Chinese social media platforms have gained a foothold in the Chinese tourism market as one of the most important tools for any company that wants to promote their products and services to Chinese consumers. Among them is Douyin, known to Westerners as the Chinese version of TikTok.
In recent years, Douyin has become one of the leading Chinese social networks with the most users, as well as an essential platform to promote any business. In this article we will take a look at what Douyin is, as well as its main features and tips on how to get started.
Chinese social networks have gained a foothold in the Chinese tourism market as one of the most important tools for any company that wants to promote its products and services in China
1. What is Douyin?
Douyin is a social network that was founded in 2016 by ByteDance, which allows you to create and share short videos and live streams. In other countries it is known as TikTok, but Douyin is a unique version within the Chinese territory, so you should try not to get them confused.
Another of the most relevant aspects of Douyin is its social-commerce face, since it offers, through the use of the social network itself, help in the online sale and purchase of services and products. In 2020, it introduced the online store option, where brands and retailers can create their own online stores on the platform.
Douyin is popular in social-commerce, as it facilitates online sales and purchases, in addition to the possibility of creating an online store in the application itself
During its years of activity, many brands have worked with Douyin and have been helped to maximize their presence on the social network, receiving advice and recommendations.
The platform offers users the possibility of creating and sharing short videos, as well as being able to choose from a multitude of different effects, filters, songs and sounds. In this sense, it competes directly with other social networks that are very popular with Chinese consumers, such as Kuaishou or Xiaohongshu.
For all these reasons and others that we will explore in this article, in-depth knowledge of Douyin is of particular interest to any business that wants to attract Chinese consumers.
Who uses Douyin in China?
Douyin has become one of the most widely used social media for Chinese travelers and young people, with more than 800 million monthly active users. Brands have the opportunity to reach a young audience, as this is the age group that makes up the majority of users on this social network.
In terms of gender, 56% of Douyin users are male, while 44% are female, according to Oberlo data. In addition, the application itself has recognized that 41% of the total are aged between 16 and 24, which underlines the importance of Generation Z for the platform.
Moreover, thanks to surveys of the platform’s users, we know that almost 90% of Internet users claim to use Douyin on a daily basis.
90% of Douyin users claim to use it on a daily basis
Which organizations should have a presence on Douyin?
Douyin is a feature-rich social network, which adapts and serves a wide range of business types and sectors.
Tourism business
For the tourism sector, Douyin is especially relevant for:
- Tourist attractions
- Tourist offices
- Large restaurant and hotel chains.
- Chinese outbound tourism
In addition, it is especially effective for its ability to generate authentic and engaging content, which leads to a great increase in the popularity of the tourist destinations being promoted. In fact, here you will find detailed information on how to attract Chinese tourists to your restaurant.
Douyin allows you to share tourist experiences in a much more approachable way than other social networks.
Clothing and cosmetics brands
The most popular chinese e-commerce categories on Douyin are clothing and cosmetics, along with food products, which are discussed below. For example, the L’Oréal cosmetics brand has implemented various strategies on social networks, including Douyin, where it used influencer marketing in China to promote its products.
All retailers in these sectors should keep in mind that influencer marketing in China is key, as evidenced by its success. Our agency can help you implement the best and most effective influencer marketing strategies, so if you need help, do not hesitate to contact InfluChina.
Our agency can help you implement the best and most effective influencer marketing strategies, so if you need help, don't hesitate to contact InfluChina.
Food associations (EVOO, fruits, meats)
Another of the types of business for which it is worthwhile establishing a presence in Douyin are food associations, which aim to promote the consumption of a specific product and reinforce the local country brand of a specific site or product. It must be clear that this method is to be introduced without commercial intentions.
2. How to establish a presence on Douyin
As we have seen, having an active presence on Douyin, as with any social network, allows any organization to interact and promote its interests to real consumers, although Douyin does so in a more interactive way given the nature of the platform.
What’s more, this can mean getting ahead of your competition in a market where they may not yet be taking advantage of it.
To establish this presence, there are two main ways, depending on the characteristics and interests of the brand.
Indirect presence (through influencers)
Influencer marketing in China is the most efficient way to build a presence on Douyin, because you will be promoting your products through a Chinese influencer on the social network, so it will look like it is being done organically.
The main objective of collaborating with influencers is to promote indirectly, in addition to spreading highly persuasive messages designed by your organization.
Influencer marketing in China is the most efficient way to consolidate a brand or product in China.
Direct presence (through an official account)
Through an official brand account on Douyin, it is possible to direct users to the platform or website to order the product offered by your business directly. The main objective of having a presence and promoting through an official account on the platform is to show content, videos, products, the history of your store, etc. indirectly to users.
In addition, you will be able to make viral videos if the content is created properly and adapted to the demands of your target audience. This will cause a greater connection with your audience, and it would be, clearly, a direct presence of the company on the social network.
3. How to register your brand on Douyin
To register your brand on Douyin you must create an account through Google. Once the account has been created, it is important to get verified, since it will become an official account, which will provide advantages such as: access to detailed analysis, verification mark and the ability to sell.
To start marketing on this popular Chinese social network, you should follow the steps below:
- Sign in to Douyin’s official website.
Start the verification process by clicking on “verify now”. Then, proceed to scan the QR code that appears.
Fill in the verification form, in which you will be asked:
- To choose an account type (individual or company).
- Your region, operation and registration category.
- Your offline store details.
- Your business license.
- For account holder details.
Finally, submit the form and wait for approval, which will take about 5 business days.
To register your brand on Douyin you need to follow a few simple steps, in which you have to enter some business data to get approved
Requirements to register your business on Douyin
For commercial accounts, you need to meet certain requirements to be able to sell and promote on Douyin:
- A mainland China business license.
- An ICP license if you want to link to your website.
- Submit a letter of application.
- Pay an annual fee of 600 CNY, which is equivalent to about 86 EUR.
4. Conclusions
As we have seen, Douyin is a particularly relevant application for organizations focused on Chinese consumers. In addition, influencer marketing is a key strategy to be more effective in this market.
If you are interested in promoting your business on Douyin, you can contact InfluChina through hello@influchina.es, a social media agency dedicated to promoting tourist attractions through strategic collaborations with Chinese influencers.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Douyin
What is Douyin?
Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, is a Chinese social network that allows you to create and share short videos and live streams.
What features does Douyin offer?
The platform allows you to create and share short videos and social-commerce options.
How can I get my business on Douyin?
There are two ways to establish your business on Douyin: indirectly (through Chinese influencers) or directly (through an official account).
What is the difference between Tik Tok and Douyin?
Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok, and allows better exposure and promotion for businesses.
