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Introduction
In China’s fragmented digital landscape, choosing the wrong ad format can waste budget and stall market entry. Success hinges on selecting ad types that match your brand’s category, business model, and consumer journey. Whether you’re a DTC apparel label or a B2B SaaS brand, knowing which ads to use—and why—can determine the success of your entire campaign. This guide offers a strategic framework for choosing ads that deliver measurable results in China.
1. Map Your Buyer Journey to Chinese Platforms
1.1 Discovery Phase: Visual and Social Platforms
Use Douyin and Xiaohongshu for initial discovery. These platforms capture attention through influencer content, lifestyle video, and user-generated reviews.
1.2 Decision Phase: Search and Retargeting
In the decision-making stage, deploy Baidu SEM, Toutiao display ads, or WeChat retargeting to bring users back with relevant offers or product reminders.
2. Match Ad Type to Product Complexity
2.1 Simple Consumer Products: Visual First
Use immersive short videos or live demos for food, fashion, and beauty items. These work well in short-form formats with low consideration time.
2.2 Complex or Technical Products: Informational Ads
For categories like software, electronics, or healthcare, use Baidu PPC, long-form WeChat articles, or mini program explainers that allow deeper engagement.
3. Align Ad Channels with Brand Positioning
3.1 Premium Brands: Focus on Controlled, High-Quality Formats
Splash ads on WeChat or curated KOL collaborations on Xiaohongshu can help maintain luxury brand tone and visual control.
3.2 Challenger Brands: Use Interactive and Scalable Ads
Cost-conscious or challenger brands may benefit from Douyin hashtag challenges, native ads, or programmatic display across multiple platforms.
4. Prioritize Measurable Outcomes and Attribution
4.1 Choose Ads with Built-in Conversion Tools
WeChat mini program banners, JD’s smart display units, or Douyin shoppable videos allow clear attribution and conversion tracking in-platform.
4.2 Evaluate Based on Data Integration Capability
Select ad types that can integrate with your CRM (e.g., WeCom, Salesforce China edition) to build audience profiles and retarget effectively.
Case Study: Swedish Fashion Brand Selects Ads by Conversion Path
A Sweden-based fashion label used Douyin videos to seed product awareness, Xiaohongshu for influencer trials, and WeChat for exclusive promotions. By mapping their buyer journey to specific ad types, they reduced CAC by 35% and achieved 2.5x higher engagement across platforms compared to using a single-channel approach.
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!
