Digital Marketing in China – What you need to know
You may wonder why the world’s largest manufacturer of goods would want to buy your products in the first place? Simply put, consumers in modern China are just as familiar with recognising high-quality items and desiring the latest brands globally as in the west. They don’t want to be limited to Chinese brands only.
Taking the leap from running a business in your home country to an international business can be daunting at the best of times. Add in the complexity of a unique language, significant legal differences, and unfamiliar cultures, and most people will say it’s too hard. China, in particular, puts many people off.
Luckily, there are people who can help. So you can reduce your risk and open up opportunities now.
Why engage a Multilingual Digital Marketing Agency in the Asia region?
Traditional marketing agencies focus on targeting business clients and consumers who speak the same language. Digital is their passion, and the local market is their expertise. However, for Kindred born in Hong Kong, a melting pot of multiculturalism within the Asia region, people are our passion as much as digital itself. And so we look to service and bring together our neighbours in the region and beyond, through our multilingual team with multi-market experience.
It is almost impossible for foreign businesses to communicate with Chinese clients without a trusted local partner. Let alone implement a consumer-facing campaign. A multilingual digital agency in the Asia Pacific region fills this crucial role of sitting between two worlds, cultures, and languages. They can also help ensure compliance with all local laws, standards, and requirements.
What are the most common digital platforms in China?
The platforms Chinese netizens use are a world away from Google, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. that are officially banned in China. Therefore the most commonly used platforms are local, though don’t be mistaken that they are anything but innovative giants in their own right. Some of the most popular platforms in China in 2020 include:
WeChat – in the UK, we simply think of WeChat as another messaging system like WhatsApp or Telegram. In China, however, it is so much more. Over 1 billion users a month use WeChat for everything from messaging, to payments, social media, browsing, and advertising. With this volume of daily browsing, there is bound to be someone who wants to buy your goods. (But of course, leading them to a sale takes some skill!)
Weibo – China’s equivalent of Twitter and Facebook is the place to go to catch up on the latest social news. Promotions for products and services are common, as well as product reviews and discussions.
Baidu – the Chinese equivalent of Google. Baidu is the biggest search engine in China and allows users to search for websites, news, books, maps, images, videos, etc. As with Google, your aim should be to appear as high up the rankings as possible.
Where to begin when entering the China market
The most obvious place to begin if you want to follow a more traditional SEO approach (and avoid paid advertising) is SEO of Baidu or Qihoo360 and Sogou search engines. Just like Google, Baidu has its proprietary algorithm for page ranking. The requirements for high ranking are a little different from Google. Some of the most crucial SEO rules include:
Language – unless your site is written in Chinese, it is unlikely to make its way far up the rankings.
Keyword planning – the use of keywords in your content is essential just as it is with Google. Just like Google, Baidu provides a Keyword Planner. This can be used for discovering search volumes for suitable keyword alternatives for your site.
Page Optimization –apply the same good practices required by Google. For example, good internal linking, anchor text, proper keyword placement (do not stuff!).
Register a .CN domain – Baidu automatically gives weight to .CN domain names. If you do not have one, you are likely to linger a long way down the results. Baidu also prefers sites that host the content on the TLD and not subdomains. For example, yourdomain.cn/blog is preferable to blog.yourdomain.cn.
Hosting – China controls the internet very tightly and prefers sites that are hosted on Chinese web servers. You also risk being blocked by the Great Firewall of China if your website is hosted overseas. Due to the tight controls, it is a good idea not to use shared hosting. In the event one of your co-hosted sites misbehaves, you risk your website going down also.
ICP License – The internet is heavily licensed in China. To run a website, you must obtain an Internet Content Provider license from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Make sure you choose a commercial license. An ICP license must also be applied for by someone based in China.
Building a social presence
Even people in the west have heard of WeChat, but less are familiar with Weibo. It is the most popular social media platform in China and is a bit like a cross between Facebook and Twitter. In the same way Facebook has a number of features (stories, posts, groups, messenger), so does Weibo. Advertising in each of the different areas is slightly different. The most popular channels to advertise on include:
Search engine – getting your page to appear in search results can be achieved by both keyword placement, and paid search promotions.
Start-up Page Ads – Weibo displays a mandatory start-up page/advert each time the app is launched. Featuring here guarantees exposure to your future clients.
Native Ads – these appear inline with suitable microblog article content.
Weibo story – video ads that appear automatically between stories. Very similar to Instagram and Facebook stories. These are perfect for high-quality professional advertising videos.
Setting up your own Weibo Business Account and page is also essential for success. As with the ICP requirement for Baidu, a business license is required to open a Weibo business account. Although you may not have a physical presence in China, you can use your digital agency to help register. Note it may take 1-2 weeks to get approved.
Some of the other platforms are XiaoHongShu (Little Red Book), Bili Bili, Douyin (TikTok in China) and Mafengwo for those who are interested in travel.
An important watchout – beware of rogue agencies
The term “China SEO” is becoming increasingly common. While people become more aware of the possibilities of dealing with China, there are unfortunately rogue digital agencies that promise the world, but rarely deliver. A common tactic is to sell large quantities of followers for your Weibo or WeChat page. These accounts will often be low-quality bots that provide little to no value. You are much better investing your time in organically growing your page with genuinely interested parties.
Conclusion
China is one of the most exciting markets that is still fast-growing, fast innovating, and providing opportunities across numerous sectors. A good agency will be able to communicate effectively with both you and your consumers, obtain the insights that build the opportunity for your brand in that market, and ensure a strong strategy through to implementation. When you first hear the words Baidu, Weibo, WeChat, Qihoo360, etc. you are likely to be wary about entering such a complex web of sites. However, when you get to know how they work, which a good digital agency will do for you, you will get excited by the many opportunities they present for brands to reach and engage with consumers. You may even get some foresight on new features soon to be implemented by the global players such as Google and Facebook.
There is no denying that entering the China market is significantly more complex than other English-speaking markets, and even other Asian markets. However, if the required effort is made, the rewards will far exceed those of traditional western markets. Your first impressions will be quickly surpassed with a lasting positive impression that sees your business growing in the world’s second largest economy (the U.S. being the largest). So, why not find a good agency and start your journey into the China market today.other
