China is a huge market and Chinese people are very connected. Thus, to attract them is easy; you must use Chinese social media to be present on the internet. You must create a trusting relationship with your target and the best way is to pay attention to what they want. Chinese people spend on average 25 hours per week on social media. Thus, the Internet is the most effective and the most profitable for your business in China.
Since it is now possible to perform online transactions, it is more interesting for a brand to implement its notoriety on the web. China is now one of the countries that interest foreign brands; this is particularly due to its economic growth and the high number of Chinese Internet users. Indeed, China is ahead of many countries in this area. Of the 940 million Internet users in 2020, nearly half daily make purchases online, with a very pronounced taste for imported products including luxury brands.
1. Create an account on WeChat, the most important Chinese social media
Chinese people use WeChat to share moments, photos, and news and talk with their friends. This app has now more than 1 billion active users in the world. To attract Chinese consumers, being present on WeChat is a good strategy. Your WeChat official service account is your visit card. Possibilities are unlimited! You can advertise and promote on WeChat, you can create a WeChat store for your products, create a mini-program with gamification, or even an H5 brochure.
The first thing that you must do is to create a WeChat account. Chinese people can follow you thanks to your QR code and can be informed concerning your news. You can use WeChat to promote your products or offer some promotions to your followers and make them participate in your brand. It’s a good idea; Chinese consumers can feel more concerned and more privileged.
2. Be active and post original content on Chinese social media
To have a WeChat account is just the first step, but you must be active. Share content and you can also create storytelling concerning your brand. Chinese really appreciate this idea. The goal is to educate the consumer about the brand and its values through a story that he can easily relate to. You can also choose to go multichannel; be everywhere to become visible online. Think about Baidu SEO, reviews, and video marketing on Douyin or Kuaishou… follow the trends!
A storytelling campaign must create emotion in your target Chinese consumers while exposing them to the values of your company. Your prospect in China will be more open to adhering to your values. The Chinese consumer is constantly approached by commercials and so it is important for a foreign company to propose a way to experience the brand in a less invasive manner. Especially if your brand is a travel, fashion, luxury, or lifestyle brand in China, storytelling is key to creating a story about your brand.
3. Pay attention to your e-reputation to succeed in China
Weibo is a famous microblogging site in China. Chinese people use daily this website and share a lot of information. It’s a mix between Facebook and Twitter. 70% of active users think that information in Sina Weibo is reliable, more than the information in Chinese newspapers. To compare, only 9% of Americans think that the information on Twitter is reliable. Everyone can only post 140 Chinese characters; we can express more things than 140 words on Twitter. Chinese Weibo users follow their hobbies group like cosmetics, travel, or even cooking.
So, it’s important to be active and to share true information on social media. If not, Chinese people can also ruin your reputation in only one post. Online reputation is built through social media, and what other people say about you, but you can also increase your visibility and play with your e-reputation through undercover marketing for example.
If you post comments and reviews on Q&A websites or blogs, you can increase the digital word-of-mouth about your brand. Chinese people only trust and buy products if there are a lot of positive reviews about them, so create them!
4. Bet on KOLs and influencers to promote your business
KOLs, (Key Opinion Leaders) have a major place in China. Chinese consumers need trust and they make a lot of research to find better information. KOLs relay information on Weibo or other social media. So, if you want to be known, you need to collaborate with KOLs. Social media influencers are everywhere, and they are talking about your brand. There are KOLs for every budget, don’t underestimate how people can trust influencers. If no one talks about your brand, you will get no attention and no sales.
They are people who have an active presence and a huge number of followers on social media networks. Influencers could be bloggers, celebrities, or people who have a great presence on social media platforms and a vast amount of followers. But, no matter who they are, the most important is to understand the influence they have on Chinese consumption. Even if KOLs can be considered as “small” with a little audience, people are more willing to trust “normal” people like them rather than big stars who can be interested in money.
5. Find a good digital marketing agency for your project in China
Social media represent a huge part of Chinese life. Thus, if you want to attract them, you need to adapt yourself to their habit. You must be present, share content and find news to appeal to them. In China, the social media landscape is different from the fields. For example in “Fashion”, Chinese people use online magazines, to purchase and share more. Have a look at this infographic.
If you want to establish your brand in China or just if you want to create a tailor-made digital marketing strategy to succeed in social media, you will discover how complex knowing the Chinese ecosystem is. You will need advice and ongoing care from a specialized agency;
GMA stands for Gentlemen Marketing Agency and our team of China experts can help you! From the differentiation of Chinese social media to the digital campaigns to promote your business in China through social media, contact us to be advised! Every brand can succeed in China with the right advice.
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