For the past few years, the challenge of entering the Chinese digital market as a foreign business has become much less daunting thanks to the power of digital and social media.
From using Weibo stories as a platform for interacting frequently to unloading engaging video campaigns on WeChat, there’s an abundance of different tools that you can use to make your business’s presence known in China. Out of all the different ways that you could possibly supplement your brand’s Chinese digital marketing strategy, however, there’s one tool from China itself that can help you make significant progress: live streaming.
The origins of live streaming and its role in Chinese marketing strategies today
Coming far from its origins as a niche interest, live streaming in China has now become a full-fledged line of work that has helped thousands of Wanghongs (or Chinese KOLs), view farmers (yes, you read that correctly), and vloggers earn a living from their reach. Aside from individual social media personalities, however, live streaming has now also become an essential tool provided by niche service providers that help businesses use the platform to their advantage.
One such case of live streaming as a dominant influential force for China’s digital marketing is when Chinese influencer Viya Huang helped Kim Kardashian sell 15,000 bottles of perfume in minutes with a live stream. Given the fact that live streaming is garnering such desirable results, it’s easy to see that it has become a staple tool in Chinese digital marketing and is essential for any foreign business that’s looking to enter the market.
It may now be clear that live streaming is the ultimate tool for capturing the Chinese digital consumer market, but there’s one question that remains for most foreign business owners: “how can I use live streaming to my advantage?”
If you’ve been meaning to expand your operations and make your Chinese digital marketing efforts more effective through the use of live streaming, here are three tips for you to start applying right away:
1. Promote your upcoming live streaming sessions on social media
In the same way that TV shows and movies use commercials and trailers, promoting your upcoming live streaming session is a great way to attract more users to watch and follow your profiles. By using a simple social media post or announcement, interested viewers will be able to know what time to expect your live stream and where they can find it!
2. Create an outline to follow during your live streaming session
One undeniable truth of running a live stream in Chinese social media (or anywhere, in general) is that preparedness can go a particularly long way in ensuring that more people come back for more and act on your offer. Whether it’s through a quick outline, comprehensive script, or a few practice sessions, making the necessary preparations for your live streaming session can significantly bump up the overall quality!
3. Learn to interact with your viewers
Given the fact that Chinese consumers are more inclined to listen if a particular experience is convenient and personal, it makes sense to interact with your viewers during a live stream to see better results. By giving shoutouts, answering questions, or doing anything else to make your viewers feel special, you’ll be able to bump up your engagement and reach new heights during your live stream sessions with ease!
Final words
A comprehensive live stream strategy is one of the most important and effective tools that any foreign business or marketer can use to interact with the ever-expansive Chinese market for greater results. If you’re looking to improve your Chinese digital marketing strategy through the use of expert help, get in touch with Neat Interactive today to see how we can help!
