Pro Chinese Marketing Tips: How to Target Chinese Customers
By: Vanessa Anderson Posted on Mon, 20-01-2020
China, the economic giant is the world’s second-largest economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product, amounting to approximately 10.93 trillion USD (2015). It would not be wrong to say that China is the next superpower in terms of both economy and commercial excellence.
And the one thing that gives China an edge over the other economies is its consumers.
China is the most populated country in the world with 1.4 billion residents in 2019. This translates into 1.4 billion opportunities for businesses seeking to expand in China. Furthermore, the spending rate among Chinese consumers is forecasted to grow by 7.7% in the next 10 years. Combine this spending rate with your marketing strategy, along with hiring a reliable Chinese translation service, and you have the perfect recipe for achieving revenue and growth in the world’s most lucrative market.
So why not take advantage of this lucrative market to persuade Chinese customers to buy your brand?
Here are some of the marketing tips you should follow to target Chinese customers:
Pro Tip #1: Know Your Customer:
The first thing that you should do when trying to enter the Chinese market is to know who you are targeting. Narrow down on your customers by asking who you want to target—for instance, are you targeting Chinese millennials? If so, there is no point in targeting their parents. The Chinese customer values trust above everything else, which is why it is important to build your brand reputation to such a level so as to strike a chord with the Chinese customer.
You can do this by doing your research to gauge what fits their needs and preferences as well as what makes them click. After you have the answers to these questions, it is important to employ the tools that would make this research task easier for you. These are Google Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that would give you a picture of the Chinese customer’s purchase pattern and choices. You can then get down to tailoring your business and product accordingly.
Pro Tip #2: Localize Your Strategy:
Your marketing strategy is more than the way you advertise your content. It is the way you communicate and connect with your customers. The Chinese customer will not prefer the strategy you have designed for the Western population. Smart marketers will localize their content, social media, search engines, payment methods, and advertising tactics.
To make the most out of your business tactics in China, you need to customize your website according to the tastes and preferences of the Chinese customer. A large proportion of the Chinese population speaks Chinese, which is why you should tailor your website language and layout the way Chinese customer wants to view it. Adapt your advertising strategy by researching on the likes and dislikes of your customers, tailoring them so they click with the viewers.
One of the sure ways that you can ensure a smooth transition into China is by hiring someone who knows how to do it. A professional and reliable localization partner will not only provide language translation service, but it will also provide you with the localized content you need to make a name for yourself in China.
Pro Tip #3: Take Advantage of Mobile Optimization
If you are one of the people who have researched the Chinese market before stepping into it, chances are you are already aware of the prospective market for mobile and smartphone. According to statistics, in 2019, the number of mobile users in China rose to 788.4 million as compared to 720 million users in 2017. That indicates an upward trend in the usage of smartphones in the Chinese region—good news if you are aiming to make an impact on the Chinese customer by targeting mobile platforms.
The power of smartphones cannot be denied as it is the sole communication with the millennials of today. With a tendency to choose mobile apps over PC and desktop apps, the market for mobile phones is ripe for businesses seeking to expand in the Chinese market. This is why companies should optimize their smartphone and mobile strategies by adapting their apps according to the Chinese customer’s needs.
Pro Tip #4: Make Your Presence on Search Engines
Did you know that unlike Western countries, the most popular search engine in China is Baidu? This means you need to have a thorough knowledge of this Baidu to understand the search engine preferences and content requirements that they search for. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the ways that you can use to gauge your customer preferences.
It is vital to locate your content on the first pages of Baidu search engine so that the Chinese customer clicks on it when running a search. Optimize your search engine strategy by tailoring your content according to the preferences of Chinese internet users by using relevant keywords that “click” with the audience. Only then you will be able to strike a chord with the Chinese viewer and make your business known in the highly lucrative market of China.
Pro Tip #5: Integrate Yourself on Social Media Platforms
WhatsApp may be the most popular social media app in the rest of the world, but in China, this app is superseded by WeChat, the most popular social media platform in this tech giant. Similarly, while the rest of the world may prefer Facebook and Instagram for their social interactions, the Chinese customer prefers Weibo (a combination of Facebook and Twitter) to establish communications among family and peers.
These social media platforms are different from the rest of the world, which is why it is not wise to follow the same social media strategy that you use with the rest of the world. Incorporate your presence on these social media platforms in order to increase your company and brand experience in the Chinese market.
The Last Word
The Chinese customer, as well as the Chinese market, is a different game altogether if you own a business that has an aim to capture this lucrative region of the world. In terms of business and commercial revenue, this technological and commercial giant has a lot to offer. A business will risk losing a lot, if it does not tap into this market. And that is not difficult if it owns all the tactical tools that would make it popular among the target population.
In addition, a professional and expert localization partner can be an ultimate gateway to ensuring all your content is tailored to fit the preferences of the target market—it will not only equip you with the right content by delivering quality language translation services but will also ensure you are well-grounded in your target market by assessing localized and translated content.
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