(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
Launching online advertising in China without local expertise is the fastest way to burn millions with zero results. This practical 2025 guide walks overseas brands through real costs, proven platforms, and the exact 10-week launch timeline that top brands are following right now.
1. Real 2025 Advertising Costs (Updated November 2025)
1.1 Average CPC/CPM by Platform Douyin Information Flow CPC: RMB 1.3–3.8 | WeChat Moments CPM: RMB 85–220 | Xiaohongshu CPM: RMB 45–120.
1.2 Minimum Viable Budget $250,000–$500,000 USD for meaningful testing and optimization in first 6 months.
2. 10-Week Launch Timeline Used by Successful Overseas Brands
2.1 Weeks 1–3: Compliance & Account Setup ICP/agent partnership + ad account verification + creative pre-approval. 2.2 Weeks 4–6: Creative Production & Testing Produce 100+ localized creatives, A/B test top 30.
3. Daily Optimization Rules That Separate Winners from Losers
3.1 The 48-Hour Rule Any creative with CTR below 0.9% after 48 hours must be paused immediately.
3.2 Budget Scaling Formula Only scale budget on audiences that have shown ≥2.5% conversion rate to Mini-Program or Tmall.
4. Post-Launch Private Domain Building
4.1 WeChat Private Traffic Is King Successful overseas brands convert 30–45% of public domain traffic into WeChat private domain (groups + personal accounts) for repeat purchases.
Case Study: Italian Coffee Machine Brand Caffè Vero
Started China advertising in February 2025 with €380k budget:
- Douyin + Xiaohongshu lifestyle content seeding
- WeChat Mini-Program roastery experience store
- Tmall flagship launch during 618 Result: Sold 42,000 units in first year, achieved €19 million revenue, No.2 imported bean-to-cup machine on Tmall.
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!
