MSN never died in China. And you can advertise on it.
If you are too young to be in the know: MSN was a computer program that allowed users to chat online. After the rise of the smartphone it shaded into irrelevance until it was discontinued.
And China created its own version of it: QQ.
And it is very much alive today. Although it is used mostly in a work settings (the biggest reason for people in China to be in front a computer).
Tencent, the company that created QQ, is also behing WeChat (#1 app in China).
No need to explain the synergies between the two: the Tencent Ad network is a great place to reach consumers in the Chinese market and you should use it.
In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to know to create and launch your own Tencent ads. Find out how you can drive targeted traffic to your website!
Contents
Top apps to advertise on Tencent
Part of Tencent’s success has to do with the popular platforms it owns including QQ, Tencent News, Tencent Video, and WeChat. When you advertise in Tencent, you’re reaching millions of people. The top apps for advertising on Tencent are:
- Mobile QQ: China’s most popular messaging app with 823 million monthly active users.
- Tencent Video: China’s top video streaming app.
- Tencent News: China’ leading mobile news platform.
- WeChat: The No.1 Chinese social communications app.
Types of Ads Available on Tencent
Tencent owns most of China’s popular music services. Their company brand is Tencent Music Entertainment. This means that it also has more than 120 million paying subscribers and 700 million active users.
As you can see, the Tencent ad network is broad. When you advertise with Tencent, you get a variety of choices.
- Native Advertising: These ads blend in with user experience. Native advertising makes up 60 percent of brand exposure on Tencent. This type of advertising consists of highly integrated content with optimised conversion links.
- Banner Advertising: These ads cost less than others but still produce results and attract buyers, making them a cost-efficient way to advertise. Tencent uses location targeting to make banner ads more precise for each user.
- Interstitial Advertising: Interstitial ads offer maximum content to users with their larger sizes. They support pictures, videos, graphics, GIFs, and H5 pages. The interstitial ads stand out among others because of their ‘loud’ content.
- Open Advertising: An open ad is when a mobile user launches an app and the ads load on a full screen. More companies choose to use open advertising than any other form of ads on Tencent. Like interstitial, open advertising uses graphics, pictures, and GIFs.
- Incentive Video Advertising: Different from the other ads, incentive video advertising immerses the user. It supports a more flexible ad position, making the incentive video advertising stand out among other types of ads.
Each of these ads make up the basic types of ads you can use. There are ads that are specific to the platforms that Tencent offers as well.
Tencent QQ Advertising
Tencent QQ is a popular advertising platform specifically for brands that want to target younger users. Think of companies that specialize in clothing, games, and toys.
QQ uses an intelligent match algorithm to help brands optimize their campaigns. This platform includes full-screen ads, app wall ads, popup ads, and banner ads. The setup of QQ allows companies to meet a variety of goals because it works well for e-commerce purchases, product promotion, and brand promotion.
Music Ads
Tencent owns the country’s largest music platform including popular apps like QQ music, National K song, and Cool music. Brands that want to reach music lovers can use in-depth customization via Tencent music ads. You can also promote your product, brand, and app effectively with music ads through Tencent.
Feed Ads
Tencent uses QQ Browser, Tiantian news advertising, and AA (aspect advertising) for information stream advertising. Brands will maximize their marketing exposure by using a combination of products like browser advertising, aspect advertising, and Tiantian news advertising.
Tencent News
Tencent News is China’s leading mobile news website. It is an ideal place for international advertisers since the ads can accurately target the users based on their browsing data, interest preferences, and user attributes. Because the algorithms understand the user well through a news platform, you will be able to reach your target audience effectively.
A Guide to Basics of Tencent Advertising Account Set Up
Clearly Tencent is a great investment when it comes to advertising. You reach millions of people with highly-targeted ads.
China requires you to have a Chinese business license to advertise with Tencent. However, foreign companies still have opportunities if they open a business in China or work with a local Chinese agency. To open an advertising account with Tencent, you need these documents:
- Legal Contact Information: You will need legal proof that you can be contacted and that your company has a location. So you need a mailing address or mailbox and a telephone number.
- Business License or ID Card: You need necessary documents that prove your business qualifications and production You can use a scanned copy of your business license front and back.
- Specific Licensing Documents: If your type of business requires a specific license, then you need his scan as well. So if you have a financial license or a gaming license, prepare these documents.
- Trademark Registration Certification: If your company has trademark rights or a patent, then you need a scan of your official Trademark Registration Certification.
- Miscellaneous Documents: You need advertising review forms, company certificates, authorization documents, and quality inspection if you have these documents.
Once you have these documents together, you can begin the process of setting up an advertising account with an advertising agency specializing in Tencent advertising.
How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Tencent?
Tencent social ads vary in cost. The cost depends on several factors such as your products, your campaign goals, and your targeted customers.
Your campaign goals could be either lead generation or branding, so you want to set up an advertisement that meets those goals. Each comes with a different cost because they’re designed to work differently but overall expect to spend around $5000 to $7000 per month.
How to Run Successful Tencent Ads: Going Solo
Running an ad on Tencent requires similar strategies to running an ad on any platform. You need to deeply understand the culture.
For example, you must understand social media marketing in China to run a successful Tencent Ad.
Here are a few basic strategies to help you run a successful Tencent ad campaign:
Understand Your Audience
If you do not understand your audience, you’re shooting blind. Research your target consumers as much as possible. Then contact locals in the industry to make sure your advertisement ideas are on the right track. Effective localisation sharply increases ROI as your message will connect better.
Pick the Best Format
The way you advertise matters. For example, a video ad will connect to a younger audience while a banner ad builds familiarity with your brand over time. When you understand your audience and your ad objective, then you can pick the format that will achieve the desired result and best appeal to potential buyers.
Focus on Mobile
Desktop usage is declining around the world. Your ad will work best if it is a mobile-friendly advertisement. Consider what a person needs to see and how they should see it. You have a precious few seconds on a mobile device before users will quickly scroll to the next thing.
Use More Than One Platform
Tencent has multiple platforms. Consider who you’re targeting, and then use multiple platforms to maximize your reach. Each platform has a specific type of user, so use the platforms that best appeal to your target audience. If you’re not sure, then test!
Test, Revamp, and Retest
Create an ad for your specific audience and launch it on the platforms your audience will use. Pay attention to how your advertisement is doing, and then tweak it to make it work even better. Most advertisers don’t hit the mark during the first run, so be willing to modify your plans! Maybe this is a slight tweak of a creative or the copy, maybe it’s an entirely new campaign. Simply scale up the top performers with some additional budget, and cut the ads that produce lower results.
We Can Help: GMA Marketing Agency in China
GMA can help you put together a highly effective ad campaign for Tencent. So you don’t need to have a dedicated Chinese team. And manage your marketing efforts in China across multiple channels.