China Influencer Marketing Podcast

Today's episode features Chloé Reuter, founding partner of Gusto Luxe, to share findings from its new report on the state of China’s luxury market along with some of her personal observations about Shanghai’s luxury community.Some of the ideas discussed include:“Revenge spending” — a concept born from pent-up demand for luxury products during the pandemic. How are luxury consumers spending their money?An increasingly popular idea in China that health is the new wealth.Why COVID-19 has made sustainability a greater concern among high-net-worth individuals.The hottest domestic travel destinations for luxury consumers.Christian Dior’s take on the ecommerce livestreaming trend. Guest: Chloé ReuterLinkedIn | Email: chloe.reuter@gusto-luxe.com Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update.

Pinduoduo is one of China’s largest ecommerce platforms and an industry leader that helped popularize the concept of social commerce in China. Yet while it initially became famous for its wildly popular group-buying feature, Pinduoduo has since evolved into much more than just a group-buying platform. In this episode, Ada Yang, head of social community at Pinduoduo, gives us an overview of the platform, and then shares several of its features and initiatives you may not have heard of, such as:A virtual farming game, where users can earn real fruit sent to their home for free.Pinduoduo’s livestreaming service and how the company is iterating on its newfound popularity during the pandemic.A “New Brand Initiative” that leverages user data to help factories that have been hit hard by COVID-19 and the negative geopolitical situation to create entirely new brands aimed at the domestic market, guiding them through product development, branding, and marketing.Guest: Ada YangLinkedIn | Twitter | Medium | The China Ecommerce PodcastHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!

In this episode, Demi Ping, sector head for retail and ecommerce at the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), shares how it helps British brands of all sizes and industries succeed in China and some of the key marketing tactics that CBBC has been leveraging this year to help brands stay afloat through COVID-19.While Demi and CBBC obviously focus on British brands, her insights are highly relevant for any foreign brands looking to tap into the market in China. Guest: Demi PingLinkedIn | Email: demi.ping@cbbc.org.cnHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | YouTube | WeChat: H1212118514­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter.

Welcome back to the second episode of The Pulse, where Lauren shares a collection of noteworthy China marketing campaigns and content trends.Topics covered in this episode include:A trending domestic travel destination in Ningxia nicknamed “China’s Route 66” and “China’s Morocco.”The massive growing demand for edible bird nests and the two brands that ranked first and second in Taobao’s pharmaceuticals category during this year’s 618 shopping festival.Lauren’s tips for how brands can leverage the popular reality show Sisters Who Make Waves.Some examples of brands besides Perfect Dairy that are using private traffic.For video versions of the podcast, check out Lauren’s YouTube channel or visit her website if you’d like more information.Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs. ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: China Marketing Insights.

Although Chinese consumers are known for their love of online shopping, offline events remain an important part of brands’ marketing mix, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in the brand and experience it with all of their senses. What’s more, attending the latest pop-ups and exhibitions is a major form of social proof for China’s young consumers.Despite the importance of offline events, they are not something that the podcast has discussed in depth. Today's guest is Ryan Whelan, the founder of event marketing agency Pennyfields, to share his top tips for executing offline events in China.The episode covers a wide range of topics, including:CostsProduction qualityTimelinesRestrictions and regulationsCommon issues when dealing with VIP guestsWorking with Chinese press, WeMedia, and KOLs And more!Guest: Ryan WhelanWebsite | LinkedInHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update.

Private traffic (sīyù liúliàng 私域流量) was one of the biggest China marketing trends of 2019. It has become even more popular in 2020 as an increasing number of brands and livestreamers have begun implementing this tactic.While the term is thrown around a lot, many listeners may still not have heard of it. Tune in for answers to the following questions, and more:• What exactly is private traffic? • Isn't it just private WeChat groups?• Why has this tactic become so popular?• Is it a tactic my brand should be using?• How does private traffic actually work and is it scalable?• How can we track the ROI? • Are there any case studies for my industry?If you or your brand are facing questions such as these, you're in luck! Today’s episode is the audio from a Private Traffic 101 webinar that Lauren co-hosted with recent podcast guest Doris Ke.You should be able to understand the content without visuals, but if you’d like to check out the presentations, you can watch the webinar replay here.Host: Lauren HallananWebsite: | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update.

In this episode, Michael Norris, research and strategy manager at AgencyChina, joins Lauren to discuss the growing intersection of luxury and gaming. Their topics include collaborations with virtual influencers, luxury brands creating their own games or gamifying the shopping experience, and brands creating product lines influenced by characters from popular online games. This trend is not only in China — it is a global phenomenon — so Michael and Lauren also discuss the origins of the trend, how it manifests itself in the West as compared with in China, and how it might develop in the future. To help illustrate the trend, they have shared several case studies, which we have provided links to below. Lauren’s new article:The greatest threat to global cosmetics’ China success: An interview with D2C unicorn Perfect Diary Resources:Global phenomenonLV: Lightning - a virtual heroineEven better than the real thing? Meet the virtual influencers taking over your feedsYou can try on the latest Adidas sneaker drop on SnapchatFrom Animal Crossing to esports: How fashion met gamingAnimal Crossing China angleDissecting the 10 best luxury WeChat campaignsLuxury brands Hermès, Guerlain and Dior use mobile games to attract Chinese millennialsBeauty games: M.A.C. lipstick collaboration with Tencent mobile game sells out in 24 hours (not specifically luxury, but relevant)Why luxury brands are betting on BilibiliAlibaba uses lockdown to promote its virtual avatar gameCan virtual influencers and avatars change the face of Chinese ecommerce?What could be the next trend for livestreaming? Guest: Michael NorrisLinkedIn | TwitterHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update.

On June 8, Yatsen E-commerce, the parent company of Chinese cosmetics unicorn Perfect Diary, held a press event in Guangzhou to launch its newest brand, Abby’s Choice (完子心选wánzǐ xīnxuǎn) — and the China Marketing Podcast attended! In today’s episode, hear Lauren's assistant, Kejie, share what she learned at the event and her experience visiting the new Abby’s Choice offline store.Perfect Diary has become a leader in China’s cosmetics industry in only three years and its innovative marketing strategies are often used as case studies. It will be interesting to see if Abby’s Choice can replicate Perfect Diary’s success.In addition, while Kejie was in Guangzhou, she visited the offline stores of two other Chinese brands, tea company Nayuki Tea (奈雪的茶 nàixuě de chá) and multi-brand beauty retailer The Colorist (调色师 tiáosè shī). She also shares in this episode her impressions of the stores and her key takeaways about the brands.Kejie is currently working on several videos of her visits to the stores, so if you’re interested in checking those out, subscribe to Lauren’s YouTube channel.Mentioned in the episode:Perfect Diary’s virtual influencer gets her own mini program store, product lineThe Colorist – images of the storeNayuki recent 520 art cup collectionUpcoming Event: Private Traffic 101: Breaking Down China’s Hottest Marketing TrendPrivate traffic was one of the biggest China marketing terms of 2019, and it has only become hotter in 2020 as an increasing number of brands have begun implementing this tactic.But what exactly is private traffic, and is it a tactic you should be using?Sign up here to join Lauren for a live webinar on June 23. Host: Lauren HallananWebsite: | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.Like the podcasts at SupChina? Help us out by taking this brief survey.

This week, Lauren is introducing a new monthly series called The Pulse, where she will share her recent observations on the China marketing industry. Content will include the analysis of new social media platform features and trending topics, as well as the identification of WeChat Official Accounts or influencers that Lauren thinks are worth following, interesting online campaigns, and up-and-coming brands.Topics covered in this episode:Xiǎohóngshū 小红书 product sample giveaway functionEcommerce livestreaming features you may not know aboutPerfect Diary virtual pet loyalty point gameChinese beauty brand Little Ondine (小奥汀 xiǎo aòtīng)Xiaohongshu vlogs encouraging users to visit museums and offline exhibitionsPopular search terms on XiaohongshuTáobàngdān 淘榜单, a useful WeChat Official AccountSome things to consider before working with a livestreaming KOL If you would like more details and visuals on the topics Lauren discusses in the episode, check out her YouTube page or follow her on LinkedIn to see related videos.Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Like the podcasts at SupChina? Help us out by taking this brief survey.

Over the past couple of years, Chinese brands have been experiencing massive growth. Newly founded direct-to-consumer brands are booming, while the more established Chinese brands have rebranded and revitalized themselves to attract a younger audience.So, where does this growth come from? Top-earning brands have proven themselves to be savvy marketers, quickly adopting the newest social platforms and promotional tactics, and developing products, branding, and messaging that show a deep understanding of their target audience’s preferences and tastes.In this episode, Lauren and Chinese marketing expert Doris Ke give us an overview of the marketing industry and key drivers of growth. Doris also shares some of her favorite domestic brands that she is watching right now.Doris is the founder and CEO of Digipont, a well-known B2B marketing thought leader in China with a popular WeChat Official Account. If you subscribe to Lauren’s newsletter, then you have definitely read her articles before!Brands mentioned in the episode:Perfect Diary (wánměi rìjì 完美日记) Genki Forest (yuánqì sēnlín 元气森林) WonderLabUpcoming webinar: What can we learn from China livestreaming ecommerce?This webinar is perfect for the product developer who is looking to get a better understanding of Chinese ecommerce livestreaming platforms. From the seamless user experience to the loyalty, gamification, and social sharing features, the UX of QVC and Home Shopping Network pales in comparison with China’s ecommerce livestreaming platforms. Lauren will also share her predictions for ecommerce livestreaming’s future in the West.Register here.Guest: Doris Ke, Founder & CEO of DigipontLinkedIn | Email | Website Host: Lauren HallananWebsite: | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update.

The Harvard Business Review found that acquiring a new customer is five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one and that increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits from 25% to 95%. Bain found that returning customers spend 67% more than new customers. And Temkin found that loyal customers are five times as likely to repurchase, five times as likely to forgive, four times as likely to refer, and seven times as likely to try a new offering.Retention marketing is an important topic that brands need to be thinking about. This is especially the case in China, where advertising and paid marketing costs have skyrocketed over the past few years and now oftentimes customer acquisition costs are higher than the lifetime value of the customer.Elijah Whaley, chief marketing officer of China influencer marketing platform PARKLU, joined Lauren on the podcast and explained his recently published guide to retention marketing.This podcast and the concepts that are discussed will be valuable to brands of any size in any stage of their China marketing journey!Resources:Download PARKLU’s Retention Marketing Strategy GuideComplete Guide to KOC Marketing in ChinaExperiential Marketing Mechanics: Turning Customers into KOCUpcoming Event:Webinar: What Can We Learn From China Livestreaming Ecommerce With Lauren HallananVideo:Perfect Diary Unboxing VideoGuest: Elijah WhaleyLinkedInHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

This week’s episode is a must-listen for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited marketing budgets that are looking to build their businesses in China. Rachel White, the chief marketing officer for LUÜNA Naturals, a social-impact period care company, shares how it has grown the brand in mainland China. Some of the key tactics that Rachel shares include:Providing highly educational content online and running offline workshops to educate consumers. Many women in China are being given very limited information on the topic of period care and are grateful for the valuable knowledge that they can’t find elsewhere.Partnering with other brands that are targeting similar consumer segments.Selling B2B: Some companies buy female employees period care products and provide educational workshops as part of employee benefits.Having a social impact component: Many key opinion leaders and key opinion consumers have given the brand free promotion because they believe in its mission to provide period care products to lower-income communities.Links:WeChat Mini Program livestreaming webinar Guest: Rachel WhiteLUÜNA Naturals website | LUÜNA Naturals WeChat Official Account: luunanaturalsInstagram | Email: rachel.w@luuna-naturals.com Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: China Marketing Insights. Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.Like the podcasts at SupChina? Help us out by taking this brief survey.

Meet the short-video app Bilibili — a platform that brands know they should get on, but they are reluctant (or maybe too intimidated) to pull the trigger. Why is that? Its user culture is stronger than that of other Chinese social media and video-sharing platforms. Bilibili is where all the subcultures go, the anime, comic, and game nerds, the artists, the content creators that don’t want to make clichéd 15-second dancing videos. Get your campaign right and your ROI will be high; get it wrong and you will be scorned and mocked.In this episode, Lauren brings Miro Li, a digital marketing consultant based in Hong Kong, back on the podcast to give an overview of Bilibili. She digs into what makes the platform unique and shares how and why brands should be using it.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Resources:Chinable Academy Bilibili 101 Course(Special discount code for listeners: BILI20)WeChat mini program livestreaming webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2015887102237/WN_9ymTeoX9RoCQ5aUnyszstw Guest: Miro LiLinkedIn | WeChat: Miro509Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514 Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs. Like the podcasts at SupChina? Help us out by taking our brief survey.

This week’s episode discusses once again China’s ecommerce livestreaming industry. As mentioned in episode 69, this industry has experienced massive growth due to COVID-19. In fact, leading ecommerce livestreaming platform Taobao Live reported that in early February, livestream sessions on the platform had increased by 110% year over year.Today, Lauren explains the ways in which the industry has grown and changed. She also shares specific examples and case studies that have been seen over the past several months.Topics include:- How famous streamers adapted their product offerings- The creative (and sometimes odd) ways that many traditionally offline businesses began using livestreaming- Thoughts on WeChat’s and Xiaohongshu’s newly launched livestreaming functions- Will the trend continue after COVID-19Additional resources:Ep. 69: 16 catchphrases that Chinese livestreamers use to engage their audiences and drive salesEp. 58: Is ecommerce livestreaming in China a good fit for your brand? ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Apply or nominate someone to be on the podcast:Email to: lauren@unchartedmedia.coInclude name, title, company, topics to discuss, and how you (or a nominee) could be of value to listeners.Host: Lauren HallananWebsite: www.chinainfluencermarketing.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

Ecommerce livestreaming was already one of the biggest marketing and ecommerce trends of 2019. Thanks to the coronavirus, it has truly gone mainstream in China. Everywhere you turn, there is an announcement about some platform launching livestreaming or adding new livestreaming features. Top streamers on ecommerce platforms have become household names.The top hosts are excellent salespeople, using specific tactics to engage and persuade their audiences. They are very careful about what they say and how they say it.The phrases they use aren’t the same as a regular salesperson’s. In fact, if you are new to ecommerce livestreaming, you may think some of the things they say are odd: Ecommerce livestreamers and their audiences have developed their own slang.So just what are some of these phrases? In this episode, Lauren’s assistant and regular guest Kejie analyzes the top 16 phrases that Chinese livestreamers use to engage their audiences and drive sales.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Here’s a link to the WeChat article discussed in this episode. Upcoming Webinar:April 14: Luxury in China in the wake of COVID-19Apply or nominate someone to be on the podcast:Email to: lauren@unchartedmedia.coInclude name, title, company, topics to discuss, and how you (or the nominee) could be of value to listeners.Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514 Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!

Today’s episode features an in-depth discussion on programmatic advertising in China with David Nottingham, the EU general manager at iPinYou, a digital advertising technology company and the largest demand-side platform in China.To kick off the conversation, David provides an overview of China’s programmatic ecosystem and how it is different from that in the West. Then, the conversation moves to:Do you need to know about Chinese media to be able to run programmatic paid media campaigns?Can Chinese media be trusted? How can you manage ad fraud?What are the latest trends in Chinese programmatic advertising? As David points out, it’s hard to talk about programmatic advertising without getting technical. But he did a great job of helping those with little or no background in digital advertising to understand what he’s talking about.­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update! Upcoming Webinar:April 14: Luxury in China in the Wake of COVID-19 Apply or nominate someone to be on the podcast:Email to: lauren@unchartedmedia.coInclude your name, title, and company, topics you’d like to discuss, and how you could be of value to listeners. Guest: David NottinghamLinkedIn | Website Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

Tom Kruger is the Shanghai managing director of Chatly, a WeChat social CRM platform for global brands. In this interview, he explains why brands need to rethink their WeChat strategies and position WeChat as their core customer engagement hub in China.Many brands are still treating WeChat as the same platform it was several years ago. But in reality, it has been constantly adding features and has morphed into a complex ecosystem, allowing brands to bring the entire customer journey from awareness to conversion and loyalty, all into one app. In this episode, Tom guides us through the entire funnel, including building an identified contact, creating 48-hour journeys, setting up segmentation and retargeting, and designing commerce and loyalty mini programs.This episode is super detailed — it's essentially a free WeChat CRM master class — so be prepared to learn a lot! ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!WeChat Webinars:March 17: Why Having a WeChat E-Commerce Mini Program Is More Important Than EverMarch 31: WeChat Initial Touchpoints: How to Optimize the New User ExperienceGuest: Tom KrugerLinkedIn | Website | Email: tom@chatly.com Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

Are you thinking about entering the China market? Or are you currently trying to gain a foothold in China but are struggling? This episode with Josh Gardner, the CEO of Kung Fu Data, is sure to give you food for thought.Kung Fu Data helps international brands with China market entry and advisory, Tmall store activation and optimization, and daily operations support.Josh has a no-BS, super-honest approach. He knows how to make brands succeed in China, but he is also not afraid to turn down brands that he believes won’t find success. Today, Josh shares what brands should consider before entering China and how to evaluate if a brand is ready or not. He also shares tips for a successful China launch strategy. There are two particularly interesting ideas for China market entry discussed in this episode. The first is that it's actually easier to activate Chinese consumers outside of China and then enter the mainland China market. This is related to the second idea, which is his belief that “people follow people who follow brands.” Another thing Josh points out is that, in China, the faster you are, the more likely you are to succeed. Agility is extremely important in the China market, not only because consumer behaviors and technology are rapidly changing, but also because Chinese domestic brands tend to be very agile and international brands just entering the market are going to struggle to compete if they can’t keep up. Guest: Josh GardnerWebsite | LinkedIn | Email: josh@kungfudata.com Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514 Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

This week, Lauren is joined by Olivia Plotnick, a WeChat marketing specialist. She and her team work with small businesses and startups to produce effective content and drive community engagement on WeChat.Olivia discusses how the role of WeChat articles has evolved and why formatting is extremely important, particularly for B2C brands. Later in the conversation, she shares some of her favorite brand accounts to follow and points out some key takeaways for each of the brands.WeChat Webinars:March 17: Why Having a WeChat E-Commerce Mini Program Is More Important Than Ever March 31: WeChat Initial Touchpoints: How to Optimize the New User Experience Women in China Marketing:www.womeninchinamarketing.com Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs. Guest: Olivia PlotnickLinkedIn Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514

Today’s conversation is with Dao Nguyen, the founder of ESSENZIA, a boutique marketing creative strategy agency that helps fragrance and cosmetics brands reach young Chinese consumers. Lauren and Dao dive deep into China’s rapidly growing fragrance market, which has changed dramatically over the past five years.In this episode, Dao gives an overview of the market, answering questions such as:· Who are the main consumers? · What types of fragrances tend to appeal to a Chinese audience? · Which brands are doing well in the China market and why? · Are there any mistakes that brands tend to make? Later in the episode, they discuss China’s beauty industry and Lauren asks Dao to share her thoughts on the rise of China’s domestic beauty brands.To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update! Guest: Dao NguyenLinkedInHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514

In this episode of the China Marketing Podcast, Lauren and her guest discuss a topic that has never been talked about on this podcast before but is relevant for many listeners — how to manage a Chinese team, particularly a team in the marketing industry. The guest today is Elisa Harca, the CEO and co-founder of Red Ant Asia, a China marketing agency in Shanghai and Hong Kong, which was founded in 2012. It works with lifestyle and luxury brands such as Lush, Charlotte Tilbury, Lane Crawford, Birkenstock, and more.For the past eight years, Elisa has led an entirely Chinese team, and she has many employees who have been with the company for five to seven years. As anyone who has worked in the communications industry in China knows, this is quite impressive, as many people tend to hop around and change positions every one to two years.In this interview, she shares some of the biggest lessons she’s learned about leading a Chinese team, mistakes she has made or frequently sees other foreigners make when building a team of Chinese employees, and her top tips for finding and retaining high-quality Chinese talent.Elisa also shares how her company is handling the coronavirus and managing a remote workforce.To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter, China Marketing Insights! Guest: Elisa HarcaInstagram | Website | WeChat: RedAntOfficial | Email: elisa.harca@redant.comHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514

The rise of Chinese domestic brands is one of the defining business stories of the last decade. Listening to Mia Wang, the CEO of the popular Chinese women’s fitness apparel brand MAIA ACTIVE, it is easy to see why domestic brands are doing so well. This episode will be particularly useful for brands that are just entering the China market, as Mia shares a lot of the tactics her team used to take the company from 0 in 2016 to having over 300 different products, a very successful Tmall presence, and three offline stores today. ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for the China Marketing Update!Resources:MAIA ACTIVE Company Intro DeckGuest: Mia WangLinkedIn | Email Host: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514Check out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

With China on lockdown due to the COVID-19 epidemic, offline retail is nearly nonexistent and ecommerce has slowed, since logistics companies are unable to deliver goods. But industries such as gaming, health and fitness, and online education are booming. How should brands handle these complex times? What can they do to support consumers and set themselves up to recoup losses once the crisis has passed? Resources mentioned in this episode: 疫情之下，企业该如何做营销? (“How to do business under the coronavirus?”), by 刀姐doris我们统计了800名抖音快手达人，谁是今年春节档最大的“黑马 (“We gathered 800 Kuaishou and Douyin experts — who is this year’s “dark horse”?), by Short Video Production HouseResponding to the coronavirus: strategic brand advice, by United Media Solution

In 2019, male beauty and skincare was one of China's fastest-growing consumer product segments. In fact, data from Euromonitor shows that the Chinese male beauty market is growing at over double the global average (13.5 percent vs. 5.8 percent). In this episode, Lauren and her guest, Joyce Sheng, give an overview of the male beauty industry in China, including its size, products, and consumer demographics, as well as the cultural drivers of the trend. In addition, Joyce — a Chinese post-1990s consumer and avid fan of this podcast — shares her personal perspective on how her male friends and colleagues are engaging with this trend.Resources mentioned in the show: AIRPARIS China Male Beauty Report 2019.Guest: Joyce ShengLinkedInHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514

This week’s guest is Arnold Ma, the founder of Qumin, a Chinese digital marketing agency with a mission to open the world to China, specializing in Chinese creative branding and marketing.In this episode, Lauren speaks with Arnold about what he sees as some of the biggest trends that could shake up the marketing industry this year in China.What to look for:Content-led platforms, like TikTok, could potentially overtake network-led platforms like Twitter, Weibo, and Facebook. Influencers becoming creators.The concept of Xiàchén 下沉, which implies a greater need for brands to market to consumers outside of first-tier cities in China.To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: The China Marketing Update!Guest: Arnold MaWebsite | Podcast | LinkedInHost: Lauren HallananWebsite | LinkedIn | WeChat: H1212118514

This episode features Ron Wardle, CEO of a multi-award winning China e-commerce trade partner and digital marketing services agency, who gives an inside look at one of China's biggest marketing trends — ecommerce livestreaming.While using livestreamed video to promote ecommerce has existed in China for several years, it really took off in 2019 during last year’s Singles’ Day shopping festival, when livestreaming on Alibaba’s Taobao platform generated $2.85 billion in sales — around 7.5 percent of the day’s total. Across the Chinese internet, marketers have dubbed 2019 “the first year of the ecommerce livestreaming era,” and some of the top hosts have become celebrities. But how does it work? Ron Wardle talks about his experience running livestream campaigns for big international brands. ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for Lauren’s newsletter: China Marketing Insights!Guest: Ron WardleLinkedInTwitter Host: Lauren HallananWebsiteLinkedInCheck out Lauren’s book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs.

Description: Today I’m chatting with Charlie Gu, Founder of the agency Kollective Influence which helps brands reach Chinese travelers and Chinese young professionals and students living abroad, mainly through working with local Chinese influencers. ­To learn more about marketing in China, sign up for our newsletter: The China Marketing Update! Notes: How are Chinese consumers […]

Today we’re talking all about KOCs or key opinion consumers with my guest, Ray Veras, co-founder of the KOC marketing platform Pingjia Daren (评价达人). This episode will give you an overview of the topic: who are KOCs, how are they different than KOLs, why has KOC marketing become so popular, and what kind of goals […]

Today we’re talking all about KOCs or key opinion consumers with my guest, Ray Veras, co-founder of the KOC marketing platform Pingjia Daren (评价达人). This episode will give you an overview of the topic: who are KOCs, how are they different than KOLs, why has KOC marketing become so popular, and what kind of goals and ROI expectations brands should have when running KOC campaigns. At the end we also chat a bit about a great report that Pingjia Daren put out ahead of 11.11 where they surveyed over 6,700 KOCs and Ray shared some of the key findings from the report. Read the report: 11.11 China female consumers’ shopping plan survey 2019 To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: Ray’s background: Ray has been involved in KOC marketing for 5 years, before the term existed. His professional background was in consumer research and back in 2014 was surprised by how few brands were using word of mouth (WOM) marketing in China What are KOCs? KOCs are ordinary everyday consumers who enjoy sharing their experiences on social media. Generally, they are knowledgeable on certain topics. May only have an audience of several hundred to a few thousand followers therefore have a much closer relationship with them. He feels one of the biggest differences between KOLs and KOCs is that KOC content is generally not financially motivated. Most of the time, at least with their collaborations, KOCs are just being gifted product and product samples. Very important when gifting KOCs that the product fits the KOC’s lifestyle and is relevant, not just randomly gifted I asked “Is there a lot of churn? Do a lot of KOCs become KOLs?” Yes, this year especially. Now that KOC marketing has become popular brands have started paying them and MCNs have been scooping them up to see if they can train them to become larger KOLs What is Pingjia Daren? It is a product recommendation community (somewhat similar to Xiaohongshu). Users answer a questionnaire when then sign up to share their interests and product preferences, then when there is a campaign, PJ Daren will invite a select group of users to receive free product. They are then encouraged to review the products on their social accounts, brands will indicate preferred platforms. Difficult for brands to do KOC marketing without the help of a platform. To engage with thousands of consumers at one requires a system, you need tech to track performance. Why has KOC marketing taken off this year? Several factors: Chinese consumers are becoming more sophisticated, they have a lot of options to avoid traditional advertising. Consumer are now very aware that KOLs are promoting products because they are being paid to. He feels they are craving more content that is not commercially influenced. Social media landscape is becoming more fragmented. Consumers have more options. Adds complexity for brand side to determine which platforms to leverage. Harder for them to keep messages consistent, also platforms each have their own rules and best practices. Consumers’ attention span decreasing therefore less attention on marketing campaigns. Last few years seen a decrease in performance of KOLs in China yet costs have increased and become unbearable for many brands. Also cases of KOLs inflating performance, fraud. What goals should brands have when running a KOC campaign? driving advocacy amplifying other campaigns the brand may be running at the time lifting incremental sales. Need to think about mid-term results, not short term. KOC marketing is about building brand equity. ROI - $1-4 per dollar invested in a campaign Think mid to long term – short terms successes aren’t what they seem With e-commerce live streaming most cases where you hear crazy sales results, the brand is paying for the hype, they aren’t making a profit, the products are heavily discounted, tied to aggressive commissions, short term burst of exposure, not a long lasting effect which is what KOCs produce Great case study of building brand equity through KOCs is Perfect Diary. They have been using KOCs, building communities, using private traffic for several years and that’s paying off now Pingjia Daren reports: One that came out ahead of 11.11, was a survey of over 6,700 Chinese female KOCs, evaluated their purchase intent, Key insight - consumers in 3rd tier cities and below are taking the lead with consumption growth in China. Willing to spend more than consumers in 1st and 2nd tier cities Did follow up research – found out they have a lower cost of living, which means they have greater disposable income. Cost of housing really affecting 1st and 2nd tier city consumers. Key drivers of product choice – in 1st and 2nd tier cities discounts are a big driver, but for 3rd tier cities and below, the impact was much lower, they are more focused on value and quality, not paying as much attention as we think on cheap products   Guest: Ray Veras Website: https://pjdaren.com/ PJ Daren LinkedIn Ray’s Linkedin Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and Chatly: www.chatly.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

Description: In last week’s episode I spoke with the COO of Becky’s Fantasy, the company of top Chinese fashion influencer Becky Li.  Today we’re going to give you another perspective into Becky’s business. My assistant and frequent co-host Kejie interned at Becky’s Fantasy in 2017 and today she shares what that experience was like.  We first discuss the basics such as the size of the company, what are the main teams, how does Becky’s editorial process work, and then later on she shares what she feels differentiates Becky from other Chinese KOLs, and why Becky, a top tier influencer, has stayed popular as consumers are starting to prefer smaller micro influencers. To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Becky’s Fantasy WeChat Account: 黎贝卡的异想世界 Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and Chatly: www.chatly.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

Description: In last week’s episode I spoke with the COO of Becky’s Fantasy, the company of top Chinese fashion influencer Becky Li.  Today we’re going to give you another perspective into Becky’s business. My assistant and frequent co-host Kejie interned at Becky’s Fantasy in 2017 and today she shares what that experience was like.  We […]

Description: About two months ago when I was in Guangzhou I had the great honor of visiting the headquarters of Becky’s Fantasy, the company owned and operated by top WeChat fashion influencer Becky Li. While I was there, I got to sit down with Becky’s COO and close friend Tristan Cui and pry into the […]

Description: About two months ago when I was in Guangzhou I had the great honor of visiting the headquarters of Becky’s Fantasy, the company owned and operated by top WeChat fashion influencer Becky Li. While I was there, I got to sit down with Becky’s COO and close friend Tristan Cui and pry into the inner workings of a company and KOL I really admire. Just for some context – if you don’t know who Becky Li is, you might remember a KOL campaign with Mini Cooper a couple years ago that went viral after the fashion KOL sold 100 mini coopers in 5 minutes… that was Becky. Tristan has been Becky’s close friend for a long time and has been with Becky and the company since the beginning.  In the interview she shares what differentiates Becky from other influencers in China, some of the key drivers of her success, and why Becky’s WeChat article open rates have remained extremely high while other accounts are struggling. As far as I know this is the only English language interview Tristan has done and I’m excited to share this opportunity with you guys. To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Questions covered: How do you feel the China influencer marketing industry has changed in 2019? Many WeChat accounts have seen slower follower growth and decreasing article opens, have you felt that and what have you been doing to combat that? Becky’s Fantasy has several Official Accounts on different topics, what is the purpose of this? Becky’s Fantasy has amazing branding. I think more so than any KOL I have seen. Why is this important? When did you get an illustrator and start to incorporate that into the brand? Do you feel that the preferences of your audience have been changing? What do they seem to care most about these days? What topics are they most interested? Most western influencers don’t have fan groups to the extent that Chinese influencers do. why do you feel fan groups are important? What are your thoughts on the growing popularity of Chinese domestic brands? Has Becky worked with any of them? Does your audience seem interested in them?  I saw Becky has been selling items on Xianyu, this seems to be a trend among Chinese celebs. Why has she decided to start doing this too?  Does Becky have any new projects she’s working on?   Article: Chinese KOL Becky Li Sells 100 mini coopers in 5 minutes Becky’s Fantasy WeChat Account: 黎贝卡的异想世界 Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and Chatly: www.chatly.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

There’s a lot of hype about 11.11 in Western media, but does everyone really love the holiday as much as the reports would have you think? Today we chat with a Chinese millennial Kejie who shares how her feelings on 11.11 have changed over the years, the Alibaba shopping game that her friends keep trying […]

There’s a lot of hype about 11.11 in Western media, but does everyone really love the holiday as much as the reports would have you think? Today we chat with a Chinese millennial Kejie who shares how her feelings on 11.11 have changed over the years, the Alibaba shopping game that her friends keep trying to get her to play, and what she and her friends are buying this year. To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: What is your impression of 11.11 and how has that changed over time? Kejie has become less interested in 11.11 every year Have you ever bought anything during 11.11? The first few years How do you feel about 11.11 this year? What about your friends, how do they feel? Are they talking about it? Many of her friends are still quite interested One friend always stocks up on a certain product during sales and doesn’t buy it at full price Have you seen anything different going on this year as far as promotions? Content? Brands involved? KOLs? etc. She sees all her friends playing a game on Taobao where they can earn money and discounts for 11.11 Taobao game with virtual characters Qutoutiao: https://ir.qutoutiao.net/investor-relations Example of an influencer 11.11 shopping list: 买买买专场｜超全折扣清单，照着买就好！ The year’s 11.11 Pre-Sale broke records, international brands did really well: 雅诗兰黛25分钟销售额近5亿，双十一预售成了欧美日品牌天下   NYC EVENT: Join me in NYC on November 12th! Register for the event here: https://landing.chatly.com/lp/event/nyc-event-winning-wechat-strategies-to-capture-global-chinese-consumer   Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and Chatly: www.chatly.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com  If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

As online traffic is becoming more and more expensive in China, the term ‘private traffic’ (私域流量) has become one of 2019’s content creation buzzwords. The western equivalent of private traffic would be a blog or an email list, which are owned channels, however, in China, people rarely visit websites or use email, so influencers and […]

As online traffic is becoming more and more expensive in China, the term ‘private traffic’ (私域流量) has become one of 2019’s content creation buzzwords. The western equivalent of private traffic would be a blog or an email list, which are owned channels, however, in China, people rarely visit websites or use email, so influencers and brands are seeking out ways to have private traffic, although still on social media sites. For example, we hear of influencers who have hundreds of private WeChat groups for their fans or are opening their own mini-programs. The Chinese concept of ‘private traffic’ can be a confusing concept to wrap your head around. Even for Chinese people. I think partly because it’s still developing. So Kejie and I attempt to explain it the best we can. If you have any other insights on the topic, we’d love to hear them! To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: 私域流量就是微商？你可能有什么误会 English summary here. Excellent article about private traffic: 2019爆火黑话「私域流量」的本质和玩法 2000个群七万人，半年消费2亿，时尚博主于小戈的卖货之道|新榜专访   Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and TMG Worldwide: www.tmgworldwide.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com  If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!

Today we hear from Zak Dychtwald, author of the book “Young China” and Founder of the think tank Young China Group. In this episode we dive deep, trying to understand young Chinese people and what they are all about. Zak shares some of the defining characteristics of the post 80s, post 90s and post 00s […]

Today we hear from Zak Dychtwald, author of the book “Young China” and Founder of the think tank Young China Group. In this episode we dive deep, trying to understand young Chinese people and what they are all about. Zak shares some of the defining characteristics of the post 80s, post 90s and post 00s consumers, how they differ from older generations, as well as common misperceptions international companies have about this highly sought-after consumer group. If you’re working for an international brand in the China market or one that’s looking to enter the China market, I highly suggest you listen to this episode and check out some of the videos of Zak’s speeches that I have linked below. To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: Zak shares his China journey and how he became interested in this topic Why he chose to live and write the book in Chengdu Chengdu and Chongqing are leaders for Chinese youth-culture trends Easier for people in lower tier cities to look up to lifestyles Chengdu and Chongqing than Beijing and Shanghai Key misperception: tacit expectation Chinese want to Westernize, but now this is less and less true. Concept of Easternization. We need to accept that other countries will not always orbit us, we might not continue to be the center. As Chinese consumers mature, they want more distinctive brands, less about those big names that everyone recognizes Quality of life is being valued more and more China doesn’t have ‘millennials’ – stop trying to shove them into Western generational frameworks Key differences between various generations of Chinese consumers Most of the time we tend to focus only on the top 10% of Chinese consumers and miss opportunities Why you cannot expect to understand Chinese consumers if you haven’t spent much time outside of Beijing and Shanghai   Guest: Zak Dychtwald Email: zak@youngchinagroup.com Website: https://www.youngchinagroup.com/ TEDx speech  Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Speech BBC World Program on Millennials (password is BBC. Necessary for folks outside of the UK)  Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and TMG Worldwide: www.tmgworldwide.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

Welcome to episode 50 of the China influencer marketing podcast! Today’s guest is Raymond Huang, SVP of Strategy, at the publicly-traded fast-fashion social commerce platform Mogu or, in Chinese, 蘑菇街. If you’re like me and have a general awareness and understanding of Mogu but don’t really know what makes the platform unique, then this episode […]

Welcome to episode 50 of the China influencer marketing podcast! Today’s guest is Raymond Huang, SVP of Strategy, at the publicly-traded fast-fashion social commerce platform Mogu or, in Chinese, 蘑菇街. If you’re like me and have a general awareness and understanding of Mogu but don’t really know what makes the platform unique, then this episode is for you.  Raymond starts off by sharing a complete overview of Mogu, such as the apps content, the products it sells, and user demographics, and more. Then we dig in a bit deeper and learn what makes Mogu unique, from their tailored content algorithm, to their hundreds of homegrown influencers, to their regulations which prevent sellers from offering the same products as each other. We also discuss e-commerce live streaming and why adding this feature a couple years ago has been incredibly beneficial for the platform. To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: What is Mogu? Fashion platform that provides products and content – not just ecommerce platform, like a fashion magazine, interactive experience Have app and website, also an early adopter of WeChat mini-programs which has become a key source of traffic for them Product sold are mainly accessible mass market fashion products: women’s clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, cosmetics, men’s apparel Largely female user base Don’t target male audience, instead target women who purchase clothing for their husbands and boyfriends Brands on the platform: domestic fast fashion brands such as Metres Bonwe, HLA, La Chapelle Internet native homegrown brands, influencer brands Some international fast fashion brands Demographics of the platform wide range of 15-45, majority 20 - early 30s City tiers – highly correlated with GDP, 1st tier cities, also seeing massive userbase all over   Unique features: E-commerce live streaming: Added to platform in 2016 and has become a main driver of sales Users input body measurements and preferred styles and AI algorithm recommends influencer and streamers that match them Users can really see how the item would look on them, bridges gap between online and offline Seen significant financial results, users are very sticky Improves user retention Live streaming improves customer satisfaction with item and reduces the chance of returns or negative reviews   Curated content feed helps users find relevant products New users – takes their IP address and gives them custom results based on the city and climate they are in Users can fill out forms sharing personal style preferences and body measurements Browsing history, past purchases   Product curation Only preselected merchants and influencers are allow to sell on the platform Limit only one merchant to sell any particular item, other merchants would have to seel different colors, slightly different features, etc. Goal is to enrich SKUs avoid competition between merchants   Mogu seems to have some similarities with influencer incubator Ruhan, how are they different? Actually quite different They are their own platform, closer to Taobao than Ruhan, In terms of incubating talent, a lot of regular users on Mogu will slowly become influencers Spot talent, give them data support and supply chain support   Guest: Raymond Huang Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and TMG Worldwide: www.tmgworldwide.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

In this episode my assistant Kejie and I discuss three recent KOL marketing case studies that we felt were refreshing. Even though I’m obviously all about influencer marketing, I freely admit that when brands, agencies, and KOLs get lazy, collaborations content and formats can become very repetitive, which bores followers and therefore leads to poor […]

In this episode my assistant Kejie and I discuss three recent KOL marketing case studies that we felt were refreshing. Even though I’m obviously all about influencer marketing, I freely admit that when brands, agencies, and KOLs get lazy, collaborations content and formats can become very repetitive, which bores followers and therefore leads to poor campaign results. Today we’re going to share 3 campaigns that we found to be fun and engaging, where brands and influencers went the extra mile. They include: Ximen Dasao X Stuart Weitzman Gogoboi & Chris Hemsworth X Swisse Becky Li X Secoo To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update! Notes: Article: Deeper KOL Collaborations Help Brands Stand out in a Sea of Noise   Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs  ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and TMG Worldwide: www.tmgworldwide.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!

Christine Mou is an e-commerce live streamer with Shopshops, a company based here in NYC that does cross border e-commerce live streaming both on Taobao and on their own app, selling products from international brands to viewers in China. (If you’re interested in hearing more about Shopshops you can check out episode 28 where I […]

Christine Mou is an e-commerce live streamer with Shopshops, a company based here in NYC that does cross border e-commerce live streaming both on Taobao and on their own app, selling products from international brands to viewers in China.   (If you’re interested in hearing more about Shopshops you can check out episode 28 where I interviewed the company’s founder Liyia Wu. )   In today’s interview, Christine shares her experience as an e-commerce live streamer and gives tips for brands who would like to get started with selling and promoting their items through live streaming.   We also talk about the new WeChat live streaming feature that is currently being beta tested and whether or not she thinks it can compete with Taobao live streaming. And we also share our thoughts on Amazon Live (I’ll give you a hint – we think it’s terrible).   To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Related articles: Amazon Live Is Alibaba's Live-Streaming Without The Good Bits   Additional Notes: Becoming an e-commerce live streamer Lives in NYC, began working as a live streamer with Shopshops late last spring Learn more about Shopshops from a previous interview with the company’s founder here Shopshops does cross border e-commerce live streaming, selling products from international brands to viewers in China Found live streaming difficult at first, a bit awkward. She had to develop persuasive selling techniques and engagement skills As an e-commerce live streamer, not only do you need to be an engaging streamer, but you also need to be good at choosing the right products that your audience will be interested in. Oftentimes they will pick what they think audience will like, but then have to switch as they go along Metrics they care about – number of viewers, average viewing duration, conversion rate, return viewer rate   Why is e-commerce live streaming so popular in china? Prevalence of e- commerce shopping Live streaming adds value, viewers gain sense of realness and transparency WOM and product demonstration by peers is very influential   Audience/purchaser demographics In China in general 70% of e-commerce live stream viewers are females between ages 20-45 For Shopshops customers that skews slightly higher, average age around 35, have more financial ability to purchase premium products   Why does the audience trust streamers? Streamers are not just sellers, they are influencers too Viewers see them as friends and want to follow their lives No separation between e-commerce and social in China Streamers don’t always talk about products right away, they tend to chat first, and throughout the streams they engage with the audience non-stop   Brand stream vs. influencer streams Small brands or brands with little brand recognition should work with live stream influencers Stay small in the beginning and work with 1-2 very targeted KOLs Challenge of representing a brand Pressure of generating sales Ongoing collaborations Bigger brands could do it themselves, create in house live stream team Brand streams – identify a person in your team who might already be doing something on social No matter what, stay consistent!   WeChat live streaming Has an advantage because WeChat is such a part of everyone’s lives WeChat also has end to end functions of what an e - commerce live stream will need such as the ability to disseminating stream details to OA follower and seamless integration w/ WeChat Pay Beta test proven 18-19% conversion rate which is much higher than average 5% conversion rate Believes any brand with a presence on WeChat should leverage it, even if their following is small   Will Amazon Live succeed? Will struggle to become mainstream Difference in how Western consumers shop Streamers on Amazon seem to be facing trouble establishing themselves as influencers, which makes it hard to convert Tend to produce these informational one-way videos Chinese streamers try to have two-way interaction Watching Amazon Live feels like watching an unknown YouTuber doing a product review These Amazon live streamers have no social influence Heard they might shut down live stream   Guest: Christine Mou Instagram: @Christinemouu Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs  ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and TMG Worldwide: www.tmgworldwide.com For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!

Today I bring back Elijah Whaley, Influencer and CMO of influencer marketing PARKLU to talk about the new sponsored post regulations on Xiaohongshu or Red, Little Red Book. When these rules were announced around 2 weeks ago, they caused an uproar in the China KOL community and in this episode we’ll tell you why. Xiaohongshu […]

Today I bring back Elijah Whaley, Influencer and CMO of influencer marketing PARKLU to talk about the new sponsored post regulations on Xiaohongshu or Red, Little Red Book.   When these rules were announced around 2 weeks ago, they caused an uproar in the China KOL community and in this episode we’ll tell you why. Xiaohongshu has since then announced that they will issue another press release on May 27th with additional explanations and modifications and then the app itself will be updated on June 10th.   Elijah also shares that many of their clients have paused their campaigns on Xiaohongshu as they are waiting to see what finally happens and many KOLs have temporarily stopped accepting sponsored posts as they are worried about the repercussions from the platform.   Elijah and I have been big proponents of Xiaohongshu, and while we understand where these new rules are coming from, we both agree it was a poor decision and are a bit worried about the long term effect they could have.   I will be recording another episode in late June to give an update on the situation. Also, stick around until the end of the podcast, I share another bit of information that Elijah learned a day or two after we recorded.   *Note: Today’s episode is about a breaking topic, that is currently still in flux, so I want to caveat that when the dust finally settles things may have changed, but this topic is important both to brands and to KOLs and our guest has an insider’s view into it, so I wanted to get him on as soon as I could to share what he knows and bring everyone up to speed.     Marketing 2 China Conference – June 5th & 6th in London If you want to chat with me and Elijah in person, we will be in London on June 5th and 6th for the Marketing to China conference, along with several other amazing speakers.   If you haven't already purchased your tickets, then you're in luck. You can get a discount using the code LAUREN at checkout. Here's what it will get you:   - 30% off single ticket, or - 2 tickets in the price of 1, or - 3 tickets for 999 GBP   Hope to see you there! https://marketingtochinaconference.com/   To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Notes: What happened: Earlier this year an article went viral on Weibo about fake accounts and articles on Xiaohongshu, but this might have been planted by Weibo Pot calling the kettle black – these issues happen on most Chinese platforms and Weibo is notorious for fakes, 40% of traffic on weibo probably fake Xiaohongshu has always taken the position that they want to promote trust, trying to do things right, which is noble and they have been going back and forth with how to deal w/ KOL collabs without sacrificing trust Two weeks ago press release came out with new sponsored post rules that were severe. Another press release due out May 27th and app update 10th of June While rules were severe, they was also a lot of ambiguity which has caused chaos, so new press release will hopefully clarify All PARLU clients currently running campaigns or planning them put them on pause No KOLs are accepting campaigns because they don’t know what’s going on and can’t risk repercussions from platform   Elijah’s take: His first reaction is that many creators will leave But seems that XHS might step back, might not be the death toll for the platform that he originally thought, but will still have negative effects With their new rules – only 4,700 KOLs pass the requirements and are eligible for sponsored posts (out of 200 M users ) Feels eerily similar to what happened with Meipai KOLs must put out 4-5 organic posts that meet certain requirements in order to do one sponsored post He feels like the platform is promoting a low quality content feel, unfair to professional content creators New rules not serving the creator community Everyone will suffer for these decisions Expect KOLs to start charging WeChat rates (1 rmb per view) which are most expensive in the industry Brands will be paying more for less exposure Believes users will also end up suffering as top KOLs leave Niche KOLs will focus more on niche platforms with less restrictions Left with low quality content creators Bets you they won’t restrict celebrity accounts Lots of people aren’t aware of how much platforms manipulate accounts Doesn’t feel like XHS is creating an environment w/ creators in mind first   Similar issues on Douyin: People are leaving douyin Has some systemic issues Douyin and now XHS are now pushing creators into MCNs MCN gets 70% or brand deals, 5-year contract, a small percentage of creators ever actually receive the support they are promised Hard time creating content that consistently gets high views AI recommendation system favors viral content compared to educational/interesting/entertaining   When will Chinese platforms allow for democratization of content consumption? Most platforms too contrived What content is seen is controlled by platform Frustrating for content creators     Guest: Elijah Whaley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahwhaley/ Personal Website: elijahwhaley.com PARKLU Blog: www.parklu.com/blog   Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514   Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs   ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and The Meet Group www.themeetgroup.com/blog  For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!

Last spring, I had Fabian Bern on the podcast to give an overview of Douyin, which, at the time, was still an emerging social media platform in China. A lot has changed since then and I wanted to bring Fabian back on the podcast to bring us up to speed on Douyin, share what has […]

Last spring, I had Fabian Bern on the podcast to give an overview of Douyin, which, at the time, was still an emerging social media platform in China. A lot has changed since then and I wanted to bring Fabian back on the podcast to bring us up to speed on Douyin, share what has changed over the past year and where does he see the platform going in the future.   We discuss user demographics, new features on the platform, and how content is evolving, specifically the increase in mini-series and vlogs. I also ask him what industries he thinks can benefit the most from Douyin, and whether they should be focusing on using Douyin to raise brand awareness or drive sales.   Over the past year, Douyin has introduced the Starmap KOL marketing platform and encouraged many of its content creators to sign with MCNs, and we talk about how that works and the pros and cons of that system.   ***Upcoming Event **** I will be speaking at the upcoming Marketing 2 China London event in June 5th and 6th. Website: https://marketingtochinaconference.com/ . Hope to see you there! To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Additional Notes: How Douyin has evolved: Userbase – now more than 500 million users 1st tier & 3rd tier cities are two main user groups 1st tier users interested in brands and celebrities 3rd tier city users: Social commerce on Douyin big in those cities Live streams popular among 3rd tier cities Strategic partnerships – CNY gala   New features since last Spring: Users can post photos too (as opposed to just video) Tmall & JD testing native stores Wallets, red packets Improved AR filters Duoshan messaging app integrated with Douyin In-video shopping Mini-programs, most popular so far are mini- games Stories feature (seems to still be in Beta)    Shift in Content: Short web series Micro vlogging popular, real and relatable Douyin seems to be shifting to promote more series-type content, which keeps users coming back, and is more sustainable. People get bored of little skit videos after a while.   Brands on Douyin: 150k official brand accounts China government does a great job Local companies generally do much better than foreign ones Foreign companies often use existing content and cut a piece out and put it on Douyin, which really does not work While there are a lot of brands on the platform, most of them aren’t making good enough content for it to organically spread on the platform   Industries most suitable for Douyin: Auto industry has done very well Electronics Web series use Douyin to spread awareness Cosmetics & fashion easiest to drive sales Gaming, F&B growing Education – Douyin now has “child accounts” where parents can filter out content   Thoughts on TikTok: Douyin one year ahead of TikTok Can guess what features will come soon to TikTok Content is a bit different with localization, create virality in country itself; Indonesia good example Thinks TikTok will generally follow Douyin’s path Young audience and people struggle to learn how to use it   KOL marketing on Douyin: MCNs and the Starmap platform Douyin KOLs getting more mature Many KOLs started their own MCNs and they are doing well because they understand the platform Platform pays more attention to users with 500K+ fans; smaller accounts less regulated Still a couple independent KOLs but don’t get much support from the platform A cut of the KOL fee will go to the MCN and Douyin price = 20-30 RMB/1000 fans   Vlogging: Videos can now be up to 60 seconds for all users Recent campaigns to promote vlogging; Fabian believes that since they specifically used the word vlog means they are putting resources behind it   Opportunity for music industry: More opportunities for music labels, need new songs, especially music + vlogs, movie soundtracks Releasing new music through Douyin   Douyin Vloggers he Recommends: Tuoluoyi – pilot who documents his trips Itsrae – travel vlogs   Guest: Fabian Bern Website: https://uplab.asia/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabianbern/   Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514   Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs   ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and The Meet Group www.themeetgroup.com/blog    For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com   If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share! 

This is part 2 of my interview with Ariel Chen, a top travel vlogger. For part 1, check out episode 44! In this episode Ariel continues to share some amazing advice and insights into the influencer industry. We discuss the struggle to create amazing content vs. what actually performs well on the platform, the different […]

This is part 2 of my interview with Ariel Chen, a top travel vlogger. For part 1, check out episode 44!   In this episode Ariel continues to share some amazing advice and insights into the influencer industry. We discuss the struggle to create amazing content vs. what actually performs well on the platform, the different types of content she creates for Xiaohongshu and Douyin, why she feels Weibo is still very relevant, her tips for tourism brands, and why you should choose a smaller KOL who creates high quality content over a large KOL who creates mediocre content, and why KOLs are replacing advertising agencies.   She also mentions during the episode that she recently gave a talk at a Weibo conference on the topic of Chinese social media marketing and KOLs, so if you understand Chinese, definitely check out the link to that in the show notes below!  To learn more about influencer marketing in China, sign up for our new newsletter: The China Influencer Update!   Content tips: Took her a year and a half playing around with content to find what works KOLs are competing against highly skilled professional content creators and the platform algorithms Artistic integrity - The struggle between your personal taste vs. what actually does well “The audience is trained to watch Douyin videos”   Xiaohongshu & Douyin: Tailor-make content for key platforms Xiaohongshu is about product placement, must share products or useful information Users have high purchasing power, She does fun travel English videos and that has been doing quite well on Douyin, also started putting them on XHS She mixes English tips with posts on hotels and travel fashion High end travel is best on XHS   Weibo is still relevant: Weibo search more used than Baidu Very official, if your brand doesn’t have a presence there Chinese consumers will think it’s strange Weibo is an open platform so a post there can be discovered long into the future Douyin is for short term hype and buzz – Weibo and Xiaohongshu for long term   Fliggy Live streaming Fliggy live streaming can be found both on the Fliggy app and the Taobao live travel tab Very targeted audience, looking to buy, great for sales Japanese tourism board really good case study Brands can create their own account and stream themselves or can work with Fliggy live influencers It’s all about showcasing the travel experience live China economy may be slowing down in some segments, but experiential and lifestyle is growing, especially for travel   Choosing KOLs + KOLs vs Ad agencies How to choose KOLs – don’t solely look into numbers Get good content then pay to drive traffic as opposed to mediocre content and large distribution High quality KOLs better than 4A agencies Talk to KOL directly, especially for smaller brands If KOL doesn’t talk about optimizing distribution they are not professional enough Ariel has an MBA so thinks about and enjoys the business side of being a KOL   Guest: Ariel Chen Email: tripcouture@gmail.com Weibo: @人字拖游记 Xiaohongshu: @人字拖游记 Douyin: @TravelEnglish Recent speech Ariel gave on China influencer marketing Host: Lauren Hallanan Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/ WeChat: H1212118514 Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs ------- Thanks to our sponsors PARKLU: www.parklu.com and The Meet Group www.themeetgroup.com/blog  For additional information and show notes head over to www.chinainfluencermarketing.com If you like this podcast and know someone who might find it interesting, please share!