China’s enormous social media landscape presents huge opportunities for global brands in 2023 and beyond. However, this complex market is dominated by local platforms like WeChat and Douyin which can be challenging for outsiders to navigate. To succeed in2023, brands must focus on three key trends: livestreaming ecommerce, short-form video, and influencer collaborations. Executing a winning social media strategy in China in 2023 requires an understanding of these major trends and the agility to adapt to an ever-changing market.
Livestreaming Commerce Hits New Heights on Chinese social media platforms
Livestreaming ecommerce, or “live commerce”, will skyrocket in popularity on Chinese social platforms. During livestreams, influencers or brands present products in real time, engage with audiences, share details and complete sales. According to iResearch, China’s live commerce market grew over 150% in 2020 and may surge to $470 billion in 2023. Key platforms to leverage livestreaming include Douyin, Kuaishou, and WeChat.
To tap into this unprecedented trend, global brands must partner with influencers and key opinion leaders, or KOLs, who drive live commerce sales. Top livestream influencers now sell everything from makeup and apparel to fresh produce, reaching tens of millions of viewers. Livestreaming allows brands to build more authentic connections with Chinese consumers who value fun, interactive content. Executing highly engaging livestreams with the right KOLs and products will be vital for success on social media in China.
Short-Form Video Builds Brand Awareness at Scale
Short-form video is fundamental for raising brand awareness and engagement in 2023. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and Kuaishou, hundreds of millions of users consume 15-second videos daily. These platforms are ideal for creating fun, snackable content. To reach mass audiences, brands must develop creative short-form videos, collaborate with influencers, and run viral hashtag challenges.
Influencer Partnerships Generate Trust and Drive Sales
Finally, influencer collaborations will remain critical for social marketing in China. KOLs are tastemakers and trusted voices who can educate followers about new products and services. KOL partnerships will be particularly impactful on WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app with over 1 billion monthly active users.
The majority of WeChat users follow brands and influencers, so KOL collaborations should be a key element of any 2023 WeChat strategy. Brands should identify and work with KOLs in areas like fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and mother and baby products. Collaborating with the right KOLs will raise brand awareness, boost social engagement, and directly drive conversions on WeChat.
In summary, livestreaming, short-form video and influencer partnerships should form the foundation of any brand’s Chinese social media strategy in 2023. By leveraging these major trends on platforms like WeChat, Douyin and Kuaishou, brands can achieve substantial success in China’s massive yet complex digital landscape. Focusing on these trusted channels will help build real impact, cultural relevance and trust with Chinese consumers.
The time for brands to act is now. Developing a comprehensive 2023 social media strategy today will allow them to tap into the latest trends in 2023.
A winning social media strategy should incorporate:
•High-quality livestreams on Douyin, Kuaishou and WeChat with influential livestreamers selling products and engaging audiences.
•Fun, creative short-form videos on Douyin and Kuaishou tailored for Chinese audiences. Collaborate with popular short-form influencers and run challenges.
•Strategic KOL partnerships on WeChat to raise brand awareness, foster engagement and drive conversions. Identify KOLs in relevant product categories and demographics.
•Local knowledge and digital fluency. Brands must understand the nuances of China’s dynamic social platforms and adapt quickly to changes. They need Chinese social media managers who can navigate the country’s digital landscape and execute culturally relevant campaigns.
•Agile marketing. An agile approach is required to keep up with rapidly evolving algorithms, new platform features and changes in audience interests. Brands must optimize social media marketing strategies on a monthly, weekly and even daily basis to succeed.
•Quality over quantity. Posting large volumes of content will not resonate with followers on platforms like WeChat and Douyin. Brands must focus on creative, engaging content over frequency. High quality, targeted social media content will yield the best return.
While China’s media landscape presents challenges, the opportunities for growth far outweigh them. No brand can afford to ignore China’s 900 million social media users and $470 billion livestreaming ecommerce market. Dynamic local platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou and WeChat have revolutionized the way people in China shop, get information and get entertained. By employing an agile marketing strategy focused on high-quality livestreams, short videos and KOL partnerships, brands will be poised to flourish in China’s massive social ecosystem in 2023 and shape the future of ecommerce. Are you ready to tap into China’s social trends in 2023? Time to contact Deep Digital China now.