This document summarizes social media and marketing in China. It begins with background on Chinese social media usage statistics and censorship. It then focuses on the two dominant platforms - Weibo and WeChat. For each, it provides an overview and description of key features. It explains how brands can create official accounts on each platform and highlights strategies for marketing in China using Weibo and WeChat. The document concludes with a brief section on media censorship in China.

2. AGENDA
• Background of Chinese social media
• Introduction to Weibo
• Marketing in China with Weibo
• Introduction to WeChat
• Marketing in China with WeChat
• Censorship in China

3. • Over 700 million internet users
(2016)
• 70% of social media users are
under the age of 35
• Chinese spend five to six more
hours online per week than
Americans
• Average of almost 90 minutes
per day on social networks
• 38% of consumers make
product purchase decisions
based on recommendations on
social networks
SOCIAL MEDIA IN CHINA
Source :Internet Live Stats
makeawebsitehub.com/chinese-social-media-statistics/

4. • Chinese Internet Service
Providers (IPS) block
access to Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, and
Google (Instagram was
blocked from 2013 to
2015)
• Facebook posts, Twitter
feeds, YouTube videos
and Google Maps are
unseen and unheard to
Chinese internet users
CHINESE SOCIAL MEDIA ≠ US SOCIAL MEDIA
Source:services.intead.com/chinese-social-media

5. CHINESE SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE

6. WEIBO AND WECHAT
• Weibo and
WeChat
currently
dominate
Chinese social
media
landscape

7. WEIBO AND WECHAT

8. “WeChat and
Weibo: the
new social
universe.”
WEIBO AND WECHAT
Picture: bluenotes.anz.com

9. • A Microblogging social
platform
• Over 600 million
registered accounts
(End 2015)
• 261 million monthly
active users(MAU)( 2016)
• 91% use it on mobile
• Pronounced as [wei bə:]
WEIBO
Source: Weibo.com

10. • Mix of Facebook and
Twitter features
• Easy and fast to
acquire followers
• Allows translation of
Chinese sentences
• Used in over 190
countries
• Can create accounts
through Facebook
WEIBO
Source: Weibo.com

11. • Create questions and
polls, post photos and
videos, create events and
invite friends
• Find new friends, events,
interesting spots around
you (GPS)
• Play games, watch live
video, listen to music,
shop, purchase movie
tickets…
• Subscribe to newsletters
• Can “secret” follow
people
WEIBO KEY FEATURES

12. • Can delete comments under your
post, or close the comment
section
• Upload directly via mobile
• 140 character limit per post
(roughly 70–80 words in English)
• The more hours users spend
logged in, the higher their level
becomes
• Can follow trending topics &
emoticons by hour, day or week
• Can track data of how many
people visit your account or read
your posts
WEIBO KEY FEATURES

13. WEIBO PAGE

14. MARKETING IN CHINA WITH WEIBO
• A strong factor in a foreign company’s brand introduction and
success in the Chinese market
• Register an account and have it verified (people tend to follow
accounts that have “v”)
• Start marketing by publishing content, sharing videos and
photos
• Promote yourself by featured in advertising banners
(homepage, login), mobile banners, app recommendations,
promotional ads
• Online campaign for interactive games, voting or submissions
• Create pages with live broadcast for events, parties,
conferences, fashion shows or seminars

15. THEY ALL DID IT!

16. THEY ALL DID IT

17. • All-in-one
communication
s app
• 697 million
users (End of
2015)
• Connect with
the people of
your choice
WECHAT

18. KEY FEATURES
Source: wechat.com

19. KEY FEATURES (CONT.)
Source: wechat.com

20. WECHAT PAGE

21. • Brands can
create official
accounts
tailored to their
strategies
• Two basic types
of official
accounts
WECHAT MARKETING IN CHINA

22. • The most basic choice of
the official accounts
• For daily news and
content broadcasting
• Allowed to push one
message per day
• For media or small-mid
size brands
• Best for content
marketing
• Able to apply customized
menus
WECHAT SUBSCRIPTION ACCOUNT
Source: wechat.com

23. • Allows you to push four
messages per month
• For providing services
instead of broadcasting
messages (government,
banks, etc.)
• To provide prompt
response and service
• Free customized menu
• Support Wechat Pay
WECHAT SERVICE ACCOUNT
Source: wechat.com

24. SUBSCRIPTION ACCOUNT PAGE

25. • Chinese users
cannot view an
account which is
set up outside of
China
• A foreign
company can
open a Chinese
official account
through WeChat
Website
INTERNATIONAL WECHAT ACCOUNT
Source: wechat.com

26. MEDIA CENSORSHIP IN CHINA
• Search Blocking: unable to search for certain
sensitive keywords
• Search Censorship: prohibited from searching for
messages containing certain keywords
• Message Deletion: Chinese government instructs
media to remove all content relating to some specific
keywords or events
Source: firstmonday.org/article/view/3943/3169

27. THANK YOU.