The CEO Magazine Asia — December 2017

82 | theceomagazine.com

A

solid social media strategy is a critical

marketing tool for companies worldwide

keen to succeed in today’s rapidly

changing business landscape.

It’s even more important for firms that want to

break into the Chinese market given the nation’s

love affair with social media.

There are estimated to be at least 889 million

monthly active users on local social media platform

WeChat, with 96 per cent of all social media platforms

being engaged with via smartphones.

The popularity of social media here means

that firms able to gain traction on heavily trafficked

platforms, like Weibo and WeChat, can gain a big edge

over their competitors in this lucrative market.

WESTERN SOCIAL MEDIA

WORKS VERY DIFFERENTLY

Social media here varies markedly from the West where

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram rule, according to Matt

McDougal, founder of digital marketing agency Digital

Jungle. Local authorities’ block on platforms of giant

Western social media outlets has naturally led to the

growth of uniquely Chinese apps, which global

companies may find tricky to navigate in business terms.

While WeChat seamlessly integrates ecommerce

and social media, enabling consumers to communicate,

pay bills and even book taxis and buy movie tickets

within the platform, the West simply has no single

equivalent. Another challenge for international

companies trying to gain traction here is the lack of

experience and understanding of how WeChat works to

enable vendors to sell to consumers directly via its

built-in payment system.

Weibo is the other platform presenting issues for

Western business, as on the surface it may seem similar

to popular news and networking service Twitter, but its

influencer component is something that is only recently

being exploited and therefore hasn’t gained as much

traction as in China. Micro-blogging platform Weibo

has a vast audience – some 361 million monthly active

users – and the popular way for our netizens to follow

celebrities and influencers, as well as keep up with

current affairs, has huge appeal and potential for

companies new to the region.

While WeChat and Weibo are the most popular

platforms, others with strong followings, including

Renren, Youku Tudou, DianPing, and Douban, may

present good options for global brands to consider

making early inroads with.

UNDERSTAND THE CONSUMER

McDougal says while it’s key for businesses to gain

familiarity with these big social platforms, it’s also

critical to understand the local user. “The way that

Chinese consumers use social media is quite different

to the way Westerners do,” he says. “From a business

perspective, Western companies can underestimate the

power of social commerce because their experience of

it is that it’s not that strong.

“You have to understand who you’re trying to reach

through social, understand their touch points, how the

audience consumes, and then create stories from a

brand and user perspective to pique interest.”

One key consumer difference, McDougal stresses,

is that, locally, people tend only to trust brands that are

Ordering app, DianPing.