Emerging Comms

🚀 How to Make Your Brand Go Viral in China —Take Douyin as an example🇨🇳📱 🚀 If you're looking to expand your business in China, Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese counterpart) is a must. But to succeed, you need to understand how Douyin’s algorithm works and how to manage your account effectively. 🔍 How Douyin’s Algorithm Works (The Secret to Going Viral!) Douyin’s recommendation system follows a tiered traffic pool model: 1️⃣ New videos start in a small traffic pool – When you upload a video, it gets shown to a small audience (based on past engagement & relevance). 2️⃣ Performance is evaluated – The algorithm tracks key metrics: Completion Rate (Did users watch to the end?) Rewatch Rate (Did they replay it?) Likes, Comments, Shares (How engaging is it?) Follower Growth (Did people follow after watching?) 3️⃣ If a video performs well, it moves to larger traffic pools – More exposure = more engagement = higher chances of going viral. 4️⃣ Super-viral content lands on the "Hot" or Trending Page – If engagement keeps rising, your video can reach millions organically. 🎯 How to Manage Your Douyin Account for Growth 💡 1. Post Consistently – The more content you produce, the more data Douyin has to push your best-performing videos. Aim for 1-3 posts per day. 💡 2. Hook Viewers in the First 3 Seconds – Douyin users scroll fast! A strong opening (text overlay, action, or suspense) keeps them watching. 💡 3. Ride Trends, But Add Your Brand’s Twist – Follow hot challenges, sounds, and hashtags to boost visibility. But customize them to align with your brand identity. 💡 4. Use High-Engagement Formats – ✅ Live Streaming – Huge for sales & audience interaction. ✅ Duets & Replies – Engage with audience comments via video replies. ✅ Short, Punchy Captions – Keep it engaging and ask a question to drive comments. 💡 5. Leverage Douyin’s E-Commerce Features – Integrate Douyin Stores, product links, and live shopping events for direct conversions. 💡 6. Work with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) – Influencer partnerships boost credibility and reach. Find relevant KOLs in your niche. 💡 7. Optimize Posting Time – Best times? 7-9 AM, 12-2 PM, 6-10 PM (China time). These are peak engagement hours. 💡 8. Keep Testing & Analyzing – Use Douyin Analytics to track which content performs best and double down on winning formats. 🔥 Final Thought: Douyin is not just TikTok—it’s a powerful sales & branding tool. If you crack the algorithm, create localized content, and stay consistent, your business can reach millions in China. 💬 Have you tried marketing on Douyin? What challenges have you faced? What great ideas have you tried that made you almost become a “wang hong” overnight? Let’s discuss below! 👇

Why Most Businesses Fail at Baidu PPC Campaigns – Part 2 ✌ Let’s be honest—running a successful Baidu PPC campaign in China requires significant commitment 💦 and investment 💷 . Without the right strategy, you might as well be throwing money down the drain. Here are some key lessons we’ve learned from working with clients across various industries: 1️⃣ Do your research. Ensure your industry isn’t restricted (see Part 1) and that there’s sufficient search volume. What works on Google won’t necessarily work on Baidu. 2️⃣ Top up your budget gradually. Since Baidu PPC requires prepayment and funds can’t be retrieved once added, it’s best to top up incrementally. This gives you flexibility to reallocate funds if the campaign underperforms. 3️⃣ Set a daily budget cap and use precise targeting. China is a massive market, and your budget can disappear quickly. Control spending with daily caps, geo-targeting, and dayparting strategies. 4️⃣ Test, test, and test again. Optimise landing pages, ad copy, formats, and audience targeting. Don’t assume Google’s best practices will translate directly to Baidu. 5️⃣ Leverage professional support. Partnering with an experienced agency like Emerging Comms can help you achieve results faster and more efficiently. 🚀 But don’t just take our word for it—here’s what our Baidu PPC campaigns have delivered: ✅ 90% reduction in cost per acquisition (consumer panel recruitment) ✅ 55% lead qualification rate (international school) ✅ 4.5% CTR vs. 1.5% industry average (B2B) Want to learn more? Drop me a DM—we’d love to chat about how we can help! #Baidu #PPC #ChinaMarketing #LeadGeneration #B2B

Breaking Barriers: Women in Entrepreneurship I am proud to have been part of an inspiring panel last night, discussing entrepreneurship and women's challenges in their careers due to gender. The conversation was raw, honest, and incredibly thought-provoking. But what stood out the most? The audience. The questions they asked—both in the auditorium and during networking—highlighted some of the biggest concerns women have when stepping into business ownership: 🤔 “Being a business owner is lonely. How do I find, connect, and meet people like me?” 🤔 “Where do I find networks that help grow my business and fill in the gaps where I lack expertise?” 🤔 “Where do I start? Do I start? And what if I fail?” The reality is that women-led businesses remain underrepresented. 💰 In the UK, women-led businesses contribute £85 billion to economic output annually. 📉 Yet, only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are women 💷 If women started businesses at the same rate as men, it could add £250 billion to the UK economy. For some, the barriers are about balancing family commitments. For others, it lacks access to networks, funding, or support. 💡 This has to change. And in my small way, I want to help drive that change. I used to run a weekly LinkedIn Top Tips series on running a business, and after last night, I’m bringing it back! I’ll also run networking, sales, and community-building sessions to support female founders. If this would help you—or someone you know—drop me a message! Let’s build a stronger network together. Thanks to Bayes Business School & Zoe (Yiting) Lu for moderating and to the fantastic, inspiring panellists Eva Thorne, Dr. JoEllyn Prouty McLaren  & Stefania Zerbinati for their invaluable insights. #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Networking #Leadership #WomenFounders Emerging Comms #BayesMBA Aanchal Gupta Rocky Chi

Why Most Businesses Fail at Baidu PPC Campaigns – Part 1 If you’re serious about lead generation in China, Baidu should be on your radar. As the Google of China, Baidu dominates with over 70% market share in search. However, running a PPC campaign on Baidu is very different from Google Ads. Here’s why: Key Differences Between Baidu PPC and Google Ads 1️⃣ Setup Requirements – You must verify your business with a valid business license and prove website ownership. 2️⃣ Upfront Media Fees – Unlike Google, Baidu requires an upfront deposit before launching your campaign. 3️⃣ Ad Platform in Chinese – Baidu’s ad management system is entirely in Simplified Chinese, making navigation challenging for non-Chinese speakers. 4️⃣ Landing Page Requirements – Baidu requires PPC landing pages to be built using its Jimuyu platform (with some exceptions). 5️⃣ Industry Restrictions – Sectors like medical, real estate, and financial services face heavy advertising restrictions. 6️⃣ Government Policy Influence – Changing regulations can directly impact your campaigns. Is It Worth the Effort? Setting up a Baidu PPC campaign can seem daunting and requires an initial investment. But with the right strategy, the results can be highly rewarding. Not sure where to start? Partnering with a trusted agency (like us) can help you navigate Baidu’s complex landscape. Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow, where I’ll share top tips from our real-world experience helping clients succeed on Baidu PPC. Please feel free to drop me a line on how we can help you Emerging Comms #Baidu #PPC #ChinaMarketing #LeadGeneration

Healthcare is a huge opportunity in China. The single child policy has brought in an even more top-heavy aging population than other countries, and China is rapidly modernising its healthcare in response. With the UK's excellent reputation in this sector, it's a growing market waiting for the right businesses to enter, and we're already helping many of them to grow.

This week we're welcoming our team back after Chinese New Year and they've been sharing campaigns collected in China. One notable trend has been collecting "Red Envelope" covers from WeChat. This year there are a lot of them from B2B businesses. We collected a dozen of them on our site to show the variety of designs from the traditional to wildly futuristic. Link in the comments.

How one 30 second video changed everything for me, and it can for you 👇 4 years ago I posted this video on Chinese social media and it exploded to on it’s last count over 5 million views (audiences are still commenting as I write this) igniting a business 💥 Why is this relevant for you? It shows how one piece of simple yet informative content can change everything. Creating a scaling business and carving expertise as a marketer and doing what I love bridging East and West through content, marketing and sales. ⭐️ One piece of advice: Get personalised content up weekly on what you do best and don’t rely too heavily on AI. 🤖 Now as the go to B2B marketing and top of funnel sales for China and other emerging markets with Emerging Comms we are scaling B2B globally 🌏 The question you have to ask yourself as a B2B company is are you… ✅ Bullish with a clear intention on China or any market you want to establish in - you want a piece of that country and all the wonders it has to offer? You’ve got to love the market and it will love you back ❤️ ✅ Be open on your pain points and don’t be afraid to reveal them - I probably will have the solution 😉 ✅ Budget in place and clear ROI - if you don’t have the budget and know what you’re KPIs are - don’t bother 💸 Want to find out more? See our free B2B marketing guide in the comments and feel free to DM me 👍

What the Snake 🐍 can teach us about success in China... As we enter the Year of the Snake businesses with an ambition to grow in China have a unique opportunity to align their strategies with this cultural event. In Chinese culture, the Snake is a symbol of wisdom, transformation, and strategic thinking—qualities that any business should be trying to apply as they enter a new market. It's less auspicious than the Dragon that comes before it, but people born in the Year of the Snake are thoughtful, resourceful, and able to navigate complex situations with grace. What Does This Mean for Your Brand? 🐍 Embrace Transformation: The Snake’s association with renewal and transformation is a reminder to innovate and refresh your brand’s approach. Consider how your products or messaging can evolve to meet the preferences of Chinese consumers, who increasingly value personalisation and authenticity. 📈 Think Long-Term: The Snake’s strategic nature underscores the importance of building lasting relationships in China. Focus on long-term partnerships with local distributors, influencers, or e-commerce platforms rather than quick wins. 🧧 Leverage Cultural Symbolism: Incorporate the Snake’s positive attributes into your marketing campaigns. For example, highlight themes of wisdom, resilience, and growth in your messaging to resonate with Chinese audiences during this auspicious time. 🌙 Timing is Key: The Lunar New Year is a peak shopping season in China, with consumers spending heavily on gifts, travel, and luxury items. Ensure your brand is visible during this period with tailored promotions, festive packaging, or limited-edition products that celebrate the Year of the Snake. 🥢 Seize the opportunity: For UK brands, the Year of the Snake represents a chance to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and strengthen their position in one of the world’s most important markets. By aligning your strategies with the Snake’s symbolic qualities—strategy, adaptability, and transformation—you can build meaningful connections with Chinese consumers and drive sustainable growth. As you plan for 2025, remember: in the Year of the Snake, success comes to those who plan wisely and act thoughtfully.

Why your Chinese New Year campaign needs more platforms to win over the gift-buying market. Chinese New Year presents a unique challenge for selling on social media. It's not your customers buying your products, it's other people buying them as gifts. That means you need to be present on channels where you might not have been as active for the rest of the year. While World Duty Free have been active on REDNote all year, CNY opens up the campaigns to more activity on other channels. In 2025 we're making use of WeChat, and it's huge user base, and to reengage with the older audience on Weibo, a channel that's often missing from campaigns that target GenZ and even Millenials.