Guides Archives

NBH Guide: Attract Chinese Tourism with Dianping

by NBH | Jun 14, 2023 | Guides

If you are going to travel to the other side of the world, how do you plan your trip? Or if you want to escape the city to the country for a weekend, where do you turn to? Perhaps many people recognize themselves in clicking into Google, reading blogs or opening tripadvisor, but in China this is not the case.

Like many other smart digital platforms in China, there is of course an app that offers everything from searching for restaurants, activities, hotels, both in and outside of China. If you live in China, this is a convenient app that you just have to have on your phone!

We have talked about Dianping before (also known as Meituan-Dianping), but after a covid pandemic that stopped tourism, this platform has not been as relevant. But now that tourism from China has stealthily started, and more is to be expected, this app is more than relevant. Beacuse after long time of lock down, Chinese citizens are eager to start traveling again! Many countries are also eager to welcome Chinese tourism!

The first step to get visitors to visit you is to let the visitors to find you! If we talk Chinese visitors, we talk Dianping. As Dianping is China’s go-to place when exploring shopping, restaurants, activities, hotel, etc, this is the app you have to be visibile on.

In this NBH Guide do we dive deeper into the digital platform of Dianping, what it is , the costumer journey and foremost why this platform can be imprtant for you in order to attract chinese tourism!

Chinese tourists enjoying the nature. Image: Adobe stock

What is Dianping?

“We help people eat better, live better!” – this is the slogan of Dianping, and you can easily say that the slogan has lived up to their expectations!

At first glance, Meituan-Dianping may seem like a regular delivery and e-commerce platform. However, it goes further by providing extensive recommendations for various local services nearby and for future traveling. These recommendations include hotels, travel bookings, movies, and other businesses. The app do also offer discounts and various promotions.

Known as China’s version of Yelp, this social platform plays a vital role in the daily lives of city residents, making it easy for them to find and use convenient and reliable services. The app kan often be referred to as “the Yelp of China.”

Whats most unique about Dianping is that it allows users to share their experiences, rate establishments, and provide feedback on the services they have received. Dianping is widely used by consumers in China to make informed decisions about where to dine, shop, and engage in leisure activities.

User demoghraphics and data

By 2021, Meituan-Dianping was processing approximately 43.6 million daily orders. While the majority of the app’s users reside in urban areas, its convenience attracts people from different age groups. Specifically, the platform’s food delivery services alone boasted a staggering 690 million monthly active users.

What is the consumer journey of Dianping?

When it comes to the consumer journey on Dianping, users seeking specific experiences typically follow a series of steps. They search for desired categories of establishments, explore the top-rated options within their vicinity (thanks to Dianping’s location-based feature), review user ratings and feedback, and keep an eye out for any promotional offers.

If they find something appealing, they can conveniently make direct bookings through Dianping, collect promotional coupons, and proceed to enjoy their chosen experience.

To break it down in a few step, the costumer journey may look like this:

Discover: User search for example for a specific destination to get informations and recommendations. The user continue to explore specific categories top-rated options based on their location using Dianping’s location-based feature.
Research and Evaluation: Users review ratings, feedback, and comments from other users, while also looking out for any available promotions or discounts.
Direct booking: If users find an appealing establishment, they can conveniently make direct bookings through Dianping.
Everything collected in Dianping: Users proceed to enjoy the chosen experience, and having their planned journey and information saved in Dianping!
Give a good rate for the next visitor: After enjoying the choosen activity the user hopefully give a good rate a comment for future visitors!

Dianping offers a wide range of choices and places to explore

Why is Dianping such a popular choice for Chinese travelers?

Before you make a trip, you obviously want to be able to plan before your departure. Since most platforms in China is behind a firewall, they use the platforms that they can use, but also like and feel comfortable with, plus everything is in Chinese. Language has a big factor here since even if they visit a western website, it is not obvious that the site is available in Chinese.

What is unique about Dianping is that it is the number one app for traveling, its filled with data and you can search for any travel destination, everything from hiking in the Nordics to citylife experience.

5 top reasons why Dianping is such a popular app:

Extensive Coverage: Dianping provides comprehensive information on cities, attractions, restaurants, shops, and various leisure activities across China. It serves as a one-stop platform for travelers to discover and explore a wide range of options within their desired destinations.
User Reviews and Recommendations: Dianping features user-generated reviews and recommendations, which are highly valued by Chinese consumers. Travelers can rely on the experiences and opinions shared by fellow users to make informed decisions about where to visit, eat, and stay. This helps ensure a more enjoyable and satisfying travel experience.
Location-Based Functionality: Dianping utilizes location-based services, allowing users to find nearby establishments easily. This is particularly beneficial for tourists who are unfamiliar with the local area and want to locate attractions, restaurants, or shops in proximity to their current location.
Promotional Offers and Discounts: Dianping often features promotional offers, discounts, and coupons for various establishments. This can significantly help travelers save money while experiencing different tourist activities or dining options. Users can collect these offers through the platform and take advantage of cost-effective deals.
Convenient Booking and Reservations: Dianping allows users to make direct bookings and reservations for hotels, restaurants, and other attractions. This streamlines the process and eliminates the need for travelers to visit multiple websites or make phone calls, providing a convenient and efficient way to plan their itinerary.

Collab with a KOL

Collaborating with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Dianping can be an effective strategy to boost visibility, credibility, and engagement with the platform’s user base.

When considering a collaboration with KOLs on Dianping, it’s essential to research and choose KOLs whose values, style, and target audience align with your business. Effective collaboration involves clear communication, mutual goals, and a genuine partnership that benefits both parties involved.

Remember that KOL collaborations should be viewed as a part of your broader marketing strategy, complementing other efforts to attract Chinese tourism. By leveraging the influence and reach of KOLs on Dianping, businesses can enhance their visibility, credibility, and engagement, ultimately appealing to Chinese tourists and driving more footfall to their establishments.

Attract Chinese tourism with Dianping!

Being visible on Dianping is vital for attracting Chinese tourism as it allows businesses to leverage the platform’s popularity, benefit from user reviews and ratings, increase exposure and awareness, convenient booking services and provide seamless online-to-offline experiences. The benifit of offer discount and promotions can also be good first step to attarct new visitors and increase the popularity on the platform.

By establishing a strong presence on Dianping, businesses can effectively target and capture the attention of Chinese tourists, influencing their travel decisions and enhancing their overall experience.

Get exposure before, during and after a trip!

Get to know Dianping even better by visiting our Dianping page or go direct to Social Media and learn about all the important platforms in China.

NBH Guide: How important is Weibo for your China online presence?

by NBH | Apr 26, 2023 | Guides

China’s social media scene can for many be described as a jungle and confusing to navigate. But if you’ve been involved in China for a while, you’ve probably heard of Weibo.

It’s a social media platform that easily can be describe as an “microblog”. Weibo next to WeChat used to be the top important platform for branding in China, and many may wonder, is weibo still relevant or is it a dead end?

In this guide, NBH gets back “to the basics”, and talks about Weibo, which actually came before WeChat and still plays a big role in digital China.

What is Weibo? – Weibo Vs. Twitter

Sina Weibo (is a social media platform that was launched in 2009 by Sina Corporation, a Chinese technology company. It is often referred to as the “Chinese Twitter” because it allows users to post short messages to their followers.

However, unlike Twitter, Weibo also allows users to post longer messages, upload photos and videos. Like Twitter, you can follow other users, companies and celebrities.

Weibo has become one of the most popular social media platforms in China, with 582 million monthly users. It has also become an important tool for businesses and public figures to connect with their audience.

Despite its similarities to Twitter, Weibo has adapted to the Chinese market by incorporating features such as online shopping, games, and other entertainment options.

Why use Weibo as your Digital Marketing tool?

Weibo can be a valuable tool for businesses looking to connect with Chinese consumers. By creating high-quality content, and using Weibo’s advertising features, you can effectively reach and engage with your target audience on this platform.

NBH gives you our top three reasons:

High engagement rate: Weibo users are highly active on the platform, with many checking the app multiple times per day. This means that businesses can expect high levels of engagement with their posts.

Influencer marketing: Weibo has a large number of KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), who are influential users with large followings. Collaborating with KOLs on Weibo can help businesses promote their products or services to a wider audience and increase brand awareness.

Real-time feedback: Weibo allows businesses to engage with their customers in real-time, responding to comments and feedback. This can help businesses improve customer satisfaction and build customer loyalty.

Increased SEO: By maintain brand exposure, link building, and social signal on Weibo it will contribute to your overall SEO efforts in China.

Swedish Embassy Beijing and Kesko on Weibo.

Is Weibo dead as a marketing tool?

Weibo is still a viable marketing tool in China, despite some people believing it to be as “outdated” as Facebook. In fact, Weibo still attracts a large young user base and maintains its popularity due to its high engagement rate.

But, as the social media landscape in China continues to expand, businesses now have more platform options than ever before when establishing an online presence in the country. So the questions is more, which platforms suits best for you?

Why does Weibo have such a high engagement rate among its followers?

Weibo has become a platform that spreads news, highlights politics, celebrity gossip, spreads hashtags with important social messages, discusses the climate issue or shares knowledge about a particular industry or product.

B2C brand has various example of lifting “problems” or social issues on Weibo. For example, has the celebration of Women’s Day on Weibo often provides a good example of when some brands are willing to take a more unconventional approach. This trend has been observed in China in recent years and can serve as a useful barometer for brands looking to gain insight into social issues in the country.

#HERSHE

Hershey, an American chocolate brand, achieved great success with the release of a limited edition HERSHE (HER-SHE) themed collection, as part of their SHEROES (SHE-HEROES) campaign. The campaign celebrated International Women’s Day by highlighting three women who have made positive contributions to society: wildlife photographer Xu Keyi, volunteer teacher Wan Lijun, and young artist Wu Xixia.

As a result, the hashtag #HERSHE became widespread and gained with 400+ million reads.

Other example is the chinese brand NEIWAI内外 who has several examples of creating campiagns with a more unconventional approacht. The last campaign was to highlight violence againt women, with both video commercail and pictures, which had a widespead and became a hot topic on weibo.

Is Weibo relevant for B2B-business?

It’s easy to assume that Weibo is primarily a platform similar to Twitter, focused on social engagement, opinion formation, and sharing of views. However, as we described above, there are significant differences between the platforms. And for the B2B sector, there is some greate potential if you use it correctly.

Here are some of the main benefits:

Wide User Base: Weibo has a large user base of professionals and businesses, providing access to potential B2B customers.

Brand Exposure: Weibo allows businesses to promote their brand through various content formats, increasing visibility among Chinese B2B audiences.

Engagement and Interaction: Weibo enables businesses to engage with their target audience through comments, likes, shares, and direct messages, building relationships and gaining insights.

Thought Leadership: Weibo helps establish thought leadership by sharing industry insights and valuable content, positioning the business as an authority in the industry.

Chinese Language and Culture: Weibo is designed for the Chinese market, allowing effective communication and adaptation to local market strategies.

Finally, Don’t age discriminate…

Weibo is a great monitoring platform if you want to stay updated with the latest in China, both in society and related to trends. The platform’s strong local presence and clear local profile are perfect for increasing your credibility. There are currently no signals that it is dead or outdated.

The platform is evolving but remains relevant!

If you’re serious about your venture in China, we recommend to at least familiarizing yourself with Weibo and considering how it can serve a purpose for your company.

NBH Guide to B2B Opinion Leaders: Build brand awareness and grow sales with an expert in your industry!

by NBH | Feb 22, 2023 | Guides

A buzzing trend within the B2B sector is the marketing transformation that many companies are undergoing.

Digital marketing has become increasingly important for B2B companies in general, and for those that aim for the Chinese market in particular.

In this guide, NBH talks about Influencer Marketing for B2B, in China often referred to as KOLs (Key opinion leaders) or just Opinion Leaders.

Digital Communication. Image: Adobe Stock

Digital Marketing for B2B

Chinese consumers tend to be more receptive to digital trends and adapt fast to a constantly changing environment. When people in the west think of Influencer Marketing they think of B2C.

Within B2B, business relations have for long been more traditional, in the form of participating in fairs, and events and handing out business cards. The digital transformation that’s taken place within B2C has not reached the same impact in B2B, until now.

This trend has many explanations, primarily digital development, but the pandemic may also be the answer to this rapid change.

Physical meetings are of course still important, but adding a digital presence has become more crucial.

KOLs a.k.a. Opinion Leaders for B2B in China

Collaborations with Opinion Leaders within B2B have come to be an important part of the marketing strategy in China. China has built many platforms that target specific industries. You may recognize digital platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, and Baidu, but there are also many other possibilities and platforms to work with.

To give a few examples…

Zhihu is China’s largest Q&A platform and has a wide variety of industry professionals who provide solid information and is trusted by millions of users. Zhihu should be one of the most prioritized platforms if you as a B2B company want to increase your digital presence. Read our Guide to Zhihu here.

Bilibili is one of China’s largest video platforms. The platform invites quality content and attracts a wide range of targeting groups and industries. On this platform, you have the opportunity to think “outside the box” and push video content. Read our Guide to Bilibili here.

Douyin is “China’s” Tiktok. Here you might feel confused, can it really be for B2B? The answer is yes. In China, the Tiktok platform has a longer history than in the West and is often used for educational and research purposes. Douyin has a wide range of users of different ages. Read NBH Douyin Guide here.

Industry Media: Push your message with PR in Industry Media. China offers a range of branches and e-news. Read more about Industry Media for B2B here.

These are just a few examples of how you can increase your online precence.

Collaboration with an Opinion Leader and pushing campaigns is an effective way to increase your visibility, spread your message, gain credibility and more leads.

Because, how will your targeted audience find you if you don’t let them know that you exist?

Chinas No 1. Q&A Platform – Zhihu. Image: Adobe Stock

Pick a “star” of your industry

China’s digital landscape is complex and varies between different geographical areas, sectors, and targeted groups. Therefore, always use an Opinion Leader with a local connection.

Although there are great similarities between more traditional B2C KOL-marketing and Opinion Leaders within B2B, there are also some important differences.

Within B2B, the aim is first and foremost to build trust within your targeted area. Second, to reach as many potential stakeholders as possible. The choice of opinion leader should therefore be made with these two factors in mind.

To increase credibility and trust, you should choose a person with a good reputation, who is, for example, an expert in the field in which you are active. It could be a person with long professional experience, a researcher, or an important name in the industry.

If you are active in wind power, a local researcher with high credibility may be an option. In pharmaceuticals, it can be doctors, etc.

NBH case study. Scandinavien B2B company doing solution for prodction and automation.

Don’t estimate the value of collab with an Opinion Leader

Just like all marketing, it’s about valuing the cost against the potential effect. The opportunities that a collaboration with an Opinion Leader can provide are huge. And they can add value to your business.

Opinion leaders are the new reality in China. And perhaps the question should not be whether it is too costly to cooperate with them, but rather if you can afford not to.

The market has changed and standing still usually means falling behind.

NBH Guide to Industry Media: The importance of PR for B2B in China

by NBH | Dec 15, 2022 | Guides

The marketing strategy for many B2B companies has until recently been more traditional in the form of exhibiting at fairs, participating in events, exchanging business cards, and building business relationships through dinners.

But the digital progress has slowly changed the strategy and way of thinking when it comes to marketing for B2B. The pandemic has, to say the least, accelerated that development and more or less forced B2B companies to create a stronger digital presence.

“B2B companies are undergoing a transformation when it comes to digital marketing. Digital presence & campaigns are increasingly important to reach your industry clients in China” Richard Hårdänge, CCO, NBH.

Today it is digital content that you need to keep up with: Social media, pods, blogs, short videos, webinars, and more. According to figures from Accenture, a vast amount of B2B deals initiates online, and three out of four B2B brands use social media platforms as their primary channels for information to clients.

Many B2B companies are familiar with platforms such as WeChat and Weibo, they might know the importance of running an account on social media platforms. But how do customers reach that account, and why should it be trusted?

In this guide, we will talk PR (public relations), publicity in industry media. In China, adding PR to your marketing strategy can be the key to success.

The importance of Industry Media in China

The physical newspaper has long been appreciated in China, but like everything else, they have also moved into the digital landscape. For B2B companies in various industries, there is a range of different media platforms, local news- and e-branch papers.

Being visible through PR in industry media, not only creates credibility, but it’s also a way to increase your SEO in China. Read more about Baidu SEO here.

So how do you create PR to increase your online visibility and credibility in China?

Get to the language and localize your content

Back to the basics, to start, in China, there are two types of written Chinese:

Traditional Chinese which is primarily used in Hong Kong and Taiwan
Simplified Chinese which is primarily used in mainland China

When writing articles or making press releases, it’s important that the language is authentic. Getting it done can be difficult, but a slippery slope can quickly throw you into a media crisis. Therefore, always use local writers who have good local knowledge.

Don’t underestimate the role of local media

PR creates momentum with local media, but it requires patience, long-term goals, and relationship building. It requires that you build credibility with qualitative material and interesting angles for the journalists to work with.

The more exclusive material they get the more they will publish.

To ensure that your narrative is local and demonstrates your expertise, get outside help. Collaborate with an agency that has experience working with PR in similar industries and has good contacts. Because yes, in China the PR media world is very much about the right contacts.

Result of PR client case with Easy-Laser

Use press releases

A cost-effective way to create visibility is to do press releases and create visibility on industry blogs and websites. Articles and news updates direct visitors to your website and your business.

Get better ranking in search results

Google may be the search engine you have to deal with in the west, but in China, it is Baidu that is “The” search engine. To get the most out of your articles, it is important that you optimize your content for Baidu. Read more about Baidu here.

High visibility on Baidu increases your credibility, and visibility and generates more traffic to your website. This, in turn, also makes you more attractive to industry magazines and industry sites, which in the next step increases your credibility and speed even more.

It’s an ecosystem or a loop that can lead to massive success if you play your cards right.

Use social media

As we mentioned at the beginning, traditional media is being replaced more and more by digital media. In China, social media is huge and there are many platforms. Some of them are also particularly important to keep in mind if you are active in B2B, for example, Zhihu and Bilibili.

Working with PR and gaining visibility can also provide content for one’s own account. Because who doesn’t want to share a really good industry article about one’s company that a big digital industry magazine published?

Collaborate with KOL:s

Doing PR in China is expensive. The costs in recent years have dragged on and are significantly higher than in the West. The main reason for that is KOL:s (influencers).

KOL:s have a much stronger role in B2B in China than in the West where we perhaps mostly relate influencers to B2C collaborations. Collab with a KOL in your field can add value to your targeted customer. The important thing is just to find the one that suits your industry the best.

If you are active in wind power, a local researcher with high credibility may be an option. In pharmaceuticals, it can be doctors, etc. Broaden your perspective on influencers and do careful research on which ones are the most tailored to your specific area.

Finally

Don’t forget that China is a big country with a huge population. Local differences can be large and therefore local knowledge is critically important.

NBH expertise in Chinese online behavior and the Chinese digital market can help your brand to increase your digital presence in China.

We have extensive experience and great references working with B2B clients. We act as a full-service agency and can make your company reach new levels with the help of PR and digital marketing in China. Find how we work with PR for China here.

The NBH Guide: How to use Baidu SEM to accelerate your online presence in China

by NBH | Oct 5, 2022 | Baidu SEM, Guides

If China is an important market for your company, then Baidu should have the same priority as your Google strategy.

Baidu can easily be described as “China’s Google”, and if you take a quick look, there are many similarities, partly in appearance, but in terms of search engine, SEO and SEM there are a lot of differences.

In China, whenever you want to search for something you “Baidu it”, and to reach the top of the search result, your Baidu strategy is fundamental.

Are you aware of how you and your competitors appear in searches on Baidu?

This guide will give you deeper insight into succeeding with Baidu SEM. We will answer questions such as the difference compared to Google and what’s important to think about when it comes to Baidu SEM.

If you would like to get a more profound knowledge about Baidu, and Baidu SEO, please read our guide: The NBH Guide: 1 0 steps to succeed with Baidu SEO

Baidu logo

Fascinating statistics on Baidu usage in China

We’ll give some figures to understand the usage and importance of Baidu in China.

Baidu No. 1 search engine in China

Although China is one of the most important markets for many companies, Baidu is still relatively unknown to many.

Many people think that a Chinese-language website is enough or that the google strategy works as fine for Baidu, but this is not the case. You have to adapt your digital marketing strategy for China, and including China’s No. 1 search engine could be a very good first step.

Investing in Baidu SEM will get you:

Impressions
Clicks
Directs leads
More understanding of your China market

Baidu SEM (PPC)

Baidu SEM (Search Engine Marketing) can also be referred to as PPC (Pay-Per-Click) or ads on Baidu.

Baidu PPC can be a cost-effective way to get a higher, or perhaps top result on Baidu. These kinds of Baidu ads can also be added with images, such as product pictures or special campaign images.

Most importantly is that you adapt the ads for your targeted audience in China and perhaps market yourself with the right timing. This should be included in your marketing content plan.

Example of Baidu PPC ad including promotional images.

SEM and SEO, are all about keywords. What will the potential customer search for and what would be your keywords in China?

Once you have your ad live, and the user searches for related keywords, they will find your ad in their search result, and hopefully among the top results.

CPC (Cost-Per-Click)

Every time someone clicks on your ad there will be a CPC (Cost-Per-Click). The cost of the keywords (the CPC) depends on the bidding of the keyword, in other terms, how competitive the targeted keyword is.

Market your landing page

In order to get a good first impression, why not market your landing page in search results?

Take the chance and market your webpage according to your brand guideline and targeted audience in China. Show your products and services in a tasteful and “want to know more of” way!

Example of a Baidu ad, promoting their landing page and products

Directs communications with your costumers

One popular and beneficial function that Baidu SEM has is to add a contact form directly in the ad. The consumer can in quickly way leave their phone number and company name. You can then easily return to the client and answer their questions.

This service is very appreciated among Chinese consumers because it offers the possibility to get in touch with you in a fast and more personal way. It is a very effective CTA (call to action) because it encourages the consumer to make a quick decision to get in contact with you.

Track your performance with Baidu SEM

As with all marketing, it is essential to be able to measure your results. No matter what marketing activities are being done for a company, data is the key to getting knowledge about your performance.

Knowing your performance will take you one step ahead in optimizing your digital marketing in China.

NBH believes in transparency and we always want what’s best for our clients. Please read more about how NBH works with data tracking: Data tracking in China.

How NBH can help you with Baidu SEM?

NBH has years of experience creating ads (SEM) so that companies easily can be recognized, creating relationships, and direct leads.

We develop your Baidu SEM strategy and make you competitive in the market. We create a tailor-made keyword list for Baidu and create ads aligned with your brand and specialized for your Chinese audience. To be competitive, we do the daily operation of Baidu SEM, including bidding keywords.

We also offer monthly reports in English in order for you to take ownership of your digital marketing in China.

Book a free consultation meeting with one of our sales representatives. Together we discuss your specific needs and get to know more about how we can help you use Baidu SEO and SEM in your marketing strategy for China! Book a meeting, here.

The NBH Guide: Meet Douyin, the mother of Tiktok. How can you as a marketer use Douyin for your China online presence?

by NBH | Aug 26, 2022 | Douyin/Tiktok, Guides

If we say Douyin it might not tell you much, but if we say Tiktok I hope you are on it!

Although Tiktok is the western version of Douyin, there are many big differences. As often when it comes to digital China, new platforms are faster adopted by the users and quickly acceptable to use as a marketing tool. In the west, Tiktok is mainly an app for young adults and teens but Douyin is used among all ages and all types of persons.

The app has in a short time, since it appeared in 2016, sprung out of no wear, as an incomparable success. It is fair to argue that it’s the most successful digital phenomenon in China ever.

But what is the key to the success, and how can it be used for you as a marketer in China?

NBH gives you a brief insight and presentation!

The background of Douyin

Douyin was originally launched in 2016 by the company ByteDance. The western version of Tiktok was released in 2017 but wasn’t booming until 2018. It’s vital to understand that Tiktok and Douyin are two different but similar apps, hosted on different servers, and has no other connections to each other than the mother company.

Douyin is in many ways a very simple app that gives the user the ability to record short (15 seconds to 10 minutes) videos with filters, and watch (15 seconds to 10 minutes) videos in a continuously never-ending flow. The user-friendly functions make it easy for ordinary people to be creative and playful. In fact, most of the content on Douyin is produced by ordinary users.

The founder Zhang Yiming has created an AI-based algorithm that learns user behavior to adjust and tailor the content. In addition to Douyin, Zhang Yiming has also created the news app Toutiao, which has also been widely spread in China. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to return to it later in our insights series.

Some figures

Douyin reached over 180 million active users in only two years from its release

It is estimated to have over 600 million daily users by the end of 2022

It’s predicted to have over 800 million daily users in 2025

The average user of Douyin spends about 120 minutes a day on the app

The everyday user time has increased by 25% a year since the release

The key to the success

The simple explanation for Douyin’s great success lies in the well-developed technical platform with sophisticated algorithms. The algorithms direct the content towards the specific user’s behavior pattern in order to arouse as much interest as possible. Because the content is adapted to the user, no feed is exactly the same as another.

The user also has limited opportunities to influence the content through, for example, searches. A video is displayed and can either be viewed or clicked away. The algorithms receive direct information about which material is appreciated or not.

Douyin has also been marketing the app to just the right target group, early adapters. Initially younger women in their middle or early 20s. With increased popularity, the app has since then been spread among different ages and genders.

All of these factors together can be summed up in the fact that they released a well-developed app, to exactly the right target audience, at exactly the right time. And let’s be honest, isn’t a good product and the right marketing the recipe for success?

Picture: Appstore. Douyin taking over the scene of e-commerce.

Why use Douyin for marketing

The first and most obvious reason to include Douyin in your marketing plan is that no other app can get as large a visibility in such a short time frame as Douyin. Read more about how we work with Douyin here.

They also have many suitable solutions such as:

Direct linking to e-commerce shops, if you have more than 10 videos posted

A self-developed native e-commerce ecosystem where the user is able to make purchases directly in the app

With its constantly growing userbase and its e-commerce ecosystem it’s fair to think that it’s mainly for B2C. And of course, you can’t hide the fact that it is huge for B2C. Clothes, cosmetic, and food is by far the most popular e-commerce categories on Douyin. But on the other hand, it also brings lots of opportunities for B2B.

Since the competition is not as tough when it comes to B2B companies that market themselves via Douyin, there are opportunities to reach out to their customers in a creative, new, and fun way. Why not film from the production or film a tutorial with the pros and cons of using your product?

How to use Douyin for marketing

There are different accounts that can be used for marketing on Douyin. There are both certificated accounts and business accounts. If you want to brand yourself, a certified account is the way, but for companies, a business account is the easiest way. There are many advantages by getting a business account, among other things, the possibility to make longer videos, get access to advertising, sticker-adds, and more visibility through the algorithms.

Another big advantage of having a business account is that once you get approved by Douyin, you get a lot of credit. It simply becomes more trusted.

It’s also important to keep in mind that Douyin is first and foremost a video app with music. In order to capture interest and create visibility, it is therefore important to adapt to the platform. Create creative and exciting materials that feel genuine and well-produced.

Work with KOL:s

The most effective way to get visibility on Doyin is to work with KOL:s. The KOL already has its fan base and the algorithm reaches out to its followers. If you which to do a collaboration with a KOL it’s therefore important to pick someone that reaches out to our targeted audience. Read our Insight about KOL marketing here.

NBH has years of expertise in working with digital marketing in China. Our expertise is available in both Europe and China.

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