Your Complete Guide to Chinese Digital Marketing for Lunar New Year 2024
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday in China.
It is a time for families to reunite, celebrate, and exchange gifts. In 2024, Chinese New Year will fall on February 10th.
Chinese consumers are increasingly spending their time and money online, making digital marketing an essential tool for businesses of all sizes to reach and engage with this important audience.
Target Audience
The target audience for Chinese New Year marketing is broad, encompassing a wide range of demographics, including:
Young adults: Millennials and Gen Z are the most active online users in China. They are also the most likely to be influenced by social media and e-commerce platforms.
Women: Women are the primary decision-makers when it comes to household purchases. They are also more likely to be interested in beauty and fashion products.
Urban dwellers: Urban dwellers have higher incomes and are more likely to spend money on gifts and experiences.
Platforms and Channels
There are a number of different platforms and channels that businesses can use to reach their target audience during Chinese New Year. Here are a few of the most popular options:
Here is an example of a WeChat banner ad in the placement of a WeChat article. This allows readers to see the ad while viewing articles.
Social media: WeChat and Weibo are the two most popular social media platforms in China. Businesses can use these platforms to share content, engage with followers, and run targeted ads.
E-commerce: Taobao and JD.com are the two largest e-commerce platforms in China. Businesses can sell their products on these platforms and utilize their massive reach.
Short-form video: Douyin and Kuaishou are China's two most popular short-form video platforms. Businesses can use these platforms to create engaging videos that capture attention and drive sales.
On many Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Little Red Book, you are able to purchase products directly from livestreams. Because the user behaviour in China is different than that of North America, livestream purchases have been really successful currently and in the past.
Douyin and Kuaishou seamlessly integrate e-commerce features, enabling viewers to purchase products directly from the videos. This streamlines the shopping process and encourages impulse purchases.
Here is an example of KOL influencers on Little Red Book. Their large following allows them to create influential content where they can promote and sell branded products. Their content is filmed in an organic way so as to not trigger the Little Red Book algorithm as the platform values authenticity.
Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs): KOLs and KOCs are influential individuals who have a large following on social media. Businesses can partner with KOLs and KOCs to promote their products or services.
Top-tier influencers on Little Red Book are able to help brands generate the most sales in their livestreams.
Livestreaming: Livestreaming is a popular way for businesses to sell products and interact with customers in real-time. Businesses can use live streaming platforms like Taobao Live and Douyin Live to reach their target audience. Little Red Book has also emerged as a powerful tool for influencer marketing, particularly during the Chinese New Year season. Influencers leverage the platform's live-streaming feature to engage with their audience, promote products, and drive sales during this significant shopping period. Influencers adopt engaging live streaming formats, such as interactive Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, and storytelling, to capture audience attention and foster a sense of community. Influencers often partner with brands to offer exclusive discounts, coupons, and gift packages during their livestreams, incentivizing viewers to make purchases.
Campaign Strategies
In addition to choosing the right platforms and channels, businesses also need to develop a strong campaign strategy to succeed during Chinese New Year. Here are a few tips:
Start planning early: Chinese New Year is a major holiday, so it's important to start planning your campaign early. This will give you enough time to create high-quality content and execute your campaign effectively. At Catalyst Agents, we typically start planning for Chinese New Year campaigns near the end of November so we have ample time to prepare for the busy season.
Create culturally relevant and appropriate content: Chinese consumers are very sensitive to cultural cues. Make sure your content is relevant to Chinese New Year and resonates with your target audience.
Focus on emotions: Chinese New Year is a time for families and emotions. Create content that evokes positive emotions like happiness, love, and nostalgia.
Use visuals: Chinese consumers are highly visual. Use high-quality and engaging images and videos to capture attention and tell your story.
Run promotions and giveaways: During key promotional periods like Chinese New Year, consumers expect and are responsive to discounts and freebies. Run promotions and giveaways to attract new customers and generate excitement.
Measurement
It's important to track the results of your Chinese New Year campaign to measure its success. Here are a few key metrics to track:
Brand awareness measurement by impressions: Track how many people are aware of your brand and have a positive perception of it.
Website traffic: Track how much traffic your website receives during and after your campaign.
Social media engagement: Track how many people are liking, sharing, and commenting on your social media posts.
Little Red Book engagement: Track metrics such as views, saves, likes, comments, and shares on Little Red Book. Saves is an important metric on Little Red Book because it reflects people’s interest in the post.
Sales: Track how many sales you generate during your campaign.
By following these tips, businesses can develop a successful Chinese digital marketing campaign for Chinese New Year 2024. Remember, the key to success is to understand your target audience, create culturally relevant content, and use the right platforms and channels to reach them.