Digital marketing trends in China are very dynamic, changing, and shifting, just as in western markets
If you are marketing to China, it is important to know the market, to be aware of current trends, and to join most of them.

Statistics on digital behaviors in China
Marketing strategies and users’ behaviors and needs naturally have to pair.
According to digital intelligence firm Netimperative’s website, in September 2015, there were:
- 574 million mobile social media users.
- 594 million mobile internet users.
- 659 million social media users (nearly 99% of internet users).
- 668 million internet users.
- And + 100,000 new users on the internet each day!
Further research found that:
- QQ instant messaging, Qzone and WeChat were the most-used Chinese social media networks
- The popularity of mobile chat apps kept on growing among users.
- Popular uses for mobile devices include checking the weather, m-commerce, instant messaging, using mobile payment services, and travel bookings.
- One out of three internet users uses their mobile to buy products or monthly services. Peaks appear in November, during the Double 11 Festival.

Top 7 popular marketing trends
- Use of multiple content tools increases, with popular ones -according to a survey- including news releases, websites or mini-sites, and social media such as Weibo or WeChat.
- Higher use of social media to connect and engage with audiences and to invite user participation.
- Adopting new digital media for brand communication, media attention, increasing web traffic, improving brand loyalty, and making more product sales is an important tendency.
- The use of traditional channels is reduced, as marketing becomes more interactive and visual, and as the use of social media, websites, images, and videos grows.
- Increase in the use of tools to induce emotion, such as moving videos, humor, and entertainment.
- Use of ‘image ambassadors’ or KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) to promote brands.
- LBS (Location Based Service) technologies increase their importance.
Making the most of current trends
To do simple :
Traditional methods of marketing and advertising are no anymore in vogue right now, that’s a fact.
We notice a strong shift towards connection, engagement, interaction, and fun, the new tendency.
Marketers mainly look for a conclusive achievement: greater brand loyalty and product or service sales.
Tips to enter the trends
- Getting to know the mindset and needs of your target audiences. Use this as a basis for your digital marketing strategies.
- Developing an understanding of the power of marketing referrals/word-of-mouth marketing in China.
- Building a Chinese website. Optimizing it for mobile use is even better.
- Spending time to become familiar with the various Chinese social networks, so you can develop different strategies for the ones you intend to use as marketing tools.
further readings :
If you need professional help with your Chinese marketing strategy, including leveraging the latest trends, feel free to contact us. Our China Online Marketing division has years of experience in engaging with Chinese audiences.
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