In China, there are not many of the social networks that we use in the West. Therefore, if you are going to expand your business to the Asian country, you will need a presence in its applications for your marketing strategy. In the absence of Twitter or Facebook, in this post we explain what Weibo is and how it works.
Weibo, the Chinese Twitter
Weibo is a microblogging application created by Sina Corporation in 2009. Like Twitter, it was born as an open social network that allowed information to be obtained and shared. In fact, until 2016 this tool also limited texts to 240 characters.
But little by little its functions have been growing and today its users can upload video, music, gifs … It has nothing to envy of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit or even YouTube.
It stands out for its virability since everyone can see the publications and comment on them. Its users usually comment on products or services they have tried. Therefore, we could say that it is mandatory for anyone who wants to be successful in the Chinese market. In fact, all international brands have their own official account. One of them is the acb, which for a few weeks has been sharing the best of its matches, information and curiosities on the Weibo channel managed by Kalea Sport & Entertainment.
Weibo works as a great showcase for the sport. So much so that during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, visits to short videos related to the competition exceeded 17 million. In it, the contents are not exposed chronologically, but it is the algorithm that first shows what the user is most interested in, and thanks to this, this type of content always appeared in highlights.
Weibo surpasses 560 million active users per month and millions of daily posts.
Who is online on Weibo
Currently, Weibo exceeds 560 million active users per month and millions of daily posts, becoming the leader in Chinese-language microblogging. 48% of users are between 30 and 39 years old. The group under 30 years of age comprises 30% of them. The user base is overwhelmingly female, with men only accounting for 18.3% of the total.
In addition, almost 80% of its users follow official company accounts and 68% want information about promotions through them.
Weibo is much more than a Chinese Facebook
Weibo works as a news platform and that allows users to search for information on topics as diverse as politics, entertainment or fashion, for example. In it, users can reach a product or service as a result of a recommendation from a KOL (opinion leader), something that will not happen on Facebook if the user is not their “friend.” Therefore, brands are more likely to be more visible on Weibo than on Facebook.
What you won’t find on Twitter or Facebook
This social network has its Hongbao, a kind of digital wallet that you also have on WeChat with which you can make payments to purchase any product that is shared in this application. With this wallet you can also pay for movie tickets, buy insurance, make an appointment with a doctor or acquire a loan.
Also, Weibo has its own lottery. With its application you can design contests for your followers to play and get prizes and rewards. These extras are possible thanks to the fact that Alibaba Group has a large part of Weibo’s shareholding, in addition to Sina.
Now that you know what Weibo is, you have already seen that it is an ideal tool to promote your brand and have a high presence in China. You should know that to register a corporate account you will need to pay a fee, in addition to filling in a special registration form. It will be a process similar to that of WeChat or Douyin. From Kalea Group we can accompany you on your trip through Chinese social networks.
