According to the 47th China Statistical Report on Internet Development, China's total number of Internet users is expected to reach 989 million by December 2020, up 84.50 million from March 2020. By December 2020, China's internet penetration rate had surpassed 70%.
Furthermore, China has been the world's largest online retail market since 2013. The income from online retail sales in 2020 was CNY 11.76 trillion ($1.81 trillion), up 10.9 percent from the previous year. By December 2020, China's number of internet buyers had risen to 782 million, an increase of 72.15 million from March 2020.
With an ever-increasing internet penetration rate and a rapidly expanding online market, digital marketing has become a top focus for many Chinese firms. Companies must never overlook China's three digital behemoths while developing their digital strategy:
Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent (abbreviated as BAT) are three Chinese internet companies. Both Alibaba and Tencent have their own ecosystems with their star applications and payment services, which businesses must take use of because Chinese consumers are already accustomed to the two online electronic payment methods. Baidu has its own ecosystem, and it was the first of the BAT heavyweights to deploy deep learning.
The term "digital marketing" is defined as
Digital marketing is a data-driven, focused marketing strategy that employs the Internet, interactive digital media, search engines, and mobile devices to contact customers and achieve various objectives.
Digital marketing's advantages in China
Information that is comprehensive
On the Internet, a product's price, specification, technical standard, warranty information, method of application, and common Q&A can all be properly shown. Customers can obtain all of this information more simply with digital marketing than they can with traditional marketing.
Integration as well as simple conversions
Pre-sales advertising, transaction, and after-sales services are all integrated into one digital marketing chain, allowing clients to get the most out of the services given by the company. In the past, if a consumer was interested in a product after seeing it advertised on TV or on a billboard, the quickest method to buy it was to call the company and make a reservation, then pay on delivery. Conversions are easier and more convenient with digital marketing and its well-designed webpages or applications. To make a transaction, a customer can just click a tab on his or her phone or laptop.
Geographically diverse
A digital marketing advertisement is not bound by geographical restrictions. People from all around the country can see an advertisement after it is posted on the Internet or a social media platform.
Efficiency in terms of costs
To begin with, as a result of the impacts of advertisements are no longer limited by physical borders, businesses are no longer required to put as many adverts as they were previously. Second, digital marketing allows enterprises to sell their items directly to customers. It is possible to save money on payments to local distributors. Third, those who look up information about a product on the Internet or on social media platforms are usually those who want to buy or are at least curious about it. As a result, incorrect clicks and ineffective adverts are reduced to some extent. All of this helps firms save money.
Personalization
Many websites and applications have the ability to track users' browsing history. This enables websites and apps to deliver tailored content to users. A consumer is more likely to identify needed products and make a purchase if more tailored information is supplied to them.
Results that can be measured
Businesses can track the number of customers using big data analysis and advanced information technology. the number of conversions obtained as a result of applying a specific digital marketing plan This enables organizations to adapt their digital marketing approach in response to current market trends and customer feedback. Businesses might also make necessary adjustments to their inventories.
Most Popular Digital Marketing Tactics In China
SEO stands for "搜索引擎优化" (SEO)
The art and science of making web pages appealing to search engines is generally referred to as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Businesses use this method to boost their website's search engine rankings and visibility. Websites are ranked by search engines based on variables such as keyword relevancy, content quality, user engagement, amount and quality of inbound connections, and website structure. These characteristics are used by SEO experts as crucial indications to assist businesses in improving their websites. Despite being a popular tactic, the effects of SEO can be limited for a variety of reasons:
1) The mathematical algorithms of a search engine's results are updated on a regular basis. Businesses must keep a careful eye on these changes and make adjustments as needed.
2) If a website's SEO is done incorrectly or by amateurs, search engines may penalize the site by decreasing its rankings or deleting its data from the search engine. SEO is commonly used in China on search engines like Baidu, Sogou, and 360 Search. Due to the difficulty of these search engines reading foreign languages, the website must be in simplified Chinese. If the official website is hosted in China, page loading times and accessibility will be enhanced. Furthermore, the content must adhere to the law and adhere to China's restrictions on article and video themes.
In China, the most commonly used search engine is:
Baidu 百度, Baidu controls over 70% of the market in China.
As a result, it's critical to concentrate on how to rank highly on Baidu. If a company wants to devote itself to a high ranking on Baidu, it is critical to develop fresh and new material when adopting an SEO plan.
Sogou 搜狗— Sogou was founded in 2004 and is known for its Sogou Input keyboard for mobile and tablet devices. In China, the Sogou search engine has a market share of about 25%.
It's worth noting that Tencent bought the search engine in 2013, and as a result, the Sogou search engine is integrated into the WeChat platform, giving it a distinct advantage over other Chinese search engines.
360 search claims to have exclusive ranking algorithms.
As a result, businesses must employ several SEO methods. Aside from 360 search, the corporation also owns 360 directory and the 360 search engine.
Bing — Despite being mocked in the West, Bing is progressively becoming more popular in China.
With many Chinese netizens recommending it since it provides access to western search results. Bing features two search bars, one for domestic results exclusively and the other for international ones.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is a lead generation technique that involves giving relevant content to specific demographics without explicitly delivering an advertising message. According to a Pew Research Center report, 81 percent of consumers' shopping decisions are influenced by 'doing their own research online,' making content marketing critical for reaching customers. Advertisements, press releases, podcasts, blogs, audio, video, white books, and infographics on Weibo, WeChat, search engines, official websites, and client-side applications are all examples of content marketing in China. Every day, Chinese netizens are bombarded with hundreds of thousands of pieces of content on their social media apps.