Zhihu, often referred to as China’s Quora, is a powerful platform for brands looking to build awareness and engage with a highly educated and curious audience.As we move into 2025, the digital landscape continues to evolve, presenting new opportunities for brands to connect with their audiences. One platform that has gained significant traction is Zhihu, a leading Chinese question-and-answer platform. With its focus on knowledge sharing and community engagement, Zhihu offers an ideal environment for brands to enhance their visibility and establish authority. In this article, Deep Digital China will explore effective strategies to leverage Zhihu for brand awareness in 2025.
Understanding Zhihu: A Unique Q&A Platform
Zhihu is a leading question-and-answer platform in China, where users can pose queries, share insights, and engage in discussions on a wide range of topics. Unlike traditional social media platforms, Zhihu fosters a community of knowledgeable users who seek in-depth, authoritative information. This unique ecosystem presents an excellent opportunity for brands to showcase their expertise, build credibility, and connect with their target audience. Zhihu’s user base is predominantly made up of young, educated professionals who value in-depth, well-researched content. They are not just looking for quick answers but are interested in detailed explanations, expert opinions, and thoughtful discussions. Understanding this audience is the first step in crafting a strategy that resonates with them.
Establishing a Strong Zhihu Presence
To effectively leverage Zhihu for your brand’s benefit, it’s crucial to establish a robust presence on the platform. Here’s how you can get started:
Create a Verified Zhihu Account
Obtain a verified Zhihu account, which grants your brand credibility and visibility. This allows you to engage with users, answer questions, and share valuable content.
Develop a Compelling Brand Profile
Craft an engaging brand profile that showcases your brand’s identity, expertise, and the value you can provide to Zhihu users.
Professional Appearance: Use a high-quality logo and a clear, concise bio that explains what your brand does and why it matters.
Consistent Branding: Ensure your profile aligns with your overall brand identity, including tone, style, and visuals.
Links and Contact Information: Provide links to your official website and other social media platforms to drive traffic and build credibility.
Here is an example of brand file of a tech company ‘Keysight Technologies’. They use a concise bio that explains what they do and a detailed company introduction aligns with overall brand identity. Finally they provide links to their official website to drive traffic to their website for details.
Curate Relevant and Insightful Content
Identify the topics and questions that resonate with your target audience. Provide well-researched, informative, and engaging responses that position your brand as a trusted source of knowledge.
Practical Practice
Conduct thorough research to understand the most relevant topics and pain points within your industry. Develop a content strategy that aligns with the interests and needs of your target audience on Zhihu.
Let’s say you’re a brand that offers financial planning services. To leverage Zhihu effectively, you would first need to understand the specific topics and pain points that your target audience on Zhihu is interested in.
Conduct thorough research on Zhihu:
Search for popular questions and discussions related to personal finance, retirement planning, investment strategies, and other relevant topics. We can see when search ‘个人理财(personal finance)’ on Zhihu, most questions are about how to manage the personal finance for spare money. That means most target audiences are interested in this topic and you can plan content by this topic to solve their pain points.
Analyze the types of questions being asked, the level of engagement (views, comments, shares), and the quality of the existing answers.
Identify common pain points or challenges that your target audience is facing, such as concerns about market volatility, managing debt, or planning for long-term financial goals.
Develop a content strategy:
Based on your research, create a content calendar that addresses the specific questions and pain points you’ve identified.
Craft informative, engaging, and well-researched responses to the most popular questions on Zhihu.
Publish long-form articles that dive deeper into topics like retirement planning, investment portfolio diversification, or strategies for reducing debt.
Engage with users by commenting on relevant discussions and providing additional insights or recommendations.
Leveraging Zhihu’s Features for Brand Visibility
Zhihu offers a range of features that can help amplify your brand’s visibility and engagement. Utilize these features to maximize your impact on the platform:
Answer Questions Strategically
Actively monitor and respond to questions that align with your brand’s expertise. Provide thoughtful, in-depth answers that showcase your knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
Participate in Discussions
Engage with users by commenting on relevant discussions and sharing your insights. This allows you to build relationships, demonstrate your brand’s personality, and establish thought leadership.
Create Zhihu Articles
Publish long-form, educational articles on Zhihu that delve into industry-specific topics. These articles can help position your brand as an authoritative source of information and drive traffic to your website or other online properties.
Leverage Zhihu Ads
Utilize Zhihu’s advertising options, such as display ads, sponsored posts, and targeted campaigns, to reach a broader audience and generate leads.
Fostering Meaningful Connections with Zhihu Users
Building genuine connections with Zhihu users is crucial for establishing long-term brand loyalty and advocacy. Consider the following strategies:
Respond to User Queries Promptly
Demonstrate your commitment to your audience by addressing their questions and concerns in a timely manner. Provide personalized, helpful responses that showcase your brand’s dedication to customer service.
Encourage User Engagement
Foster a sense of community by encouraging users to share their thoughts, experiences, and feedback. Actively participate in discussions, acknowledge user contributions, and show your appreciation for their engagement.
Host Live Q&A
Organize live Q&A sessions on Zhihu to engage directly with users. This can help personalize your brand and address specific audience concerns in real time.
Collaborate with Influential Zhihu Users
Identify and collaborate with influential Zhihu users, such as industry experts or opinion leaders, to leverage their credibility and reach. Co-create content, host discussions, or invite them to contribute to your brand’s Zhihu presence.
Leverage AI for Branding
Content Creation and Optimization
- Automated Content Generation: Use AI tools to create high-quality articles and posts based on trending topics. These tools can analyze user interests and generate relevant content, saving time and resources.
- SEO Optimization: AI can help optimize your content for search engines by analyzing keywords and suggesting improvements, ensuring your posts reach a wider audience.
Audience Insights
- Data Analysis: AI algorithms can analyze user behavior and preferences on Zhihu. This data can inform your content strategy, helping you understand what topics resonate most with your audience.
- Sentiment Analysis: Utilize AI to gauge audience sentiment regarding your brand or industry. This insight can guide your messaging and help you respond to user concerns effectively.
Personalization
- Tailored Recommendations: AI can provide personalized content recommendations to users based on their past interactions. By delivering relevant content, you increase the likelihood of engagement and brand loyalty.
- Targeted Advertising: Use AI to identify specific audience segments for your advertising campaigns on Zhihu. This allows for more effective targeting and higher conversion rates.
Engagement Automation
- Chatbots: Implement AI-driven chatbots to interact with users in real time. These chatbots can answer common questions, provide information about your products or services, and guide users to relevant content.
- Comment Management: AI can help manage and analyze comments on your posts, allowing you to respond to user inquiries promptly and maintain a positive brand image.
Measuring and Optimizing Your Zhihu Strategy
To ensure the long-term success of your Zhihu marketing efforts, it’s essential to track and analyze the performance of your initiatives. Utilize Zhihu’s analytics tools and other data sources to measure the following metrics:
Engagement Rates
Monitor the number of views, comments, and shares on your Zhihu content to gauge its effectiveness.
Lead Generation
Track the number of leads or conversions generated from your Zhihu presence, such as website visits or product inquiries.
Brand Awareness
Assess the growth in your brand’s visibility and recognition among Zhihu users.
Zhihu, the influential Chinese Q&A platform, presents a unique opportunity for brands to build brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and connect with a highly engaged audience. By leveraging Zhihu’s features, fostering meaningful connections with users, and measuring the success of your efforts, you can unlock the full potential of this powerful marketing platform and position your brand for long-term success in the Chinese market. If you are looking for a local agency to help you leverage Zhihu for brand awareness, please do not hesitate to contact Deep Digital China.