5 China marketing trends for 2019

 
While China still represents a big growth opportunity for all brands, brands need to be more measured and focus on fewer, higher quality efforts. Marketing to China is becoming a global challenge. Brands need to support their China-specific marketing with new strategies at the HQ level, in order to reach PRC nationals across borders.A new report has outlined five trends advertisers and marketers should start taking note of.

 
1. China marketing is now global

 
As China continues to grow at a breakneck speed, it’s expanding beyond the limits of its borders in many ways: overseas visits are expanding rapidly, cross-border eCommerce continues to grow, and Chinese enterprises are setting their sights on global ambitions.

 
The challenge of marketing to China is now one that needs to be addressed at a global level, with increased attention from brand headquarters, and at multiple checkpoints around the World. With messaging and content which is respectful and authentic, brands must also balance core brand identities with “localising” for China.

 
WeChat and Kuaishou have also seen success in gaining audiences in other Asian Markets. And – coupled with the rise of Chinese global tourists and migrants – Alipay and WeChat Pay have also been successful in expanding outside of China.

 
2. Measurements of brand/digital performance are critical

 
In the case of social media, brands have started to realise that authentic follower increases are the result of overall brand awareness and affinity, not simply the result of push marketing on social. And follower count alone does not equate to sales performance. Engagement is a better measure of success than follower count.

 
Data and measurement efforts are becoming essential to in evaluating and vetting of KOLs/Influencers. As part of comprehensive full-stack marketing reviews, brands are visualizing a complete set of company data to measure the effectiveness of marketing and sales to evaluate the ROI of all efforts.

 
3. Quality in branding and content matters more

 
Content has not always gotten top billing as part of the China marketing playbook. KOLs, ads, and promotions have typically taken priority, as companies have sought quick results. For many international brands, the China effort has been “a copy to” effort, where content developed at HQ has simply been dropped into the market with light adaptation.

 
Video content which connects with audiences, around topics they are interested in, will help move brands forward more swiftly. Marketers need to think about developing creative concepts which are unique to their brand, distinct and relevant for audiences, and repeatable (can be replicated after first success). Content that wins needs to be entertaining, informative and surprising.

 
4. Social selling is massive

 
In China, social is an inherent part of eCommerce, social media channels have always been quick to add links to sales. China is several steps ahead when it comes to “social commerce”. There are clear and simple opportunities for consumers to “buy” at every turn, across every platform, such as live-streaming sites, short video apps, community sites, and messaging platforms.

 
Influencers and KOLs have also started to shift their efforts from being “paid to post” to selling-direct to followers. Audiences themselves are even getting into the action through pyramid-style marketing sites, such as Pinduoduo.

 
5. Retail is being reshaped by social

 
In the past, physical retail spaces have been used to move inventory through to customers and collect payment on-site, where retail and merchandising teams would rarely intersect with marketing. However, given how easily consumers can order online in China nowadays, customers switch seamlessly between shopping online and offline. physical retail spaces are now being re imagined as marketing and engagement opportunities.

 
The report stated, AR and VR are poised to play an interesting role in the re-thinking of retail and in further connecting online to offline, in a market where everyone is connected to social, mobile, video and eCommerce.

 
In the past, physical retail spaces have been used to move inventory through to customers and collect payment on-site, where retail and merchandising teams would rarely intersect with marketing. However, given how easily consumers can order online in China nowadays, customers switch seamlessly between shopping online and offline. physical retail spaces are now being re imagined as marketing and engagement opportunities.

 
Compare in the past, content is not the utmost influential factors to branding. Nevertheless, consumers are more “social commerce” driven now and they focus on the word of mouth and reviews. Looking into a whole picture of the product is a comprehensive marketing. Meanwhile, offline promotion campaign can be done, so as to proceed a more effective sales figure.

 
If you would like to know to more about China marketing promotion ,please contact us.

 

Source: 5 Marketing Trend for 2019 -Marketing interactive.com