Welcome, dear reader, to the thrilling world of WeChat microsites! In the ever-evolving universe of digital marketing, it’s crucial to stay ahead of the curve, and one way to do this is by enhancing your online presence with WeChat microsites. With around a billion active users, WeChat has risen from being a humble messaging app to a super app that is transforming how businesses reach out to consumers.

WeChat: More Than Just a Messaging App

Known for its all-encompassing nature, WeChat goes beyond being just a messaging app. It has morphed into a multi-purpose platform serving its billion active users with a suite of services, including payments, bookings, games, and of course, WeChat ads. This comprehensive list of offerings has made it an indispensable tool for individuals and businesses alike in China and beyond.

WeChat Microsites: The What and The Why

WeChat Microsites are simply web pages or a collection of web pages, created within the WeChat ecosystem. They are accessible directly from the WeChat interface and offer a variety of functions, such as e-commerce, customer service, and marketing campaigns. Businesses can tailor these microsites with their branding and design, creating a unique and interactive user experience that complements their WeChat ads and overall marketing strategy.

Diving Deeper into the World of WeChat Microsites

Setting up your WeChat microsite is not a one-size-fits-all process. It involves careful planning and thoughtful design to ensure that your microsite’s layout, content, and functionalities best reflect your brand identity and cater to your target audience’s preferences.

The Step-by-Step Guide to WeChat Microsite Success

The first step in creating a WeChat microsite is obtaining an official WeChat account. Once you have your account, you’ll need to choose the type of microsite you want to build – whether it’s for e-commerce, promotions, customer service, or a combination of these.

The next step is designing your microsite. This phase should take into account your brand aesthetics, the functionality you want to provide, and how your site will interact with WeChat ads and other WeChat services.

Once your design is finalised, it’s time to develop your microsite. You can use WeChat’s in-built development tools, or work with a WeChat agency that specialises in microsite development.

Finally, after thorough testing, your microsite can be launched and promoted using WeChat ads to reach your target audience.

The Competitive Edge: WeChat Microsites and WeChat Ads

WeChat microsites come with numerous benefits. Apart from providing a seamless user experience, these microsites have advanced tracking mechanisms, allowing businesses to monitor user interactions, behaviour, and preferences. And with WeChat ads, businesses can pinpoint their marketing efforts and measure the effectiveness of their strategies, thus refining their approach and gaining a competitive edge in the market.

Contact Digital Crew Today

Intrigued by the possibilities of WeChat microsites and WeChat ads for your business? Why not take the plunge? Contact Digital Crew, your trusted partner in navigating the complex digital landscape. Let’s work together to create a dynamic online presence for your brand.

The post Exploring the WeChat Universe: A Deep Dive into Microsites appeared first on Digital Crew.

As one of China’s premier social media platforms, Weibo has solidified its place as a pivotal tool for businesses seeking to engage with Chinese consumers. More than just a space for posting content, Weibo provides powerful analytics to help brands delve into the behavior, preferences, and attitudes of their audience.

Understanding Weibo Analytics

Weibo analytics offers a comprehensive understanding of your audience and their interactions with your content. Akin to a digital magnifying glass, it uncovers valuable data such as user demographics, engagement metrics, and behavioral trends. This data, when interpreted and utilised strategically, can sharpen the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and deepen your connection with your followers.

The Wide Scope of Weibo Analytics

Weibo provides an array of metrics for a comprehensive data analysis. These include:

Follower growth:

This metric allows you to see the rate at which your follower count is increasing. It helps measure the effectiveness of your strategies in attracting new followers.

Engagement rate:

Engagement rate quantifies the level of interaction users have with your posts. This includes likes, shares, comments, and reposts.

Post reach and impressions:

Reach tells you the number of unique users who saw your post, while impressions indicate the total number of times your post was displayed, regardless of clicks.

Clicks:

This shows how many users clicked on the content, providing a measure of how effectively your post spurred users to action.

Delving Deeper: Analytics for Content Creation

The potential of Weibo analytics extends beyond understanding your audience. It also provides valuable insights for content creation. It can guide your understanding of what type of content generates the most engagement, which topics resonate with your audience, and when is the best time to publish posts for maximum visibility.

Unleashing the Power of Weibo Analytics with a Weibo Agency

Partnering with a proficient Weibo agency, like Digital Crew, provides an added advantage. Our specialists possess an in-depth understanding of Weibo’s intricate analytics landscape and can assist in formulating and executing a data-driven marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals.

The Digital Crew Advantage

Our team at Digital Crew prides itself on its nuanced understanding of the Weibo platform, its analytics, and the broader Chinese digital market. As a dedicated Weibo agency, we provide expert guidance and strategic planning that can maximise your Weibo presence, fostering stronger connections with your followers and propelling your brand’s growth.

Ready to maximise your marketing impact with Weibo analytics? Contact us at Digital Crew today, and let’s create a Weibo marketing strategy powered by data and honed for success.

The post Unlocking the Power of Data with Weibo Analytics appeared first on Digital Crew.

H2: Weibo Advertising: The Gateway to Chinese Audiences

Despite the growth of numerous social media platforms, Weibo remains a strong contender in the Chinese digital landscape. With over 521 million active users monthly, it presents an opportunity for businesses to reach a vast audience, making Weibo advertising an essential tool in your marketing arsenal.

H2: Why You Can’t Ignore Weibo Ads

Weibo’s advertising solutions go beyond traditional ads, offering sponsored posts, search engine promotion, and fan headline ads that sit atop followers’ feeds for 24 hours. By using Weibo ads, you can target specific demographics, track ROI, and leverage the platform’s vast user base to raise brand awareness, generate leads, or promote products.

H3: Understanding Your Audience

The first step to successful Weibo advertising is understanding your target audience. Weibo’s analytics and insights offer detailed demographic data that can help you tailor your Weibo ads to appeal to the right people at the right time.

H3: Crafting the Right Message

The success of your Weibo ads also lies in the quality of your content. Make sure your ads are engaging, visually appealing, and convey a clear, concise message. Humorous, creative, or emotionally resonant ads often perform well on Weibo.

H2: Real-Life Success Stories: Brands Winning with Weibo Advertising

H3: Case Study: L’Oreal

L’Oreal, a well-known cosmetics brand, utilized Weibo advertising to launch a new lipstick line. The campaign leveraged popular celebrities and influencers and utilized fan headlines and sponsored posts. The result? Over 10,000 lipsticks sold in just two hours.

H3: Case Study: Nike

Nike used Weibo ads to create hype around the Air Max Day campaign. The brand combined creative content, influencer marketing, and fan headlines to create a buzz. Nike’s campaign posts garnered over 2.5 million views, demonstrating the power of Weibo advertising.

H2: Conclusion: Harnessing the Power of Weibo Advertising

Creating a successful advertising campaign on Weibo can be challenging, but with the right strategy and execution, Weibo ads can take your business to new heights. So, are you ready to explore Weibo advertising? Contact the experts at Digital Crew. We’ll guide you through the process, ensuring your Weibo ads are on point, impactful, and drive the results you want.

The post Unleash Your Business Potential with Weibo Advertising appeared first on Digital Crew.

Diving into WeChat Moment Ads

The Magic of Moments

WeChat Moment Ads are full-screen, immersive advertisements designed to capture the attention of users scrolling through their ‘Moments’ feed, akin to Facebook’s News Feed. Picture this: your brand, shining in all its glory, displayed between a friend’s holiday snaps and an irresistible cat video. Your message reaching potential customers in an environment they’re comfortable and engaged in – that’s the gold standard of digital marketing!

Key Components of Effective Moment Ads

Crafting the Perfect Ad

Creating an impactful WeChat Moment Ad requires a clever combination of compelling visuals, engaging copy, and a strong call-to-action. From videos and rich images to interactive HTML5 webpages, your visual content should be so enticing that the user can’t help but pause and say, “Well, this looks interesting!”

But what happens after you’ve caught the eye of your potential customer? It’s time for the engaging copy to work its magic. Good copywriting bridges the gap between interest and action. It tells a story, solving a problem, or ignites curiosity. Finally, your call-to-action should be the cherry on top, inviting the user to engage further with your brand.

Turning Clicks into Conversions

Making Your Moments Matter

Successful WeChat Moment Ads are more than just attention grabbers; they’re catalysts for action. This is where your carefully crafted call-to-action (CTA) comes into play. Whether you’re asking users to “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Sign Up,” your CTA should be clear, direct, and, most importantly, compelling.

The Power of Precision Targeting

Hitting the Bullseye

One of the standout features of WeChat Moment Ads is the ability to precisely target your audience based on a variety of factors like age, gender, location, and interests. This means you’re not just casting a wide net in the ocean of WeChat users; you’re firing a targeted arrow, hitting the bullseye, and connecting directly with potential customers who matter to your brand.

Building Your Moment Ads Strategy

Understanding Audience Insights

Knowing your audience is half the battle in advertising. WeChat provides extensive data about your audience, which can be used to refine your ads, improve your targeting, and increase your overall engagement.

So, How Do You Get Started?

Launching Your WeChat Moment Ads Campaign

At first glance, launching a WeChat Moment Ads campaign might seem overwhelming, but that’s where we come in. At Digital Crew, a wechat agency in Sydney, we’re here to guide you through the entire process, from the creation of your first ad to the analysis of its performance. Reach out to us today and start your journey to improved visibility and engagement.

Let’s Get Interactive

Adding Interactive Elements

WeChat Moment Ads allow you to incorporate interactive elements into your ads. From swipeable photo galleries to interactive games, these features add an element of fun and engagement to your ads. These features can encourage users to spend more time with your ad, increasing the chances of conversion.

What’s in It for You?

The Benefits of WeChat Moment Ads

Using WeChat Moment Ads has numerous benefits. By reaching out to a broad audience, you’re increasing your brand visibility and, by extension, potential conversions. Precision targeting ensures your ads reach the right people, resulting in a higher return on ad spend. Also, the rich data insights can guide your future marketing efforts, making your strategy more effective over time.

Conclusion

Your Moment is Now

In today’s digital landscape, a well-planned and executed WeChat Moment Ads campaign can propel your brand to new heights of visibility and engagement. This exciting advertising platform offers an excellent opportunity to reach a massive and active user base, opening up endless possibilities for your brand.

Interested in exploring what WeChat Moment Ads can do for your business? Contact Digital Crew, a wechat agency in Sydney, today! Our team of experts is ready to guide you on your journey to digital marketing success.

The post Revolutionise Your Brand Engagement with WeChat Moment Ads appeared first on Digital Crew.

If you thought building a website was a universal process, think again. Designing and developing a website for the Chinese market is a whole different kettle of fish, or should we say, bowl of noodles? So, buckle up as we navigate the Great Wall of Chinese web design!

 The Fine Art of Aesthetics: The Chinese Visual Landscape

When it comes to design, Chinese users appreciate websites rich in visuals and information. A clean, minimalist design might be a hit in the West, but in China, more is more. So, don’t shy away from bright colors, animations, and information-packed pages. Your audience will appreciate it.

The Need for Speed: Optimize Website Performance

Nobody likes waiting, least of all your website visitors. Given China’s strict regulations and internet infrastructure, it’s vital to ensure your site loads swiftly and functions smoothly. Hosting your website locally and using China-friendly tech can significantly improve loading times.

Language Love: Make Content Locally Relevant

While English is the lingua franca of the internet, it’s Mandarin that rules the roost in China. Prioritize high-quality translation and localization to ensure your content resonates with your Chinese audience. Remember, it’s not just about language, but cultural context too.

Mobile Madness: Embrace Mobile-First Design

With over 99% of Chinese netizens accessing the internet via mobile, creating a mobile-friendly website isn’t just a good idea – it’s essential. Prioritize mobile-first design to deliver an optimal browsing experience for your audience, no matter where they are.

So, You’re Ready to Conquer the Chinese Web?

Embarking on your journey to create a Chinese website can feel like learning to use chopsticks – a little tricky at first, but satisfying once you get the hang of it.

If you need a guide to help you traverse the winding paths of Chinese web design and development,  Digital Crew, a leading Chinese digital agency, is here to help. Our team of experts is well-versed in the nuances of the Chinese digital landscape. Together, we can help your business make a big splash in the Middle Kingdom. Get in touch with us today!

The post East Meets Web: Mastering Chinese Website Design and Development appeared first on Digital Crew.

The Chinese economy, with its 1.4 billion customer base, is the market to watch right now.

The trends and decisions made by these consumers on what, when, how, where, and why to buy will have a particularly large impact on countries whose economies rely on how much the Chinese buy from them. It’s only natural when you’re the world’s second-largest importer!

Here are a few trends that are shaping the growing Chinese economy in 2022.

China’s Consumer Market Steams Ahead

According to official figures:
-Retail sales of consumer goods in China, the world’s second-largest economy, increased 12.5% year on year to 44.1 trillion yuan ($6.95 trillion) in 2021
-China’s real GDP is expected to increase at a 7% yearly rate between 2021 and 2023

Foreign companies are seeing greater business opportunities as China continues to open its doors wider.  Foreign businesses are benefiting as the Chinese government continues to encourage high-level opening-up and innovation-driven development while strengthening the business environment.

China’s consumer market is predicted to grow faster in 2022, owing to the country’s great consumption potential and further supportive policies in the works. Last year, final consumer expenditure accounted for 65.4 % of the country’s economic growth. This demonstrates that consumption was the primary driver propelling the economy ahead.

China’s legislature is now amending the country’s science and technology progress law to allow for increased government spending on next-generation technologies.

China – The Engine For Global Growth

The rise of China’s middle class is well documented. In 2000, over 1.2 billion Chinese citizens had less than US$11 to spend per day. According to data analysis by McKinsey & Company, it is projected that roughly the same number of people would join the consuming class and move up the income pyramid within it by 2030.

Note: People become members of the consuming class when they are able to afford some discretionary goods and services on top of basic necessities.

Consumers in the upper-middle classes are expected to drive the majority of growth in China during the coming decade. Upper-middle-income consumers (with annual household incomes ranging from RMB 160,000/US$25,200 to RMB 345,000/US$54,400) are expected to drive 60% of urban spending by 2030 (up from 35% now).

Another 20% of spending could come from the sector above them, as “high-income consumers” (annual household incomes of RMB 345,000/US$54,400 or more) will more than quadruple their current 10% share.

Furthermore, as we have seen over the last decade, China is becoming the market for products & services aimed towards higher-income consumers. And by 2030, China could boast 400 million upper-middle and higher-income households – almost the same as Europe and the United States combined.

Prominent Spending Patterns & Markets

As of 2022, China accounts for approximately 17% of global GDP. The country accounts for a larger amount of consumption in a variety of sectors.

In terms of its share of national GDP, China has a strong consumption pattern in categories such as fashion, accessories, consumer electronics, and electric vehicles (EV). Many of these categories are developing far faster in China than the rest of the globe, indicating that China remains an essential engine of global growth.

a) Medium & High income Market

Products aimed at people with a medium to high income and a luxurious lifestyle, such as luxury goods, premium beauty and personal care products, and high-end cars, are popular in China. Surprisingly, additional value-added or high-end services, such as wealth management and cruise services, have yet to be desired by this segment of Chinese customers – China buys less than the global average.

This indicates that there is a prospective market growth opportunity that should be pursued. In recent years, some of that promise has begun to be realized in the area of wealth management and financial services. This category has been increasing at a rate of nine percent per year in China, three times faster than the global average. Financial services have been identified as one of the priority industries for the country’s development, by the Chinese central and local governments.

b) EVs

China accounts for 40% of worldwide EV spending, and investment in these products is growing at a rate that is more than 7 times faster than the global average. It is the clear market leader in the procurement of EVs.

c) Consumer Packaged Goods

Even when a larger proportion of China’s population enters higher-income brackets, consumption in several categories of “mass” consumer packaged goods (CPG) remains underweighted relative to China’s share of global GDP. China’s GDP accounts for between 10% and 15% of overall consumption of packaged food, home care products, mass beauty, personal care, and other health items.

A Global Vote Of Confidence

 China’s allure for international businesses in a pandemic-stricken world stems from the country’s steady economic recovery and improved business environment.

According to a Report produced by the American Chamber of Commerce in China and PwC, almost 60% of surveyed companies reported profits in China in 2021. This year, two-thirds of companies intend to boost their investment in the country. According to the survey, over two-thirds of AmCham China’s member companies ranked China as the world’s top or among the top three investment locations.

According to another research produced by the German Chamber of Commerce in China and KPMG, nearly 60% of German companies in China reported improved business operations last year, and 71% want to spend more in the country.

New Year – New Rules

China allows for a lot of grey areas when it comes to regulations. These regulatory grey areas can actually benefit smaller businesses. There are still several developing industries in China where foreign businesses can find a place, such as in specialized fintech.

Furthermore, because major internet businesses are now being compelled to play fairly. This creates opportunities for startups to enter and expand into areas that these tech titans previously dominated.

In Summary

With 8.1% GDP growth in 2021, the Chinese economy provided a strong boost to the global economy. China has set its economic growth target for this year at roughly 5.5%, which is likely to support the global economic recovery.

China’s persistent and stable economic growth will create more chances, and we are confident about the Chinese market’s development prospects. The key, however, is to find the right partner. This is where a Chinese digital marketing agency like Digital Crew comes in.

Of course, not everything is rainbows and sunshine. Doing business in China has never been easy, and it is likely to become in certain aspects. The most difficult obstacles will be data protection and areas deemed critical to national security.

New restrictions will force businesses to ensure that they have the proper data architecture in place so that data may be kept and backed up in China. This will necessitate extra investment.

Businesses must have their “eyes wide open.” Get in touch with us to start building your Chinese marketing strategy, which can turn into a lucrative endeavour for your business.

The post Confidence In The Chinese Economy Is High In 2022 appeared first on Digital Crew.

Asia accounts for half of the top 10 mobile Internet consumer markets in the world (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam). 90% of consumers in the region use smartphones to access the Internet, and they use applications for more than four hours per day on average, an hour more than any other region in the world.

With Asian consumers spending an increasing amount of their time online, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between “real” and “digital” life, making the growth of the metaverse a big lure for customers in the Asia Pacific market.

Gen Z’s Attraction To The Metaverse

In Asia, “Generation Z” and millennials are immersing themselves in digital consumption in ways that their counterparts in other areas cannot imagine: content consumption, product buying, socializing, and gaming.

More than 55% of the world’s 3 billion gamers live in Asia.  Driven by numerous elements such as gaming, social networking, entertainment, interactive technology and a larger spectrum of creators, economic benefits have been rising and have established a dominating position.

Generation Z is the largest generation of internet users in Asia and China, and they are anxious to express their uniqueness. For them, the virtual world is a place to go to define their identity and seek acknowledgment that the actual world may not be able to provide because of restrictions imposed by family and social standards. With the rise of the metaverse notion, the virtual influencer opened up a 3D dimensional world for Gen Z to conceive, explore, and shape human identity through various metaverse lenses.

Metaverse Trends In China

Companies such as Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance, and Tencent have joined a wave of trademark registrations and investments in the metaverse domain after Mark Zuckerberg referred to it as “the next chapter for the internet” during the Facebook Connect conference in October.

1️. Opportunity for AR, Meta Horizon Workrooms, to the gaming ecosystem
2. Online commerce might transform it into a virtual space with brands and products pulled from the physical world.
3. Businesses with a huge following may offer limited-edition digital products to loyal customers.
4 Home consultations in the metaverse may be undertaken for service businesses
5. Brands can collaborate with an influencer to host a live event in the metaverse to increase fan and brand interaction.
6. Digital video users in Asia-Pacific are expected to cross 2 billion next year

“万物皆可园宇宙” (every business can tap into the metaverse technology) has become a famous phrase on Chinese social media.

Alibaba’s Hosts An Art Exhibition & Symphony Concert

Alibaba hosted a “Metaverse Art Exhibition” on its Tmall/Taobao mobile app for its presale ceremony this year during Double 11, the world’s largest online shopping festival. The campaign featured eight exclusive collections in the form of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) from various brands including Burberry, Procter & Gamble, and Kiehl’s.

The “Double 11 metaverse symphony” was another highlight of the presale promotion. Ten big brands were represented by virtual instruments (in the form of NFTs) and staged a spectacular digital symphony concert on Shanghai’s Bund. Guerlain, for example, was converted into a translucent bassoon packed with golden content.

Along with the melodic rhythm, an animated bee spun around the instrument, communicating Guerlain Skincare’s brand message of healing. Furthermore, some of these musical instruments were marketed to consumers as digital collections, which helped to reinforce the brand’s presence in the minds of consumers.

The Double 11 Art Exhibition and Metaverse Symphony are examples of Alibaba’s early forays into metaverse and NFTs in B2C marketing. Though far from mature or sophisticated, the participation of both Chinese domestic and foreign businesses indicates a promising future for China’s e-commerce platform’s capacity to integrate metaverse technology into its retail and marketing operations.

Check out our planner to inspire & guide your marketing plans during other major festivals this year.

Virtual Idols In The Metaverse

Even before the term “metaverse” became widespread, virtual idols could be seen on Chinese social media. When we look at Red, we can easily notice AI idols like Angie Ling, AYAYI, Ji Yuanmei, and so forth. They keep their presence up to date by publishing life vlogs such as daily make-up, traveling, hobbies, and attending exhibitions. They work with various firms and post their product and service reviews in their blogs to build brand awareness and attract potential buyers, with the majority of them having a follower number of about 10k to 100k.

Among all other virtual idols, a new AI lady named Liu Yexi stands out and recently outperforms all of her virtual counterparts. She gained two million followers overnight on Chinese Tik Tok with just two short videos.

The concept of an AI female appearing in a cinematic setting has wowed social media audiences far more than a normal Vtuber (virtual idols who post vlogs on social media).

As things evolve and become more mainstream, your company will need a metaverse plan. Collaborate with Digital Crew to decrease the barrier to entry and make people’s experiences in the Metaverse as smooth and as simple as possible.

The post Metaverse In China – Trends (2022) appeared first on Digital Crew.

Chinese students are eager to engage in cultural exchange and new experiences. In reality, studying abroad is crucial for a rising segment of increasingly affluent students, who want to work for multinational corporations or perhaps start their own.

Reaching Chinese students through digital marketing recruitment efforts, however, can be difficult. This is due to the country’s internet limitations, use of higher education brokers, and other cultural barriers.

But, recruiting Chinese students doesn’t have to be too complicated. Let’s cover certain aspects about marketing to Chinese students

Addressing Student & Parent Concerns

Here are five questions you should try to answer with your student recruitment strategy:

Which university would be the best fit for me?

Do I have the necessary qualifications?

How simple is it to apply?

Which course will assist me in obtaining the type of job I desire?

Is it possible to continue living in the nation after graduating?

Although the students you’re recruiting from China may be fluent in your language, make sure the landing pages have local translations. It’s also crucial to go over the application process and any information about your university that you’d like to share with parents.

Anything relating to internships, students transitioning into careers, or video testimonials from your present Chinese students may help prospective students gain the support of their parents, who may not understand your language.

Latch Onto The Right Channels To Attract Chinese Students Online

Universities or other institutes seeking Chinese students should develop a marketing plan for student recruitment in China, in addition to establishing a Chinese website. This entails comprehending the relevant channels and utilising them to reach students.

Here are the top channels for doing just that:

1)WeChat

2)Baidu SEM

3)Toutiao

4)Weibo

5)QQ

6)KOLs

Geo-Targeting Your Campaigns

Have you tailored your Baidu PPC campaign to cities with less foreign university competition? If your university is not at the top of highly regarded university rankings, raising brand recognition in China will be more effective in cities that have been less frequently targeted by other prominent foreign universities.

Mobile Friendliness Always Matters

In China, around 94% of internet users are connected with a mobile device. Although being mobile-friendly is always crucial, in the Chinese market, your website’s success on mobile will make or break your efforts.

Double-check your translated pages for mobile adaptibility, and keep an eye on your Google Analytics for bounce-rate and conversion.

Always Follow Up With Your Prospects

Following up with potential student enquiries can be time-consuming, but statistics suggest that Chinese students are more likely than other nationalities to be overlooked in this process. Analyze the barriers that may hinder you or your staff from following up with prospective students. Then attempt to overcome them in order to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Account For Covid-19

In the current context, Chinese students may be questioning if they can study abroad. Address this head on, and use your marketing materials to showcase your COVID-19 policies, such as foreign student support, online learning possibilities, and access to healthcare professionals.

Digital Crew’s #InThisTogether campaign was a great initiative to promote Australian Education amongst international students.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the students elaborated how the “new normal” situation of Study from Home is turning out for them.

Include Education Agents In Your Digital Strategy

The majority of Chinese students who plan to study abroad employ agents to help them with the selection, admissions, and visa processes. If you already have a strong relationship with an agency or agency network, request them to leave some positive feedback or comments on your website.

Having the correct information on your website can help agents advertise your university to Chinese students more effectively. Their insider knowledge can aid in the development of your digital strategy in China. However, depending too much on them is both unsustainable & expensive.

The Next Step To Attract Chinese Students Online

The Chinese market is expanding at a rapid pace, with significant investment going into education. As a result, it is time for international universities & institutes to take the lead and do everything they can to attract Chinese students online.

Digital Crew is a Chinese digital marketing agency in Australia, that has worked very closely with the Study Perth’s digital team to launch a number of successful digital campaigns in Mainland China. Get in touch with us today to determine how we might collaborate & make your university an appealing location for future global citizens!

The post How to successfully Attract Chinese Students To Your University appeared first on Digital Crew.

The points covered in this article are intended for Cross Border e-commerce beauty brands that are entering the China market for the first time or who want to improve their current operations. Let’s get started.

Driving Traffic Costs Time & Money

China is vast, but it is also complex, with e-commerce and social media ecosystems that are vastly different from those in the West. Let alone the purchase patterns and consumer behaviour. It takes 2-3 years for businesses in the cross-border e-commerce market to become profitable. That is a long time for a small brand to invest in a market and not see a return.

Among the 1.4 billion people in China, 894M of them are shopping online. Ecommerce transactions are increasing at a rapid rate and sales are expected to increase by 50% by the year 2025.  But, before you are swayed by these figures, be sure you are prepared to invest.

The main reason for the long period is that building your brand and credibility in a market with a lot of very powerful gatekeepers (Tmall/Taobao) is slow and expensive. Social networks in China require you to pay KOLs for improved visibility and an increase in the number of followers. You will also need to incur media spends to boost your reach.

Finding The Right Commercial Partner

When operating in China, most small to medium-sized beauty companies require the assistance of a suitable commercial partner:

a) Trade Partner – This involves the least amount of commitment and gives your brand the maximum control. However, it is a commercial arrangement that does not necessarily leave the operator with enough leeway or motivation to maximise your business’s potential.

b) Distributor — a traditional distributor that signs you up for a three-year exclusive arrangement has advantages such as stock risk and committed volumes, but you lose a lot of control over your brand in China. It can be a terrific connection if you trust this person to run the business, but finding the right fit is difficult.

c) Incubator/accelerator – These are often Trade Partners or distributors who want more skin in the game. They want to reap the benefits of your success in China, and they want more influence over the brand in China in the long run.

The Commercial Partner Checklist

You will almost certainly be listed on Tmall, so ensure that your commercial partner has a good rating and has been approved by Alibaba. It is also critical that they have a positive relationship with the Tmall global team in the beauty category.This will have an effect on your store traffic.

Find out what their key area of expertise is, what their industry emphasis is, and who their major clients are. Examine their team’s composition as well as their skill set. Strike a healthy balance between performance fees and account maintenance fees. While you want to incentivize them to push sales, you also want them to do what is best for the business, so a balance must be achieved. For example – if they can only make money by pushing sales, they will continuously force you to offer discounts.

What about Brand Marketing?

A distributor will not invest in efforts that do not directly result in a return on investment. Because of this, as the brand, you may need to approach brand marketing differently by onboarding a quality Chinese digital agency.

A good marketing agency should be considered for:

1. Strategy, setup, and ongoing management of social media platforms. They should also be able to carry out social selling campaigns.

2. High-quality online content that will appeal to your target audience. Look for a company with a Beauty-focused copywriting team. They must be engaged in and understand what the consumer wants in order to adjust your global content so that it resonates locally across all of your platforms.
3. Are they just focused on e-commerce KOLs to drive sales, or do they recognise the importance of brand building KOLs? Do they have an in-house staff that works directly with these KOLs, or do they have to outsource? Can they carry out KOC product seeding programmes, which are incredibly beneficial for small businesses but necessitate a lot of hand-holding?

   

4. SEO, SSO, and SEM. They are all critical components of your Chinese marketing plan . Check to see if your agency can carry out a simple yet effective search campaign. Key words must be utilised consistently throughout every communication, and KOLs and KOCs must likewise employ these keywords.
5. Ensuring that your message is extended beyond your own social and e-commerce platforms. Chinese consumers require more touchpoints than most other nations – 8 touchpoints before purchase vs. 4 in the West on average – so make sure your brand is visible to them!

Your Brand Bible For The Chinese Beauty Market

To get the most out of your marketing budget in China, you must be focused and consistent. Furthermore, all of your stakeholders must be on the same page.

The brand bible we are referring to here is a master document that serves this purpose & includes:
-Brand Messaging hierarchy:  brand promise, positioning statement
-Value proposition
-3 key messages that make you unique
– The core target audience
– Keywords

While your brand promise, positioning, and value proposition don’t need to be altered, the 3 key messages you are promoting in China may differ from those at home. So, research what will resonate best with your Chinese audience. Because China has such a large population, you must target the right people and provide the right message. Choose your key words for China based on this , and use them consistently in every communication.

Managing Your Stakeholders – Inhouse

Even if you have the best trade partner in the world, you will still require someone to supervise, assist, and provide them with information. Hiring an in-house professional who can work directly with the agency on a daily basis is recommended.  Focus on someone who is Chinese with a strong marketing background in Mainland China, as they are effectively your brand custodian.

Digital Crew is a Chinese digital marketing agency in Melbourne that assists beauty brands in entering the Chinese beauty market in the most effective and optimal way possible. Contact us today to get started with your launch.

The post Entering The Chinese Beauty Market – A Guide For Small To Medium Sized Brands appeared first on Digital Crew.

The 80’s Segment

Chinese born in the 1980’s, known as 80 Hou, are famous to Westerners as the first generation born during the enforcement of China’s one-child policy. The 80 Hou is a generation of more than 200 million only children with common burdens and opportunities. Their thinking is formed by traditional Chinese culture and Confucian morals, but they began their careers in a nearly full-blown market guided by the rules of the WTO. Many of them are single-handedly responsible for providing financial assistance for their retired parents.  As the 80 Hou’s fulfil their responsibilities and accomplish their social goals, their unique perspective is sure to influence trends in the global economy.

The 90’s Segment

Chinese Millennials born after the 1990’s, have a direct influence on 50% of their family’s purchase decisions. This is because of the information they consume via the internet and despite their dependence on their parents for money. Some of those purchase decisions include houses, cars, and home appliances. 60% of the urban post-90’s youngsters have their own credit cards.

Millennials –  A Closer Look

400 million out of the total 1.4 billion people in China consist of millennials. Brands all over the world target the millennial population in most countries by ringing in elements through their brand communications that are familiar with the national cohort. Chinese millennials born between 1981 and 1996 make up 25% of China’s population with the highest purchasing power. Their spending is projected to increase by 11% in 2021. 90% of the Chinese millennials possess a smartphone along with a large appetite for luxury goods. Millennials were key contributors to the travel boom in 2017 that amounted to a total of $115 billion spent by Chinese visitors. The group born after 1990 upscaled their budget by 80% in 2018 for international travel.

The education sector saw one in three Chinese students that were paying full fee amounts. This generation is the first to have grown up in a time where social media apps like WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu and social shopping are highly integrated into their lives. They are concerned about their social image which drives brands to move towards targeting their curated lifestyles. The impact of social media-related self-image creation, is set to increase exponentially over the next decade as millennials and Gen Zers are all set to influence generations of consumers.

The young Chinese adults have coined terms for the exclusive lifestyles they have devised for themselves. Chinese millennials are now saving up to live their life by investing in experiences like travelling, concerts, sporting events etc.

In Summary

China is undergoing a consumption revolution. The Chinese consumers’ purchasing behaviour has gotten more sophisticated, and they are considering more criteria when purchasing a product or a service. Brand awareness is growing in importance, and digital marketing & monitoring is beginning to play an increasingly essential role in acquiring these Chinese consumers. Get in touch with an expert to discuss the best approach for your business today.

The post The Chinese Demographic – First Understand, Then Acquire appeared first on Digital Crew.