With the progress of the times, Chinese social media has become a new medium for foreign businesses to reach the public.Opening up to the outside world has always been a basic national policy in China, and many foreign companies have already taken root in China. According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, as of 2023, there are over 1.002 million foreign-funded enterprises in China. As the world’s second largest economy, China has tremendous market potential, which is the main reason for attracting foreign investment.

What is Chinese social media? How many types are there?

Chinese social media is simply a way for Chinese people to connect with people they know and share their daily lives. At present, the mainstream social media platforms in China include WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Kuaishou,Weibo and Bilibili, among others. These platforms have become an indispensable part of Chinese people’s lives. Therefore, whether they are local businesses in China or foreign businesses, these platforms have become the main publicity platform.

Advantages of using social media platforms in China

1，Low cost and high efficiency

For small and medium-sized companies, budget is a big problem, but Chinese social media can help you reach many users without a large budget – and you don’t need any cost to operate. At the same time, China’s huge population will enable your social media to quickly cover thousands of people, achieving high efficiency.

2，Can increase the visibility of your website

Regardless of which country you are in, social media has always been the main source of traffic to your website. Unlike overseas, China’s huge population and market potential can allow your brand to have more fans, achieve more traffic monetization.

3，By using social media, you can influence consumers’ purchasing intentions

According to research, the popularity of social media such as Douyin has led most people to spend their free time on social media and make most people willing to buy products recommended by social media. Of course, this requires your marketing skills to cooperate. The coverage of Chinese social media can help your brand grow rapidly.

Famous blogger is selling goods live in Douyin

How do foreign companies promote themselves on these platforms? What are the methods?

On Chinese social media – such as Douyin – many foreign companies that have already taken root in China have set up official accounts, and they conduct promotional activities at certain specific times. Brands such as Colgate and Coca-Cola have official accounts on Douyin for product promotion and advertising, and Coca-Cola also has an official flagship store on Douyin, where users can make direct purchases.

If you are a foreign company looking to enter China, where should you start promoting your products?

In addition to using Chinese social media as the main publicity platform, you can also use e-commerce platforms – you can first open a store on Taobao. Currently, Taobao has 500 million registered users, with an average daily transaction volume of RMB 60 million and a transaction volume of RMB 48,000 per minute. Opening a store on Taobao is the first step. Then, use social media or Baidu SEO to promote – this can get a large number of potential customers, which is very beneficial for the development of your brand in China.

There are not only countless merchants on Taobao, but also live broadcast

Three tips for using Chinese social media

1，Pay attention to industry news in China or other news events

Following industry news can help you quickly obtain relevant information and update your products in a timely manner. Following other news events is significant in that it allows you to discover potential customers – for example, if a piece of news has a significant social impact, you can express your own views on this news on Chinese social media in a unique and special way.

2，Social media platforms should adopt colors that align with their product theme.

Whether it’s Chinese social media or overseas platforms, the style of social media to some extent represents the image and essence of the product. For example, Coca-Cola uses red as its main color, and the food industry often uses background images related to food. These elements can make your audience feel your professionalism, and they will try to learn more about you.

3，Personal social media must be close to the audience.

The essential task of operating social media is to interact with fans. However, when communicating with fans, it is important to avoid using overly formal language. Instead, participate in real-time social news comments and speak in a normal tone. Usually, when an official account appears in a comment section, users will be curious and are more likely to follow you.