For brands planing to enter the Chinese market and seeking breakthrough opportunities, it is recommend that they focus on the trends of Douyin e-commerce. Currently, Douyin’s e-commerce capabilities have become a hit with young consumers, as their acceptance of online shopping grows continuously, For international brands, Douyin e-store opens up a new route for them to get into China’s market, and become a vital tool for brands to boost visibility among Chinese consumers .
Before launching a marketing campaigns, it is important for brands is to gain insight into the characteristics, preferences and behaviors of Douyin users.
I. Douyin E-commerce Scale in China
Because of the rapid development of videos clips and live broadcasting, Douyin e-commerce has gradually found its place in the Chinese market. In 2023, the scale of Douyin live streaming shopping crossed over 1 trillion RMB, showcasing the huge potential and vitality of E-commerce marketing in China.
Douyin e-commerce attracts hundreds of millions of young consumers ( more than 70% of the users were under age 35). In the following years, they will become the main driving force of future consumption. hence Douyin provides huge marketing potential for international brands.
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II Innovative Approaches: Douyin E-commerce Marketing in China
The rise of Douyin e-commerce can be largely credited to its marketing strategies that make online shopping easy and attractive. Aligning with consumer shopping habits and psychology, Douyin platform allows for multiple product comparisons, easy access to purchases at any time, and a simple, user-friendly shopping process, all while ensuring fast delivery times; naturally, all practices draw in more users.
For international brands looking to break into Douyin, a localized approach really goes a long way. By blending their brand’s unique vibe with Chinese cultural elements and tapping into Douyin’s trending tactics, they can make a stronger impact in the Chinese market. Here are some of the go-to marketing tactics that brands are using on Douyin right now:
1. The Power of Content Marketing in China
China’s content e-commerce concept has been around for years. In 2022, Douyin witnessed the rise of numerous new and emerging brands through content marketing. Traditional brands can leverage social media channels on Douyin to maximize the value of content, refresh the way they connect with users, and showcase product advantages effectively.
2. Interactive Marketing Strategy in China
Making good use of Douyin’s interactive features helps brands reach more targeted users. For example, Douyin’s interactive tools allow brands to launch challenges and use hashtags to encourage user participation. A successful case is China’s milk tea brand, Hey Tea, which launched the “Hey Tea Challenge” on Douyin, encouraging users to share moments of enjoying their tea. This significantly boosted the brand’s social engagement.
3. Live streaming in China
in today’s e-commerce practices, live streaming has become one of the most important methods for merchants to increase product awareness and sales. Brands’ high-quality, continuous and informative updates help accumulate users’ trust and fidelity. The types of Live streaming is also becoming increasingly rich and inclusive. During China’s Double 11 Shopping Festival in 2023, the total amount of goods sold through live streaming more than doubled from the same period in the previous year.
Live shopping on Douyin
4. AI Technology on Douyin
Artificial intelligence is widely applied in Douyin’s e-commerce tactics. Many novel services are derived from AI technology, such as tailored recommendations and online intelligent customer service. Douyin is able to recommend products that may be of interest to its users, by effectively analyzing consumers’ browsing history, behavior and preferences,
Moreover, users can get timely help whenever they need, for AI-supported customer service is accessible at any time, which greatly improving the overall user experience.
III. Successful Douyin Marketing Practices in China
1. Perfect Diary: AR Virtual Try-on Experience
Perfect Diary introduced an AR virtual try-on feature on Douyin, allowing customers to instantly see how they would look with makeup. This novel experience captivated many users and increased their willingness to buy. Since launching this feature, Perfect Diary gained over 1 million new followers and doubled its sales.
AR virtual try-on experience on Douyin
2. Hey Tea: Cross-Brand Collaborations
Hey Tea attracted young consumers by collaborating with other brands and launching co-branded products on Douyin. For instance, the collaboration between Hey Tea and FENDI saw a threefold increase in sales within just one week of launch compared to the previous year.
3. Xiaomi: Boosting Products Through Personal IP
Personal IP is an effective way to boost product visibility, and using influencers is a major tactic in Douyin e-commerce. For example, during a Douyin live stream, a Xiaomi executive personally showcased the advantages of their products. His professional insights helped users make quicker purchasing decisions, earning their trust. This live stream resulted in over 10 million RMB in sales and attracted over 5 million viewers.
IV Insights: How to Succeed on Douyin
1. Localization Strategy
localization is a must, if your brand wants to succeed in China. A deep understanding of Chinese culture, consumer preferences, and the latest market trends is a pre-requisite. For example, the U.S. cosmetics brand MAC incorporates Chinese elements into its products’ packaging, and launched a range of lipsticks and makeup on Douyin. These efforts quickly won over young Chinese consumers.
2. Content Marketing
Innovative content is the key to attracting and keeping users’ attention. Nowadays, Douyin encourages users and brands to create quality content, so interesting and engaging videos should attract more traffic. We strongly recommend that foreign brands combine the features of their products with Chinese culture to quickly attract the attention of Chinese users.
For example, Nike posts inspirational sports videos. These stunning videos increase consumers’ desire to buy its new products, strengthening its brand’s identity and influence.
inspirational videos on douyin
3. Data-Driven Decision Making
Douyin provides brands with extensive user data and analytical tools to fine-tune marketing strategies.
Brands can effectively identify and target their audience and create personalized marketing campaigns with reference to data-driven decision making tools. For example, brands can determine which features resonate the most and adjust their product presentations to better align with audience interests, by analyzing user engagement with product videos.
4. Social Media Features
Douyin is not just a e-commerce platform but also a social tool to connect users. International brands should utilize this platform to engage with users. By hosting challenges or collaborating with influencers, brands can quickly boost awareness and attract more participants.
5. Adapting to Market Changes
The Chinese market is changing rapidly due to policies, customer needs, competition, etc., so foreign brands should be more cautious in their marketing strategies. For example, during the Covid pandemic, many foreign brands saw the difficulty of physical shopping, so they quickly shifted to online sales and used Douyin livestreams to sell products.
6. Valuing Consumer Feedback
To build trust and attract loyal customers, listening to and responding to consumer feedback is crucial. Brands should pay attention to the comments and messages from Douyin users. In this way, they can gain insights into what consumers really need and improve the products or services accordingly.
To conclude, Douyin is one of the most ideal platforms for international brands to connect with Chinese consumers in an engaging and impactful way. Douyin’s rapid growth in E-commerce presents a wealth of opportunity for international and local brands aiming to make their mark in today’s Chinese market.
To truly understand China’s evolving marketing landscape and unlock these new opportunities, reach out to Staiirs. We’re here to guide you with expert insights and tailored solutions to help your brand thrive.
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