(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
In China’s fast-moving digital landscape, the format of your visual content is just as important as the message itself. From short videos to live visuals, choosing the right formats can maximize reach, engagement, and conversions. For overseas brands eyeing China, understanding which visual formats resonate and how to deploy them is a strategic advantage.
- Leverage Video-first Formats
1.1 Short-form Video (Reels / Douyin / Kuaishou)
- Bite-sized storytelling: Videos lasting 15–30 seconds tend to perform best. Showcase a pain point and solution visually in that timeframe.
- Branded intros: Start with 2–3 seconds of visual branding to build recognition without irritating viewers.
- Overlay captions/subtitles: Chinese users often watch without sound; embedding text captions helps comprehension and engagement.
1.2 Live Streaming & Visual Interaction
- Product demos in real time: Show product use in live sessions and enable real-time questions from viewers to deepen trust.
- Interactive visual tools: Use AR try-ons, filters, or visual polling overlays during live to engage the audience.
- Post-live asset reuse: Clip highlights into shareable short videos or GIFs for later distribution.
- Use Carousel and Swipeable Visuals
2.1 Multi-image Stories & Slides
- Step-by-step sequences: Use swipeable carousels to walk users through features, usage steps, or transformation visuals.
- Before & after comparisons: Place before/after images side by side in swipe format to visually convey impact.
- Layered visuals: Combine image + text + icons within slides to convey richer messaging.
2.2 Interactive Visual Formats
- Mini-infographics: Format data and benefits into mini-visual slides for easy consumption.
- Interactive polls/quizzes: Embed visuals that prompt user interaction (e.g. “Which visual do you prefer?”) to boost engagement.
- Optimize for Platform-Specific Formats
3.1 WeChat & Official Articles
- Hero images & banners: Use full-width banner visuals for article headers, but keep file sizes optimized for mobile loading.
- Illustrated charts: When presenting data, use custom illustrations rather than generic graphs to stay on brand.
- In-article visuals: Alternate between images, GIFs, and short video embeds to break visual monotony and maintain flow.
3.2 Mini Programs & Interactive Visual Tools
- 360° product views: Enable users to rotate product visuals for deeper inspection.
- Visual configurators: Allow users to customize colors or combos visually within mini programs.
- Embedded galleries: Build interactive galleries within apps or mini programs for deeper product exploration.
- Tailor Formats by User Segment & Journey Stage
4.1 Awareness Stage
- Eye-catching visuals: Use bold visuals, teaser animations, or short intros to capture attention in feeds.
- Swipe teasers: Use the first slide to intrigue and later slides to explain value propositions.
4.2 Consideration & Conversion Stage
- Deep dives & demos: Use longer visuals or videos explaining features, use cases, or comparisons.
- Social proof visuals: Show user-generated images, reviews, or testimonials integrated into visuals.
- Call-to-action overlays: Add visual cues (buttons, arrows) to direct viewers to take action.
Case Study: SaaS Productivity Tool’s Visual Format Strategy
A foreign SaaS provider launching in China opted for a multi-format visual approach. They used Douyin short videos to showcase “day-in-the-life” usage scenarios of their tool, followed by live streams demoing advanced features. In WeChat articles, they embedded interactive charts and step-by-step slides to explain workflows. Their visual strategy increased sign-up conversions from visual posts by 25%, and average view time of their long visuals on WeChat articles rose 40%. They also localized visual templates by region (tier-1 vs tier-3 city styles).
Conclusion & Call to Action
Selecting the right visual formats—videos, carousels, live visuals—enables overseas brands to connect authentically and effectively with Chinese audiences. Combine formats wisely across user journeys, localize designs, and measure rigorously to optimize.
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!
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