How can brands effectively leverage platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu to engage with Chinese audiences?

Brands aiming to connect with Chinese audiences on platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu must grasp each platform's features and user demographics. WeChat, with over 1.2 billion monthly users, enables brands to engage through Official Accounts and Mini Programs. Douyin focuses on short videos, appealing to a younger demographic. A customized marketing strategy that aligns with local preferences is essential for success in the Chinese market.

Brands that want to connect with Chinese audiences must adapt to platforms that are deeply integrated into daily life. As a global content company based in Asia, I've found that success on platforms like WeChat and Douyin needs strategies built specifically for the cultural and digital ecosystems these platforms thrive in. WeChat functions as more than a messaging app; it's an all-encompassing ecosystem where personalized mini-programs, interactive content, and localized customer service drive engagement. Douyin rewards creativity above all else. Short videos that evoke emotions or humor perform exceptionally well. Local influencers aligned with your brand can amplify your message in ways that feel genuine. Douyin is TikTok, but the Chinese aesthetic is often more polished and "beautiful" than Western standards, which often value "keepin' it real" and "looking like you're not trying." Local expertise makes the difference. Understanding the Chinese market's language, tone, and values creates content that feels tailored rather than imported. Chinese take pride in their platforms and while they're not closed systems and are really interested in foreign aesthetics, the culture and nuance must be appreciated and respected. -- Dr. Adam Goulston is a US-born, Japan-based global content director. He owns MacroLingo (https://macrolingo.com), which helps companies globalize their scientific and business content and marketing approaches.

Brands need to tailor their strategies to the unique strengths and user behaviors of the platform. Here's how: WeChat: Focus on building a strong mini-program or official account that offers value, like exclusive content, loyalty programs, or seamless e-commerce integration. WeChat is ideal for nurturing deeper relationships with personalized messaging, interactive campaigns, and customer service. Brands can create QR code-driven campaigns to encourage followers and drive offline-to-online engagement. Douyin (TikTok in China): Use short, engaging video content to connect with younger audiences. Creative storytelling, influencer collaborations, and trending challenges work well here. Brands can partner with Douyin KOLs to showcase products in authentic, entertaining ways while leveraging Douyin's robust e-commerce integration to drive sales directly. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): Emphasize community and trust-building through authentic reviews, tutorials, and user-generated content. This platform thrives on peer recommendations, making it perfect for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands. Collaborating with micro-influencers and encouraging organic reviews help create credibility and drive engagement.

To interact effectively with Chinese audiences, brands need to tailor their marketing strategies according to the characteristics of different platforms. Take WeChat as an example. Besides instant messaging, it also has diverse functions such as official accounts and mini-programs. Brands can create official accounts and regularly publish valuable content, industry news and promotional activities to attract users' attention and enhance interaction. Meanwhile, official accounts can also help brands stay in touch with loyal customers. Ways like replying to comments or conducting questionnaires can increase users' sense of participation. The mini-program function of WeChat is a unique advantage, which allows brands to provide functions such as purchasing goods, viewing services or participating in interactive activities within WeChat without the need to download an app, thus providing users with a convenient consumption experience. Douyin is the most popular short-video platform in China. The key to attracting users lies in creativity and entertainment. Therefore, brands can produce creative short videos to catch users' eyes. In addition, cooperating with influencers or KOLs on Douyin is also an effective way. Their fan effect can help brands quickly increase their exposure and enhance user interaction. The live streaming e-commerce function of Douyin is also a very popular way. Brands can cooperate with anchors and directly promote products to the audience during the live-streaming process, strengthening real-time interaction and improving the conversion rate. Xiaohongshu's user group mainly consists of young women who pay more attention to real consumption experiences and sharing. Therefore, brands can cooperate with Xiaohongshu's users and let them share their usage experiences, which can stimulate other users' purchase desires. This marketing method based on real experiences can more effectively enhance the brand's credibility and users' participation. Besides, Xiaohongshu is also an e-commerce platform. Brands can open official stores on the platform and conduct precise marketing combined with social interaction to directly improve sales conversion.

I am a partner in a TikTok marketing agency (www.DigitalCommerceAgency.com) and we are beginning to work with U.S. creators and brands to help on their presence as marketers and sellers into Chinese audiences on these platforms given that we have a presence in China and work with partner agencies there was well. One of the tactics in that market is a lot of syndication and collaboration, and thus tapping into the network of agencies there is key to being able to have scalable success.

Our cosmetic surgery clinic's presence on Xiaohongshu really took off when we started sharing patient transformation journeys with their permission, getting genuine engagement from users considering similar procedures. On WeChat, we implemented a consultation booking mini-program that simplified the scheduling process and increased appointment requests by 60%. For Douyin, we focus on educational content about different procedures, keeping videos under 60 seconds which has helped us maintain a 25% completion rate.

WeChat mini-programs have been a game-changer for our marketing campaigns, especially when we created an interactive product quiz that got 3x more engagement than traditional posts. On Douyin, I've found success by partnering with micro-influencers who create authentic unboxing videos, which typically generate 5-7x more shares than sponsored content. For Xiaohongshu, I recommend focusing on detailed product tutorials and honest reviews - we saw a 40% increase in conversion when we encouraged customers to share their before-and-after stories.

As someone deep in eCommerce, I've learned that Chinese social platforms need more than just translated content - they require a complete mindset shift. When we launched ShipTheDeal's promotional content on Xiaohongshu, we initially struggled until we started creating native shopping guides and deal roundups in a diary-style format that Chinese users love. I'd suggest starting with WeChat Mini Programs for easy user engagement, then expanding to Douyin's short videos once you've got a feel for what resonates with the local audience.

To effectively engage with Chinese audiences, brands must tailor their strategies to each platform's unique features and user behavior. WeChat is central to daily life in China, offering a combination of messaging, social networking, and e-commerce. Brands can leverage WeChat by creating official accounts for customer service, sharing content, and integrating mini-programs for e-commerce. Engaging with users through personalized communication and exclusive offers can drive loyalty. Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, is ideal for short-form, creative video content. Brands should focus on producing highly engaging, visually appealing videos that resonate with younger, trend-driven consumers. Douyin's algorithm favors authentic, viral content, so collaboration with influencers and participation in viral challenges can enhance brand visibility. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) is a platform combining e-commerce with social media, where users share product reviews, recommendations, and lifestyle content. Brands can engage users by creating authentic, relatable content and encouraging influencers or key opinion leaders (KOLs) to promote products. Xiaohongshu is particularly effective for brands in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. For success, brands must understand the cultural context and preferences of Chinese consumers. Offering localized content, collaborating with influencers, and using the unique features of each platform can significantly increase engagement and build brand loyalty in China.

To connect with users on WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, consider what each platform does best. WeChat is great for articles and customer service through its chat features, so it's perfect for sharing guides or customer stories. Douyin, being video-based, works well for engaging, attention-grabbing content. Focus on creating buzz rather than direct selling. Xiaohongshu is a great mix of lifestyle posts where you can naturally incorporate your products into everyday moments and stories.