Social Media in China

by Global Thinkers

Popular social media platforms, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, are blocked in China. However, the country has its own homegrown social media platforms, such as Sina Weibo and Renren (equivalents of Twitter and Facebook respectively). According to statistics, China had around 536,000,000 users on top social networks. This makes the total social network penetration in China at 40%.

Social Media in China

Such increasingly growing popularity of social media networks in China means popular pressure on the Chinese government. The pressure, however, is one that holds the Chinese government more accountable for its actions. The high-speed rail crash that occurred in China as of July 2011, for instance, triggered outrage in the Chinese microblogging world. This forced the government to order a comprehensive safety evaluation, sack the rail minister and promise more transparency.

The penetration of social media in other Asian countries is also growing. In fact, Asia is the fastest growing continent in terms of social media adoption. Facebook boasts the strongest presence in all Asian countries, except China, Taiwan and South Korea. Indonesia, with 33 million users, has the second largest number of Facebook users.

Evolution of Social Media in China

While Twitter, Facebook and other social media became popular across the world, China blocked these social media. Instead, it developed its own state-approved, home-grown versions of these social media platforms. The Chinese equivalents of Facebook include Kaixin001 (established in 2009), Douban (March 2005) and Renren (December 2005); with Tencent’s Qzone (March 2005) having the largest user base in the country. Chinese equivalent of YouTube include YouKu and Tudou.

China Mobile

Popular Social Media Platforms in China: How Businesses Are Using Them

The popularity of Chinese social media, such as Kaixin001, YouKu and Sina Weibo, also showed a corresponding rise in netizens’ discussions on companies. Hence, social media has started to play a decisive role in the making or breaking of a business. In an OgilvyOne study, around 55% netizens in China had participated or initiated online discussions about companies. Hence, it is now imperative for companies to understand and utilize social media effectively for their business. Given the current impact and penetration of social media, businesses that do not understand client opinions and discussions online will suffer a business risk.

Hence, to benefit from social media, businesses must study their consumers’ use of the platform and using the platform to conduct consumer research, to shift brand preference, manage crises and launch products. Besides, it can also be used to engage with customers and avoid serious problems. Monitoring online conversations and discussions can also yield amazing results. However, ignoring social media may lead to companies not seeing an approaching consumer-led crisis.

Here are some tips for businesses on using social media strategy well in China:

• Understanding each platform: Understanding each social media platform helps you determine the right media to reach your target audience for appropriate brand building. This may require relearning concepts about social media, as each social media tool is different in terms of capabilities.
• Know your target audience and their favorite platforms: Different social media platforms have different target audiences. You need to identify your target audience and engage them on the relevant platform.
• Keep it short and simple: To communicate effectively with the Chinese audience, keep your messages short and precise. The Chinese audience typically prefers short message services, compared to lengthy communications such as long articles and blogs.
• Engage and interact: The success of your marketing campaigns depends on your interaction with the audience. Your communication must be two-way, spontaneous and engaging; it must also respond to user needs.

With the younger generation Chinese becoming more social media-savvy, businesses must adapt themselves to the changing scenario.

Popular Social Media Platforms: Users and Current Usage

According to a Boston Consulting Group study, Chinese internet users spend around 2.7 hours a day online, which is at par with Japan and US usage patterns. Here is more information on popular social media platforms in China:

• Sina Weibo: The most popular Chinese microblogging site, Sina Weibo has over 200 million registered users (both in China and overseas) as of December 2011. As of March 2011, it had 100 million users over the age of 30.
• Kaixin001: With a user base of young professionals and white collar workers, its members largely hail from Beijing, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Shanghai and other second-tier cities. As of October 2011, it had 120 million registered users. Members typically use this platform to share information related to professional advancement, career, health and relationships.
• Douban: This site attracts art student and book, music, culture and cinema aficionados. Members connect as per their interests and hold activities, such as trips to local art exhibitions and galleries. As of 2010, it had around 30 million registered users.
• RenRen: Similar to Facebook, this platform is used by university students to connect and interact with their friends and classmates. This platform allows users to upload photos and videos of their activities. As of May 2011, it had 117 million registered users; however, only 31 million were active users.

Other poplar Chinese social media include YouKu, Tudou; Yahoo Answers! equivalents Zhihu, Baidu Zhidao and Tianya Wenda; and Tencent’s Qzone and Weibo.