China has the largest internet base in the world, social media is part of daily life and countless things are done via digital media. Statistics show that in China, nearly a billion people have internet access, 600 million people use multiple social media platforms spending an average of 25 hours each week. Knowing all this, obviously, part of your business strategy- better be to leverage social media platforms to grow your brand. If attempting to reach Chinese consumers through digital Media it is vital to you and your brand, to be aware of the challenge it presents and understand how these tools work. Let's explore the various platforms and how they can be used to grow your brand not just in China but also in the many nations who engage in substantial trade and commerce with China.
1. WeChat
WeChat, also known as ‘’weixin’’, is the number 1 digital media platform in China, it is a messaging app with over 900 million active users. WeChat is an all- in- one app that features text and voice messaging, video, e-commerce, mobile payments, and games.
‘‘Hongbao’’ literally translates to "Red Bag". This red bag is a timeless Chinese cultural tradition of a person giving another person money in a small red envelope, often symbolizing good fortune or prosperity. The Hongbao feature is a mega-hit during the Chinese new year holiday. Digital bags of money are sent between family and friends generating astronomical amounts of traffic to the platform.
How can you use WeChat to grow your brand?
WeChat is not only for individual users; there are also company pages and profiles that allow brands to create accounts and interact with users. WeChat has mastered the "one-stop shop app" as it has already developed well-established features to book restaurants, hail taxis, book tickets, shop, invest, transfer money play games, pay bills blog post and so much more. Brands can advertise and post banners or ads using the moment's option which is like a news feed. Exposure is key and the competition for consumers is fierce so you have to make sure your content is authentic and intriguing enough to create a buzz.
2. Baidu Tieba.
This is a keyword based discussion forum by Baidu the number 1 search engine in China. With 490 million users it hosts discussions on every topic imaginable.
How can you use Baidu to grow your brand?
Brands can start discussions on their products and engage consumers to get public opinion and preferences. Businesses can create their own content and reach out to their specific niche through groups at little or no cost. Step-by-step your brand can influence the conversation with consistent engagement, relevant and quality content.
3. Youku Tudou.
Youku is similar to YouTube, it is the top video sharing platform, users can watch or download movies, TV shows and music for free. It has 520 million registered accounts.
How can you use Youku to grow your brand?
Youku offers different types of ads like banner ads, text links, pause ads, buttons, in-stream advertisements, animated ads and branded viral videos. It also has an online viewing analytical tool which brands can use to identify their target audience and get user information on location, demographics and browsing technology. Beware though, copyrights and intellectual property rights are different in China. To keep it simple, note that whatever you post on Youku stands to be reused by others freely without your consent.
A good example of a successful campaign via Youku is Estée Lauder’s Clinique brand who launched a 40 episodes drama series called Sufei’s Diary. It was broadcasted daily and served not only as an advertisement but also as entertainment. This boosted sales by 27%.
4. Sina Weibo.
A popular microblogging platform created in 2009, Sina Weibo is the ‘'twitter’’ of China. Users can follow each other, read, like and share posts, upload images, gifs and videos. Weibo has 400 thousand corporate accounts. Celebrities, organizations, and companies use weibo to interact with their fans, customers, and followers.
How can you use Sina Weibo to grow your brand?
Unlike the other platforms, Weibo is much more complex, it offers 4 kinds of options that can be used for exposure and to target a larger audience:
• Search Engine Promotion
• Banner Advertisements
• Fan tunnel
• Fan Headline
5. Tencent QQ
QQ is an instant messaging app, it offers services like group chat, shopping, micro-blogging, movies, music, and games. QQ has a desktop version and does not need a phone number to register like WeChat. It is often used by white-collar workers for corporate communication.
How can you use QQ to grow your brand?
Here influencer marketing is the new trend, KOL(key opinion leader) can be used to engage followers. Customer decisions could be influenced by reviews, articles, videos, and comments.
Qzone gives brands the option to customize pages, write blogs and listen to music.
6. Taobao and other e-commerce platforms.
Online shopping is a big deal in China, and Taobao which is under Alibaba is China’s biggest online retail platform. It has 500 million registered users. Taobao has all kinds of products and services ranging from 800 vendors of live scorpions to a list of men offering "show boyfriend" service to impress your relatives during the holiday season, breast milk soap and everything in between.
How can you use Taobao to grow your brand?
Here KOLs can also be very advantageous as it allows users to post reviews and user experience, influencers will generate traffic and serve as a great advertisement for your brand. It also has a service known as ''aliwangwang'' which permits vendors and buyers to direct message each other. This increases user engagement and opens the possibility for unique brand experiences.
Other honorable mentions are Douban, Renren, Little Red Book, Zhihu, Meipai and many more. Research shows that 38% of Chinese netizens make purchase decisions based on recommendations they read and find on social media platforms. So if you play your cards right, your content can go viral boosting your brand to the top. If you don't know quite how to get started, its recommended to reach out to an expert to help build a plan and strategy for your social media campaign. It's a big world out there in internet land and best not to be on your own or you could quickly get lost!
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