china social media Archives

Unlocking Opportunities: Exploring the Latest Developments in China’s Market

September 11, 2023

Tencent officially launched its large language model

Chinese tech giant Tencent officially launched its Hunyuan large language model at the company’s Global Digital Ecosystem Summit.
The move comes several months after fellow Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu launched their own AI products.
The full stack self-developed Hunyuan LLM with over a hundred billion parameters is trained with 2 trillion tokens of pre-training data. It possesses strong capabilities in Chinese language comprehension, content creation, logical reasoning, and task execution.
In the future, the Hunyuan model will support Tencent Cloud’s MaaS (Model-as-a-Service), with customers able to directly access it through APIs and use it as a foundational model to develop applications for various industry scenarios, Tencent said.

LINK: https://www.jiemian.com/article/10057854.html

Publish without notification display in the homepage

When an article is posted, there will be two buttons, one to publish to all and one to publish without notification.

Publish without notification means that published content is not pushed to users. However, now the published content will be displayed on the home page of your WeChat account. The published article can also be forwarded to friends, friends in your circle, set for automatic replies, deleted, and so on.

Although, only fans can actively come to the home page to see the post article, if businesses publish frequently, it will end up making the home page look very busy. This then points to the need to be careful when using the post function in the future.

Xiaohongshu embarks on the era of “personal shoppers”, boosting social commerce

After the livestream momentum gained by the Chinese actress Dong Jie and subsequently KOL Zhang Xiaohui, Xiaohongshu now seeks to give influencers the official title of “personal shoppers”, stepping up efforts in social commerce.

The move closely follows the just concluded Red-commerce Partner Week 2023, which was hosted on August 24 in Shanghai. Touting the tagline “Entering the era of personal shoppers”, the event also marked the public debut of Xiaohongshu’s e-commerce division.

“Personal shoppers” would “play a crucial role in connecting merchants and consumers”. “The first things personal shoppers on Xiaohongshu need to work on is to understand the specific needs of their target audience, they are expected to direct other users to the products they are looking for.” As such, “personal shoppers” would act as upgraded KOLs, bringing together the content-focused “Community” and e-commerce ecosystems that are not yet well integrated on the platform.

This shows the ambition of Xiaohongshu in setting itself apart in the much-contested territory of e-commerce from existing experts such as Douyin (Chinese TikTok) and its rival Kuaishou by differentiating its approach to “influencing” consumers to that adopted by other social media platforms.

Such a practice also appears to be more persuasive and appealing to Xiaohongshu’s user demographics, which are economically satisfied and more knowledgeable in fields related to their interests.

LINK:https://daoinsights.com/news/xiaohongshu-embarks-on-the-era-of-personal-shoppers-boosting-social-commerce/

China Sets Filing Requirements for Smart Phone Applications

On 4 August 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) set a timeline to enforce the filing of mobile applications (APPs), in the published Notice on Carrying out the Filing of Mobile Internet Applications (Notice).
APPs that are pre-installed on a smart phone or downloaded by users, should conduct filing through their network access service providers. For example, an APP hosted on Tencent Cloud’s cloud service should conduct filing through the Tencent Cloud portal.
APPs based on API that users can use without installation, such as mini programs, quick apps, etc. should conduct filing through their distribution platform. For example, mini programs in WeChat should conduct filing through the WeChat portal.
A foreign company that operates an App in China can register its Chinese subsidiary or representative office as the APP holder. Alternatively, it can enter into a cooperation agreement with a local partner.

LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/w2xLVI75H4X59DRR5rODNA

China’s newest viral collab: megabrands Luckin Coffee x Moutai join forces

Many young Chinese people are tasting their first cup of luxury liquor—Kweichow Moutai — at domestic café chain Luckin Coffee. The two beverage giants partnered up to co-create a new flavor of latte, Moutai Latte (酱香拿铁), which was released today.
The collaboration was an instant hit, with long queues forming outside the 10,000-plus Luckin coffee shops distributed across China, and several related hashtags topping Weibo’s Hot List, each with over 100 million views.
Through the partnership with Luckin Coffee, Moutai is using a fresh way to popularize its product’s taste and brand among China’s younger demographic.
The collaboration seems to be a winning formula for both. The high-low partnership has tapped China’s guochao trend, offered surprise, delight, and nostalgia for consumers, and earned both brands new virality.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/luckin-coffee-moutai-collaboration/

‘Mom skincare’ —China’s maturing Gen X consumers give rise to new beauty opportunities

The cohort of 60-years-plus consumers could provide a new growth engine for skincare and personal care labels.

The options for mature skin are lacking, with many major local and global brands focusing on launching skincare lines for young women and men.

China’s Gen X consumers are big savers and users of high-end skincare labels. They have more knowledge about skincare and beauty than the preceding generation had.

Older consumers rank anti-aging effects as the top product function. However, hydration and moisturization also rank highly.

Brands have deployed celebrities in their 40s and 50s to endorse their skincare lines and promote their products on Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu.

LINK: https://jingdaily.com/chinas-gen-x-saves-big-but-also-consumes-high-end-skincare/

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Exploring China’s Market: The Latest Updates

August 14, 2023

1. LinkedIn announced its decision to discontinue InCareer in China:

Effective August 9, the decision was attributed to the fierce competition and challenging macroeconomic climate in the Chinese market, the firm stated.
LinkedIn introduced the InCareer app for the Chinese market in December 2022.
As of March of this year, InCareer had approximately 95,9600 monthly active users (MAUs), while its competitors 51 Job and Boss boasted 18.5 million MAUs and 17.3 million MAUs, respectively.
LinkedIn had previously expressed its intention to shift its strategic focus in the Chinese market toward assisting Chinese companies with overseas talent recruitment, brand marketing, and skill training.

https://www.ithome.com/0/711/201.htm

2. The Chinese short video platform Kuaishou showcased a new AIGC solution and AIGC digital human product called Kuaishou Zhibo:

The head of Kuaishou’s AI business highlighted that the AIGC solution is built upon Kuaishou’s self-developed foundational large language model.
It will help creators in the generation of text, images, music, videos, and 3D works by providing them with inspiration, creative materials, and intelligent production services.
The company is developing technologies such as text-to-image creation, AI-supported cameras, and intelligent video scripting for its portrait camera app Yitian Camera, and its video editing app Kuaiying.

https://www.36kr.com/newsflashes/2381837287157001

3. Guochao brew: China’s Gen Z craves a cup of ‘Chinese-style’ coffee

More cafés have created a distinctly Chinese atmosphere by incorporating traditional architecture, such as a courtyard, decorating their interiors with antique furniture, and serving drinks in Gaiwans.

They serve as popular spots for dates, chats, studying, and business meetings.

The localization goes beyond store aesthetics to infuse Chinese elements into the taste and preparation methods of the coffee as well.

Because these specific product launches rely heavily on novelty, the buzz is often artificial and temporary.

However, Guochao — or the integration of traditional Chinese elements in contemporary life — is no passing phase or gimmick.

https://jingdaily.com/chinese-style-coffee-guochao-gen-z/

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Tips for Reusing Your Western Social Media Content for WeChat in the Chinese market

September 2, 2022

China is the largest social media market in the world, but since Western social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are blocked there, most people are limited to using domestic social media – WeChat The Chinese social media ecosystem is distinctive because of this ban of other popular social networks.

WeChat is one of the most popular social media applications. It has grown to become the world’s (not just China’s) biggest super-app, with more than 1.25 billion average monthly active users.

One of the most interesting features for brands is official accounts. There are over 25 million official accounts on WeChat and all brands are fiercely fighting for users’ attention. How to make sure you do it the right way? Even if your content is performing really well it doesn’t necessarily mean that would be the case on WeChat. Content consumption, preferences of the Chinese audience, and format requirements vary from those on Facebook or TikTok. Reposting your Western content directly on WeChat won’t bring you a lot of fans.

Western Social Media vs WeChat Content

WeChat is an excellent tool for entering the Chinese market. It is frequently compared to Facebook or WhatsApp because its initial, and still the most important function, is instant messaging. However, despite these comparisons, the content that brands share on their official accounts is completely different.

If your WeChat strategy was to reshare content from your Western social media platforms, that’s not an easy road. WeChat’s content formats differ significantly from those of Western social media apps.

WeChat articles are lengthy posts that resemble newsletters or even blog articles more than anything else. Whereas Western social media are usually short, visually speaking content. Simply reposting content from Facebook and Instagram with a brief caption is not the best strategy because readers will be unsatisfied and won’t return if the situation occurs again.

However, it’s not impossible to make Western content work for WeChat. If you have a library of content already created for your Western social media or official website, we can help you to find the best way to repurpose and localize it to WeChat requirements and your target audience preferences.

Tips to repurpose Western social media content for WeChat

Blogs:

Good news! You can simply reuse your blog articles as WeChat posts.
Localize the content for the audience by translating the blog posts into the market language.
Focus on the most interesting aspects that will resonate with your audience in China and skip paragraphs that are less relevant.

Examples of Western social media blogs and updates turned into a WeChat article

Image-based content (Instagram):

You can incorporate the images and lengthen the copy by adding an introduction and more details, giving it at least a few paragraphs.

You can take additional photos and include them in the article.
Try to combine several posts and see if you can create a WeChat story out of them.
Prepare a nice layout to be visually appealing to the readers.

Video-based content (Stories, YouTube):

You can create content around videos by directly embedding them into articles.
You can also open WeChat Channels. Reuse both photos and videos with this WeChat feature. Literally, it’s the best WeChat feature for utilizing nearly all your visual and video content.
You can add Chinese subtitles added to your videos or fully localize them.

WeChat Channels – WeChat answer to TikTok and other short-video platforms

➡️ Learn more about WeChat Channels and how you can win on this WeChat’s sub-platfrom

With a good strategy and a pinch of creativity, you can smartly reuse existing content to maximize your efforts and save time. This will work for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even YouTube content. We encourage you to prepare a mix of global and original content for the local Chinese market – that is the strategy that works best for WeChat.

Conclusion

WeChat is the most widely used and well-known social media platform in China, so if you want to expand into the Chinese market, you must start producing content on WeChat.

At The WeChat Agency, we can help you decide on the content that can be reused from the global marketing assets and also help you create the best original content for China.

If you wish to know more about WeChat content creation and repurposing or other marketing techniques in China, 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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Douyin (China’s TikTok) Statistics 2022 [UPDATED!]

July 14, 2022

The TikTok app is certainly familiar to everyone who has spent time online in the last couple of years. ByteDance, a Chinese multinational internet technology firm, owns this social media network, which features a vast library of user-generated, brief video content.

These quick videos—which can be as brief as 15 seconds, 60 seconds, or 5 minutes—have made the globe aware of dancing crazes, hashtag challenges, and a tonne of useful tips. Brands trying to advertise their goods and services have also shown a strong interest in them.

So, What Is Douyin?

Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese version, is the only version of the app available to Chinese users. It’s been around since 2016. It’s owned by ByteDance.

App’s users receive a feed of video content catered to their interests and preferences. Just as those of TikTok’s international counterpart. Chinese Tiktok is heavy on entertaining, simple-to-consume video content and little on text and photos.

Douyin Vs TikTok: What’s The Difference?

Both TikTok and Douyin have similar appearances. Both of them are video content hosting platforms for entertainment, and they share many of the same fundamental features. The two video apps do differ in several significant ways, though.

🔥 How Douyin is Different From Tik Tok >>> Learn more here!

First off, if you want to reach Chinese users, you must open a second account on Douyin even if you already have one on the TikTok app. Users of Douyin and TikTok cannot access one other’s accounts, and the two applications function entirely independently of one another.

Second, compared to TikTok, the Chinese version has more sophisticated capabilities.

It enables in-video search, allowing users to look up a person’s face to discover more videos in which they appear. The app also makes it simple for consumers to look for and purchase goods that are mentioned in a video. Additionally, it enables businesses to link their account to their online store.

Because the two apps in fact are two separate ecosystems the trends that arise on Douyin are also different. Let us introduce 10 Top Fashion trends on Douyin that can be super relevant for you if you are a lifestyle brand.

1️⃣0️⃣ Hot Trends on Douyin now >>>

The Growth of China’s Biggest Short-Video App

Users of short videos are increasing and using the services for longer periods of time. The number of Douyin (China’s TikTok) users there is anticipated to increase to 639.4 million this year. This indicates that a large portion of the Chinese public uses the platform for a variety of purposes, which makes it a great possibility for growing businesses.

douyin data

Short-video apps’ combination of engaging content and interactivity will entice more customers away from traditional players and into the eCommerce world. This shift in consumer behavior benefits apps like Douyin and Kuaishou over established e-commerce companies like Alibaba and JD.com. Players of short videos have made investments in their own commerce operations to keep users within their ecosystems, and the results have been encouraging.

But it’s not only Douyin that is enjoying tremendous growth. The short video sector has also maintained a stable development trend. The number of users reached 934 million MAUs in 2021. In general, the active user penetration rate has exceeded 80% due to the constant supply of short video content and the ongoing enhancements to platform ecology.

Another interesting thing is the time spent on the app. According to China Internet Watch, Douyin has the longest average monthly usage of 1,794 minutes, compared with Kuaishou’s 1,662 minutes as of June 2021.

According to ByteDance, livestream views on their respective Singles’ Day events in 2021 totaled 39.5 billion, and Kuaishou recorded a 433% increase in GMV. Beijing’s anti-monopoly crackdowns have also made it possible for sellers to list their goods on any website and have allowed platform-to-platform linking, both of which are positive developments for short-video players.

short video platforms china stats

Why Should Businesses Use Douyin?

The number of daily active users on the app topped 600 million in September 2020, according to publicly available figures. There is a tonne of user-generated content on the platform, covering a wide range of topics that TikTok undoubtedly doesn’t cover. The majority of it is in Mandarin, and a sizable proportion of users are Chinese Gen Z. As a result, Chinese Douyin marketing and advertising provide limitless chances for global firms.

🤔 How to Advertise on Douyin? >>> TIPS here

Over 89% of Douyin’s users are under the age of 40, and over 49% are under the age of 30. This makes Douyin a great platform for global firms as it accounts for around 50.8% of China’s population. 68% of all Chinese social media users have a Douyin account and routinely use it. 90% of Douyin users utilize the app many times per day.

Businesses can utilize Douyin for a variety of things, including product sales, influencer marketing, customer interaction, and more. Anything a company does with the platform is a terrific chance for developing companies to establish themselves in China.

➡️ Did you know? WeChat has a short-video platform now too! >>> Check here

Conclusion

As the statistics suggest, Chinese customers appear to be acquiring more and more short video content in the coming days. This indicates that Douyin is a great opportunity for businesses to establish a reputation in China and capitalise on the country’s sizable demographic.

Learn more about Douyin on your blog.

If you wish to know more about Douyin or other short video platforms in China, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their network among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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Weekly China Updates

July 12, 2022

JD.com Announces Renewed Strategic Cooperation With Tencent

Tencent will keep providing JD.com with main entry points on its WeChat platform in order to maintain traffic. It also includes collaboration in areas like membership services, marketing and advertising, technology services, and communications.

The deal will carry out business cooperation in the areas of e-commerce portals, cloud technology and cloud services, membership systems, online conferences, enterprise services, smart retail and advertising, supply chain, and other areas. It will also strengthen technical exchanges and cooperation in artificial intelligence and other fields.

JD.com and Tencent are collaborating strategically for the third time at this time. The contract is extended for another three years.

Link: https://pandaily.com/jd-com-announces-renewed-strategic-cooperation-with-tencent/

Navigating Douyin — A Guide For Luxury

The mainland’s TikTok has already solidified its position in the market despite just having launched its e-marketplace in June 2020; it is currently ranked among the top five e-commerce applications with the greatest market shares.

600 million DAUs are on Douyin. The innovative consumer journey that Douyin delivers is what makes it so intriguing since it is completely changing the e-tail landscape. By connecting interest to final transactions, the software completes the cycle.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/douyin-guide-for-luxury/

Head & Shoulders Father’s Day Campaign Taps Into Paternal Pathos

Despite the fact that Father’s Day is not a recognised holiday in mainland China, it is nonetheless observed there in accordance with Western custom. On this day, the majority of Chinese advertisements are usually more sentimental than those in the West and focus on father-child connections. That said, it is remarkable how the Head & Shoulders commercial managed to stir up laughter in its viewers while also bringing them to tears.

For this very reason, family marketing is a common motif in Chinese ads. The good or service could be marketed to the whole family as a shared activity that is consumed together.

This video promo is not only directed at men who lose their hair but also at kids of all ages who value their father figures. In reality, sons and daughters wrote the majority of the posts under the Weibo hashtag #Dadsloveistoobald, which received an astounding 10 million views.

Link: https://daoinsights.com/works/head-shoulders-fathers-day-campaign-taps-into-paternal-pathos/

Weibo to Launch New Interest-Driven Social App

Several reports claim that Planet, a new interest-based social app, will be released by Weibo. An improved version of Planet Video, which already includes millions of communities covering a variety of themes, is the new app. Importantly, it will primarily serve as a tool for Weibo users to follow famous people and influencers while immersing themselves in groups of people who share their interests.

At the moment, Planet Video is divided into five categories: Home, Discover, Shoot, News, and My. The app immediately demonstrates Weibo’s interest in short video content. The move comes as no surprise given China’s tremendous demand for live streaming and brief video content.

On the other hand, some social circles may view the affiliation with a platform that promotes fan interaction and celebrity culture as disrespectful of the government’s efforts to curtail “excessive fan culture.” As a result, the luxury brands associated with Planet may find themselves in a sticky situation, dealing with criticism and reputational issues.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/weibo-planet-app-celebrities-short-video/

China’s All-Purpose Wechat App Lets Users Register Two Accounts With One Phone Number In Pilot Test

Tencent Holdings’ all-purpose social media platform WeChat is currently pilot testing a feature that enables users to sign up for an additional account using their existing mobile number. This could make it easier for users to balance their use of the app between their personal and professional lives.

According to a report by Chinese media outlet Thepaper.cn, the new capability has been in experimental testing with a small group of users since last year, and it is unclear if or when it will be formally released.

Some welcomed the move as a way to better separate work and life, while others were not impressed. However, some complained that the two accounts cannot work concurrently and they could miss the message on the main account when switching to the other one.

Link: https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3184348/chinas-all-purpose-wechat-app-lets-users-register-two-accounts-one

WeChat Service Marketing

The service market is an official platform to help find cooperation. At present, millions of companies are looking for small program development, customer service and other high-quality services here.

In the article, the marketing managers of two companies recommended this platform. They said that after they applied to join this platform, they signed a lot of customer resources and got a lot of cooperation service providers who meet the following standards to enter the service market-content service area:

It must be an independent corporate legal person, with fixed office space, and be qualified as a general taxpayer;
Has been registered and operated for more than 1 year;
The business scope should include: Daren, celebrity, self-media and other related businesses, providing market planning and publicity services, providing supply chain or e-commerce agency operations, etc., and engaging in related businesses for more than half a year;
The registered capital is more than 500,000 yuan;

He has experience in providing live broadcasts, short videos, and graphic operations for merchants in the WeChat ecosystem. One of the following conditions is met:

Sign a real and effective live broadcast operation business contract with at least 3 or more mini-program merchants, the live broadcast cooperation relationship can be checked, and the live broadcast comprehensive data performance during the service period is good;
Possess an agency operation business contract based on short videos and pictures and texts signed with more than 3 merchants in the WeChat ecosystem.
If neither of ① and ② is available, it is necessary to prove other materials that can prove the serviceability in the WeChat content service field.

Link: https://developers.weixin.qq.com/doc/oplatform/service_market/provider_guideline/enter_guideline/mcn_enter_guideline.html

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Weekly News Roundup From China

June 28, 2022

Tencent’s WeChat Debuts in 618 Shopping Festival with Big Bet on Live-Streaming Ecommerce Despite Slowing Economy

WeChat, a product of Tencent, has for the first time introduced its own 618 online shopping festival using its in-app video feature Channels. Over 50% of the sales generated by live broadcasting on WeChat in 2021 were from private domains, such as a brand’s current WeChat fans.

The average transaction value for customers watching live streams on Channels is 200 (US$29.9), and 60% of viewers make additional purchases. The Tencent app appeals to businesses who wish to communicate with consumers in a semi-private network in order to gain and keep a loyal customer base.

Link: https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3182083/tencents-wechat-debuts-618-shopping-festival-big-bet-live-streaming-e

Backstreet Boys Join Westlife for Online Concert on super-app WeChat

Thanks to the Backstreet Boys’ first-ever live-streamed concert on the popular app WeChat, Chinese fans of the ’90s and ’00s pop music may experience the enchantment of the 2022 DNA World Tour.

It’s anticipated that around 40 million people will watch the show. In addition to receiving approximately 37 million views on Weibo, a linked hashtag, the event’s preview on WeChat received 82,000 likes in just 24 hours.

Most Chinese Millennials and Zoomers who were exposed to the Backstreet Boys and Westlife by their professors have grown up with both bands by their sides.

Link: https://radiichina.com/backstreet-boys-concert/

Unpacking Sephora’s Global C-beauty Push

The “In China for China” business incubator programme, which will seek to develop five premium Chinese beauty names into global megabrands, was unveiled by Sephora on June 6.

The strategy capitalises on both the propensity of Chinese customers to purchase domestic brands as well as the expanding interest within foreign beauty communities in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and eastern wellness ideas.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/sephora-c-beauty-global-expansion-tcm/

China Plans to Review Every Single Social Media Comment

China may soon evaluate each and every social media comment before it is posted, raising concerns about increased censorship in a nation with one of the strictest media environments in the world.

Internet users in China have expressed concern that if planned legislation requiring internet platforms to evaluate all social media comments is passed, the country’s already restricted space for free speech will be further reduced.

The new limits would disrupt the fun since real-time remarks give viewers the impression that they are in a chat room with other people. This makes the experience more engaging.

“If the rules are passed, it means that everything we see online would be what’s been hand-picked by moderators, and it would be harder for individuals to make their voices heard,”

Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-plans-review-every-single-093000701.html

Tencent News Aggregator App Kuai Bao to Cease Operations Next Month

Tencent Holdings will stop operating Kuai Bao, its news aggregator app, at the end of the month, showing that even China’s most powerful and wealthy Big Tech corporations must slash non-core businesses in the face of persistent regulatory pressure and the slowing economic growth of the nation.

Kuai Bao offers users algorithm-generated recommendations based on their profile, hobbies, and browsing history, much to the well-known news aggregator app Jinri Toutiao, which is owned by ByteDance.

Since its 2015 launch, Kuai Bao hasn’t gotten big enough to compete with its rivals. According to a survey released in February 2021 by the research firm Questmobile, ByteDance’s Jinri Toutiao leads the Chinese online news information sector in terms of daily active users, followed by Tencent News, Sina News, and NetEase News.

ByteDance last week shut down a game development studio that it acquired three years ago, slashing more than a hundred jobs in a major setback for its quest to challenge Tencent in that market.

Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tencent-news-aggregator-app-kuai-093000641.html

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What’s New in China?

June 20, 2022

Consumers in China Shift Focus from Instant Gratification to Longer-term Value

Consumers in China have entered a new era characterised by increased sophistication and prudence, a commitment to sustainability, and a desire for work-life balance. Despite the fact that family remains the most important factor, the “me” economy has grown in popularity.

Also, convenience is becoming increasingly important. Consumers like the convenience of smart gadgets, with 70% prepared to contribute personal information for improved services, but they are concerned about excessive push messaging. The content given via push messaging is unsatisfactory for 75% of consumers because it is irrelevant or not tailored to their requirements.

Link: https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/consumers-in-china-shift-focus-from-instant-gratification-to-longer-term-value-accenture-research-finds.htm

Are Chinese Middle-Aged Men Luxury’s Next Big Spenders?

China’s menswear market was worth $104 billion in 2021, according to a survey by data analysis firm iiMedia Research, and is predicted to increase at a CAGR of 8.47% over the next five years. In a country with a population of over 1.4 billion people, it’s no surprise that male clients want to have a voice in their wardrobe – hence the term ta jingji, or “He economy.”

An account called @云爸爸品牌男装, also known as Yunbaba, that sells middle-aged men’s clothing has gained ground recently on Douyin. It attracted a lot of attention from the audience including younger people.

Canudilo, a local menswear brand famed for its traditionally fitted suits and separates, is hosting a series of themed fashion roundtables for male customers. It also works with renowned local designers and artists, such as Liu Pingyun (who designed the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic mascot), to develop eye-catching pieces for the middle-aged market.

As the menswear market accelerates, options for older male shoppers are limited. “Men are too shy to discuss how to dress if their bodies are out of shape. Money is not the problem but the market still has a lot to do to educate this group.”

Link: https://jingdaily.com/chinese-middle-aged-men-shoppers-ralph-lauren/

WeChat Unveils New Feature for Managing Group Chats

Admins and group chat owners can now highlight a message by long-pressing it and selecting “Sticky on Top.” Members of the group can click on the message, which will take them back to the original post, making the material more evident to the reader.

The hashtag #WeChat released a group chat message pinning feature# garnered over 460 billion views on Weibo this week, referring to a new feature that allows users to pin group chats to the top of WeChat for easier access. Netizens, on the other hand, are dissatisfied since they identify WeChat as nothing more than a working app. Users, on the other side, are proposing additional features like as the removal of like notifications and higher resolution photographs, among others. Despite the less than enthusiastic response from users to the new feature, WeChat remains the most popular social media platform among Chinese users, with over 78% of its 1.24 billion users residing in the country.

However, brands that build private traffic groups on WeChat may benefit from this capability. Brands might, for example, provide loyal consumers with exclusive discounts and bonuses, or improve the customer experience by providing more tailored aftersales services. Meanwhile, during recent lockdowns in locations such as Shanghai, group chats on WeChat were heavily used for collective shopping. As a result, as group buying has transitioned from rural to mainstream following the 2022 lockdowns, the group-buying community can benefit from this new function by allowing consumers to locate their orders more efficiently.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/qUotevoBpFQXcebxXR4DBQ

Elon Musk Tells Employees He Wants Twitter to Be More Like WeChat and TikTok

Elon Musk told Twitter staff on Thursday that if the company wants to reach 1 billion users, it needs to become more like WeChat and TikTok. Musk stated that the app should be more useful and that “people should be really entertained and informed.”

“There’s no WeChat equivalent outside of China,” Musk said, “You basically live on WeChat in China. If we can recreate that with Twitter, we’ll be a great success.”

Musk emphasised his desire for Twitter to rely more heavily on subscriptions and fees on the call, suggesting that people should pay to be verified.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/16/23171054/elon-musk-twitter-deal-1-billion-users-wechat-tiktok

Is Tech Accessories Luxury’s Next Big Opportunity?

Because so much of daily life in China is impossible without mobile technology, the industry is particularly lucrative. According to NPD Group, a market research firm based in the United States, 75% of smartphone users use cases.

The phone case industry is predicted to increase by $11.74 billion (about 78.1 billion yuan) in value between 2020 and 2025, according to a report by market research firm Technavio. Headphone cases, computer cases, and other smart device accessories, on the other hand, are on the rise.

Bottega Veneta created a case for Apple’s iPad in 2010 that featured the brand’s characteristic Intreccio woven design. In recent years, premium companies have embraced headphone cases, with Dior, Gucci, and Prada all promoting high-end designs.

Years later, in June 2021, Chanel released two pearlized leather AirPods cases, causing a stir. These were made of sheepskin and featured a rhinestone-studded version of the traditional Chanel double C emblem. Many people were put off by its expensive price of about $2,970 (20,000 yuan). “The headphone case is more expensive than the headphones, so what’s protecting what?” joked one netizen.

In the end, demand for tech accessories will always be tied to the gadgets they’re meant to complement and protect. To today’s Chinese consumers, luxury is defined by goods that represent their personal taste and style, rather than by a price tag. Like apparel, phone cases (and headphone cases) have become a popular method for young customers to express themselves. It’s only a matter of time before luxury brands and niche players increase their investment in the segment and allow for greater personalisation.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/luxury-phone-tech-accessories-chanel-airpods/

Xiaohongshu Launches Official Cooperation Platform

In April, Xiaohongshu announced management regulations for illegal brand point deductions, which will deduct points for brands that engage in illicit marketing practices. The guidelines’ objective is to severely restrict the brand’s “Private transaction” (i.e., the brand’s private collaboration with bloggers to release posts), requiring the brand’s and bloggers’ cooperative promotion to be performed through the marketing platform “Dandelion” under Xiaohongshu.

Why are brands worried about this promotion platform?

For brand ：

The brand will worry that the articles published through the cooperation platform will display the brand’s logo, indicating that this is an advertisement, and users will feel uncomfortable
the brand needs to pay 10% of the service fee to the platform, which means that the launch cost is higher.
the brand needs to go through a series of processes through platform cooperation, and the procedures are very cumbersome
the brand should also consider the business content scheduling of the blogger.

Although brands will face such troubles, it is undeniable that the introduction of the rules is necessary. In the past few years, many brands have relied on the little red book to privately seek cooperation with bloggers and even issued false advertisements.

Therefore, for brands, if they want to open the market by relying on red books in the future, it may be the “optimal solution” to follow the rules of the platform.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/M1sFpVo-IdzNjpvYsc1iEg

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Live Streaming on WeChat Channels

June 7, 2022

Live streaming is the new Holy Grail for brands and businesses that are constantly looking for new methods to better engage their customers. This allows businesses to better understand their customer preferences, which aids in sales conversion and increases brand awareness.

WeChat is a great medium for getting to know your customers and providing them with a variety of content that keeps them engaged and connected to your brand.

In this article, let’s look at another type of content to broadcast within the WeChat ecosystem beyond the WeChat Article and WeChat Channels video feeds: live streaming on WeChat. Tencent offers two different ways to stream live video:

Through own mini programs’ integrated live streaming capability,
WeChat Channels’ built-in feature.

Brands that decide to use their own mini-programs to live stream have more flexibility when it comes to the live stream format but on the downside, these sessions won’t be discoverable on the growing Channels tab. Tencent has ambitious plans for Channels as it was highlighted during the Weixin Pro class earlier this year with already more than 450 million Daily Active Users.

In the last couple of months, we’ve seen WeChat boosting its live steaming feature by providing brands with more ways of promoting their live streams and increasing the number of touchpoints where users can discover them. WeChat Channels accounts’ main page even shows how many live streams each account hosted.

In our blog post today we will focus on how to live-stream using WeChat Channels.

What Are the Benefits of Using WeChat Channels Live Streaming?

WeChat live streaming is a new feature that allows you to live stream videos directly from your WeChat account. It’s an amazing tool for businesses and individuals who want to get their content out into the world and engage with their audience. Here are just some of the benefits of using WeChat live streaming:

It’s easy to use. Unlike other streaming platforms, WeChat has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for anyone to create a live broadcast.
The platform is free and easy to access on any device (desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile). You can even access it from multiple devices at once.
Businesses can learn about the feelings of the audience right away by looking at their comments and reactions. They can also get honest customer feedback in real-time.
Learn what matters to customers when it comes to product selection.
Brands can reach a larger audience with less effort than ever before.
Companies can increase brand awareness and build a loyal fanbase.
Accounts can seamlessly incorporate e-commerce into their live streams and conserve with the clients.

Top Live-Streaming Formats & Approaches

Top WeChat Channels Live Streaming Formats

KOLs, live streamers

Format: The host of the Livestream introduces and tests products.

Objective: Mainly to drive sales

Examples: Lee, Only

Fashion show

Format: A Livestream of a fashion show, with no host for the most part.

Objective: Awareness

Examples: Armani, Givenchy

Discussion rooms

Format: Hosts speak about various topics and respond to questions

Objective: Awareness, sometimes sales

Examples: HEYTEA, Shiseido

Livestream – Discovery: How Do Users Find Out About Live Streams?

Users can learn about your live streams in a variety of ways, including:

A brand can add a plate informing about the upcoming live stream into the article.
WeChat displays a red dot and the name of the account that is currently live-streaming on the ‘Discover’ page.
The streams of subscription accounts are promoted within the subscription folder with the currently streaming accounts encircled in red.
A button to ‘reserve‘ (be alerted) when the live stream begins is included in all accounts.
On the main channel page of WeChat Channels that are now streaming, there is a tile displaying the stream cover.
Brand zone when searching for the brand through WeChat Search.
And potentially more to come.

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Discovery Touchpoints

💬 If you are new to WeChat Channels you might want to get more familiar with the best tactics and grow your fanbase before organizing your first live-streaming sessions: WeChat Channels – How to Post for Success?

Notable Livestream Features

Livestream – Purchase Path: When visitors enter the live-stream room, a floating window displays on the screen with a link to a direct e-commerce product page. By clicking on the ‘shopping bag’ icon, users can browse additional products. Users can look up additional information about a product and add it to their cart, or they can buy it right away and pay.
WeChat Channels Live Streaming Purchase Path
Livestream – Customer Service: Users can use the ‘comment’ function to ask questions, and they can also go to ‘customer service from the product page. Brands can also include a button to add a WeCom customer service contact to talk to the sales team one-on-one. By clicking on the ‘phone’ symbol (a rarely utilized feature), users can call the host live. Users can also participate in a live video or audio call with the host in real-time.
Livestream – Sharing a Stream: The stream can be shared with friends or uploaded to Moments. The user will be given a preview similar to WeChat Channels (live-stream cover). The preview will be blurred if the live stream has already ended. Users can click to reserve a live stream if a brand has already planned one.

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Sharing

Other features of a live stream: Livestream also offers the ability to hold lucky draws and create red packets. Users are invited to ‘comment’ (typically a brief message) to enter a random drawing for a prize – usually a tiny e-commerce coupon (which is quite popular). Red packets gifts can also be set up by hosts for their guests (Not very popular)

How to apply for WeChat Live Streaming?

Brands cannot start a live stream automatically. WeChat requires a formal application in the WeChat Channels backend to open the live streaming function.

Fill in:

The type of live streaming,
Short-term and long-term plans,
Contact information.

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Application

For the live stream, the WeChat Channel operator can stream directly from their mobile phone or computer desktop.

When the application is approved in the WeChat Channels backend will share the streaming address and key provided by the video account assistant to output live streams through third-party platforms such as OBS.

Additional options:

Target Audience: when applying for the broadcasting, the brand can choose to allow only users on the list to watch your live broadcast – this requires uploading a list of WeChat IDs of selected users.
Products & Coupons: brand can upload a list of products and coupons in the backend that can be later on used and shared with the viewers during the session.
Teasers & reservations: brand can create a live steaming reservation and fill in the live steaming time and introduction. After successful creation, a brand can then insert the reservation card into the official account posts. At the same time, it can also be directly displayed in the video of the channel. A QR code is also available to download.
Additional links: there are 4 types of links that that account can place during the live streaming:
- Link to the next live stream and its reservation (to receive notification)
- Link to the official account article
- WeCom customer service contact card
- Hongbao – red packet.

WeChat Channels Live Streaming Links

Before preparing your next live streaming session don’t forget to read out article on live streaming dos and don’ts.

Conclusion

WeChat has emerged as an extremely useful and powerful tool for businesses looking to expand to the Chinese market. From its live-streaming feature to its various other content, WeChat represents the growing trend of mobile-first social media.

Its continued success is evident in the way it has already become an indispensable platform for businesses to market their products and build brand influence, not just in China but across Asia. That’s something brands would be wise not to overlook.

If you wish to know more about WeChat and its various features, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their network among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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China Weekly News Roundup

May 24, 2022

Elon Musk Praises the WeChat Model As He Discusses Plans for Twitter

Elon Musk praised WeChat as “really an excellent app” and labelled it “a good model”

“We don’t have anything like that,” Musk said, as he complimented the Tencent super app’s offering of services like Twitter, PayPal and more “all rolled into one.”

“Such an app would be really useful” in markets outside of China, speculating that it could be created by converting Twitter to something all-encompassing or starting a new app from scratch.

Musk’s comments quickly went viral in China, with the hashtag “Musk praises WeChat” amassing more than three million views within a few hours on the microblogging platform Weibo.

Link: https://technode.com/2022/05/19/elon-musk-praises-wechat-model-as-he-discusses-plans-for-twitter/

Tencent’s Total Revenue Stays Flat, Profit Drops in Q1 Amid Regulatory and COVID Headwinds

Tencent fell short of market forecasts after posting almost flat revenue growth in the first quarter of this year ($21.2 billion in revenue versus $21.1 billion in the same period last year).

The company’s earnings for the period were RMB 26.3 billion, a 24% reduction year on year, while net margins fell to 19% from 26% the previous year.

Tencent’s worst result since its IPO in 2014 is primarily due to clients’ reduced ad spending and more competition from competitors like TikTok owner ByteDance. Despite the state signalling a softening of pressure on digital giants, the impact of regulatory crackdowns will remain since it will “take time for specific regulators to convert directly into meaningful action.”

Link: https://technode.com/2022/05/19/tencents-total-revenue-stays-flat-profit-drops-in-q1-amid-regulatory-and-covid-headwinds/

TikTok Parent Aims to Double Ecommerce Volume on China App to $240 Billion

This year, ByteDance hopes to more than double the amount of shopping done on Douyin in China to about $240 billion. ByteDance is now planning a global e-commerce development.

TikTok launched an e-commerce function, TikTok Shop, in the United Kingdom and Indonesia last year, allowing users to complete transactions within the app.

It launched the feature in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines last month.

If TikTok’s 1 billion active monthly users embrace the buying option, ByteDance will be a serious competitor to Amazon.

Link: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/tiktok-parent-aims-to-double-e-commerce-volume-on-china-app-to-240-billion

JD Rolls Out Online-to-Offline Department Store Business with Plans for Physical Outlets

JD has introduced a new department store channel by combining numerous existing businesses from its fashion and lifestyle areas, such as apparel, cosmetics, and housewares.

In addition to online platforms, the company intends to expand the service’s offline presence by opening themed brick-and-mortar storefronts in major cities. The first will open before June 18 in Beijing, Chengdu, and Xi’an.

Link: https://technode.com/2022/05/10/jd-rolls-out-online-to-offline-department-store-business-with-plans-for-physical-outlets/

Zhihu 知乎: The Q&A platform for B2B marketing

Zhihu 知乎, which was created in 2011, is a Chinese social platform that has been compared to the western question-and-answer website ‘Quora.’ With more than 100 Million Monthly Active Users in the fourth quarter of 2021, the 36.4% year-over-year rise attests to the community’s ongoing development and potential.

Unlike Baidu Zhidao 百度知道, where the sort of content and responses are given are shorter in length, Zhihu 知乎 provides high-quality content that prioritises quality over quantity.

Even though the platform has a large user base, a larger portion of the audience exhibits unique characteristics. The majority of users are highly educated; they spend about 40 minutes each day reading the stuff submitted, and 60% are between the ages of 25 and 35.

How can you improve your visibility on Baidu?

Since Zhihu has a strong domain authority on this search engine, sharing content on Zhihu boosts your chances of appearing on Baidu SERP.

You can link your business social profiles as well as your corporate website on your Zhihu page, guiding viewers to your key communication channels.

Other features have been added to the platform throughout time. Zhihu Column 知乎专栏, for example, allows you to produce an essay on a given topic without having to attach it to a specific query. Zhihu Roundtable 知乎圆桌 allows specialists to deliver in-depth insights about a certain field of expertise, whilst Zhihu 知乎 Live allows people to interact with the company in real time.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/1uguDRjXl01yj0f4W5BkQQ

Balenciaga’s WeChat Campaign for China’s 520 Day

Balenciaga produced a campaign that includes a number of social activities and limited editions, all of which were available on their official website and in their physical locations. The “5:20 Video Game Hall,” a virtual arcade with pixel art and realistic audio that is now live on the company’s WeChat channel until May 20, stood out. Along with this, 520-exclusive profile images and WeChat gags were made available for free download.

The mini-games throughout the hall struck a chord with Chinese Millennials who grew up with arcade classics like Galaxian and Super Mario, and many WeChat users have already utilised the memes and profile images. Such assets serve as a virtual identity stamp, assisting the company in consolidating its digital significance and expanding its online communities.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/520-2022-balenciaga-louis-vuitton-prada/ https://www.163.com/dy/article/H7MFPPE20552U2HZ.html?f=post2020_dy_recommends

Wufangzhai Created the Cone Universe

Wufang Pictures has reopened and has officially released “The Next Stop of the Metaverse.” Not only did the brain hole fly out of the Metaverse in this blockbuster, but the copywriting made people crave it.

The short film concludes with a gloomy night, the Metaverse city with many high-rise structures, but no sign of human people. However, no matter how many worlds exist, there is no alternative to the preciousness of human people, which tickles the emotional link deep within every individual and tempts them to try that magical zongzi.

Link: https://socialbeta.com/c/11455

The WeChat Service Account Has Added a Function–No Notification

The “no notification” capability was incorporated in the most recent WeChat upgrade. To see the message non-disturbing switch, click three points in the upper right corner of the home page of each service number, and then choose “Settings” in the pop-up menu. When there is a new message in the service number after opening the message without interruption, the unread number is not displayed but is simply represented by a small red dot.

This might be bad news for the service account: because it includes a reminder function, it can remind users to read the articles on time, so increasing the amount of reading.

But it’s also good news to a certain extent: according to our experience, after each article is pushed, the account will lose some users. Maybe when the user is not disturbed by the reminder information, the user will not unfollow the account.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/zQtJ5RU7edeAvzFd22l2-A

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A Recap of the Latest China Updates

April 12, 2022

Meet Poizon (Dewu), China’s Latest E-commerce Platform

What it is?
Poizon is a full-fledged fashion marketplace that sells authentic designer and premium brand sneakers, garments, bags, watches, and accessories, as well as artwork. It began as a content-sharing community in 2015. The company then ventured into e-commerce and used specialised authentication. Its journey is built around two pillars: community and shopping, allowing for a closed content-to-commerce cycle.
What does it offer?
- Verification and quality inspection process for each purchase. Poizon-branded packaging, featuring an exclusive certificate of authenticity, a tamper-resistant cable tie, and custom packaging, is included with items that pass the process.
- The world’s largest AR shoe model library. Its “AR try-on” function is used by 30% of customers every day.
What makes it different?
On-site orders through purchase links in the posts, and sharing authentic experiences and styling inspirations after receiving the products. This helps accumulate brand equity and establish loyal communities.
Why does it matter?
90% of its users are Gen Zers. They are better educated, have a broader perspective, and are more concerned about quality. Poizon has established an online shopping destination as well as a virtual area in which to form emotional relationships with others, and they are motivated by the potential of the community.

Poizon, unlike other social networking platforms and e-commerce sites, is in charge of everyday operations, which are usually outsourced to third-party organisations. For brand merchants, there is no registration charge, which is a high cost on marketplaces like Tmall. And all of its marketing and advertising tools are available for free.
Bottom line: Legendary collaborations like Louis Vuitton x Supreme and Dior x Air Jordan have proved that the resale value of luxury can concentrate brand equity. Leading premium brands, however, appear unwilling to open official accounts, based on the current brand portfolio on the marketplace. A prudent approach might be a one-off collaboration.

Link: https://jingdaily.com/poizon-china-ecommerce-streetwear-resale/?utm_source=Jing+Daily+Subscriber+List&utm_campaign=03272a45fc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_12_06_39_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8dec01cd8d-03272a45fc-408272405

Tips on Increasing the WeChat Article Open Rate

Leave out key information
Catchy headlines
Surprising – repeating characters or leaving extra spacing between letters
Leverage buzzwords
Relate to a common struggle
Numbers in the titles
Call out your target audience
Problem + solution
Be friendly and personable
Categorize

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ahD0qYcIxpW6Jd2UNq6jhQ

Xiaohongshu Wants More Male Users. It’s Using Women as Bait.

Is XHS drastically changing? Since the company has adopted a new growth strategy that prioritizes attracting more men to join the platform, many women say that they no longer feel safe and comfortable sharing their reviews.

https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1009886/chinas-instagram-wants-more-male-users.-its-using-women-as-bait

Taobao Tmall Released the Spring/Summer 2022 Fashion Trend Report. Based on Global Trends and Consumer Side Data, the Report Jointly Released Eight Spring/Summer Fashion Trends.

New Chinese style: Generation Z in China promotes design that is inspired by Chinese style and elements; at the same time, creative workers continue to produce excellent “New Chinese” products by delving deeply into the meaning of traditional cultural elements and combining them with the aesthetic concept of the new era.
The wearing style is generally made of body shapers, navel revealing styles, which accentuate the sensual and daring while integrating innocence and is influenced by the #Y2K style that has become trendy in recent seasons.
Free commuting: As working from home becomes the new normal, clothing is becoming increasingly integrated and diverse, and can be readily exchanged between office and leisure to meet the needs of many scenarios.
City Girl & Boy: Having a lockdown at home encourages individuals to engage in outside activities and get closer to nature. People are increasingly participating in outdoor recreational activities. Young people want a neutral combination, which combines leisure, sports, and other style components while displaying a basic and informal attitude and lifestyle.
Dopamine: This type of design can inspire joy and hope, restoring confidence and optimism for the future. Consumers are easily won over by design and experience that may elevate their spirits and promote optimism. Tufting’s popularity, both online and offline, is proof of this, as is the emergence of businesses like Merci Madame and Tagi, which demonstrate the trend’s market potential.
Holiday south France: go abroad vacationing still can stay only in imagination stage, “escape city plan” heat is not reduced, contracted and comfortable French country vacationing style catered to this one demand, attracted young city people with its peculiar languid, leisurely and comfortable with grace.
High-performance life: safety and security as the most basic human survival law, is now under threat, it will drive the innovation of high-tech protective materials, promote the renewal and iteration of functional protective product design, so that science and technology empower, science and technology to benefit the world, in the field of fashion with products to provide people with a safe high-performance life.
Deconstruction: As customers place a greater emphasis on environmental protection, businesses and brands must assume greater social responsibility in designing and producing environmentally sustainable products that reflect today’s consumer values. In 2023, businesses’ objective of regeneration will become a prominent innovation field, as seen by the fashion industry’s launch of regenerative series, the use of recyclable materials in product design, and the creation of individual pieces through deconstruction.

Link: http://beautyland.creativeonshow.com/ifashion/index.html

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