WeChat e-Commerce – A Powerful Tool

The prime aim of all businesses that plan to enter into the Chinese market will be to reap maximum profit by utilizing the buying power of the Chinese customers. Social media marketing is one of the varied practical ways by which companies can achieve this organizational objective. The best bet for the same is to go for WeChat e-Commerce, which has already become the most effective digital marketing tool as far as China is concerned. However, one key thing that companies will have to make sure is to hire the professional proficiency of a talented SEO agency, which has already proved their competence.

Five Effective Strategies for Using WeChat e-Commerce for Your Business

Some companies are likely to experience a little bit of confusion while entering the Chinese market. This uncertainty is because they will not be familiar with the practical methods by which they will have to do the related promotional activities. You must bear in mind that, in China, if one has to become winning in pulling the social media marketing efforts to the shores of success, WeChat e-Commerce activities are imperative.

•  Create Loyalty Programs: One of the main pragmatic ways to use WeChat e-Commerce is to create loyalty programs. This way is handy for persuading customers to buy your products or services. Remember, when customers become mentally attached to your brand, for sure, they will recommend the same to their close relatives and contacts. Some of the feasible ways are introducing novel programs such as point system, e-coupons, VIP cards, or collaborating with (KOL) Key-Opinion Leaders or another group.

•  WeChat Advertising: WeChat advertising is one prime choice. This method is sure to reap high dividends for you. This social media site is the most popular one in China; the number of daily visitors is nearly about 902 million, and the monthly active official accounts come to somewhere around 797 million. An average Chinese user comes to the platform at least ten times daily. These statistics show that WeChat advertising is the best practical option to augment the site traffic, and thus to increase the sales revenue. Here, you will get two options; accounts and moments.

‘WeChat Moments’ is a unique feature wherein the users can update status via sharing articles, images, or small videos with their group members or their followers. It is possible to buy the moment ad, and these will pop up on the pages of the targeted audience. When users view their moments, they will also see the ads, and if the product or service is of their interest, they will click. Thus they will be directed to your web portal.

Likewise, going for the accounts ads is another option. These ads will crop up as ad banners at the bottom part of the articles that come on WeChat. This condition practically means that the reader will see the ad when he or she reaches the end portion.

•  Through Quality Advertorial Content: You can post valuable content in WeChat; however, you must make sure that the posted content is beneficial for the readers. The posts must be constructive and engaging as regards the readers. It must be convincing as well as gripping; if your content is attention-grabbing, then people will share it, and thereby increasing the chances of website traffic.

•  Link Store to Official Account: You can link your online portal to your official WeChat account, and this will increase the chances of sales augmentation. Here, the user will not have to get away from the WeChat app, and thus, they will feel it easy and comfy to buy the items they need.

•  Mini Programs: These are the apps incorporated within the WeChat app, and hence, there will not be any need for the users to install additional applications to dig up the details about a specific brand.

That said, to get the maximum feasible advantages from WeChat e-Commerce, you must seek professional help from a reliable SEO company that has practical experience in social media marketing in China. Through an internet search, you can find the leading SEO agencies. However, you must take into consideration the reviews provided by the clients for selecting a suitable SEO agency for your digital marketing purpose.

The right business strategy is critical for every business to be successful. And this is no different when it comes to a black-owned business. To make a mark as an individual or as part of a team you need to cultivate certain attitudes, learn new things, and act in a way that would be conducive to business.

Every entrepreneur needs to be friendly and approachable. He or she should have a good understanding of the market and tune themselves to the needs of customers. It is of utmost importance to be dedicated to one’s work.

As with any other venture, in a black-owned business also one needs to work hard if he or she hopes to reap the benefits.

Let’s learn in detail what would help a person succeed in a black-owned business.

Create something of real value

As an entrepreneur, one must create real value for customers. This means the products or services should provide complete solutions to their needs and wants.

Creating real value isn’t easy. A lot of brainstorming is required to find the right solution. However, it would help if entrepreneurs put themselves in the shoes of their customers and think from their perspective.

In a black-owned business, it should be no different. One must first look to improve customer experience.

Be authentic and transparent

One can make short-term profits by being manipulative. However, to be consistently successful one needs to be authentic and transparent.

Remember straight trees are cut down first. But an entrepreneur should not trick people to buy their products or services. One way of not doing that is to avoid making unrealistic or false claims.

In a black-owned business also one should try to build trust. One may lose a few customers by being truthful but in the long run, this will help to gain a loyal customer base who will vouch for the company.  

Try to tackle fear

A business entails big investments, risky decisions, and a lot more. Making a business venture work is a daunting task. It is natural to be scared of the unknown but one must have a grip on things.

In a black-owned business too, the same notion applies. There are times when one may feel a great deal of fear and anxiety about the decisions that one has made. But no matter how great the fear, one needs to saddle up anyway.

Any business comes with its own challenges. Not everything would turn out good and there will be some failures. At such times it may not be easy to take one’s mind off negative thoughts. But as long as there is life, there is hope.

Who can say the next venture won’t be successful?

Use your leverage

Leverage is an important concept that people associated with a business need to understand. It takes a certain kind of mind to think ‘out of the box’ to find value in a new relationship, connection, or circumstance.

The same concept applies to a black-owned business. To succeed as an entrepreneur, one needs to know how to leverage the assets, connections, and relationships in his or her life so that one can latch on to opportunities, make profits and diversify into another business.  

Show Gratitude

Entrepreneurs have big dreams. But it is seldom possible to achieve something big alone. There will be others who will be opening the right doors for one to succeed. It is the same in the case of black-owned businesses.

However, once people achieve some degree of success in business, they often tend to forget the people who have helped them. It is important to show gratitude.

Sometimes mere words won’t do. One should offer more-perhaps even a share of the profits. If one takes others along the path to growth, people will be even more motivated to help out.

Conclusion

You should get your priorities right. Ultimately all the toiling and struggling to succeed in business should not be to live recklessly but to get a sense of satisfaction. And this should hold true in the case of a black-owned business too.

Success in business cannot be guaranteed but with the right approach, one can at least feel confident when he or she takes up a venture.

Many people don’t consider just how difficult it is to make a foray into the world of Chinese advertising because it is nothing like you’ve experienced before. If you have experience using social media marketing techniques to promote your brand in other countries, rest assured you’re in for a shock. For a country that constitutes almost 19% of the world’s population, you would be surprised by the technical capabilities and UX design of some of their top social media platforms, one of which is Baidu. 

Baidu Advertising: Getting A Head Start

As we’ve already covered, using Baidu can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’re used to using the Western counterparts, like Google, Twitter, and Facebook. This is usually when the shock sets in when you get to China and get started on discussing social media marketing, specifically, Baidu Advertising, and come across the difficulties of using the platform, let alone marketing using it. In times like this, your best shot is hiring a local expert who will be able to guide you through the process, given they do just that for a living. Here’s the question though: how do you know which Baidu advertising agency to pick? There are countless of them in the market. What are some of the criteria you can use to shortlist your options? 

Compatibility with Regard to Setting Up

Baidu advertising, much like any other marketing technique in China can be a daunting task to start off with. There are many things to consider, such as legal documentation, and touching base with a Baidu salesperson. This is nothing like opening a Google Adwords account, and the process is not straightforward. When you’re looking for a Baidu advertising agency that’ll do this for you, make sure they are transparent about their process. Ask them questions like how they would tackle the issue of diligently following requests from the salesperson, and quiz them on their efficiency at setting up business accounts for other companies using Baidu advertising. Since everything must be approved by a government censor, find out how open they are about timelines, and if the goals they set for you are practical. If the goals sound even remotely far-fetched, you know you must keep looking. 

A quick tip: Keep in mind that anything deemed even remotely sensitive by the government- inclusive of foreign investments, medical, and cryptocurrencies, will render in a flat rejection. Give the agency such a scenario and find out how quick they are at pointing out this factor to you. 

Dealing with the Language Barrier

Baidu advertising can only be done in Mandarin this is not specific to Baidu, but any social media platform used for advertising in China. So the Baidu advertising agency that you hire must be proficient in Mandarin but also be aware of the technical vocabulary. In other words, they should have localization experts who can give their two cents about your brand and extend to the Chinese customer exactly what you put out in other countries, in a local fashion. Again, use real-time scenarios and find out how they would be able to do so.

Designing Style: Appealing to the Chinese Customer

There is a major disconnect when it comes to the average western customer and the Chinese customer. If your brand already has a global market brand book that works in every other country of the world, rest assured, it will not work in China. Be it the color, the font, or even the use of bold and italics. Make sure your agency challenges you and tells you upfront that they may have to delve into the style guides that work in China, as opposed to the existing style on your website. The goal is to find what’s best for your brand, not an agency that is compliant with whatever you demand. 

Your Budget will Tell You a Lot 

Keep in mind that most Baidu advertising agencies keep a fixed percentage of your advertising budget, typically from 5-15%, depending on the size of your project. While this is a normal ask, you know how much you can afford to spend on a Baidu advertising agency. If it’s not within your budget, keep looking for one that fits your criteria and budget. Also, if they’re asking more than this range, you know they’re probably trying to rip you off! Remember, a high rate does not equate to quality work.

Digital marketing has many facets like content marketing, search engine marketing, social media marketing, and retargeting. To manage all these together successfully, you need to hire a professional digital marketing company for your business.

To make things easy for you, we have provided you with reasons for partnering with a digital marketing company in China below.

China’s Digital Space is Different

Unlike the rest of the world, China has a different digital landscape and top players. For example, the world of Internet search is not dominated by Google; it is dominated by Baidu, China’s own search engine. Also, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are blocked in China. The popular social media platforms in China include Weibo and WeChat, which have millions of daily active users.

Internet censorship and surveillance are tightly implemented in China, and you need a Chinese digital marketing company that knows the rules and the Internet tools that would work for your business to capture the Chinese market.

China’s Internet Landscape is Fragmented

The world of the Internet is dominated by Google and Facebook, except for China. Be it searching for information, entertainment, or shopping, a large number of people use Google as the gateway. Similarly, the world of social media is dominated by Facebook. In fact, the most popular image sharing platform Instagram and the most popular online chat application is owned by Facebook. In most cases, your marketing strategies revolve around these two platforms to achieve success.

Things are different in China. The government of China has encouraged a rich ecosystem of local, homegrown apps and tools like WeChat( social media and chat), Baidu(search), and Taobao (online shopping). If you want to succeed in China market, you have to be familiar with these huge tech platforms.

The Chinese social media landscape is completely different. The competitors and targets are significantly different from their western counterparts. Strategies that worked for Facebook and Instagram platforms might not work here. Due to the fragmentation of the Internet, you would need separate strategies for targeting customers on each platform.

A digital marketing company in China can help you plan a dynamic communication strategy to win Chinese consumers. The Chinese digital marketing company can help in the initial analysis of the Chinese markets, targets, and competitors. This will be a crucial step in initiating the right communication plan to gain entry into the Chinese market.

Chinese Language and Culture

China has a complex and diverse consumer market. Businesses need to tailor their marketing strategies and products to local preferences. You also need to consider the Chinese language, symbolism, and culture while marketing your product and services to Chinese consumers.

Translation from English to the Chinese language is not going to help. In fact, translation of the company or product name may have a negative or embarrassing meaning that may not go well with the Chinese audience. This can have a fairly large impact on sales with agents, distributors, and consumers, all avoiding your product.

A professional digital marketing company in China can provide you the right advice in the translation of your business name and product and help avoid these problems. Also, the Chinese language is the preferred language on Baidu and social media platforms. In fact, a large number of Chinese audiences do not see ads in the English language. If you want your business to succeed in China, you need to embrace the Chinese language, tune your marketing strategies to adapt to Chinese culture.

High Starting Costs

When you are trying to grow your business in China, spending money on digital marketing is not optional. The cost of advertising varies on different Chinese online platforms. Here are the average yearly marketing budgets for brands of different sizes.

· Very small : $25,000 USD – $100,000

· Small : $100,000 – $300,000

· Medium: $300, 000 – $1,000,000

· Large: $1,000,000 or above

Over the past 5 to 10 years, the Chinese market has become very competitive with all multinational brands to start-ups attempting to grab a pie of Chinese market share.

The intense competition, government censorship, diverse Chinese market calls the need for partnering with a digital marketing company in China to get the best ROI and success.