(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
With over a billion users across Douyin, WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and other platforms, China’s social media landscape offers international companies a powerful gateway to market entry and brand scaling. But to convert impressions into ROI, global brands must approach Chinese platforms with custom strategies that align with local behavior, regulation, and platform logic. This article unpacks actionable tactics for international companies seeking high-performance advertising results in China.
1. Define Local Positioning Before Launching Campaigns
Clarify your China-specific brand value
What resonates in your home market might not in China. Define how your offering uniquely addresses a local need—be it tech efficiency, lifestyle enhancement, or prestige—before spending on paid ads.
Establish brand tone suited to China’s digital culture
Chinese social media culture tends to be faster-paced, image-rich, and humor-friendly. Global brands need to adapt their tone and pace to match platform conventions while maintaining brand integrity.
2. Deploy Retargeting Frameworks from Day One
Capture traffic and nurture via CRM tools
International companies often lose early traction by not retargeting viewers and clickers. Use Tencent Ads and ByteDance’s pixel tools to track user behavior and sync with Chinese CRMs like JINGdigital.
Automate follow-ups via WeCom integration
For B2B and SaaS brands, funnel leads directly into WeCom for human sales follow-up or chatbot sequences. This builds private traffic and allows long-term customer education and upsell potential.
3. Use Vertical-Specific Influencer Collaborations
Target niche audiences with subject matter KOLs
China’s influencer ecosystem is highly specialized. Instead of broad celebrities, SaaS and tech firms can work with micro-KOLs in logistics, HR, finance, or software education spaces to drive credibility.
Pair KOLs with ad amplification
Combine influencer storytelling with ad retargeting for performance gains. After the KOL post, retarget engaged users with performance ads offering demos, webinars, or exclusive consultations.
4. Launch Pre-Sale or Waitlist Campaigns to Build Buzz
Drive exclusivity and urgency
Before launching your service or product, use social ads to generate a waitlist or exclusive access list. This works particularly well for SaaS brands with limited-seat pilots or premium B2C launches.
Gamify early access with social sharing
Incentivize users to share registration links or QR codes with friends to “unlock” early access features or discounts. This peer-driven growth tactic is highly effective within Chinese consumer communities.
Case Study: Swiss Software Brand Grows China Market with Waitlist Ads
A Swiss SaaS brand specializing in document collaboration tools ran a two-phase WeChat campaign to enter the China market. First, it built a waitlist via a Mini Program, promoted through targeted ads and KOL content. Then, early users received personalized onboarding through WeCom. The strategy created scarcity, drove word-of-mouth, and led to over 5,000 enterprise leads pre-launch.
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!
