card, how much money, etc.

Press release: essential for your strategy

As one of the important channels for public relations management, press release plays an essential role. It’s a strong tool to create relationships with media agencies. It’s also a great way to control the data newsworthy about your company, etc.

Why press releases are so important?

Better Website Authority = Better Baidu Ranking

Press releases are coms/articles/videos published by media companies/blogs. If media companies’ post seems genuine, they are often the fruit of a partnership between a company and a media channel.

This kind of partnership allows companies to be talked about by media/blogs in a very controlled environment. For media outlets, it is also a win as it provides interesting & exclusive content and/or monetary compensation.

A press release usually also means a backlink. As for Google, the more backlinks to your website, the more authority it gets, giving you more chance to rank above your competitor.

Companies’ positive images associated with keywords

Just imagine, if a brand has no mention or information when you are looking for it on your everyday search engine? You would not trust it, right?

Well, a press release is one of the most cost-efficient ways to get a third-party website to talk about you. The more third-party websites talk about you, the more trust you’ll gain from consumers. As said earlier, it is also a way to control what is being said about your brand online.

High-quality press releases will be included and displayed on high-quality, large-volume news homepages. If you publish enough high-quality content, it can form an automatic association between keywords and companies.

Provide information sources for encyclopedia & SEO boosts

For companies or individuals who want to do encyclopedias, one of the thresholds is to provide “reference materials“, which are news sources. In other words, if you want to be displayed on the Wiki, it is best to appear directly in the news.

This means that you need to keep the press release information on the search engine. With this information, you may be able to do Baidu Baike for you or your business and Baidu SEO.

Long-term effect: press release lasts in time

News releases are particularly not time-sensitive due to real and considerable & useful information. This means that the news releases published will not disappear and can be accessed continuously.

As long as you search on the search engine, the news releases will appear. Therefore, it is a cost-efficient tool long-term establishment of brand image and reputation with good results.

An important role in negative public relations management

All companies will have both positive and negative public opinion/information on the Internet. A qualified public relations is to prepare in advance and take precautions. In the era of the information explosion, once your negative information is seen and forwarded by netizens, the resulting public opinion will lose control afterward.

At this time, you need to issue a large number of positive and effective press releases to suppress quickly and effectively those negative public opinions,  thereby reducing corporate losses.

Social media in China is a powerful tool for your PR

Social media are very important in your China public relations strategy. Chinese people, more than in other countries are very active on social media.

Using social media is effective in your public relations strategy because you can create content shareable. You can communicate with your Chinese consumers and create a community of followers. You create engagement with users and it will improve your reputation.

Weibo, the second Chinese social platform, is often used for PR activities in China. It is an open social platform, so it can reach many audiences.

A PR strategy suitable for the budget is a good strategy

This type of online public relations communication works very well in China.

Why ask about the budget before doing public relations activities? Because as we are doing a PR campaign, we have to be very clear about how much your budget is to do. Given that in China, there are too many channels for PR, so the choice is very important. A suitable channel needs half of the work but double the results.

Therefore, it is important to make suitable communication channels according to the budget.

What is your objective for PR, brand exposure, or conversion rate?

For temporary public relations activities, or activities that need to be planned one month in advance or two months in advance. Assuming that we have fixed the budget for PR, the next step is to set goals.

What do you want to get from the campaign? This should be a question you need to discuss with your agency. Because different goals have different channels and different strategies.

We Specialise in China Public Relations Suitable for Any Budget

Public relations is not so hard to understand in China, the theory is the same everywhere. However, the channels and the PR content are different, and they are essential and the most important part of your PR activities in China. You need to know how it works and its differences if you don’t want to fail and waste your money.

The power of the government can’t be put aside because it has an influence on all the media. In addition, language and cultural barriers between brands and consumers have to be taken into account. Keep in mind that China is not like Western countries. It’s better if you find a specialist in the Chinese market or a native to help you to create your public relations strategy.

We are a specialist PR agency, based in Shanghai. We have a deep understanding of Chinese digital marketing and PR campaigns.

We are always updated about the latest trends and the real methods for success. We offer cost-effective, long-lasting solutions that will gain you good e-reputation and increased visibility in China.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that we can discuss your project and create the best PR strategy for your China entry.

Don’t miss this golden opportunity. To make content localization work seamlessly, a solid strategy is essential. In China, success hinges on deeply understanding consumers and the intricate digital market. Each platform, audience, and product demands a tailored approach. It’s not just about understanding – you need to be part of the story.

So, if you’re chasing international triumphs, location marketing content is your ace. In China’s captivating landscape, becoming a narrative is key. Ready to break boundaries? Need guidance? We’re here to assist. Your global conquest begins now.

Decoding Localization – Thriving in China’s Dynamic Landscape

Localization is the process of organizing a business or industry so that its main activities happen in local areas rather than nationally or internationally.

Cambridge Dictionnary

Mastering Marketing Content Localization – China’s Winning Strategy

An effective content strategy is nowadays an essential factor for growth within the company. Defining your content localization strategy means determining the markets you want to enter, the goals you want to achieve, and the corresponding tactics to provide content that Chinese consumers expect.

It’s important to keep in mind that localization is different from just translating words into English, Mandarin, or other languages. Indeed, it is a much more in-depth process of adapting the content of a website or application to local and regional expectations and realities.

It is, therefore, necessary to decide on a specific plan that describes the steps necessary that content need to be translated in order to make it understandable and clear to the final audience.

Studies show that approximately 52% of potential customers prefer to shop on websites accessible in their native language, so translated content is really one of the best practices to build your brand. This type of site automatically appears more reliable in the eyes of users and allows them to offer a better customer experience locally.

Companies that Use Localizing Content

• ASOS:  The Asos company uses localized content marketing by translating all the content on its platform, but also by offering various payment methods and accepting dozens of currencies depending on the user’s location. 
• Nike: The company translated the content of its site. They also did some in-depth research and adjusted their post based on their favorite sports in a particular region or country. The Argentinian site of Nike highlights football, for example, while the American side is more focused on basketball.

• McDonald’s: They translated the menu, but also adapted it to the realities of a culture where a Big Mac, or a beef burger, cannot become a bestseller. That’s why they introduced new dishes to the menu, like Mac Maharajah and other dishes inspired by Indian street food. These novelties encouraged the inhabitants to frequent the restaurant.

Localized Content – A Cornerstone for Company Success in China

The Chinese population continues to diversify day by day. As a result, competition is fiercer in the country. Companies must therefore segment the market differently and offer increasingly localized products. If the population is segmented correctly, 80% of your business’s sales come from 20% of your customers.

Millennials were the most important source of growth and the main target of companies in the 2010s, in recent years the tone has changed and the main target now reaches Generation Z. This target group qualifies as free, independent, curious, globally aware, and lucky to evolve in a privileged and comfortable environment. For this type of audience, localized content marketing is omnipresent and especially through digital marketing and social networks which are the preferred tool of modern consumers.

Not only you got to localize your business content for China, but the Chinese market is so big and diverse that you’ll have to adopt different strategies depending on which region of the country you are targetting.

Cracking the Chinese Market – A Guide to Successful Localization Strategies

To break through the Chinese market, you’ll absolutely need to be ok with flexibility and scrapping your 3 years business plan. If you are not ready to adapt to the fast change of the market and its trends or to quickly adopt the new mega platform to efficiently reach out to consumers, don’t waste your time with China.

Matching Your Brand with Social Media Gold

Localizing your content strategy starts with an intelligent selection of local platforms that fits your sector, audience demographic, KPI & end goals. Is your aim to drive sales? Or are you primarily focusing on branding? Are you looking for a prospect/lead generation strategy? Project needs dictate the platforms best suited in each case & at each specific stage.

Selecting local channels will dictate the type of content and strategy you engage in. For Weibo for example you have a “buzz” platform, an open network where users can see posts from anyone. WeChat however is a more close-knit community based as a branding tool or portal for information for prospects. 

Navigating China’s Unique Ecosystems

Smart Channel Selection begins with understanding the different Chinese eco-systems, broadly there are two when we consider E-Commerce for example. Alibaba’s platforms including Tmall & Taobao are connected with Weibo as the E-Commerce giant has a stake in this platform. Inversely WeChat & Jing Dong are outside of this and have an alternative e-com infrastructure with WeChat stores & JD being leveraged by a WeChat strategy.

This is why it’s vital to consult on the market before entering in order to understand how to drive qualified traffic and increase sales conversion.

Consider also factors such as Chinese Business Licencing, certain platforms allow for setup without this whilst others require a CBL. Official protocol for platform set-up should be followed to avoid policy & regulatory issues for each specific channel.

Cultural Fusion – Designing an Adaptive Marketing Blueprint

With China’s separate and unique eco-system ring-fenced by the Great Firewall, all content not only has to be in Mandarin but also formatted and amended for Chinese platforms, searching algorithms & keyword sets in Characters & Pinyin.

The implication of this is that a China strategy does not have to rely on your existing marketing material. New keywords, banners, creatives, logos, and visuals can be created to tailor your offering to the local demographic. Outside of this ecosystem content will most often not be visible or be considered highly relevant.

Compartmentalizing China for brands can help with tailoring messages and images whilst remaining true to your core values, key messages & aesthetic. This is why brands need to build China teams and utilize local agencies on the ground.

Your Chinese Website for example is extremely important to consider. Having a website written in simplified Chinese version on a multi-lingual main site is actually not the solution.

Firstly this is a nightmare in terms of both SEO and SEM, ranking your website on Baidu(China’s largest search engine with a 75% market share) is an important component of any web development project.

Typically, a website will need to be audited & optimized for Mandarin Keyword Searches so building a dedicated Chinese Website is effective. This allows the site to be built as a vehicle for visibility in China’s unique ecosystem, especially for keyword searches on Baidu.

Strategies for Acquiring Optimal Localization Marketing Content

A Good Pre-Market Analysis 

It is very important to do complete market research before defining your marketing content localization strategy. Indeed, you should have a good idea of how national companies and international competitors communicate in order to learn from them on certain points and to know how to differentiate themselves positively from them on other points. The competition from locals in China should not be underestimated, which has now become very competitive in many sectors.

The ideal way to prepare your strategy is to establish a persona. The idea is to collect as much information as possible to better understand the expectations and needs of your customers in order to successfully retain them. But also to succeed in targeting prospects who have similar profiles in order to convert them into new customers. Customer analysis is, therefore, the best way to target your prospects and understand what messages to send them, or through which channels to use.

Qualitative, quantitative studies, surveys, or even pre-marketing reports allow you to locate your product or service with one or more targets and in a specific sector.

Observation of the Results 

Impressions are of little worth without a strong, localized brand to achieve that exposure. Having said this marketing has to be grounded in both quantitative data and the more qualitative process of building a brand, something less tangible to measure.

Over time you will learn an intense amount about consumers’ behavior on platforms, analysis, and feedback from both your China agency and the consumer can make or break a campaign.

This involves by definition a high degree of flexibility when it comes to strategy, what are your consumers responding to positively, what is driving the highest engagement and conversion rates and how can you develop that area. It’s an ongoing conversation based on figures in terms of impressions, click-through rates, and engagement levels (comment number, share rate, store conversion rates, etc).

Agencies can use systems such as KAWO for analyzing engagement rates on larger-scale campaigns, it allows less human error and focuses on what keywords and content types are actually driving the highest engagement rates. It’s super-smart.

Market reports with this data should be presented on a monthly or bi-monthly basis that provides transparent and meaningful analysis with suggestions on how to move forward.

When it comes to Media Buying, click-through rates on ad space have to be analyzed in relation to conversion rates on stores & websites. Sticking funds on DSP without a strategy for placement or the right banner design can simply waste the budget.

3. Continuously Refining Baidu’s Mandarin Search Algorithm

It is essential to break into the Chinese market to be visible and well-referenced. To do this, the company must use the language spoken in the region of the target audience and can, for example, integrate Baidu’s organic ranking which is based on keywords. The important thing is not to write on your site to automatically engage the consumer, but it is to optimize and update your site to have maximum visibility.

Using good keywords in Mandarin will allow you to increase your referencing and therefore your visibility to reach the largest possible audience. Indeed, these keywords will allow you to:

• Feed and optimize content: Defining a list of relevant keywords that you can decline will allow you to find a multitude of content ideas for your articles.
• Feeding the “Long Tail”: It is an economic principle to adapt to referencing which designates keywords that are little used, highly targeted, made up of synonyms, and not very competitive, which therefore generate little traffic but the accumulation of which can represent a relatively large part on your site.
• Create a tree structure: Thanks to this structure you will be able to define the important silos for the positioning of a site in the results of search engines. Thus, for each main keyword, it is necessary to determine a tree structure of pages that will include this main keyword and its variations.

If you do not have your own in-house localization team, it is possible to work with professional agencies specializing in translation and localization services. An agency can help you set up an ongoing localization process for frequent updates. Of course, you can also select freelance translators to translate the content in question.

Searching Algorithms are not just confined to Baidu of course, WeChat has a search function, albeit far less developed, whilst cross-border platforms of course have searching bars for both brand names and product types based on sector. Weibo has a surprisingly developed ‘discover’ section where trending news in specific categories is up-ranked. You can also ‘pay to play’ by spending to rank highly on Sina Weibo’s category-based news feed. Remember Sina Corp themselves are one of the major news sources in Mainland China.

Use Content Aggregators & News Based Strategy 

Key players

• Toutiao: Toutiao could well be the ‘Buzz Feed’ of China, although there are many fundamental differences in how they operate. Toutiao is a news app or more specifically a news aggregator that now boasts 270+ million monthly active users (MAUs) and has been valued at $20 billion (as of 2020). The company acts as an information provider with content receiving 4.2 billion views every day making it one of the top platforms for delivering content to its target audience.

• Sina Weibo News: With the recent explosion in digital success of trending platforms like Douyin, Toutiao, and WeChat mini-programs, it can be easy to forget the power and relevance of Weibo. However, don’t dismiss the influence of Weibo as it is arguably one of the most influential social networks in China. With its user base approaching the 500 million mark (2021), the marketing potential of this platform is quite vast.
• Tencent News: Tencent News ads are precisely targeted based on user attributes, browsing data, and interest preferences. This advertising platform works well for businesses that want to target more professional consumers, such as bankers or web designers. Ads are positioned to entice users to download or go to a designated page to further promote conversions. The app had 295 million monthly active users as of December 2020.
• Sohu News: Launched in February 1998, Sohu, which has the same product line as “Yahoo !”, is dominant in the advertising sector, with 60% of the Chinese market. Its audience rate is 700,000 page views per day.

Aggregation of news allows for users to select categories of interest, hence a more targeted ad-based strategy with users pre-selecting the news they want to engage within their feeds, also by extension paid promotions. News apps are a growing phenomenon with ‘advertorials’ (ad articles) allowing brands to increase exposure in a newsworthy context.

In addition lead generation via these apps is very effective, ads can directly link to HTML5, in-built contact forms to take prospects’ contact details and initial messages. A powerful solution for growing your email database, follower number, or for prospective customers to pass onto a sales team. A news-led approach lends itself to PR & article publication of content. 

The content becomes highly localized when it is featured in local news-based sources, it’s not just coming from your official sources.

Chinese Social Media are great for content localization

Wechat

Use the many features available on WeChat to reach out to your Chinese customers with content optimized to appeal to them. Publish weekly post feature text, videos, and audio for instance. Join the WeChat channel and share short videos regularly.

Design a mini-program to promote a new product/service; For your company to have a WeChat official account is not only a sign to locals that you are a legitimate company but also that you understand the market which is the purpose of localizing your marketing strategy.

Weibo

We talked about Weibo news in the above paragraph, but using Weibo as a communication tool for your brands is also a great idea. Treat Weibo as a social media that has the virality of Twitter but the aesthetic of Instagram. Just like WeChat, Weibo has many marketing tools that can be used to build a loyal followers base. In short, Weibo is a great app to share your content and so storytelling and to collaborate with Kols.

Little Red Book

Just like Weibo, Little Red Book aka RED is a social media that has a good potential for building a strong community and is aesthetically pleasing. If you are a company operating in the beauty and lifestyle sector, being present on RED would be a huge bonus. RED users are looking for lifestyle inspiration and tips but also for product reviews which is the core content of the app.

Working closely with RED Kols is something we would encourage beauty and lifestyle brands to do. RED also offers live-streaming features, which we would definitely recommend making use of in China.

Douyin

Douyin is Tiktok’s sister app. Just like Toutiao it belongs to the Bytedance group and has a very powerful algorithm. If you are gonna use a short video strategy to promote your brand in China, definitely use Douyin instead of Tiktok. Note that there are many short video and live streaming app in China, one of the biggest being Kuaishou.

Localizing in China: The Example of Starbucks

Starbucks made the choice in China of the global strategy named “Digital flywheel” in 2016. The fierce competition between the big names of the Chinese Internet and the essential role of mobile devices in accessing the web has created for traditional Chinese consumers a very high general expectation in terms of convenience of access and use of the net. This is why the famous coffee company has totally recreated new digital content adapted to the cultures of the Middle Empire. 

Starbucks has therefore decided to go through several to reach its audience:

• Launch of a Tmall store
• Creation of the WeChat mini program “Say it with Starbucks”: Starbucks has given its Chinese users the option to send “Hongbao” (“red envelopes” containing money) on WeChat, a traditional gift during the New Year
• An augmented reality coffee in Shanghai

Read more about Starbuck Success in China

More Localization Examples:

• SK-II
• The North Face
• Mc Donald

Want to Start Localizing Your Content for China?

China is a complex yet lucrative market, those who stand to gain the most have developed a smart communication strategy with the right long-term partner in Mainland. You have to remain flexible and open-minded based on a continual feedback loop, also remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

If you’re new to the market it can take time to build a brand & traction, step by step. If you’re looking for a long-term partner & have a serious project in mind don’t hesitate to get in touch for an initial consultation.

The Chinese market is one of the most promising in the world for foreign companies. Our agency has been successful at helping these businesses find success and we’re always looking to improve our services further!

Feel free to contact us for more information about our solutions and pricing, we will be happy to schedule a meeting.

China is a rapidly growing market with a unique set of cultural, social, and economic factors that make it an exciting and challenging environment for brands.

Branding in China goes beyond creating a catchy logo or a memorable tagline. It involves understanding the preferences, values, and aspirations of Chinese consumers, and adapting your brand strategy accordingly.

From localizing your brand name and messaging to navigating the digital landscape dominated by social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo, there are many aspects to consider when building a successful foreign brand presence in China.

Don’t fret, this post will explore effective strategies such as utilizing Baidu SEO&SEM strategy and leveraging local insights to build your brand in the world’s most populous nation.

Get ready to unravel the secrets of branding in one of the world’s largest economies!

Key Takeaways

• Building a successful business in China requires understanding the unique concept of Mianzi (social reputation) and adapting to diverse consumer preferences across different regions.
• Investing in a comprehensive Baidu SEO&SEM strategy is essential for increasing brand visibility and reaching a wide audience on China’s dominant search engine.
• Leveraging social media platforms like WeChat, TikTok, and Weibo, as well as collaborating with influencers, can help establish a strong online presence and connect with Chinese consumers.
• Building relationships through Guanxi (networks and connections) is crucial for long – term success in the Chinese market. It takes time to develop trust and rapport with potential partners but can offer valuable insights and support.

Why is Branding Important in China?

Building a successful business in China’s competitive market requires understanding the importance of branding and the concept of Mianzi (social reputation).

Building a successful business in a diverse market

Successfully navigating the diverse market in China requires constant improvement in communication, products, and services. Understanding the cultural nuances and consumer behaviors is crucial to avoid missing the mark with product and marketing strategies.

In the digital age, a digital-first approach is essential, especially in China where people are heavily reliant on screens.

Luxury brands are sought after online, as they are associated with status, impacting how products are positioned on e-commerce websites and social media platforms. Key opinion leaders (KOLs) play a significant role in boosting brand awareness among their followers.

What is the concept of Mianzi (social reputation)?

In the Chinese business landscape and corporate communication, the concept of Mianzi is incredibly important. It goes beyond just social reputation and includes prestige, honor, and respectability. Mianzi can be seen as someone’s public image or social standing, which is tied to intangible qualities such as trust and respect.

This cultural aspect plays a crucial role in branding and acts as a symbol of brand consciousness among consumers. If a brand maintains good Mianzi, it can establish strong connections with its target market due to the inherent trust and respect associated with this status.

The significance of this is that a popular brand can command higher product value or equity, which is crucial for success in China’s consumer-driven economy. While navigating this unfamiliar concept may seem daunting initially, mastering Mianzi can lead to unprecedented growth opportunities for businesses in China.

Strategies for Building Your Brand in China

Invest in a comprehensive Baidu SEO&SEM strategy to increase your brand’s visibility and reach among the Chinese audience. Chinese people won’t buy anything from an unknown brand.

Invest in a Baidu SEO&SEM strategy

Baidu SEO and SEM are crucial for businesses looking to increase their visibility in the Chinese market. Baidu, being the dominant search engine in China, provides an opportunity to reach a large user base that may not be accessible through other platforms.

It is important to optimize keywords and create compelling ads on Baidu’s platform to effectively compete in this diverse environment.

Baidu search engine optimization offers a cost-effective approach, making it an invaluable asset in any branding strategy for the Chinese market. Familiarizing yourself with Baidu goes beyond learning another search engine; it involves understanding its unique dynamics, similar to speaking another business language fluently.

Leverage social media and online platforms

Leveraging social media and online platforms is crucial for successfully building your brand in China. It allows you to connect with Chinese internet users and establish a strong online presence. Here are some key strategies to consider:

Utilize Chinese social media platforms

In China, platforms like WeChat, TikTok (Douyin), and Weibo have a massive user base. By creating engaging content and staying active on these platforms, you can reach a wide audience and increase brand visibility.

Tailor your approach to different platforms

Each social media platform in China caters to different needs and target audiences. For example, WeChat is more personal and communication-focused, while Douyin is known for short videos. By understanding these differences, you can tailor your content to match the expectations of each platform’s users.

Engage in social selling

Social media offers the opportunity for brands in China to not only promote their products but also build relationships with potential consumers. By using social selling techniques, such as personalized messaging and targeted advertising, you can find prospects on social media and nurture them into loyal customers.

Collaborate with influencers

Influencer marketing is highly effective in China’s digital landscape. Partnering with influential individuals who have a large following can help increase brand awareness among their followers and generate trust in your products or services.

Monitor and measure results

To ensure the success of your social media efforts, it’s important to regularly monitor the performance of your campaigns and analyze the data. This will help you understand what works best for your brand in terms of engagement, reach, and conversion rates.

Build relationships through Guanxi

Building relationships through Guanxi is essential for establishing a strong brand presence in China. Guanxi refers to the networks and connections that help facilitate business deals and open doors.

By nurturing these relationships, you can form long-lasting partnerships and increase your chances of success in the Chinese market.

It’s important to approach Guanxi with a long-term mindset, as trust and rapport take time to develop. To show your sincerity and commitment to building strong connections, it’s valuable to have a solid understanding of Chinese culture and customs.

These high-quality relationships can provide competitive advantages by offering market insights, access to resources, and support from supply chain partners.

Key Considerations for Branding in China

When building your brand marketing strategy in China, it is essential to consider the cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences of Chinese consumers. Additionally, managing your e-reputation and utilizing Chinese forums and blogs can greatly enhance your branding strategy.

Cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences

Understanding cultural insights, behaviors, and preferences is crucial for a successful branding strategy in China. Chinese consumers have unique consumer behavior and market preferences that must be considered. It is important to adapt marketing strategies to the post-pandemic landscape.

China’s rich history and strong national branding should also be taken into account by global brands to resonate with the local audience. Overcoming traditional obstacles such as social structure and thought patterns is essential for effective engagement with Chinese consumers.

By understanding these cultural nuances and creating engaging content that appeals to their purchase intentions, successful brands’ presence can be built in the Chinese market.

E-reputation management

Establishing a strong e-reputation on Chinese platforms is crucial for successful branding in China. Chinese consumers heavily rely on the Internet for research and purchasing decisions, making it important to maintain a positive e-reputation. Actively managing your brand’s online presence allows you to control the narrative and shape public perception.

This involves your marketing campaigns, monitoring social media platforms and promptly engaging with customers by responding to reviews and comments. It’s also important to address any negative feedback or complaints in a timely manner to prevent potential damage to your brand image.

Additionally, collaborating with influential individuals, such as key opinion leaders (KOLs) and key opinion consumers (KOCs), who have a large following on social media can greatly influence public perception of your brand.

Utilizing Chinese forums and blogs

Chinese forums and blogs are powerful tools for building your brand in China. They provide a platform for engaging with Chinese consumers and expanding your brand reach. Here are some key strategies for utilizing Chinese forums and blogs:

1. Engage in discussions: Participate in conversations on popular Chinese forums and blogs related to your industry. Share valuable insights, answer questions, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
2. Build relationships: Connect with influential bloggers or forum moderators who have a large following. Collaborate with them to host online events, write guest posts, or obtain endorsements for your brand.
3. Share user-generated content: Encourage Chinese consumers to share their experiences with your brand on forums and blogs. This helps create buzz around your products or services and builds trust among potential customers.
4. Monitor online reputation: Regularly monitor mentions of your brand on Chinese forums and blogs. Address any negative comments or feedback promptly to protect your online reputation.
5. Utilize paid advertising opportunities: Some popular Chinese forums offer paid advertising options that allow you to target specific demographics or interests. Consider investing in these opportunities to increase brand visibility.
6. Stay up-to-date with trends: Chinese forums and blogs often serve as trendsetters, showcasing the latest products, services, or lifestyle choices. Pay attention to what is popular among the online community and incorporate relevant trends into your branding efforts.

We Can Help to do Branding in China! Contact us!

Branding in China is a vital component of building a successful business in this diverse and competitive market. Understanding the concept of Mianzi and leveraging strategies such as Baidu SEO&SEM, social media platforms, and Guanxi can help foreign companies navigate cultural nuances and gain traction with Chinese people.

Chinese consumers tend to constantly look for the next new thing, and typically aren’t loyal to any one brand. So, it’s important to offer better quality and drop new styles more often.

By embracing local insights, behaviors, and preferences while maintaining brand identity, businesses can position themselves for success in the post-Covid world.

We are a China-based most visible digital agency offering cost-effective solutions to foreign brands interested in tapping into the Chinese market. Our team of Chinese and foreign experts has the experience and know-how needed to succeed in this lucrative, yet complicated market.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency offers many digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, such as web design, e-commerce and social media marketing strategies, localization, market research, KOL marketing, and more.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that we can schedule a free consultation with one of our experts, that will learn about your brand and present you the best solutions for your China market strategy.