How to Configure a Campaign with Sina Weibo Ads

Sina’s Weibo platform is one of the most popular social media sites on the planet. With more users than Twitter and a wealth of activity between regular users and Chinese celebrities, it is where many people in China go to connect and share, and it is a prime place for advertising to the Chinese public. In fact, more and more companies are turning to specialized China-focused advertising companies to craft effective ad campaigns that use Weibo advertising as a major part of their connectivity strategies.

If your company is looking to move into China, Weibo advertising is an excellent place to start connecting with customers and clients. Setting up can be a little tricky, however, so here’s what to do to set up and configure your first Weibo advertising campaign.

Registration and Verification
Setting up an account on Weibo is a little more involved than Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. It starts similarly, with requests for your email or mobile phone number, password, username, location and the verification code provided during the process. But in order to maximize your Weibo advertising, you need to get verified. Think of it like the verified badge on Twitter, but with quite a few more perks for advertisers, including:
  • Additional fan services: Verified users gain access to extra tools, including mass messaging and a useful campaign management platform.
  • Extra Page Customization: You can make your profile all the more eye-catching with the extra customization options you get with your verified profile, such as the chance to change your banners and backgrounds.
  • Extra Information: On top of the usual displayed information, verified users can also display better descriptions and contacts.

For Chinese companies, the verification process involves sending scanned copies of a Chinese Business Registration Certificate, along with a certified letter. It takes about 5-7 days and costs roughly 300RMB. For global companies that are looking into Weibo advertising, the process takes a little longer, usually 7-15 days, and it can cost up to $1000. It also requires a company registration document with a Chinese translation, an application letter, and a third-party authorization letter. Since the process is more involved, many companies seek the services of specialized companies, like Westwin, to help ensure everything is in order.

Think About Your Content Strategy
In general, you can break Weibo advertising into four broad categories: brand/product-related information, interactive content, soft content, and thought leadership content. Crafting the right campaign will blend these together, giving your potential fans a mixture of content that they will like and that will inform them about what you do. Since a lot of content is shared and engaged with differently on Weibo, it’s key that you craft a content strategy with people and firms who understand Weibo advertising and Chinese social media strategy.

Once you are signed up, verified, and have a clear content strategy, Weibo advertising can be an extremely effective way to reach into Chinese markets. Weibo is one of the most popular and regularly-used social media platforms in the world, and the right team can help your company succeed and grow.