We analyse social media trends and opportunities for brands to implement social strategies. We also explain social media related concepts and platform features.
While millennials have experienced the enormous rise of influencer culture, surveys indicate that they are more inclined to be influenced by information from official brand accounts. They tend to view influencer accounts merely as a point of reference when browsing for products and services online.
Engaging content from brands has a greater impact on millennials than Gen-Z. Millennials show the most positive response, both in terms of loyalty and investment, towards brands that connect with them emotionally [S] .
Millennials’ diversity is not only prevalent in their personality and individualism, but drastic societal changes have given them vastly different life experiences: Those who grew up in more developed areas had earlier and easier access to resources for advancement, while those who grew up in relatively rural areas continue to lag behind in education and exposure to brands and influence.
Furthermore, older millennials are more likely to be homeowners and under pressure to provide for their family, while younger ones are still trying to discover a meaningful career path… By targeting their unique history and emotions, brands have the opportunity to explore and cater to niche markets.
Millennials are the essential workforce in the Chinese economy and often the breadwinners for the family. Though the generational difference between millennials and their parents is great, it doesn’t impact the sense of responsibility and the underlying familial bond. With almost half of them becoming parents themselves, many popular products for seniors and kids are targeted towards millennials.
In the ever-evolving realm of China social media marketing, staying ahead of the curve is not just a strategy; it’s a necessity. As we eagerly look forward to the trends that will shape the social media landscape in 2024, one thing is abundantly clear: the future is brimming with innovation and opportunities, and it’s moving faster than ever before!
In this blog post, we’re diving into the trends that brands with a social media presence in China should keenly observe in 2024. From the integration of AI for unparalleled insights to clever methods of engaging employees for customer-centric (and budget-friendly) content, and the rise of virtual idols, we’re uncovering the keys to staying ahead in the dynamic social media landscape.
Let’s delve into six trends that will shape the social media narrative in 2024 and equip your brand with the foresight it needs to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
1. Social Media Marketing Driven by AI Insights
The problem isn’t a lack of data… it’s what’s done with it — and that’s where the inclusion of AI-powered tools makes things interesting for marketers. According to a survey by Accenture (埃森哲), 13% of Chinese companies have achieved excellent growth and business transformation through AI. Another 35% have made some progress in AI maturity, and half of the companies (52%) are in the pilot phase. In 2021, about one-third of the Chinese companies surveyed will spend more than 30% of their technology budget on AI development; by 2024, nearly two-thirds of the companies will have this idea.
Global policy, national reforms, and access to the Internet have shaped experiences and values of Millennials in China. They find outlets and a variety of mediums for self-expression and see life as more than just making ends meet. Today, the purchasing power of this demographic is among the highest in China.
One of the Most Influential Consumer Groups in China
Millennials are the first generation in China to come of age in a consumer-driven society and an ‘open’ China. They are the top spenders in most consumer categories,especially in their penchant for technology purchases, outspending other consumer groups.
Top-of-funnel performance is usually hard to track and measure. That’s why we need to take advantage of unique QR codes to better categorize sources where followers come from to find the most loyal audience.
A QR code is essentially a unique URL link stored in a graphic, which can be scanned and read by smartphones. It’s a convenient and secure way to access information and services online, often used in payment, account following, targeted communications, etc.
*Most QR code actions happen in WeChat. Therefore we use WeChat as an example.
How to Find and Measure the Right Source？
Let’s say a beauty brand kicked off two campaigns: One is about free giveaways of sample products, and the other one is about a partnership with a KOL sharing beauty tips. After respective audiences scan the unique QR code of each campaign to gain access to the giveaway, marketers can monitor their unfollowing decisions: Do they just accept the value and leave or do they stay, and for how long? When the account pushes new content, are they still willing to be there and listen? It’ll help you gain insights into your followers’ behaviors.
With the once tightly-closed China social ecosystem continuing to open, it’s possible to direct traffic between different social channels. However, PIPL is strict and the stakes for violating personal information are high. In addition to social channels’ universal mentality of keeping traffic within the platform’s own territory, tracking and measuring are not easy, but not impossible. Generally, you have two weapons at your disposal: Link shorteners and link tagging.
URL links can be long and complex. Link shorteners can help create a unique and shorter link that redirects to the original link. It’s more presentable and easier to share.
During an online campaign, you could have 5 different social networks directing traffic to your website, or one of your social networks is receiving traffic from other networks and websites. In the most complicated scenario, traffic even comes from multiple places in one social channel …
Each traffic channel has its unique URL. Link Tagging can help differentiate them by adding tracking parameters to each link, which can be set manually by your team. You can gain insights into traffic and conversion and understand user behavior on each channel better.
