(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s digital economy presents enormous opportunities for overseas brands—but success demands a distinctly local approach. From consumer insights to content ecosystems, everything must be engineered for digital-first brand building. Here’s how to build a winning digital strategy in China from the ground up.
- Identify the Right Channels for Visibility and Growth
1.1 Core Digital Platforms
- WeChat for Community: Create service accounts for relationship building.
- Douyin and RED for Discovery: Use viral short videos and lifestyle posts for brand awareness.
1.2 Ecommerce Media Hubs
- Tmall Flagship Store: Use branded ecommerce stores with content-rich layouts.
- JD Live and Livestreaming: Drive sales via interactive campaigns during major shopping festivals.
- Localize Brand Positioning for Chinese Consumers
2.1 Consumer Perception
- Align With Aspirations: Frame products around values like wellness, family, prosperity, or tradition.
- Packaging and Visuals: Adapt design elements to local aesthetic preferences.
2.2 Trust Building
- Use Testimonials: Leverage local reviews and influencer endorsements.
- Certify Authenticity: Display import labels and quality certifications clearly.
- Execute Data-Driven Paid Media Campaigns
3.1 Smart Targeting
- City-Tier Personalization: Use Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba ad platforms to segment by geography and spending patterns.
- Cross-Platform Retargeting: Track and retarget across Douyin, WeChat, and Tmall with consistent creative.
3.2 Conversion-Focused Creative
- Mobile UX: Localize landing pages with mobile-first design and direct CTAs.
- Limited-Time Hooks: Use timed offers, festival bundles, or gift-with-purchase incentives.
- Measure, Optimize, and Adapt Rapidly
4.1 Continuous Learning
- Weekly Dashboards: Track engagement metrics across all major platforms.
- UGC Trends: Monitor comment sections and hashtags to guide new content themes.
4.2 Agile Creative Testing
- Copy Rotation: Test call-to-actions and emotional triggers monthly.
- Format Variation: Swap between live content, video clips, and GIF ads based on platform feedback.
Case Study: UK Beverage Brand Uses Short Video to Double Reach A UK beverage startup focused on functional drinks broke into the Chinese market with Douyin influencer campaigns. The brand localized visual design and used 8-second hero videos optimized for short attention spans. In Q1, the campaign doubled brand reach and generated 47% repeat buyers through WeChat follow-up campaigns.
Conclusion
Digital-first doesn’t mean digital-only. For overseas brands, building a sustainable digital presence in China means finding harmony between product, content, platforms, and culture—with speed and authenticity.
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!
