How To Do Online Marketing In China?
Online marketing in China is a critical strategy for small companies to grow their business. The digital landscape in China is unique, with platforms such as Douyin, Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo, and Baidu dominating the market. These platforms are essential to reaching Chinese consumers, who are known for their preference for online shopping and mobile payments. In this post, we will explore how small businesses can effectively market their products or services in China using these platforms.
Understand the Chinese Market
The first step in successful online marketing in China is understanding the Chinese market. China is a unique market with different customs, regulations, and consumer behavior compared to other countries. For instance, Chinese consumers prefer shopping on mobile devices and are heavily influenced by social media. Additionally, Chinese law regulates online behavior strictly, and businesses must comply with the regulations to avoid legal problems.
Small businesses must conduct thorough research to understand the Chinese market and consumer behavior. This includes identifying potential customers, understanding local customs, and studying competitors’ marketing strategies.
Use Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms are crucial to online marketing in China. The Chinese government restricts access to social media platforms popular in other countries such as Facebook and Twitter, but China has its social media platforms. These platforms offer small businesses an opportunity to reach a vast audience.
- Douyin
Douyin, also known as TikTok, is a popular short video sharing platform in China. It has more than 600 million active users, with most users being young people aged between 16 and 24. Small businesses can use Douyin to create engaging and humorous videos that resonate with this audience.
To succeed on Douyin, businesses need to create content that stands out, use popular hashtags, and collaborate with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders). KOLs are social media influencers who have a massive following on the platform. Collaborating with KOLs can help businesses reach a broader audience and build brand awareness.
- Bilibili
Bilibili is another popular video-sharing platform in China. It targets a young audience aged between 14 and 26, with a passion for anime, gaming, and pop culture. Small businesses can use Bilibili to create engaging videos related to their products or services that appeal to this audience.
To succeed on Bilibili, businesses need to use creative storytelling, collaborate with KOLs, and engage with the community. Bilibili has a strong community, and businesses that engage with the community can gain more followers and build brand loyalty.
WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China, with over a billion active users. It is a versatile platform that offers businesses several marketing options such as WeChat Official Accounts, WeChat Pay, and WeChat Mini Programs. Small businesses can use WeChat to reach a massive audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales.
To succeed on WeChat, businesses need to create high-quality content, engage with followers, and leverage WeChat’s marketing tools. Businesses can create WeChat Official Accounts, which allow them to share content with followers, interact with customers, and drive sales. WeChat Pay is also an essential tool for businesses, as it enables customers to pay for products or services directly within the app.
Weibo is a microblogging platform in China, with over 500 million active users. It is similar to Twitter, and businesses can use it to share short messages, photos, and videos with their followers. Small businesses can use Weibo to build brand awareness, drive traffic to their website, and engage with customers.
To succeed on Weibo, businesses need to create engaging content, use hashtags, and collaborate with KOLs. Hashtags are essential on Weibo, as they make it easier for users to find relevant content. Collaborating with KOLs can help businesses reach a broader audience and build brand awareness. Additionally, businesses can use Weibo to advertise their products or services to a targeted audience.
Utilize Search Engines
Search engines such as Baidu are essential to online marketing in China. Baidu is the most popular search engine in China, with over 70% of the market share. Small businesses can use Baidu to drive traffic to their website, build brand awareness, and reach a targeted audience.
To succeed on Baidu, businesses need to optimize their website for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), use paid search ads, and create quality content. Optimizing the website for SEO involves using keywords, meta descriptions, and other strategies to improve the website’s ranking on the search engine results page. Paid search ads can help businesses reach a targeted audience, while quality content can drive traffic to the website and build brand awareness.
Localize Marketing Efforts
Localizing marketing efforts is critical to successful online marketing in China. China is a diverse country with many languages, dialects, and cultural differences. Small businesses must localize their marketing efforts to appeal to local consumers and gain their trust.
Localizing marketing efforts involves understanding local customs, language, and culture. For instance, businesses can use local language in their marketing materials, use images that resonate with local consumers, and tailor their marketing messages to local preferences.
Leverage Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is popular in China, and small businesses can use it to reach a broader audience. KOLs or social media influencers have a massive following on social media platforms and can influence consumer behavior. Businesses can collaborate with KOLs to promote their products or services, build brand awareness, and drive sales.
To succeed in influencer marketing, businesses need to identify the right KOLs, develop a compelling message, and engage with the audience. The right KOLs are those whose followers match the target audience of the business. Developing a compelling message involves creating content that resonates with the audience and builds trust. Engaging with the audience involves responding to comments and interacting with followers.
Online marketing in China is critical to small businesses looking to grow their business. The Chinese market is unique, and businesses must understand the market, use social media platforms, utilize search engines, localize their marketing efforts, and leverage influencer marketing. By following these strategies, small businesses can effectively market their products or services in China, reach a broader audience, and build brand awareness.
