Unlocking the Power of 520 Day: How Brands are Capitalizing on China’s Love Celebration

May 18, 2023

You might know Valentine’s Day, but what if we told you that there’s another love day in China, where people celebrate love by sharing gifts with their loved ones? Yes, it’s ”520 Day”. China has more romantic holidays than most nations, with Valentine’s Day falling on February 14, 520 Day falling on May 20, and the Qixi Festival falling on August 22 this year.

You should be aware of 520 Day if you sell gifts such as jewelry, watches, handbags, or even automobiles. Valentine’s Day might not be a big deal in China. Instead, that happens most often on May 20 also called 520. Because it’s a consumer-focused holiday with a significant online component and gift-giving as a core element, it’s crucial for retailers to be aware of it.

Let’s get to know more about 520 days and how marketers can take advantage of them.

What is 520 in China?

Chinese users began using the term “520” online to shorten the phrase “I love you,” much like English speakers do with “ILY” or “ILU,” which is how 520 Day got its start. This is because when spoken in Mandarin, the phrase “I love you” (wǒ ài nǐ) sounds very similar to 520 (wǔ èr líng).

In China, it is not a recognized public holiday. However, on this special Day, restaurants and movie theaters are much more crowded and expensive in the evening. Also contrary to Qixi festival which is deeply rooter in Chinese tradition, ‘520’ is a purely commercial holiday coined only in recent years. It doesn’t take any of its allure and fun!

💕 Why should brands include Qixi, the Chinese Valentine’s Day, in their marketing strategies?

Is February 14 not so important anymore?

Valentine’s Day this year appears to be less busy than in years past. Big luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, and Balenciaga didn’t launch any related initiatives in China. Social media platform Xiaohongshu recorded only around 50,000 posts mentioning “Valentine’s Day 2023” as of February 13, slightly fewer than the same period last year.

The general public does celebrate Valentine’s Day even though the holiday’s origins don’t have much cultural resonance with local shoppers. However according to a Chinese survey, people prefer traditional Chinese romantic celebrations like the Qixi Festival and 520 Day to Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is unlikely to gain popularity in China as consumers turn toward their own cultural heritage and brands prefer to leverage guochao in their marketing communication. 

This dynamic explains why high-end businesses have made marketing around more regional events a top priority. For the following significant romantic festival, 520 Day, luxury players will probably go all-out.

 

How are the other brands doing it?

 

Balenciaga 5:20 video game hall

Last year, Balenciaga launched a campaign that featured a number of charitable endeavors and limited editions, all of which were offered on their official website and in physical stores. One standout was the “5:20 Video Game Hall,” a virtual arcade with pixel art and a lifelike soundscape that is currently available on the company’s WeChat channel until May 20. Alongside this, WeChat memes and 520-only profile pictures were made available for free download.

This year, the brand prepared a range of 520-exclusive products such as T-shirts and other accessories. These can be decorated using included garment marker. There is also a beloved gaming component but this time users become farmers growing virtual crops using regenerative agricultural techniques.

🎮Female Gaming – One of China’s Most Promising Trends

Balenciaga 520 Campaign China

Saint Laurent’s Tmall Super Brand Day

Since the beginning of its campaign on April 30 in conjunction with Tmall Super Brand Day, French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent has amassed hundreds of millions of cumulative exposures online. 

The pink version of its Kate bag line was first introduced during the campaign. The color symbolizes love.

Saint Laurent has created an interactive 3D experience that enables customers to try on the various styles in an immersive setting. In addition to enlisting the help of celebrities and KOLs on social media. 

 

Special 520 products from Bvlgari

On May 1, Bvlgari launched a campaign to promote its 520 products, and to do so, it used Weibo’s pop-up advertisements to introduce Wu Lei as its 520 campaign spokesperson.

The first 1000 customers who spend more than 20,000 RMB between April 20 and May 20 will receive special 520 stickers. The first 300 customers who order 520 items online will also receive a special festival-related stamp in the mail.

 

Tiffany’s limited edition ruby necklace – “Blue is the Color of Love”

Tiffany presented a limited edition Tiffany Hardwear necklace set with rubies to commemorate Valentine’s Day this year. Olympic gold medalist and model Eileen Gu was the face of the luxury jeweler’s  advertising campaign.

Gu’s support for this cause has increased its social media engagement: as of publication, the campaign hashtags #ElieenGuTiffanytheColorofLove and #ElieenGuColorson on Weibo had amassed a combined viewership of 230 million, a sizable number for a commercial ad.

With comments like “mysterious,” “high-end,” and “gorgeous,” 99 million people have viewed Tiffany’s iconic blue box.

Tiffany 520 Campaign China Eileen Gu

“V” for love from Valentino

The Valentino Garavani 520 Mini Loc handbag campaign featured the letter “v” from the word “love” concealed inside the iconic logo of the accessory. 

The theme of the campaign was that love is a special declaration between two people. Along with this storytelling, the celebrity partnerships for the campaign received overwhelmingly positive reviews from online users.

One of the top 3 trending topics on Weibo on May 10 was the hashtag #LayZhangJessicaJung, which received 100 million views in a single day.

 

Maison Margiela’s “I love” twist locker

Margiela introduced Aa New Lock handbag exclusively in China. The piece made its debut in Maison Margiela’s Avant-Premiere Spring-Summer 2022 collection, embellished with pistachio green leather and an “I love” twist locker.

Multiple sets of character strings with associations to love can be found in the accessory’s twist locker’s special edition. When the bag is locked, the phrase “I love” is visible; when it is unlocked, a number of options are available, including “You,” “The Earth,” “My Cat,” and “Maison Margiela.”

 

Prada: Mathematics of Love

One of the first high-end companies to launch its 520 campaign in China was Prada. The “Mathematics of Love” campaign  examines love in the context of the post-pandemic era. It defines love as both universal and particular, timeless yet also linked to the present.

A special selection of 520 products are available through a WeChat pop-up shop.

 

​​Louis Vuitton: Treasure Hunt

Louis Vuitton released a 90-second short film on May 12 to commemorate 520 Day. The film shows a treasure hunt on the company’s monogram handbags led by the actress Song Jia and livestreamer Li Jiaqi.

Li’s on-screen persona is unusual for Louis Vuitton, which has traditionally favored celebrities with sizable fan bases; however, his endorsement seems to have greatly impressed netizens, as his Weibo campaign post garnered over 4.2 million views.

 

Diesel Taps Collectible 

Diesel and Dolores, a company known for its collectible toys, worked together to produce 520 Valentine’s Day figurines this year. 

The art toys come in three colorways: neon pink, neon green, and neon yellow. They feature Diesel’s Spring 2023 collection and its best-selling 1DR handbags. 

DIESEL 520 Campaign China

📅 Discover our China’s 2023 Marketing Calendar

Conclusion

Referencing well-known Chinese holidays or launching specific promotions can be a very effective way to engage customers. However, it’s equally crucial to ensure your messaging and imagery are culturally sensitive. Do not rely on stereotypes, or you run the risk of gravely offending your audience.

If you want to know more about the Chinese market and how we can help your business, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

 

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What’s happening in the Chinese market

May 10, 2023

China’s answer to ChatGPT? Baidu shares tumble as Ernie Bot disappoints

The introduction of Ernie coincides with Google and Microsoft upping their AI game. As the CEO of Baidu makes brief video presentations in which he makes it abundantly clear that the AI still needs many improvements, Baidu shares fall.

Analysts claim it was a staged event with pre-recorded videos of the test and showcases, proving they were hesitant to perform it live. As a result, rumors claim it is not yet operational (Baidu stock fell by 6% following the presentation).

The public still cannot access AI. Ernie is able to create images and videos, speak and understand various Chinese dialects, write poetry, and perform math.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinese-search-giant-baidu-introduces-ernie-bot-2023-03-16/

 

Top Chinese PR agency to replace copywriters and designers with ChatGPT-like tech

Since securing Microsoft as a client, BlueFocus, which was ranked first among its Chinese peers and 11th overall among public relations firms worldwide in 2022, has made significant investments in AI. The company has also worked with Chinese ChatGPT substitutes, such as Baidu’s Ernie Bot, for use in online persona development and other forms of digital marketing.

It will do away with outside copywriters, designers, and temporary workers in favor of generative AI like ChatGPT. Up to one-fourth of current work could be replaced by ChatGPT-like technology, particularly in the fields of office administration and legal services.

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/top-chinese-pr-agency-to-replace-copywriters-designers-with-chatgpt-like-tech/99470589

 

Notice on the Compliance of WeChat Official Account Marketing Content

The Measures for the Administration of Internet Advertising were recently released by the Market Supervision of China and will go into effect on May 1.

The official account operators, who advertise goods or services in various ways and include shopping links and other ways to make purchases, are, in my opinion, the most crucial factor for us. The term “advertisement” needs to be clearly identified.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6FoptfmnOiLZPFMTh2uLw

 

A 80 year old grandmother be MIUMIU brand ambassador

When choosing an ambassador, many brands today, particularly luxury brands or high-end new consumer brands, are edging closer to middle-aged and older artists and models.
This 80-year-old grandmother appeared in a Miu Miu fashion advertisement.

In contrast to earlier fashion posters From the posters, we can sense the appeal of the past and another interpretation of fashion.

In order to reach a wider audience and draw in more young customers, brands like Lululemon are starting to favor middle-aged and elderly spokespersons. Fashion does not only belong to young people; it is about exploring individual fashion attitudes at any age.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Lr4XlQiekcj7ALMhXDVAJA

 

Xiaohongshu decodes the urban core fashion trend through the sports market in Shanghai

Xiaohongshu visited a sports market in Shanghai over the May Day weekend that was showcasing the new fashion craze Urbancore. Participating brands and fashion KOLs organized a variety of outdoor sporting events, capitalizing on China’s enduring fitness craze to increase engagement.

In order to promote participation, a number of live streams with giveaways and prizes of urbancore-inspired clothing were combined with the offline market.

Xiaohongshu decodes Urbancore fashion trend through sports market in Shanghai

 

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

This is the most recent action taken by Xiaohongshu to expand her reach in the “local life” market.

Xiaohongshu has been working to strengthen the link between online peer-to-peer recommendation and offline services in users’ local areas ever since the launch of the “Nearby” feed in 2019. Consumers can be encouraged to spend money locally by offering discounts for group purchases, which must be made.

Online group buying penetration in China was only 12.7% in 2021, and this number is only anticipated to rise, creating an untapped market.

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

 

China’s May Day Holiday Reveals New Favorite Tourist Destinations

The price of admission to scenic areas increased 1,000% from the same time last year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. From April 17 to May 7, Macau was the most popular travel destination for Chinese tourists in Asia, a 32 percent decline from visits to Hong Kong.

Other than these well-known tourist destinations, obscure places saw growth over the holiday. Particularly for its inexpensive barbecue food and good value for money experiences, Zibo has become extremely popular on social media. May Day hotel bookings soared 800 percent from 2019.

Labor Day saw an all-time high in international excursion bookings on Fliggy, more than tripling the previous record set during this year’s Spring Festival. However, the number of available international flights continues to restrict travel abroad.

https://jingdaily.com/tencent-douyin-content-agreement-copyright/

 

For Marketers, Does It Even Matter If It’s Not Real?

Luxury brands are embracing the concept of “virtual luxury” more and more in order to appeal to younger, digitally savvy consumers who value sustainability and one-of-a-kind experiences. To engage customers and create fresh opportunities for brand interaction, this entails using virtual experiences and products.

But the question still stands: Is authenticity still important in marketing? While virtual luxury might be alluring in the short term, brands shouldn’t discount the value of authenticity and quality when fostering long-term consumer trust and loyalty.

Given these trends, luxury brands should think about how to strike a balance between the advantages of virtual luxury and the requirement to uphold a strong brand identity and reputation. This might entail coming up with inventive ways to combine tangible goods and services with digital ones, all the while upholding the brand’s commitment to excellence and authenticity throughout.

https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2023/04/marketers-does-it-even-matter-if-its-not-real

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Exploring WeChat Channels Backend: Features & Stats

April 28, 2023

WeChat Channels: In today’s digital age, social media has become an essential part of our lives. From personal to professional use, we all use social media platforms to connect, share, and grow. One such platform that has gained immense popularity in recent times is WeChat Channels. Channels are one of the most important features that Tencent plans to invest in this year. We wrote more about it in WeChat Channels: An In-Depth Look at the Statistics and the Future Plans.

One of the key features of WeChat is that it can be accessed both from the mobile and desktop levels. While the mobile version is ideal for content creators who want to create and share content on the go, accessing Channels through the desktop version offers more functions and a clearer overview of statistics.

Some of the key channel statistics that WeChat provides are follower metrics, message data, engagement metrics, average open rates, location and demographics, and content performance. WeChat’s channel statistics provide valuable insights for businesses to track their performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize their marketing and engagement efforts on the platform.

Let’s dive deeper into this to understand how the WeChat Channels backend works to take the utmost advantage of the platform for different business needs.

You can access it at: https://channels.weixin.qq.com/

 

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage:

One of the key features of WeChat is its desktop-level functionality, which allows users to schedule the publication of posts and view important daily data.

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage Desktop

WeChat Channels Backend Homepage

Upon logging into WeChat, users can see the most important daily data from the previous day. This data includes key statistics such as the number of views, likes, and comments on recent posts. This information is useful for businesses and individuals who are interested in tracking the performance of their content on the platform.

In addition to viewing daily data, users can also schedule the publication of their posts directly from the desktop. This functionality allows users to plan and prepare their content in advance, which can be particularly useful for businesses and individuals who want to maintain a consistent posting schedule.

 

WeChat Channels Content Management:

Preparing and scheduling social media content can be a time-consuming task for content creators. On the desktop backend of WeChat Channels, brands have the ability to prepare their posts and schedule them for publishing at a later time. This includes the ability to upload videos or create carousels of images, write engaging copy with relevant hashtags, add location tags, and schedule the post for a specific date and time.

WeChat Channels Backend Post Scheduling

WeChat Channels Backend Post Scheduling

In addition to these key features, brands can also add a short title for SEO purposes, helping to optimize their post for WeChat search engine and improve its visibility for the Channels algorithm. By carefully crafting the title and post description along with hashtags, content brands can increase the chances of their post being discovered by users who are actively searching for related content.

🏆 Explore top practices for WeChat Channels posting in WeChat Channels – How to Post for Success?

 

WeChat Channels Data:

The statistics page is where the most important information sits. We have access to all the data, including followers’ data, demographics, and post data. 

Firstly, we can see changes in the follower base. 

It is worth noting that following the WeChat Channels account requires a separate action to follow. As of now, official accounts where brands post articles although can be linked in many ways do not share the follower base pools. 

WeChat Channels Data

WeChat Channels Data

On this page, we can track changes in the follower base by different time ranges and actions performed. We can also see our followers’ demographics, such as gender, age, location, and system used.

 

Secondly, we can see data regarding our posts. By day and time periods, we can see total views, engagements, and source of traffic. 

For each unique post, we can see: 

  • Completion rate
  • Views
  • Average playtime
  • Engagements such as likes, recommendations, comments, shares
  • Set as ringtone

 These data points help content creators to understand what kind of content is resonating with their audience. This way they can optimize their strategy accordingly.

 

Other functions of WeChat Channels desktop:

In addition to the above data points, the WeChat Channels backend also provides other important functions. For example, live-streaming, e-commerce, comments, and private message management. These features can be linked with WeCom, WeChat’s enterprise communication and management platform. The heating tool is another useful function that allows content creators to boost views and increase exposure.

Live-streaming: WeChat allows users to live stream videos from their desktop. This feature can be used for personal or business purposes, such as conducting online workshops, tutorials, and product demonstrations.

🎥 Learn more about WeChat Channels Livestreaming in one of our most popular blog posts

E-commerce: WeChat has a built-in e-commerce platform that allows businesses to sell their products directly on the app. It allows for a seamless and instant shopping experience.

Comments and private message management: WeChat’s desktop backend allows users to manage their comments and private messages more efficiently. This feature can be used by businesses to improve their customer service and respond to customer inquiries more quickly.

Heating tool: WeChat’s heating tool is a feature that can be used by businesses to boost their views and increase exposure. This feature can be used to promote a business or product to a wider audience.

Explore our Beginner’s Guide to WeChat Channels

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the WeChat Channels backend is a powerful tool that provides valuable insights and statistics for content creators to analyze their performance and optimize their strategies. By leveraging this information, content creators can understand their audience better and tailor their content to engage and grow their followers. With the help of additional functions such as live-streaming, e-commerce, and heating tools, content creators can further enhance their presence on WeChat and achieve their marketing objectives.

If you want to know more about the Chinese market and how we can help create successful WeChat campaigns for your business contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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Chinese Marketing Updates

April 28, 2023

TikTok Parent ByteDance Battles Meta for Virtual-Reality App Developers

Developers who created virtual reality software for Meta Platforms are being offered payment by ByteDance Ltd. to port their programs to its rapidly expanding Pico headset line.

After experiencing lengthy delays in receiving distribution approval, some software developers have expressed frustration with the way Meta is reviewing new applications for its Quest headsets. Some developers claim that the business’s procedures lack precise guidelines, leaving them to eagerly anticipate the entry of new rivals. 

ByteDance acquired Pico, a B2B-focused company, in 2021 and changed its focus to B2C. Currently, the Pico 4 headset performs worse than the Meta headset and has a much smaller selection of games (300 vs. 500).

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-parent-bytedance-battles-meta-for-virtual-reality-app-developers-30ce091f

 

An interesting “mini” marketing strategy for the brand

 

The milk tea company “Diandian” has introduced the Earth Day mini cup to celebrate World Earth Day:

McDonald’s mini cone, DQ mini ice cream, and a Wuling small car that popularized the mini model have all used mini marketing to successfully penetrate various product markets.

Creating products that are larger than conventional, creating visual impact, and raising traffic topics when consumers are tired of brand and product cognition.Meet the market’s demand and expectations for weight loss, lightweight, and burden free products.

For current consumers, lightweight consumption and cute design in various aspects have become undeniable market trends, and product miniaturization is the simplest way to approach the trend.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6FoptfmnOiLZPFMTh2uLw.  

 

Galeries Lafayette teams up with Hopson Group for luxury expansion in China

 

The new partnership aims to open ten stores in China by 2025. Future stores will carry independent Chinese designer brands in addition to well-known international ones.  

In order to convey “a certain vision of the French art of living in the heart of unique and selective multi-brand environments,” the joint venture will also concentrate on selling luxury brands in their upscale stores.

Through the partnership, both parties will be able to leverage their individual strengths to build a cutting-edge high-end department store company with a world-class buyer team and cutting-edge supply chain management system. 

Overall, the new partnership between Galeries Lafayette and Hopson Group marks a significant advancement in China’s luxury retail market. 

https://daoinsights.com/news/galeries-lafayette-teams-up-with-hopson-group-for-luxury-expansion-in-china/

 

Rivals Tencent Video and Douyin Reach Content-Sharing Agreement After Copyright Spat

 

Both parties have formally agreed to support content sharing, enabling users of Tencent’s well-known TV dramas to access them through the Douyin app without violating copyright. This is an intriguing development in the competition between China’s video and live-streaming apps, which are increasingly popular among Chinese consumers as tools for shopping and entertainment.

The collaboration may be an example of putting differences aside for the benefit of developing China’s tech and social media sectors. In the long run, it might also draw more users to the platforms.

https://jingdaily.com/tencent-douyin-content-agreement-copyright/

 

How Luxury Brands Are Courting the New Chinese Consumer As Shopping Tourism Resumes

Luxury brands are utilizing a variety of digital strategies, including e-commerce, social media, and live streaming, to connect with China’s extremely tech-savvy consumers. 

Personalized shopping experiences are created by luxury brands in collaboration with travel agencies as part of their key strategy for appealing to Chinese consumers.

By providing immersive, experiential shopping opportunities like in-store events and pop-ups, luxury brands are also leveraging the growth of the “experience economy.”

With features like personalized recommendations and augmented reality try-ons, Alibaba’s Tmall Luxury Pavilion and Luxury Soho platforms are playing an increasingly significant role in connecting luxury brands with Chinese consumers.

Additionally, luxury brands are taking action to address Chinese consumers’ concerns about sustainability and ethics in their marketing and business practices.

https://www.alizila.com/how-luxury-brands-court-chinese-consumers-shopping-tourism-travel-alibaba-lvmh-richemont/

 

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Reaching Chinese Tourists: Online Travel Agencies and Social Media Platforms [2023]

April 11, 2023

It’s time to roll out the red carpet as Chinese tourists gear up to satisfy their wanderlust once again, with borders reopening and travel restrictions lifted. According to Dragon Trail’s Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report more than 60% of survey respondents said they wanted to travel outside of mainland China in 2023. Data shows that there has been a significant increase in flight bookings (254%) and trips planned by Chinese travelers. 

Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand are currently the most popular travel destinations, while the US, UK, and Australia are the most popular long-distance travel destinations, based on Trip.com Group bookings.

Due to travel restrictions and other pandemic-related challenges, Chinese business travelers have not been able to engage in physical meetings with their international counterparts for over three years, making the desire to reconnect with the world’s major economies even more pressing.

If you’re looking to target Chinese travelers, it’s important to be aware of the apps they use for travel purposes. 

However, it’s  also important to note that Chinese tourists don’t use the same social media apps as their Western counterparts. In fact, China has its own collection of travel-related apps that are popular among visitors looking to travel both domestically and internationally.

In order to hack the Chinese traveler base, it is important to understand the apps they use and how these apps work. 

Data Travalers China 2023

Dragon Trail: Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report

Social media platforms for Travel

Social media has become an indispensable tool for travelers in today’s digital world. OTAs, online travel agencies, are the most important platforms to plan and book trips but the inspirations and ideas are usually born elsewhere. Xiaohongshu, RED, becomes a leader when it comes to pre-planning phase with almost 40% of travelers using it to plan an outbound trip. Douyin, WeChat and Weibo also play significant role in finding inspirations to travel. 

✈️ WeChat for Travel Sector: Discover more!

 

RED Xiaohongshu Traveling

📕The Evolution of Xiaohongshu, RED, into a Travel Platform

Online travel agencies in China

Chinese travelers are highly mobile-savvy and open to using technology to enhance their travel experiences. They also value word-of-mouth recommendations when it comes to planning the trip.

Three of the most well-known online travel agencies (OTAs) in China are Qunar, Ctrip, and Fliggy. We can learn a little bit about the conduct and preferences of Chinese tourists by examining these businesses’ operations and the services they provide.

Ctrip / 携程旅行

Ctrip is the biggest OTA in China. One of Ctrip’s strengths is its mobile app, which allows users to book and manage their travel arrangements on the go. 

The app also offers a range of other features, such as real-time flight status updates and travel guides.

Chinese travelers are highly tech-savvy and prefer to book and manage their travel plans using mobile apps. They also value convenience and real-time updates.

✈️ What is Ctrip, China’s Top OTA, and How Tourism Brands Use it?

Qunar / 去哪儿

Qunar is one of the leading online travel booking platforms in China. It provides a variety of travel-related services, such as booking hotels and flights, vacation packages, and rental cars. 

One thing that sets Qunar apart from its competitors is its emphasis on user-generated content. Users of the platform can post reviews and share their travel experiences, which aids other travelers in making wise choices.

Chinese travelers are more likely to rely on the experiences and opinions of others when making travel decisions. They place a high value on word-of-mouth recommendations and user-generated content.

 

Fliggy / 飞猪

Fliggy is an OTA owned by Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant. It offers a range of travel-related services, including flight and hotel bookings, vacation packages, and travel guides. 

One of Fliggy’s unique features is its focus on personalized recommendations. The platform provides users with tailored travel recommendations using data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Chinese travelers are open to using technology to enhance their travel experiences. They value individualized recommendations and personalized travel advice.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) in China can offer useful information about the habits and preferences of Chinese tourists. Here are some ways in which they can help:

 

Understanding Chinese tourists and travel trends

 

Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) can provide information on the most popular travel locations and the best times to travel. This can help us determine the times and locations where Chinese tourists are most likely to travel.

 

Recognizing preferences

Chinese OTAs can also offer details on the kinds of lodging, activities, and tours that Chinese tourists favor. For instance, they might favor five-star resorts, shopping excursions, or cultural encounters.

 

Language and cultural barriers

Chinese online travel agencies (OTAs) cater to Chinese tourists, so they can shed light on how language and cultural barriers may affect travelers’ choices. They can also offer translations and other services that facilitate and improve the travel experience for Chinese tourists.

 

Popular travel apps for Chinese tourists

Two well-known apps among Chinese travelers are Mafengwo and Dazhong Dianping. Let’s delve into the specifics to become familiar with these apps.

 

Mafengwo / 马蜂窝

Younger Chinese internet users refer to MaFengWo as the “travel bible” because it offers long-form tourism-focused content to assist users with their travel arrangements. With over 100 million users, it has developed into China’s top social media travel platform since its founding in 2006!

Mafengwo began as a community for independent travelers. Users of the platform communicate with one another by sharing their journeys, travel advice, itineraries, suggestions, and feedback.

Later in 2016, Mafengwo established itself as an online travel agency. Some of its features include:

  • Travel focused user written content like tips, photos and personal comments.
  • It has an e-commerce store, a one-stop-shop of travel essentials with fascinating range of travel products and services
  • Hosting offline social gatherings for platform users in addition to its social forum.

 

Mafengwo created a new type of tourism-focused e-commerce with its customized tourism content database. It pairs travel products with pertinent data hosted on the platform rather than providing separate services to let customers take the initiative to buy. 

Within Mafengwo, travelers can arrange all of their transportation needs for the journey. That includes airfare, train and bus tickets, bus passes, and even cruises! 

Mafengwo organizes its hotel suggestions into categories like “dreamy” or “architectural”. It’s an interesting contrast to other OTA platforms that only list out hotel deals. Depending on the purpose of their trips and personal interests, customers can make reservations for their favorite establishments.

It also covers travel packages, activities, and excursions, along with helping travelers with travel documents.

Mafengwo

Dazhong Dianping / 大众点评

Dazhong Dianping is a well-known online review and rating platform that covers a variety of businesses, including eateries, hotels, shops, and other neighborhood services. It has been called the Chinese version of Yelp.

With more than 200 million unique mobile users, it bills itself as the first independent third-party consumer review website in the entire world.

Dianping provides information services such as user information, consumer reviews and commercial offers and discounts. It also provides O2O (Online To Offline) services as it combines features of Groupon, Deliveroo, Tripadvisor, and Yelp!

Overseas location can set up their pages their, publish their menus, etc. Chinese travelers can be encouraged to leave their comments and reviews. 

 

Reasons To Use Dianping As A Marketing Tool

  1. Dianping provides comprehensive travel and lifestyle services.
  2. Businesses can learn how the community feels about their products and/or brands firsthand.
  3. Dianping, WeChat, and Douyin all serve as buzz generators for most aspects of Chinese culture.
  4. KOLs and KOCs level of interaction with companies and goods has a greater impact on other users.
  5. Dianping is a platform where consumers can interact with brands.
  6. Dianping’s statistics are self-evident: 15 billion visits each year. The average daily usage of the app is 13 minutes.

 

Businesses can learn about the preferences, viewpoints, and actions of Chinese consumers by keeping an eye on the reviews and ratings on Dazhong Dianping. For example, businesses can use Dazhong Dianping to understand which types of food and cuisines are popular in different regions of China, what factors are important to Chinese consumers when choosing a restaurant or hotel, and what types of promotions and discounts are most effective in attracting Chinese customers.

Overall, Mafengwo and Dazhong Dianping can provide valuable insights into the preferences, behaviors, and trends of Chinese audiences. This in turn can be used by businesses to develop effective marketing strategies and improve their offerings.

 

Dianping

Integration with Alipay and WeChat

Alipay and WeChat are two of the most popular mobile payment apps in China. Only Alipay has 320 million Daily Active Users. Both apps offer a range of features, including mobile payments, money transfers, and other financial services.

In recent years, Alipay and WeChat have also been integrated with a number of travel apps in China. Thanks to that it is much easier for users to make payments and book travel-related services. For example, users can now use Alipay or WeChat to book flights, hotels, and rental cars, as well as purchase tickets for attractions and events.

One example of a travel app that has integrated with Alipay and WeChat is Ctrip. Ctrip allows users to link their Alipay or WeChat accounts to their Ctrip account, so that they can make payments directly from their mobile devices.

Other travel apps that have integrated with Alipay and WeChat include Qunar, Meituan, and Didi Chuxing, among others. These integrations have helped to streamline the travel booking process for users. At the same time, they also make it more convenient for them to make payments on-the-go.

Overall, the integration of Alipay and WeChat with travel apps in China is a testament to the growing popularity of mobile payments and digital financial services in the country. As more and more users turn to these apps for their financial needs, we can expect to see even more integrations with other types of apps in the future.

 

Conclusion

By leveraging these apps, you can reach a wider audience and increase your brand awareness among Chinese travellers.

Key Takeaway:  However, it’s important to remember that cultural differences and language barriers may still exist, so it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of the Chinese market and tailor your marketing strategy accordingly.

If you want to know more about the Chinese market, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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Marketing to Women Empowerment: A Chinese Perspective on International Women’s Day

March 7, 2023

Every year on March 8, people celebrate International Women’s Day to honor women’s achievements and raise awareness of gender inequality. The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, in a number of European nations. Now, Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world now, and China is no exception. 

Let’s see how people in China celebrate Women’s Day and how it impacts the Chinese market.

 

Women’s Day in China

International Women’s Day (IWD) has gained popularity in China due to the extreme transformation of the position of women in Chinese society compared to their traditional societal roles of limited independence and work options. 

In 1949, IWD was declared an official holiday in China, and new laws were passed to give women greater control over their lives, combating old ideas of male superiority. As a result, women gained greater independence, education, and political representation, leading to their recognition as vital contributors to Chinese society. IWD is now celebrated widely across China to recognize and further promote women’s progress in society.

 

📆 Explore the full 2022 Marketing Calendar

How is IWD celebrated in China?

 

Chinese companies offer benefits to female employees on International Women’s Day (IWD), including time off, flowers and small gifts. Women, companies, and social organizations use the day to raise awareness about issues affecting women, such as sexual harassment, mental health, and discrimination. 

China also celebrates Women’s Day by giving women numerous product discounts on and around this day.

The self-care theme is heavily marketed on Women’s Day. It is one of the major factors contributing to the enormous sales that are generated on this day every year. With slogans such as ‘Treat yourself’ or ‘Happy Goddess Day’, brands want to inspire purchases. However, there are more and more voices contending that IWD shouldn’t turn into just another shopping holiday. Instead, it should concentrate on addressing issues of health, safety, and domestic violence, which are still major issues in China.

 

How International Women’s Day affects the Chinese market

 

In China, women are in charge of more than 70% of household purchases, including those for luxury goods, everyday items, and online shopping, according to a report by Alibaba.

China now boasts the third-largest female consumer market in the world, behind the US and Japan. Women’s rising purchasing power is one of the major factors contributing to China’s economy. Sheconomy will play an even more important role in the coming years.  Therefore companies increasingly emphasize the value of appealing to female customers.

For e-commerce platforms, International Women’s Day is a significant marketing occasion because it coincides with the introduction of fresh spring products with the “3.8 Festival.” E-commerce platforms can use the 3.8 Festival as an opportunity to market to women by providing exclusive discounts and promotions on goods that are catered to their interests and needs.

Aa growing number of Chinese women choose a single lifestyle over marriage, particularly millennials and Gen Z. These trends are affecting the Chinese market and economy as well. For example, online female shoppers reached 581 million by 2022. Nearly half of their purchases were in the beauty, skincare, and makeup sectors, according to Questmobile’s 2022 report on the “she economy”.

 

Top eye-catching campaigns for Women’s Day in China

 

Some brands have really developed a meaningful connection with their female consumer base. Those are the ones that offer a deeper message and seek to empathize with the gender inequality and social expectations that women face. Some of the campaigns from such brands are:

 

Tmall Super Brand Day:

Tmall Super Brand inspired women with a novel poem that included 26 brands in alphabetical order. The “Wǒmen are women” campaign’s main focus was on women’s feelings toward specific brands.

The campaign involved about half of the brands that took part in Tmall’s Super Brand Days. The purpose of the poem and video was to inspire women to develop their own “super brand” that reflected their unique spirit and personality. 

 

Perfect Diary 

For the Perfect Diary campaign, the brand interviewed female celebrities who had all experienced gender stereotypes in their lives. However, they didn’t let these inhibit them from following their dreams. Yamy Guo, a member of the girl group Rocket Girls 101, joined the campaign. In the past, she received flak for not meeting expectations of stereotypical female beauty.

Her experience brought to light China’s absurd beauty standards. Instead online users praised her and noted that she is unique because of her appearance.

The video gained over 6.4 million views on Weibo. It also included Yang Li, a comedian known for her anti-patriarchal comedy. Hui Ruoqi, a former captain of China’s women’s volleyball team, was one of the campaign heroines as well.

 

Perfect Diary IWD

 

Florasis

One of the hottest C-beauty brands, Florasis, took on a very unique approach. The brand launched a video campaign that examines how women deal with various mental health issues in modern society.

At the same time, the series featuring five women looked at different skin issues. By the end, it unveiled a new product called Florasis Balance Liquid Foundation.

The campaign, which celebrated the upcoming International Women’s Day also assisted to boost sales of its new product. Thanks to the brand’s well-liked livestream sessions, did both by amplifying this message through personal stories.

 

Net-A-Porter 

Luxury e-commerce Net-A-Porter launched a campaign film The Remarkable Day. The video highlighted various memorable moments throughout a female’s life, such as a wedding or pregnancy.

In China’s luxury market, Net-A-Porter was an early adopter of female marketing. The e-tailer has collaborated with several female celebrities over the last two years to engage its independent and expanding female customer base.

For its International Women’s Day campaign this year, Net-A-Porter highlighted well-known Chinese fashion houses that are likely to draw younger consumers away from social media sites and into its flagship Tmall store and WeChat marketplace.

 

L’Oréal

For its “I Say I’m Worth It” campaign, L’Oréal worked with a variety of Chinese celebrities. The list included Ouyang Nana, Gong Li, Ju Xiao Wen, Xin Zhilei, and Daniel Wu.

The actors discussed their personal experiences and ideas about female empowerment. The collection of short films inspired women to take on life’s challenges and figure out their own personal values.

The campaign demonstrated the company’s in-depth knowledge of Chinese femininity by using role models from a variety of life stages and professions that connected with the brand’s larger female customer base.

 

Neiwai

March last year, the Chinese lifestyle brand Neiwai debuted the final phase of its No Body Is Nobody campaign. 

The initiative began in February 2020 with a series of documentaries looking at the diversity of female bodies. Podcast series last year that covered a variety of feminism-related topics followed.

In order to commemorate the brand’s tenth anniversary, the campaign’s final installment featured five of the company’s female customers. The ladies shared their own individual journeys over the previous ten years. 

Neiwai Campaign

 

How can brands improve their Women’s Day campaigns?

Firstly, brands should focus more on showcasing the strength and accomplishments of women in 2023. The discussion around IWD is bigger rather than just offering discounts and promotions to better target female consumers. 

Brands can attract and engage female consumers who are passionate about these issues by developing campaigns and topics that advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.  

This may entail collaborating with organizations that champion women’s issues or producing content that highlights the achievements of women in various professions.

Secondly, for female customers, brands should aim to create individualized and tailored experiences. This can involve providing specialized product recommendations, individualized customer service, and special access to activities and discounts.

IWD is a great day for brands to forge a deeper emotional bond with their female consumers. If done correctly, it can increase loyalty and long-term customer relationships. Brands can achieve that by demonstrating that they comprehend and value the particular needs and preferences of female consumers.

 

 

 

Conclusion

IWD is celebrated widely in China to recognize women’s progress in society. Meanwhile, it serves as a significant marketing occasion for businesses to appeal to the country’s growing female consumer base. In recent years, it became an occasion for brands to discuss important societal topics related to women’s daily life. In conclusion, it’s a great time to connect with female consumers in a meaningful way.

🏮Explore our page dedicated to the most important festivals in China

If you want to know more about the Chinese market, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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WeChat Open Class Pro: A Look at What’s in Store for Businesses in 2023

March 2, 2023

WeChat Open Class PRO is a hyped and highly-anticipated annual conference organized by Tencent and aimed at creators.

In addition to showcasing exciting new developments and plans that WeChat has in store, the event aims to offer insightful information about how medium and small businesses can use the platform to spur growth and raise brand awareness. 

Let’s see how this can impact brands and businesses that use WeChat to reach their customer base…

 

Why is WeChat Class PRO important for businesses?

Weixin Open Class PRO also referred to as WeChat Open Class PRO, is a yearly conference organized for developers, companies, and marketers to learn about the most recent features, updates, and best practices for the largest social media platform in China. We covered the event last year – WeChat Weixin Open Class PRO 2022.

Here are some reasons why Weixin Open Class PRO is important for businesses:

 

Keep up with the newest features

  • Businesses can learn more about the most recent features and updates, including Mini Programs, WeChat Pay, and WeChat Work, thanks to Weixin Open Class PRO. 
  • By using new features to improve their marketing and customer engagement strategies, businesses can benefit from this information and stay one step ahead of the competition.

 

Find out the best practices

  • Businesses have the chance to learn how to use WeChat to grow their operations from successful case studies and industry experts through Weixin Open Class PRO. 
  • This can help businesses maximize their marketing efforts, improve customer engagement, and raise brand awareness.

 

Access to Tencent resources

  • Businesses can access resources from Tencent, including its developer tools and APIs, through Weixin Open Class PRO. 
  • In order to better serve their customers, this can assist businesses in developing customized WeChat solutions, such as Mini Programs.
  • In general, Weixin Open Class PRO is crucial for companies looking to stay competitive and use WeChat to promote business expansion in China.

 

📹 Watch the whole recording of the WeChat PRO 2023 conference here

 

What can we expect for 2023?

Based on the Open Class PRO  and our own observations, we can tell that:

 

WeChat Channels:

  • After a year of new features including adding customer service integrations, WeChat Channels will continue to grow. Check out WeChat Channels Stats 2023 & Growth Plan to find out more. 
  • Moreover, Tencent made a commitment to help creators. Their team stated that they would offer in a total of 5 billion free views in traffic, as well as richer and more comprehensive monetization tools and incentive policies, in order to assist anyone who is serious about broadcasting, growing, and earning money. 

Backstreet Boys WeChat Channels

New Formats:

  • WeChat appears to be introducing new ad formats and improved integrations.
  • There is certain format fatigue as the article format has been the same for years. This year, Tencent tests to implement new formats like:
    • Images will be stacked and horizontally viewable in a 3:4 aspect ratio.
    • Up to 300 characters will be allowed in the description section.
    • Optimized services related to image display to gain traction.

WeChat Image Message New Format

WeChat Search:

  • The WeChat search engine continued to expand, reaching 800 million monthly users:
    • Earlier this month, WeChat released a small program called Search data assistant.
    • Wechat’s backend has been updated with new features to help brands better track it.

 

🔍 A Quick Guide to WeChat Search As a Marketing Tool

WeChat SEO Search Keywords

WeCom:

  • Undoubtedly, WeCom will expand as well. WeCom, Weixin’s product specifically designed for businesses, offers practical office automation and communication tools. It is also being adopted by the education sector more and more.
  • According to the Industry Resilience and Recovery Potential Report 2023 that Weixin released at the Weixin Open Class PRO, SME businesses with fewer than 500 employees saw a 35% increase in the number of daily active WeCom enterprise users in the manufacturing sector year over year. 

 

AI development:

  • Lastly, it’s worth noting the advancements made by the WeChat AI team. In 2022, the AI team made improvements to the WeChat dialogue open platform called co-enterprise WeChat.
  • They also introduced a new service called “dialogue robot” for corporate WeChat. It will allow for more seamless integration between robots and artificial customer service in the customer service scene. This natural integration enabled companies to serve their users more efficiently.

 

Conclusion

Firstly, WeChat’s annual Open Class Pro conference is a crucial event for businesses seeking to stay ahead of the competition and expand their customer base in China. Moreover, we can expect continued growth and innovation from WeChat in 2023, with the 2022 conference focusing on mini-programs, payment, and search functions, and advancements in the app’s short video service, Channels. 

Furthermore, with Tencent’s commitment to investing in traffic and monetization tools, as well as advancements in ad formats and WeChat AI, businesses can anticipate new opportunities for engagement and growth on the platform. 

Meanwhile, if you want to know more about WeChat, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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Latest Updates on China’s Market: ByteDance’s Language Model, Uncle Stars, Xiaohongshu Trends, Douyin’s PC Shopping, and More

March 2, 2023

ByteDance to emphasize search and imaging as it develops ChatGPT’s rival

 

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has assembled a sizable language model team and plans to integrate the technology into its search and advertising businesses as the hype surrounding ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot service, continues to encourage Chinese businesses to create analogous products of their own.

When ByteDance launches its large language model, which is anticipated to happen in the middle of this year, it will put a particular emphasis on language and imaging. 

The large language model team and the image model team will be managed by Zhu Wenjia, head of global search and development for TikTok. 

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/pGREeoSC6v-tf2zALdWZBQ

 

The Rise Of China’s ‘Uncle Stars’: How Middle-aged Men Are Taking The Spotlight

 

Idol scandals have tarnished China’s entertainment sector in recent years. 

As was the case with Louis Vuitton and rapper Kris Wu, luxury brands associated with wrongdoing (“little fresh meat”) were forced to act quickly to sever their endorsement agreements in order to allay public outrage.

People in their mid-forties, also referred to as “uncle stars,” provide a safer option for brands and have a wider market recognition among both young and old consumers. 

Brands are testing a new cast of ambassadors due to the expensive unpredictability of “traffic stars,” who heavily rely on the fan economy to push the sales of the products they promote. 

Huang Bo, a 48-year-old actor, was named the ambassador for Shiseido’s high-end line on February 9.  

These celebrities typically don’t have Xiaohongshu or Douyin, only Weibo. “By making extra efforts, brands need to increase their influence,

https://jingdaily.com/china-uncle-stars-middle-aged-men-ambassadors-shiseido-fresh-the-knockout/ 

 

2023 Xiaohongshu Annual Life Trend Analysis

 

To observe and research young people’s lifestyles, Xiaohongshu and the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published the “2023 Life Trends” report with the theme “Into Real Life.” 

The report divides various life keywords, identifies, and analyzes life trends in 2023 using Xiaohongshu’s data statistics and topic content from the previous year. An excerpt from the report is given below. 

Warming up the neighborhood: Due to the scarcity of supplies during the epidemic, many residents got to know their neighbors by searching for those who lived “nearby” to shop with and trade goods with. Young people are therefore more likely to actively participate in community activities.

Eat authentically local flavors: Young people are starting to prefer regional specialties and regional traditions, 

  • On a trip: Due to the extended stays at home brought on by the epidemic, many people seek compensatory travel in the new year. They value the chance to travel more and are prepared to spend more effort, time, and money on travel.
  • Stress relief: Due to environmental impact, the majority of people felt helpless and unable to control their destiny, so they needed to decompress quickly and easily. Simple techniques for stress relief have become more popular in recent years.

Overall, investing and participating in real life will be more popular in 2023. The new trend among young people today will be actively experiencing and pursuing an innovative life, which is also Xiaohongshu’s wish for 2023 in this report.

https://www.chinatradingdesk.com/post/2023-xiaohongshu-annual-life-trend-analysis

 

Douyin tests out PC shopping feature to boost e-commerce

 

Douyin, a popular video-sharing website in China, is currently testing a PC shopping feature that will let users have a similar shopping experience to that of its mobile app.

The live broadcast room on Douyin’s website now features a product mounting function that enables users to view available products right away. However, direct orders and payments are still not supported on the PC version of the live streams. 

Users must scan the code with their Douyin app before they can finish their purchases. 

https://daoinsights.com/news/douyin-tests-out-pc-shopping-feature/

 

Xiaohongshu doubles down on social networking with group chat feature 

 

Users can access the new feature under the “group chat” drop-down menu accessible from the Messages tab on the app. Here, users have the option of starting a brand-new group chat or going to the “group chat plaza,” where they can peruse various discussions in a grid format.  

Users can join group chats on Xiaohongshu with just one click, unlike private Facebook groups where they must submit a request to join and have it approved by an admin.  

Users will have the chance to create communities to connect over specific interests thanks to the new feature. Influencers and retailers also profit from the new feature because the buzz created in group chats can boost traffic to their profiles and aid in turning that traffic into sales. 

https://daoinsights.com/news/xiaohongshu-doubles-down-on-social-networking-with-group-chat-feature/ 

 

China’s Tourism Rebound Faces a Roadblock: A Lack of Travel Agents

 

Some predicted a “big bang” for the global tourism industry when China abandoned its “zero-COVID” regulations as Chinese tourists flocked abroad.

Millions of Chinese tourists are eager to resume their international travel. But the tourism sector isn’t prepared for them.

The number of people leaving China increased to 676,000 on February 6 when outbound package tours resumed, which is the highest number in three years but only about one-third of the pre-pandemic levels. 

In many cases, travelers are prepared to return to foreign countries, but travel agencies are not. 

Currently, there aren’t many options for outbound group tours, and most of them are quite expensive. Rebuilding the international teams and the supply chain takes time.

Chinese tourists still favor joining group tours over planning their own trips.

https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1012339/chinas-tourism-rebound-faces-a-roadblock-a-lack-of-travel-agents?source=channel_deep

 

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Maximizing WeChat Channels: An In-Depth Look at the Statistics and the Future Plans

February 16, 2023

WeChat, China’s biggest app, grew from just a chatting messanger to a major business platform a long time ago. And Channels, the video sub-platform of WeChat, is becoming one of users’ and businesses’ favorite features.

Channels advanced last year, with more services and content available to both consumers and businesses. Since the start of its internal beta testing on January 21, 2020, it has experienced significant user engagement. The feature, which enables anyone to record, create, and share videos, saw total user time exceed 80% of that of Moments, the latter of which offers mutual contacts with asynchronous photo, video, and audio sharing.

If you’re not very familiar with WeChat Channels yet, explore our introductory post for beginners here – A Beginner’s Guide to WeChat Channels.

Now, let’s analyze the WeChat Channel statistics and growth plan for 2023.

 

WeChat Channel Statistics

WeChat Channels have powerful tools for businesses to connect with their target audience and drive growth – with the help of innovative content.  The total number of views has skyrocketed, with a 200% YoY increase and a 400% YoY increase in video views based on AI recommendations.

The number of daily active creators and video uploads has also surged, with a 100% YoY increase, and significant growth in the number of viral videos and original video views. However, short videos are not all. 

Live streaming has also seen tremendous growth, with a 300% increase in users, a 156% increase in viewing time, a 614% increase in content creators, and an 83% increase in broadcast time.

🎥 Learn more about live-streaming on WeChat Channels

WeChat Channels continue to expand its support with new features like live streaming e-commerce, quick sharing, and product windows. This makes more brands eager to leverage a massive userbase to drive their sales and reach their target audience. 

The GMV of live-streaming e-commerce on Channels has grown by over 800% since 2021. Moreover, the average transactions now exceed RMB 200.

Top Events in 2023

WeChat Channels have become one of the most popular platforms for users to watch and share short videos. 

It’s clear that short videos are a hit among WeChat Channels users. The number of views for short videos in 2022 increased by 237% compared to the previous year, showing just how popular they have become.

When it comes to the most popular short videos, five topics stood out. These were the workplace, cultural history, financial management, eloquence/speech, and trivia. This shows that users are interested in a wide range of topics.

WEChat Channels Stats 2023

For those looking to be entertained, WeChat Channels has a plethora of options. The top five concerts in 2022 included “Yearning” by Li Jian, Cui Jian’s first online concert, the Backstreet Boys’ first-ever online concert, Luo Dayou’s “Childhood” concert, and “You Want a Good Concert.”

Backstreet Boys WeChat Channels

In addition to entertainment, WeChat Channels users are also looking for ways to improve their physical health. The top six fitness keywords searched by users were yoga, bodybuilding, boxing, body, aerobics, and diet meals.

For those looking to explore, WeChat Channels offer a wealth of travel content. For example, the top 10 most popular destinations in WeChat Channels included: 

  1. Yellow River Xiaolangdi Reservoir,
  2. Huashan Long Sky Boardwalk,
  3. Tiananmen,
  4. Leshan Giant Buddha,
  5. Yellow River Hukou Waterfall,
  6. Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie,
  7. Forbidden City,
  8. Gulangyu Island in Xiamen,
  9. Macao Green Mao Port,
  10. Former Residence of Chairman Mao in Shaoshan.

 

WeChat Channels’ Growth Plan 

In the fast-paced digital world, it’s essential for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to reach their target audience. WeChat Channels is one such platform that provides a unique opportunity for businesses to reach a vast audience through its innovative features and rich content ecosystem. According to WeChat Weixin Pro Class 2023 (our coverage of the 2022 edition available here), Tencent plans to invest more into Channels in the coming years. 

 

Short Video

The short video feature on WeChat Channels has seen significant growth in the past year. As a result, with more and more creators joining the platform, the content ecosystem has become more diverse and prosperous. 

Moreover, the time spent by WeChat Channels users has also increased and is now approaching that of WeChat Moments. The video views based on recommendation algorithms have increased by over 400% YoY, making it a great opportunity for businesses to reach a vast audience.

To provide comprehensive author services, WeChat Channels has upgraded its creator traffic and honor incentives, with new product capabilities such as online content heating, video product sharing, and video monetization tasks.

These tools will provide creators with more monetization options and help them grow and get better returns on WeChat Channels. 

In 2022, the number of daily active creators and video uploads increased by more than 100% YoY, original content played increased by 350% YoY, and the number of creators with 10,000+ fans increased by 308%. 

 

🗺 Learn how to optimize your WeChat Channels posting with our quick guide

WeChat Channels Video

Live Streaming

WeChat Channels’ live broadcasts have become an integral part of users’ social lives, covering a range of content from hot events to daily information communication and celebrity speeches. Above all, it provides a platform for individuals to start broadcasting and showing themselves, encouraging diverse content production. 

The platform provides a rich live broadcasting ecosystem:

  • the viewing scale increasing by 300%,
  • the viewing time by 156%,
  • and high-quality launch time by 614%.

WeChat Channels has always encouraged the production of diversified and high-quality content. In order words, providing a platform for “every individual to pick up his mobile phone and start broadcasting.” 

As a result, this led to a significant increase of 101% in 2022 and total anchor revenue growth by 447%.

To sum up, live streaming will invest 5 billion in traffic incentives and more rich and perfect realization tools and incentive policies to help every individual have a good start, growth, and income. 

E-commerce Live Streaming

Live Streaming Channels

The commercial potential of WeChat Channels live broadcast has continued to grow. With sales increasing by more than 8 times YoY and the platform’s public purchase conversion rate by more than 100%. 

The top three categories of consumption are clothing, food, and beauty. Finally, it’s worth noting that the purchasing power on WeChat Channels is split between 20% male and 80% female users. This information is useful for businesses and content creators looking to target specific demographics with their products and services.

The launch of WeChat Channels stores provides businesses with convenient and efficient business tools, with over 90% of sales coming from the WeChat Channels store. The platform has connected over 1,000 service providers, contributing over 30% to Channels’ sales.

Firstly to better support brand merchants, WeChat Channels will soon release an incentive plan for merchants. Secondly, Tencent will provide more opportunities, including traffic, brand identity, and other services. For instance, the platform will also continue to increase its support for service providers and focus on investment. For example, in areas of identity authentication, traffic incentives, and operational tools.

Conclusion

WeChat Channels have come a long way, with improvements in short video, live broadcasting, and e-commerce. Above all, with the continued development of the ecosystem and the implementation of incentive policies, WeChat Channels will continue to attract more users and creators, providing a platform for rich and diverse content. 

If you want to know more about WeChat channels and help create a content strategy for WeChat, contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

 

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Chinese Market Updates

February 7, 2023

Chinese internet search giant Baidu plans to launch a ChatGPT-style bot in March

Despite having a heavily censored domestic internet that is largely cut off from the rest of the world, ChatGPT has captured the attention of Chinese internet users. On regional social media, many people posted screenshots of the AI bot having unexpected conversations.

The application from Baidu will at first be integrated into its web search services. The combination will enable users to obtain search results in the form of conversations, similar to the well-known platform from OpenAI.

https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3208420/chinese-internet-search-giant-baidu-plans-launch-chatgpt-style-bot-march-source-says

 

China B2B Marketing in the Year of the Rabbit

 

Since trade shows and in-person meetings had to be canceled due to lockdowns and other circumstances, businesses had to find new ways to reach their target audiences.

New trends emerged:

  • Using trade publications for KOL marketing
  • Experiments with video and accelerated their WeChat content creation efforts using the WeChat Channels video platform,
  • Businesses can connect remotely with their clients and business partners thanks to webinars.
  • Digital-only trade shows and hybrid trade shows.

With COVID-19 still a major concern and vaccination efforts ongoing, it is more than likely that digital channels – especially newer channels – will to play a significant role

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/RG2S6bSwLJnQxwPz0Vvhdg 

 

Data report of LV, Chanel, Burberry, Prada and other official account in 2022

 

Service numbers include FENDI, Prada, HERMES, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry. In 2022, Chanel has the most mass-produced items (totaling 72), while Louis Vuitton has the fewest (totaling 35), more than twice as many as the latter.

The opportunity is effectively not wasted because the service number can be pushed four times per month and all brands can send in groups three to four times per month.

Burberry, which has the second-highest number of mass-market articles, has the most likes and views, with totals that are 269.95% and 429.05% higher than the benchmark FENDI, respectively. Chanel, which has the most articles published in groups, won the challenge with 180.54% more reading than the benchmark, FENDI. 

However, Louis Vuitton, which has the fewest articles published in groups, has launched a counterattack, placing second overall among the six brands in terms of reading, liking, and viewing.

It can be seen on the mass distribution time distribution histogram that luxury brands tend to push more frequently in the second half of the week, occasionally on Saturday, and not as much on Sunday.

LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0bWYZZhJePNMCMHSEWiuBA

 

Spring Festival shoppers shift to 3 new trends in post-covid China

 

This year, the burgeoning young generation of consumers has turned away from the traditional idea of New Year’s goods  such as red gift boxes filled with roasted nuts and candies and biscuits in favor of contemporary trends in the post-pandemic era.

First and foremost, healthcare products were in high demand among Chinese people of all ages as health became a priority for everyone for reasons that were unmistakably related to the pandemic. 

The “firework” bubble gun machine was another popular item during the Spring Festival because most cities continued to impose stringent regulations on all kinds of fireworks. Young customers took an immediate liking to the firework substitute that closely resembled the sound and sight of the genuine article.

Thirdly, young shoppers this year exhibited a strong desire for distinctive and fashionable Chinese New Year gift boxes.

https://daoinsights.com/news/spring-festival-shoppers-shift-to-3-new-trends-in-post-covid-china/ 

 

Tencent carves out niche with new Brand Discovery mini program

 

Tencent Huiju will be replaced by WeChat’s new mini-program “Brand Discovery,” which will be introduced soon. 

The new program will concentrate on information aggregation and act as a hub from which users can find other smaller programs and get suggestions. Users interested in further browsing or purchasing a particular brand’s products will be redirected to the relevant mini program of that brand or shopping site.

Ma Huateng, the CEO of Tencent, has hinted that the company plans to take advantage of the popularity of short-form video content in the future, perhaps by using it to increase brand awareness and traffic to suggested products on the Brand Discovery mini program. 

https://daoinsights.com/news/tencent-carves-out-niche-with-new-brand-discovery-mini-program/ 

 

The male beauty market in China is developing fast and should not be overlooked

 

From 2016 to 2019, retail sales in China’s male beauty market were significantly higher than the global average (13.5% versus 5.8%).

59.50% of the total are between the ages of 18 and 25, while 21.30% are between the ages of 26 and 30.

Male beauty consumers can also find information on websites like Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

The top online stores for male beauty are Taobao and Tmall.

In China’s male beauty market, daily moisturizing creams and facial cleansers are crucial.

https://daxueconsulting.com/male-beauty-market-china/

 

 

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