China Marketing in 2023

 

One trend that emerged was the increased use of KOLs (key opinion leaders) and other influencers to promote products and services. These individuals have a large following on social media platforms such as WeChat and Douyin (TikTok), and they can help businesses reach a wider audience through their trusted recommendations. For B2B marketers, this took the form of trade publications – typically the WeChat versions.  

 

B2B marketers also stepped out of the WeChat comfort zones and started to experiment with Douyin, Little Red Book and other more consumer-focused social media. One of the reasons being that the “walled garden” that is WeChat is a long, slow slog for new fans and growth – something that has always bedeviled China B2B marketers.  

 

Companies also experimented with video and used the WeChat Channels video platform to supercharge their WeChat content efforts. We saw a rise in B2B clients taking advantage of video in a more systematic way as well – supporting them to take a larger “content zero” piece of content and break it into sizable chunks.  

 

Another trend was the rise of webinars, which allowed businesses to connect with their customers and partners remotely. Some of our most successful clients incorporated webinars into their WeChat official accounts, providing a library of content, sometimes gated and sometimes available to the public.  

 

Hybrid trade shows and digital-only trade shows did not make much headway, although at CIIE (China’s major import-export trade show), we saw many brands use live-streaming to reach their target audiences that could not attend the exhibition. 

 

Looking ahead to 2023, it is difficult to predict exactly how the China marketing scene will evolve. With COVID-19 still a major concern and vaccination efforts ongoing, it is more than likely that digital channels – especially newer channels – will to play a significant role in how businesses reach their target audiences, even as trade shows start to re-surface.  

 

However, as the pandemic hopefully comes under control and restrictions are lifted, it is possible that we will see a return to more traditional marketing methods, such as trade shows and in-person meetings. Only time will tell how the China marketing scene will adapt and change in the coming year.