FAQ'S

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Some of The Most Common Questions We Get from Our Clients

HOW CAN I GET STARTED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN CHINA?

There is no one size fits all answer to social media marketing in China. The first steps are obviously getting your social media accounts set up, which in itself can be incredibly complicated. Once that’s done you can get started posting content and investing in paid advertising. Before you do that make sure you take a deep look into your target audience, so you understand what types of sites they visit, what types of content they typically interact with, and how best to reach them.

If you’re ready to get started, you can contact our team and we’ll take a deep dive into your business and create a custom proposal just for you! Or if you’re looking to get started yourself check out our blog for more information!

WHAT'S THE MOST POPULAR PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN CHINA?

In terms of users, WeChat is undoubtedly the most popular platform. However, businesses in China use a range of different platforms to target their audiences effectively.

WeChat is often the first step for foreign businesses getting started with social media marketing in China, but to really succeed you’ll likely need to delve a bit deeper into China’s digital landscape to find your target audience!

MY BUSINESS RELIES HEAVILY ON FACEBOOK ADVERTISING. IS THERE A DIRECT EQUIVALENT TO FACEBOOK ADVERTISING IN CHINA?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct equivalent to Facebook in China. WeChat & Weibo would be the most comparable to Facebook but getting an advertiser account set up on either isn’t nearly as easy as it is on Facebook. If you’re looking to start advertising in China, we can assist with the set-up of these accounts and getting your campaigns going.

However, if you’re brand new to the market we recommend getting some information about your business out there before starting paid advertising campaigns.

DO I NEED A CHINESE COMPANY TO GET STARTED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN CHINA?

While a Chinese business license is incredibly helpful and makes things a lot easier, there are plenty of workarounds that foreign businesses can make use of when entering the Chinese market.

If China is a part of your long-term strategic goals it might make sense to open a company there, but if you’re just getting started don’t sweat it, our team has helped hundreds of businesses without Chinese business licenses get started with social media marketing in China. Contact us today for a free consultation!

WHY SHOULD I HIRE A CHINA MARKETING AGENCY?

If you are planning on entering the Chinese market, you will need someone with experience familiar with Chinese Social Media & Digital Marketing in China. The Chinese digital landscape is very fragmented, with Chinese netizens using a range of different apps & social media platforms throughout their average day.

There are platforms out there with hundreds of millions of users that most people overseas have never even heard of. To use the channels effectively you will need people who have had experience marketing on platforms like this successfully.

When we work with companies, we consider ourselves as an extension of their team in China. We are happy to share our insights and do the research necessary to find the optimal path to marketing your product or service in China. If that sounds good to you, contact us for a free consultation!

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO SPEND TO GET STARTED MARKETING IN CHINA?

How much you need to spend is entirely dependent on your goals. Businesses are often surprised at how expensive marketing in China can really be. Given that China has such a huge population and that the cost of living is generally lower than other countries most businesses expect it to be relatively cheap to advertise and get started with marketing in China.

However, advertising/marketing costs in China are comparable to those in the United States and Europe (sometimes even more expensive). KOL and paid advertising campaigns can often exceed the costs of similar services in the western world.

While it might take a significant investment to get started China is a growing market and gaining a foothold can provide tremendous benefit for your business in the long-term.  You might not get the same ROI as in other markets initially but with continuous testing, optimization, and attention to the market will yield results.

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR OPENING A WECHAT OFFICIAL ACCOUNT?

A range of different documents are required for opening a WeChat Official Account. What is required is heavily dependent on where your business is registered. While it might seem like the hassle, as one of the most popular channels for social media marketing in China, it is definitely worth it! Contact our team to figure out exactly what is required for your business!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WECHAT SUBSCRIPTION ACCOUNT AND A WECHAT SERVICE ACCOUNT?

Both accounts are considered WeChat Official Accounts. The accounts have different functions & limitations. WeChat Service Accounts are designed specifically for businesses and have higher visibility than subscription accounts. They also have enhanced API integrations allowing the accounts to be highly customizable.

Subscription accounts, on the other hand, can post daily compared to Service accounts only being able to post 4 times a month! Both can be useful for social media marketing in China! Contact our team to figure out which is best for you!

WHAT IS A WECHAT MINI-PROGRAM?

For a simple answer, a WeChat Mini-Program is an app within the WeChat Ecosystem. It allows users to open an app without leaving WeChat. Companies can create games, e-commerce platforms, and more using WeChat mini programs.

Mini-Programs have become more and more popular in recent years. Depending on your business nature WeChat mini programs can be an incredibly effective tool for social media marketing in China. For more on Mini-Programs check out this guide!

WHAT IS A KOL?

KOL stands for Key Opinion Leader. KOLs are essentially influencers, users on social media with huge follower numbers that are willing to work with businesses to promote and endorse products.

Given that trust is such a huge issue in China, KOLs have become an important part of social media marketing in China. Since everyday users tend to trust KOLs over businesses working with them can help to establish trust in your brand and build awareness among their followers. You can check out our blog for more information on KOLs here!

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO START SEEING RESULTS IN CHINA?

There is no definite answer to this question as it depends on a range of factors including budget, set-up, and more. Most of the businesses we work with are entering the Chinese market for the first time, and due to this quite a bit of set-up is required.

Chinese Social Media & Advertiser account openings alone can often take up to a month. Unfortunately, this is often out of our control. For businesses that are brand new to the market, we usually start seeing results around the 3rd to 4th month of cooperation.

For businesses that are already established in China, we can get started working right away, and in that case, we will likely see results within the first 6-8 weeks of getting started. However, if your case is time sensitive, we will do everything in our power to help you meet your deadlines! Get in touch for a free consultation and we would be happy to provide you with a detailed timeline.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON STRATEGIES FOR WECHAT MARKETING?

WeChat marketing is incredibly complex and investing in marketing on WeChat isn’t the ideal solution for every type of business.

WeChat is a closed network. This means that content you post on an official account is only served to followers of the account unless your followers share the content, or the user finds it in WeChat search. WeChat does not serve content to users based on their interests like other platforms you might be more familiar with.

To reach more users the most common methods are WeChat advertising, KOL campaigns, and WeChat group sharing. Using each of these methods requires significant expertise to deliver a strong ROI. As the most competitive platform in China, it is often better for businesses to invest their marketing dollars in more niche and industry-specific platforms to achieve a stronger ROI.

For more on WeChat marketing check out this FREE DOCUMENT