The word brandigo is written in blue on a white background.

Why Does Your Content Fall Flat In China?

B2B marketing in China

by Steven Proud


One of the early challenges international brands face with their China B2B marketing is developing a content strategy that lands with their Chinese target audiences. And one of the biggest mistakes made is believing that all the fantastic content being pushed out from your international marketing team will have the same impact in China as it does elsewhere.

Know your audience


China boasts a diverse and rapidly evolving business environment. The buyer journey is complex, particularly for B2B markets, and developing great content is essential for cutting through the noise. Brands that acknowledge and embrace these nuances are better positioned to craft content that captures the attention of their Chinese target audience.


Speaking of which, getting to know your Chinese audience intimately, and developing detailed personas specifically for your China content, is strong jumping off point for developing a China content marketing strategy. You can ensure that the messaging in your China content is speaking directly to the wants and needs of your target audience, and make sure your personas are matched to your China marketing channels and their buyer journey pain points.


Get your localization balance right


There is no need to completely abandon your successful global content, it can still be valuable as part of your China content strategy, but there needs to be a balance between well localized global content, and content that has been developed bespoke for your Chinese consumers.


Successful B2B brands recognize the importance of localization. Translating content verbatim from one language to another is not sufficient; it must be adapted to align with the cultural, linguistic, and regulatory nuances of the Chinese market. This includes using appropriate idioms, understanding social norms, and incorporating local trends to make the content more relatable to the target audience.

 

Building trust through thought leadership

 

In the B2B realm, trust is paramount. Chinese businesses value relationships and reliability when engaging with global partners. B2B brands that establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry by providing valuable insights and expertise through their content are more likely to gain the trust of Chinese audiences. This can be achieved through webinars, whitepapers, and other forms of content that showcase industry knowledge and innovation.

 

Leveraging Chinese Social Media Platforms

 

China has its own set of popular social media platforms, such as WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok). B2B brands that understand the importance of these platforms and leverage them effectively can significantly enhance their reach and engagement. Creating content tailored for these channels, such as visually appealing infographics and short videos, can help capture the attention of a wider China audience.

 

Mobile first is an important concept here as well. China has embraced mobile technology like nowhere else. This means that most of your content output is going to be viewed on a mobile device. Make sure that your content is optimized for this platform, so it benefits from a great user experience.


Amplification


We’ve spoken many times about the challenges of growing your follower-base in China. For example, one of the issues brands must overcome when they launch their WeChat strategy is accounting for the private traffic limitations.


Being a proactive member of a digital community, collaborating with industry influencers and partnerships with key trade media will all contribute to amplifying your content and boost engagement.


Taking a strategic, long-term approach to your China B2B marketing content and having a content plan that covers multiple channels, messaging pillars and target audiences will certainly help to ensure that all that brilliant content your spent time and resources creating will hit home as you want to with your Chinese audience.

Andy Smith

Andy Smith - StrategiQ

By Steven Proud • 11 Apr, 2024
In this episode... Andy chats about his background in retail and sales and the corporate grounding he developed during his early career. His introduction to marketing and advertising sales came from the 12 years he spent at Yellow Pages, the majority of which was working face-to-face with businesses of all sizes. He talks about maintaining a passion for business challenges, a belief in robust business planning and developing marketing strategies and tactics that are directly aligned with the business plan. We discuss leadership in an agency environment and how Andy interprets his role as CEO. We also look at the career progression of his team and the importance of providing opportunities for growth and leadership. Andy highlights the importance of achieving a balance between brand, technology, and customer experience, and how this has influenced how StrategiQ positions itself as a business. Resources mentioned in this episode: Andy Smith on LinkedIn StrategiQ website StrategiQ on LinkedIn Brand igo Chin a Steven Proud on LinkedIn AMIN Worldwide online AMIN Worldwide on LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by Brandigo China . We are an independent marketing and communications agency based in Shanghai, China with 20 years of on-the-ground experience in China. At Brandigo China , we work with multinational clients to support their marketing and business growth efforts in China. We are experts in insight strategy, content marketing, marketing-led business growth campaigns and all things China-based marketing. Go to www.brandigochina.com to learn more and contact us with questions at hellochina@brandigo.com .
Sean O'Brien

Sean O'Brien - B2B Leader

By Michael Golden • 20 Mar, 2024
Marketing podcast with B2B marketing leader Sean O'Brien

Do you need specific marketing personas for China?

By Steven Proud • 15 Mar, 2024
Developing marketing personas specific to your China target audiences should be the foundation of your China marketing strategy and insight research, and here are 6 reasons why.
Share by: