Weibo Marketing - Build Your Brand Online
Micro
Blogging
Wēi bó
微博
Chinese language equivalent to Twitter plus similar functions that are available from Facebook
+
=
Features: 140 Chinese characters post + threaded comments + pictures and videos + instant messages and location check in, online polling, emotion icons, in-house account analysis.
Sina Weibo Registration
Sina Weibo Log in
My Weibo Page @Me Comments
China micro-blog, or Weibo, allows up to 140 Chinese characters for each post; one weibo post could contain a lot more information than Twitter
Like Msg
Weibo allows direct upload of multimedia content, which is not counted as part of character limit.
Hash tag for various topics
Emotion icons for interactive and personal conversations
Threaded comments, straight forward, easy to track
Singapore Tourism Board
Uploaded photos can be viewed through both expand and enlarge function Total number of shares and comments for this post
Why Social Media? Why Sina Weibo?
With the rapid growth of social media, consumers and buyers are no longer paying much attention to traditional marketing & advertising. They are checking out product and service information often through the internet (particularly through social media) and sources like word-of-mouth.
Ultimately, the one with an established and trusted brand image online will have a much bigger chance to win the business. © Chin Communications 2013
In China, we believe Social Media
has changed
Social Media has a greater
influence on purchasing decisions for consumers in China than for those anywhere else in the world. -- McKinsey
your business. Brand C
Brand B
Brand E
Brand A
Brand D
They are more likely to consider buying a product if they see it discussed positively on a social media site; more likely to actually purchase a product or service if a friend or acquaintance recommends it on a social-media site.
Social Network Sites
• considered as the Chinese language equivalent to Facebook • real-name social network • mainly used by students or fresh graduates • it has been expanding its target audience groups • lately has cooled down due to Sina Weibo effect • China’s leading social network for younger generations • young people discover and share books, films, music and … everything that appeals to their tastes • Popular among luxury brands targeting younger generation through creating artistic/aspirational platform • white-collar user based • social games and post-forwarding features • has been usurped by Sina Weibo
Micro-blog (Weibo) has outreached
97%
of mainstream social media
70%
Social Network Site -
users
location based social media (LBS), users can “check-in” to specific locations or events, and will be awarded brand specific “badges” that can qualify them to receive a special offer specific to their location.
66% people use both weibo and SNS
10%
LBS:
Sina Weibo at a glance
As of December 2012
500 million •Number of Verified Corporate Accounts in China: 300,000 •Total registered users globally :
online shopping
entertainment
Food & beverage
Source: Sina, RedTech Advisors
consumer electronics
clothing
• There are More than
600,000 Sina Weibo users in Australia,
accounts for 71% of Chinese-speaking people in Australia • About 200,000 are located in Victoria • Number
Source: OzYu
of Corporate Accounts in
Australia: +10,000
Individual (Unverified Corporate Account)
Verified Corporate Account?
Verified Account
•Go through official verification process with Sina •In Australia –Sina’s local agent Ozyu •Verification fee AUD999.00 •Authority and authenticity – credibility/trustworthiness •Professional image with in-depth backstage data analysis on your posts, your weibo presence penetration rate as well as your followers’ demographics
Time of day that your followers are most active on Weibo
Changes on number of followers
Follower demographics, location, and much more…
Individual Account/ Unverified Corporate Account • Free of charge • You can still post on Weibo and share content through an individual account • Limited data analysis for individual account However…
Someone stole our logo and created a fake Chin Communications account!
Successful Weibo Marketing – How?
Think – Plan – Manage with a STRATEGY
Suitable platform? Objective Content Engage and Participate in Conversations Monitor, Measure and Evaluate Commitment & Investment (talent, time and money)
“Technology is shifting the power away from the editors, the publishers, the establishment, the media elite. Now it’s the people who are in control.” – Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of News Corporation
Use Your Weibo Content to Tell Your Story
Plan your Weibo content - The First Rule about Fight Club…
Never simply post a press release/a product/service description without thinking “how relevant is this to my Weibo followers? Or what benefit will my followers get from this post?”
Plan your Weibo content – Personal and Emotive Responses
Keep your Weibo voice personal!
Kevin Rudd certainly understands the tricks!
NSW Police Force
Plan your Weibo content – research timely/suitable content What’s on today mate??
Minutes after ABC radio broke news on leadership spill, we posted an explanation of ‘leadership spill’ in Australian context to Chinese Weibo users
Over 60,000 views and 45 shares
Remember one of the main reasons people use Weibo is because they can receive first hand newsworthy items
Other companies did similar things on their social media platforms on the day of the birth of royal baby…
Plan your Weibo content – things that are practical Japanese skincare brand DQ – skin care information e.g. how many times should you apply sunscreen a day?
49 comments
Chin Communications – Chin Translator Notes Popular Series
Over 40,000 views
Plan your Weibo content – participate in online conversations Go beyond to respond to your followers’ enquiries Discussion on Royal baby - does the word “prince” only translate as “the son of the king” in Chinese?
Does British monarchy apply to all commonwealth countries?
Elaborated to discuss British Royal Family and its influence in Australia
Your Thought Leadership
Your Expertise
Your Image Your Brand
Your Product / Your Service
Monitor, Measure and Optimise
The number of your followers – definitely NOT your ONE and ONLY measuring metric
•
Monitor: collect data through continuous monitoring of you and your competitors’ Weibo performance
•
Analyse: analyse data for insights and recommendations
•
Optimise: take action based on insights and your findings
measure
• Zombie fans - Sina system auto generated • Fake fans – you can purchase 1000 followers with as little as 6.00 RMB no activity, no profile picture, no interaction Low activity, limited interaction with a profile picture It’s happening on twitter as well!
Measure and Evaluate The aim of Weibo marketing is brand building through accumulating and nurturing followers, a brand is able to raise profile and word of mouth. The number of followers. The quality of followers, including percentage of active followers (as compared to zombies) Average comment numbers, and average shares You should pay attention to quality before quantity This company’s Weibo page has been invaded by a large amount of zombies!...
Commitment and Investment
Talent Time
Money
Talent Natural knack for communicating your message appropriately
knows how to respond to customer service questions
setting the tone and personality for your brand
Curating content that your followers will resonate with
Understands and follows your social media policy
Time and Money - Rome was not built in a day! • • • •
Takes time to develop a Weibo strategy & policy Research, curate and draft engaging content, monitor and optimise on a daily basis There is NO 9 to 5 in the social media sphere Social media marketing needs to be integrated with your existing marketing initiatives and other platforms Takes time to accumulate followers and build your brand online – could take more than six months to have a presence
Monash University- comprehensive marketing campaigns and use of multiple communications platforms, weibo - since early 2012
Time and Money - Rome was not built in a day!
Content and interaction as well as daily management The first post was early this February Since then, there were only four posts It’s a shame for an icon like the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House – limited initiatives
Thank You! Yao Cheng Kate Ritchie 1300 792 446
[email protected] [email protected] www.chincommunications.com.au @澳大利亚秦皇翻译公司 ©Chin Communications 2013
@澳洲同声传译查尔斯
http://e.weibo.com/chincommunications http://weibo.com/u/1888298725
