Marketing strategies are everywhere these days, even if we don’t consciously recognize or acknowledge them in our day-to day. I’m sure many of us have seen advertisements on Instagram marketing clothes, or advertisements on Facebook that pop up on your feed as you scroll. Digital marketing has achieved great success, and there is no doubt that digital marketing will continue to be a prevalent method of marketing for many years to come. However, one thing potential digital marketers need to be aware of is how the digital landscape differs in different regions. Digital marketing in China, for instance, is much different than digital marketing in the United States or Europe. Thankfully, there are marketing companies like Westwin who make the digital marketing transition easy.
How Does Digital Marketing Differ in China?
The main difference with digital marketing in China is the types of social media apps that are prevalent. There are many more diverse marketing channels available in China. For example, there is WeChat for news feed ads with one billion monthly active users, closely followed by Tencent Video and QQ. Additionally, China’s main search engine is Baidu rather than Google, so the people who design digital marketing campaigns must keep these discrepancies in mind as they create these marketing campaigns.
Why is Digital Marketing So Important?
Digital marketing, especially digital marketing in China, has rapidly taken over traditional marketing channels like television due to the fact that the internet allows businesses to engage with their target audiences in real-time, unlike television ads (where when a commercial plays, a potential consumer watches it, and no actual engagement occurs between the company and the consumer). Here are three reasons why digital marketing has become so important:
1. It helps you reach potential consumers who you would otherwise have been unable to engage with. For example, a social media campaign typically allows for comments under their posts, so they can receive real-time feedback from their consumers. This increases engagement and subsequently results in more people becoming aware and interacting with their service or product.
2. Consumers are used to a more engaged and interactive style with brands and companies. Consumers who are used to social media marketing campaigns are underwhelmed with the limited capabilities of other marketing channels, such as through the television. It’s easy to tune out an advertisement on TV, whether you simply mute it or you get distracted by something else. However, when you are browsing social media, you are already engaged with the content, so when advertisements appear on your newsfeed, you are more likely to take notice of them. So, to succeed in a marketing campaign, you must make sure you have ads through digital channels.
3. Digital marketing is affordable. If you have a newer business and are just stepping into the marketing arena, your first choice will probably be digital marketing due to its affordability and accessibility. Social media or email campaigns, for instance, get your message out to a wide audience for much less than a television advertisement.
When you plan your next marketing campaign, be sure to include digital marketing in China within your strategy.