How to Grow Your Business With China Content Marketing
You can never go wrong when you go mobile. In China, the use of mobile devices is like the air we breathe. It’s everywhere.
The old aunt selling fresh apples on the side-street can accept payment via a QR code on your WeChat. That brick-and-mortar shop selling clothes and shoes can accept WeChatPay.
More than 800 million internet users are consuming different kinds of content. 98% of them are using mobile phones. Some will likely watch a movie online and come across a promotional video. A considerable number could be spending three hours on WeChat browsing, chatting, or playing a game.
So, how can you use mobile technology and content marketing to sell your brand?
Remember, content marketing involves the creation of videos, blogs, and social media posts. However, the difference is that you don’t do aggressive selling. Your goal is to stimulate interests among followers and potential buyers. So how? You may do the following:
#1 WeChat Marketing
There are plenty of ways you can use content marketing via WeChat. Most Chinese consumers use it for daily online transactions and activities. Shop in an in-app online store, book a ticket, send money, pay bills, order food, book a taxi, and among others.
Global brands set up Subscription or Official Account and publish content or messages. There are a host of features that brands such as direct chat with the follower. There must be consistency in posting as well, whether on Moments or Subscriptions. The more posts, the more you get exposure to your followers since they’re also following several brands.
#2 Blogs and microblogging
Global brands take advantage of the Content Push in WeChat. They publish relevant short articles about their brand, activities, roadshows, and events. If you get a glimpse of a brand’s blog post, it’s loaded with colorful, striking images and punchy captions.
Some brands want to showcase the products or post a video or a recent launch or campaign in WeChat. In Weibo, brands start engaging with customers with live updates and comments. Weibo functions like Twitter as a microblogging platform. Brands can establish a connection with followers with consistent writing style and voice.
#3 Snippets and short videos
There are popular platforms among the younger generation similar to Snapchat or Instagram. Short videos and snippets, and even live ones sell to followers. People’s attention is very short these days. Brands and KOL (key opinion leaders) must be creative and engaging with the followers.
Kuaishou and Weishi allow users to publish short videos and are popular among the youth. Taobao’s Lu Ke is a short video app that works like a shopping network. Brands can showcase products with images and videos. Meanwhile, users can buy or ask about the items in one click.
#4 Long-form, thought-leadership articles in forums
You can use content marketing in China is educating people or sharing content in forums. Think of Quora and Reddit, which are favorite go-to sources in the west. There are also Chinese versions of forums, which can help brands target a specific market.
People using these platforms are highly educated. They usually would like to know other complex topics. Zhihu, Douban, and Tianya are some of the forums you can explore. You can establish brand authority on topics related to your industry.