China Marketing Platforms
In-depth guides for each major China digital platform. Understand user behaviour, marketing opportunities, best practices, and key metrics for brand visibility and conversion.
China's lifestyle discovery and decision platform
Xiaohongshu (RED)
Xiaohongshu, commonly known as RED, is China's leading lifestyle discovery platform where users search, compare, and shortlist brands through peer-generated content and creator recommendations. Unlike Western social platforms focused on networking, RED functions as a search-first discovery engine where users actively seek product reviews, travel guides, and lifestyle recommendations.
Read the guideChina's short-form video and native commerce platform
Douyin
Douyin is China's short-form video platform with integrated commerce capabilities, operated by ByteDance. While internationally TikTok is primarily a social entertainment platform, Douyin has evolved into a comprehensive commerce ecosystem combining short-form video, live streaming, mini-programs, and native purchasing in one seamless environment.
Read the guideChina's super-app for retention, service, and conversion
WeChat is China's largest messaging and social platform, functioning as a super-app that combines messaging, social media, payments, mini-programs, and official brand channels. For marketing purposes, WeChat serves as the critical platform for retention, customer service, and conversion support after users have been acquired through discovery platforms.
Read the guideChina's leading search engine and answer platform
Baidu
Baidu is China's dominant search engine, serving as the primary gateway for high-intent information seeking. Unlike Western search where Google dominates, Baidu operates within China's unique digital ecosystem with its own ranking factors, content preferences, and integrated services that affect how brands appear in search results.
Read the guideChina's travel planning and destination content platform
Mafengwo
Mafengwo is one of China's leading travel content and planning platforms, where users research destinations, read travel guides, and plan itineraries. It serves as a critical discovery touchpoint for travel and hospitality brands targeting Chinese outbound and domestic travellers.
Read the guideChina's leading travel booking and commerce platform
Ctrip / Trip.com
Ctrip (known internationally as Trip.com) is China's largest online travel agency, serving as a critical booking and commerce platform for flights, hotels, tours, and travel packages. For travel and hospitality brands, Ctrip represents both a distribution channel and a discovery environment where Chinese travellers research and book travel services.
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