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- Understanding the TikTok Landscape in China
1.1 TikTok’s (Douyin) Popularity in China
TikTok, known locally as Douyin, dominates China’s short-video market with over 700 million active users. The platform’s immense popularity makes it an ideal entry point for brands looking to tap into China’s digital ecosystem, especially when targeting younger consumers who spend a significant portion of their day engaging with short video content.
1.2 Key Differences Between TikTok and Douyin
Though TikTok and Douyin are owned by the same company, they operate independently due to different regulations and market dynamics. Douyin offers localized features tailored to Chinese consumers, including in-app shopping integrations and regional content trends. Brands entering China need to understand these differences and adjust their strategies accordingly.
1.3 Understanding Consumer Behavior on TikTok
Chinese consumers on TikTok favor authentic, visually appealing, and engaging content over traditional advertising. Brands need to focus on creating immersive, experience-driven videos rather than straightforward product promotions. Videos that tell stories or reflect local cultural nuances tend to resonate more with Chinese audiences.
- Developing a TikTok Market Entry Strategy
2.1 Localizing Content for Cultural Relevance
When entering the Chinese market, localizing content is key to success. Brands must create content that reflects Chinese cultural values, trends, and humor. This localization ensures that content is not only relevant but also resonates emotionally with Chinese users, making it more likely to go viral.
2.2 Leveraging Influencer Partnerships
Partnering with local influencers (known as Key Opinion Leaders or KOLs) is an effective way to boost credibility and reach. KOLs possess strong influence over their followers, and their endorsement can provide valuable social proof for brands unfamiliar to the Chinese market. A successful influencer partnership can rapidly increase brand awareness and trust.
2.3 Using Hashtag Challenges and Trends
Participating in popular TikTok hashtag challenges or creating your own is an excellent way to encourage user-generated content (UGC) and spread brand messaging organically. Brands that align their marketing campaigns with trending topics or cultural moments are more likely to engage users and achieve greater visibility.
- Engaging the Right Audience
3.1 Targeting by Demographics and Interests
TikTok’s advanced algorithms allow brands to target users based on demographics, geographic location, and interests. Brands should analyze the consumer segments most relevant to their product or service and create personalized content for those groups. This can be done through interactive ads or influencer partnerships that appeal to specific niches.
3.2 Focusing on High-Engagement Content
Brands should prioritize creating content that drives engagement. This means interactive videos, tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, or even gamified experiences that encourage users to participate and share. Higher engagement often leads to better placement in the TikTok algorithm, resulting in more organic reach and greater brand visibility.
3.3 Building Communities Around the Brand
Engagement extends beyond views and likes. TikTok offers brands the chance to build dedicated communities by regularly interacting with followers, responding to comments, and encouraging dialogue. This fosters brand loyalty and creates a strong bond with consumers that can lead to repeat interactions and purchases.
- Navigating TikTok’s E-Commerce Ecosystem
4.1 Utilizing Douyin’s E-Commerce Features
Douyin’s integration with China’s e-commerce platforms allows brands to sell directly within the app. From product placements in videos to clickable shopping links, brands can streamline the customer journey from awareness to purchase within a single platform. This feature is particularly useful for consumer goods, fashion, and beauty brands.
4.2 Integrating Livestream Shopping
Livestream shopping is a massive trend in China, with many consumers purchasing products during live broadcasts. Brands can leverage TikTok’s livestreaming feature to showcase products, answer questions, and offer exclusive deals in real time, making the shopping experience interactive and engaging.
4.3 Driving Sales Through Social Commerce
TikTok’s e-commerce capabilities extend beyond livestreaming. Short-form videos can now include embedded shopping links, allowing users to purchase products directly from the video. This seamless integration between content and commerce helps brands drive impulse purchases while providing users with an engaging shopping experience.
- Case Study: A Fashion Brand’s Successful Entry into China via TikTok
A European fashion brand sought to enter the Chinese market through TikTok. To establish its presence, the brand partnered with prominent Chinese fashion influencers and launched a hashtag challenge encouraging users to showcase their unique styles using the brand’s latest collection. The challenge went viral, garnering millions of views and over 300,000 user submissions. The brand also hosted a series of livestream shopping events, featuring limited-time offers, which drove significant sales. Within three months, the brand saw a 150% increase in sales and established itself as a go-to fashion name for Chinese millennials. The key to its success was localizing content, leveraging KOLs, and using TikTok’s e-commerce features to convert views into sales.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
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