Recognising China’s social media landscape

Delve into China’s unique social media ecosystem

Highly regulated, with its own platforms and different engagement levels, these are many reasons why marketers should treat China as a standalone market when looking into their social media strategy internationally. Read more about the Chinese social media landscape in this White Paper from 2018.

The recent economic growth that China has experienced makes it an irresistible market for businesses, with cross-border retail expected to reach 59 billion pounds by the end of 2018. The Chinese retail market will soon comprise more than 50% of the world’s online retail market, and it has twice as many internet users than the US (731 million to be exact).

However, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Chinese internet censorship is considered to be among the strictest in the world. The censorship is used in two ways: firstly, it prevents opposition to the Communist Party from sharing information and organising rallies.

Secondly, it helps to promote domestic rather than international businesses. Topics which tend to generate the most censorship include Falun Gong (a Chinese spiritual movement that teaches truthfulness, compassion and tolerance), pornographic material, democracy and anything seen to incite collective action.

Examples of censorship legislation are abundant, with numerous religious leaders, human rights activists and lawyers being jailed as a result of these notoriously strict laws. Some specific instances of day-to-day censorship include the removal of foreign TV shows from online platforms, forcing users to register their real names on platforms and holding chat administrators accountable for their spaces.

Simply speaking, Chinese censorship has resulted in the ban of Western platforms and the formation of Chinese alternatives which conform to censorship policy. This complicates the social media landscape for Western companies looking to expand into China by using social media.

Trying to understand social media can be a complicated task in and of itself. Add an international edge to that, and you may find yourself quickly overwhelmed. The rise of technology, economic development and increased consumption have all been fundamental to the changing landscape of social media in China, but perhaps the most influential factor is the censorship enforced by the Chinese government.

On the surface it may seem that there are many Chinese equivalents to traditional Western social media platforms, but to what extent can these be treated in the same way? Do they offer any extra services? How should their audiences be treated? Does the content differ in any way?

This vast market may seem attractive to marketers, but it is not without its implications. In terms of consumer engagement, Chinese users are accustomed to receiving a reply to their posts, and given the scale of the market, this evidently could pose problems. In order to effectively communicate brand identity, respond to complaints and prevent negative press coverage, companies have to invest heavily in customer engagement services.

Unlike its Western counterparts, Chinese social media lacks any form of useful metrics to gauge the response and efficacy of campaigns. A report published by research institute Forrester, entitled ‘Social Media Measurement in China’, revealed that social media measurement is relatively superficial compared to that of the West. Only simple metrics such as followers, fans and engagement are used, whereas more profound statistics can be used to measure business success – essentially measuring the change in brand awareness and the sales contribution.

The local specificity of consumers, content and platforms can indeed present a confusing landscape to those who do not understand the complexity of China’s social media landscape. Nonetheless, there is a real need to understand Chinese laws and culture in order to manage social media campaigns in this market. As Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang once said, ‘China is not afraid of the Internet… We manage the Internet according to the law’. If properly approached, this market is sure to provide significant returns.