China Mobile Marketing Insights

China has the biggest smartphone population, with 557 million people using their handsets to go online. CNNIC reported that the number of people in China who surf the internet via mobile devices had, for the first time, exceeded the number of people doing so via their computers. This means the mobile phone has become China’s primary internet device.

CNNIC found that 90.6% of mobile owners used a messaging app to manage their money, order taxis or even invest money. Altogether, this smartphone ecosystem has driven a rapid rise in innovation that interlinks e-commerce, instant messaging and entertainment applications.

Except the fact of intensive mobile tech application in Chinese people’s lives, Chinese consumers are highly responsive to mobile advertising if it’s done in the right way at the right time.

In a survey of 1,001 Chinese mobile users, the report found that 78% of Chinese consumers said they would be likely to click on a mobile ad with relevant content. Listed below are some pieces of advice that can be taken from the report’s findings in order to get the most out of an effective mobile strategy.

1.Choose the right format. The report finds that videos and mobile coupons are far more effective than banner ads or text as an advertising format. 36% of respondents said that video was their preferred format for mobile advertising, and giveaways and discounts were not a bad strategy either—68% of Chinese users said “getting freebies” was important for effective mobile ads, while 33 percent listed coupons as their most-preferred advertising format.

2.Target the right audience. It’s not surprising that relevance is key to get users to click on content—77% said that relevant content was an “important attribute” to mobile advertising.

3.Respect consumers’ privacy. Chinese smartphone users also care about their privacy, so the type of data used to target them is important. The report found that Chinese consumers considered adverting based on interests, purchase, history, and current location to be the most acceptable advertising criteria, while they were understandably most creeped out by the prospect of marketers using keywords used in phone calls for marketing. Willingness to share personal information on a mobile device, however, is much higher among Chinese consumers than those from the United States or UK—58% said they would do so to get a free app in China, compared to only 30 and 28% of U.S. and UK consumers, respectively.

4.Engage at the right time. Chinese consumers are far more likely to respond to mobile ads on their way to work and over the weekend, according to the report. Even a well-thought-out campaign can be a dud if it’s released when a brand’s target audience is at work or out for dinner.

5.Don't bombard users. The report finds targeted ads should be limited to between five and seven messages a week to avoid annoying Chinese consumers. While 47% said that “daily” was their preferred targeting frequency, 34% opted for “weekly.” Chinese users’ highest concerns about mobile advertising are that it is “too intrusive in my lifestyle” and that it “crosses the line into my personal space,” meaning that brands need to find a balance to give users the brand information they want.