The micro blogging site Weibo is one of China’s most popular social networks, with over 30% of Chinese internet users having an account (source: NDTV). Following the same microblogging principle as Twitter (Weibo in Chinese actually means ‘microblog’), the network features an virtually even split in user gender, has over 76million active daily users, and is mostly accessed by mobile (70% of users). Over 80% of Weibo users shop online, making this the perfect platform for your social media marketing in China (source: Expanded Ramblings).

If you want to make the most of Weibo marketing, read on to find the first part of our top Weibo marketing tips.

Have a strategy

Without a solid plan, you’ll be posting messages with no discernible goal and no way of measuring your success. Just like all other aspects of social media marketing in China, Weibo works best with a solid plan of action. Research your target market, who they follow, and what they talk about. Identify key trends, hot topics, and your ultimate goal – is it to build followers; generate web traffic; gain exposure; connect with influential accounts? The better you understand why you are Weibo marketing, the more you will get out of the platform.

Engage your users with Weibo marketing in China

Remember that Weibo is social networking. Nobody likes being stuck at a party talking to someone who only speaks about themselves. Weibo is the same, except people can easily walk away from you without worrying about being rude. You have to make sure that your followers have a reason to want to keep up with your account. Use questions and polls to get them to interact with you, and share interesting content so that they are getting something of value out of following you. Don’t simply talk about yourself and your product all the time, and don’t constantly push your products.

Utilise brand ambassadors

Getting a local celebrity on board with your Weibo marketing in China can help you to build bridges with your target market. Celebrity endorsements are big business, and can have a huge impact upon revenue. The most successful brand ambassador as of 2014 was Chinese actress Fan Bingbing. Voted 3^rd on Forbes’ 2012 list of top celebrities in China, and Beijing News’ list of most beautiful people in China in 2008 and 2010, Fan is a highly successful actress who has had major film roles in Hollywood (source: The Diplomat). As the face of Luis Vuitton, L’Oréal, Chopard, and Moet & Chandon, by the beginning of 2014 Fan had generated an estimated $74million in e-commerce revenue (source: Fashionbi).

While stars of Fan’s calibre may be beyond your marketing budget, even local celebrities can help to raise your brand profile and build trust with a new audience.

Stay tuned for more Weibo marketing in China tips

There are many ways you can utilise the power and popularity of Weibo in your social media marketing in China. Come back next week for more great tips on how to get the most from Weibo platform.