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!
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!
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.
