Navigating the Chinese Social Network
Andrew Collins
Navigating through the array of Chinese social networks has become a battlefield once only seen in the middle of war. However, there are a few steps to follow when establishing an effective social media plan designed to connect to the Chinese:
Forget Facebook and Twitter. This may be tough to digest; however, you must expect to tap into the conversations, friend networks and forums that the Chinese populate. Social media sites are blocked in China by government censorship, and the local networks have had a massive head start to establish themselves as global players. A majority of businesspeople in China frequent sites like Douban, Renren, Kaixin001 and TaoBao. How much of your communication is directed on these channels?
Leverage Blogger Influence. When it comes to doing business with the Chinese, nothing is more influential than a peer-to-peer referral. For the most part, the Chinese adopt their favorite bloggers as their own. Be sure to research key online bloggers who have a large following within your industry, and start to engage them. Include them in your strategy, allow for gifts, pay (if need be) and support them— it will pay you back tenfold.
Understand the Latest Online Language. A savvy social media strategy includes effective conversational marketing and content driving with up-to-date and fashionable online language … in Chinese. Trends can change from month to month, so be sure to stay abreast of what’s currently driving local campaigns. Remember, Chinese is the most used language online.
The Chinese social network space offers a plethora of opportunities to create dedicated social media campaigns to drive traffic to your destination. These networks offer various pros and cons, so before you attempt to connect to the world’s most populated country, be sure to gain local insight as to where to invest your time.
