Why Your Marketing Efforts Aren’t Reaching Audiences In China
Trying to crack the Chinese market? Here are some surefire tips on upping your marketing efforts as the challenges of China’s unique online environment could be hindering your success, writes Charmaine Wong, business marketing coordinator at digital marketing consultancy, Think China.
A China-friendly website is paramount to marketing any product or service in China. It’s also crucial to your brand image in China, communicating with clients, connecting with potential business partners and collaborating with your staff.
Despite the effort that goes into online and offline campaigns that lead back to websites, it isn’t uncommon for the Chinese teams of multi-million dollar global enterprises to complain that their company website isn’t working in China.
The huge Internet population
Results may be falling short of targets when it comes to website hits and engagement from China because of the country’s large internet population.
China’s international Internet bandwidth was 3.6 Tbps in 2013, up by 11 per cent from the previous year, according to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). It may sound like a big number, but when it’s shared across the Chinese Internet population, it gets diluted very quickly and slows down.
The Great Firewall
Regardless of your content, online censorship in China may be hindering your success.
All web traffic in China is filtered through the Great Firewall. Although most websites pass through without any problems, the sheer volume of traffic puts a heavy burden on the monitoring infrastructure, ultimately slowing down Internet speed.
Referencing blocked features
Chances are the more creative you are when trying to engage online with Western audiences, the more difficulties your mainland Chinese users face when trying to access your website. This is because many developers creating sites for China overlook how various components will load there.
A website developed in Australia or the US will often have references to Google Font, a few embedded widgets from social media blocked in China such as YouTube and Facebook, or even jQuery scripts from the Google CDN (Content Delivery Network) server.
By getting rid of your dependency on external resources, using other CDNs, or loading them asynchronously, you can speed up the rendering of your website.
Serving your website from a distance
Hosting your website from within China or its neighboring countries will increase the speed of your website in the region. As the distance between your site host and target audience decreases, the time needed to load your website reduces and you’re more likely to keep the interest of the user
To check if you should reconsider hosting your website closer to China, we recommend you conduct a speed test of your website to understand the connection between your existing server and the Chinese Internet in different cities.
Websites hosted in China require a valid ICP recordal. If the website serves as an eCommerce platform or news publication, other additional legal requirements need to be fulfilled.
Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are good choices for serving Chinese web traffic because the short distance between these countries to China is served by dedicated submarine cables. However, it’s important to ensure the hosting company has a dedicated bandwidth connected to the Chinese Internet and is not already over crowded with other websites. THINKCHINA works with a dedicated hosting provider in Hong Kong to ensure your website has a fast connection speed.
What if I’m already in China?
Businesses that already have an office in China should look toward cloud hosting in China.
International CDN provider Akamai also provides a China extension service allowing websites to be served from within China. However, this requires businesses to hold ICP recordal.
Don’t let your efforts go to waste
With all the time, resources and work that goes into websites and campaigns that direct audiences to your landing page, it would be a shame for all of that to go to waste just because your site can’t load in China.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your website is a one-size-fits-all for audiences around the world.
Please login with linkedin to comment
GoggleboxLatest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.