4 Chinese social platforms for global marketers

It’s understandable: A different language, a different culture and the “Great Firewall” have made China uncharted online territory for Western marketers.

However, as China’s consumer market rises, its social media platforms increasingly attract to global users and brand managers.

Here’s an introduction to four of the biggest online platforms in China—along with tips for making the most of them:

1. WeChat

WeChat has more than 800 million monthly users and is owned by Tencent, one of the scions of the Chinese internet. Originally just a messaging app (think Whatsapp), WeChat adds more functions every month. They include:

• Messaging: To send messages to contacts.

• Moments: A Facebook-esque wall to share updates with friends.

• Official accounts: Brand managers can use these to send customized messages—which can include audio, video, images and text—to consumers.

• WeChat payment: Users’ bankcards can be linked to their accounts for online and online-to-offline transactions without leaving the app.

• WeChat stores: Stores that brand managers link to their accounts. Users can receive messages from branded accounts as well as buy products.