(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
To succeed in China’s competitive advertising market, creating shareable campaigns that resonate with local audiences is critical. In this article, we explore the strategies behind developing campaigns that spread organically across China’s unique digital ecosystem.
1. Choosing the Right Platforms
1.1 WeChat’s Ecosystem
- Super App capabilities: WeChat offers a full ecosystem that supports viral content, including Moments, official accounts, and mini-programs. Brands can create interactive content, such as quizzes or games, to increase sharing within the app.
- WeChat Moments ads: Placing native ads in WeChat Moments allows brands to seamlessly integrate with users’ social feeds, making it easier for content to be shared among users.
1.2 Douyin and Kuaishou
- Douyin’s short video culture: The platform is known for its quick, creative, and entertaining videos. Brands can create shareable, lighthearted content that encourages user participation, boosting the chances of going viral.
- Kuaishou’s community-focused engagement: Kuaishou users engage deeply with content that feels personal and genuine. Creating user-generated content or influencer partnerships on Kuaishou can drive organic shares.
2. Understanding Audience Preferences
2.1 Localized Content
- Appealing to Chinese cultural values: Successful campaigns must tap into local values like family, tradition, and prosperity. Customizing messaging to align with these themes increases the chances of the campaign resonating with audiences.
- Use of local slang and memes: In China’s internet culture, memes and popular slang spread quickly. Brands can leverage these in their campaigns to appear more relevant and approachable.
2.2 Emotionally Engaging Content
- Eliciting emotional reactions: Content that provokes emotions—whether joy, nostalgia, or empathy—tends to be shared more widely. Brands should create emotionally charged stories that consumers can relate to on a personal level.
- Inspiring action: Calls-to-action that inspire users to participate, such as sharing, commenting, or creating their own content, can help campaigns reach viral status.
3. Strategic Influencer Collaborations
3.1 KOLs in the Right Niches
- Micro-KOL effectiveness: While major KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) have large followings, micro-KOLs in specific niches can have more engaged audiences. Partnering with niche influencers can drive higher-quality shares among specific demographics.
- Platform-specific KOLs: Each platform in China has different types of KOLs. Brands should target influencers on platforms where their target audience is most active, ensuring that content is shared in the right communities.
3.2 Interactive KOL Campaigns
- Challenge-based content: Working with KOLs to initiate viral challenges, where users create their own versions of the content, can significantly boost shares. These campaigns tap into China’s interactive, video-first culture.
- Reward-based sharing: Offering incentives such as discounts or giveaways for sharing content with others encourages participation and expands reach.
4. Tailoring Content for Mobile Consumption
4.1 Short and Snappy
- Bite-sized content: In China’s mobile-centric world, content must be brief and easy to digest. Short videos or posts that quickly capture attention are more likely to be shared, especially on platforms like Douyin and Weibo.
- Optimizing for vertical screens: Since mobile devices dominate media consumption, content should be optimized for vertical viewing. This format increases user engagement and shareability.
4.2 Interactive and Immersive Experiences
- Augmented reality (AR) filters: AR is growing in popularity in China. Creating shareable AR filters or experiences that users can engage with increases the likelihood of content going viral, especially when integrated with social media platforms.
- Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements into campaigns, such as quizzes or mini-games, encourages users to share their experience with friends and family.
Case Study: A Global Beauty Brand’s Viral Campaign on Weibo
Background: A well-known beauty brand aimed to introduce a new product line to the Chinese market and sought to generate viral engagement on Weibo.
- Strategy: The brand partnered with top beauty KOLs on Weibo to create a challenge where users shared makeup transformations using the new product line. Participants posted before-and-after photos using a branded hashtag, making the campaign fun and interactive.
- Execution: The challenge quickly gained momentum, with thousands of users joining in. The campaign also offered prizes for the best transformations, further encouraging participation and shares.
- Results: The Weibo challenge became a viral hit, with over 10 million views and a significant increase in brand awareness. The user-generated content also helped build trust and authenticity around the new product line.
Conclusion
Creating shareable campaigns in China requires an understanding of the platforms, audience preferences, and influencers that drive engagement. By leveraging social media and crafting emotionally engaging, localized content, brands can significantly boost their visibility in the Chinese market.
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!
