For global brands heading east, the Chinese cyber world is both a challenge and a chance. With one billion-plus Internet users in a mobile-first nation, the Chinese digital landscape is one of a kind. At the core of this ecosystem is an ever-changing collection of platforms known as the social media Chinese in Canada channels—a space where marketing creativity is not only tolerated but demanded.
Unlike Facebook or Instagram, Western social media platforms, Chinese social media sites like WeChat, Douyin (China’s TikTok), Xiaohongshu and Weibo are regulated and operate in a peculiar cultural context. Social is not just ‘social’ as these platforms are end-to-end ecosystems that comprise e-commerce, payments, content creation, and customer service. For marketers, this translates into the need to disrupt conventional strategies that are created and tailored to cater to the tastes of Chinese consumers.
The sexy thing about marketing in this space is the blurring of content and commerce. Users on platforms like Xiaohongshu don’t so much scroll as they shop. KOL (Key Opinion Leader) or influencers are very important in influencing buying decisions. A well-placed product shout-out in a livestream or short-form video can lead to gargantuan conversions in a matter of minutes. Brands that know how to navigate this influencer economy will be those most successful in the Chinese social media ecosystem.
A sisterhood and a trust theme are present from the beginning. In China, users tend to base their purchase decisions on peer recommendations, user-generated content and social proof. This means trust is a non-negotiable component of any campaign. Brands need to focus on culturally relevant, localized storytelling. For example, native ads that touch sun holidays and pop culture or social trends tend to perform better.
And data-driven personalization is not only a luxury — it’s an expectation.” Now, with artificial-intelligence algorithms ubiquitous throughout most Chinese social media, users are served up highly curated content through computers that target them based on their behavior, preferences and location. Marketers need to make use of those insights to tell those users when and why the content is relevant, and to create content that feels personalized to them.
But success in this market also requires deftness. Trends in China move at the speed of light, and what works on Monday may seem outdated by Tuesday. Brands need to be vigilant about new platform capabilities, algorithm updates, and new consumer behaviors to succeed in the space.
Fundamentally, marketing on social media Chinese platforms isn’t mimicry, it’s re-interpretation. It also takes a great understanding of local nuance, a sense of commitment to authenticity and a willingness to evolve. For brands willing to take that leap into complexity, the rewards are massive: a baby-boomer audience in its prime and privy to one of the most engaged and digital platforms in the world.
Steve Haynes is the author of this article. To know more details about Chinese programmatic dsp in Canada, please visit our website: eastwardmedia.com.