(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s online advertising spend will surpass $190 billion in 2025, growing 18% year-over-year. For overseas brands, the difference between explosive success and total waste of budget comes down to understanding China’s unique platforms, rules, and consumer behavior. This ultimate 2025 guide gives you the exact roadmap used by top-performing overseas brands right now.
1. The 5 Core Platforms That Dominate China Online Advertising in 2025
1.1 Douyin (TikTok China) – 750 million daily active users Budget allocation: 35–50% for most overseas brands. Short-video + livestream combination delivers the highest ROI channel in 2025.
1.2 WeChat – The unavoidable super-app Moments ads + Mini-Program retargeting deliver 4–7× higher conversion than standalone platforms for overseas brands entering China.
2. Mandatory Compliance & Setup Steps
2.1 ICP Filing or Agency License Overseas brands cannot directly open Douyin/WeChat/Baidu ad accounts without a China entity or licensed local agency. Fastest legal route in 2025: partner with an agency holding multi-platform agent qualifications.
2.2 Ad Material Pre-approval System Every single image, video, and copy must be registered on the official government advertising system before launch. Non-compliant materials are banned instantly with account risk.
3. Creative Rules That Make or Break Campaigns
3.1 The 3-Second Rule Chinese users scroll 2–3× faster than Western audiences. The brand logo + core message must appear within the first 3 seconds or CTR drops below 0.5%.
3.2 Mandatory Chinese Talent & Voiceover Ads using only overseas faces or English voiceover see 70–85% lower engagement in 2025.
4. Budget & Bidding Strategy That Actually Works
4.1 Recommended Starting Budget $150,000–$400,000 USD for the first 90-day testing phase. Brands spending below $100k rarely gather enough data for optimization.
4.2 Smart Bidding Timing Increase bids by 50–100% at 7–9 PM Beijing time when 68% of purchases happen.
Case Study: Canadian Outdoor Apparel Brand Arc’One
Entered China in March 2025 with zero brand awareness. We executed:
- 60-day Douyin + Xiaohongshu awareness blast (320 million impressions)
- WeChat Mini-Program store + Moments retargeting
- Tmall flagship store launch timed with autumn collection Result: RMB 156 million GMV in first 9 months, Douyin store became No.3 imported outdoor brand within 6 months.
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!
