China’s social media landscape is vastly different when compared to the United States and Australia. USA and Australia boasts two to three major social media platforms, however China’s social media landscape is extremely fragmented and localised. This makes it more challenging for businesses and marketers.
Notably, a whopping 81% of China’s Internet users access the World Wide Web via their mobile phone, making mobile devices China’s Internet tool of choice.
Boasting to sustain the largest social media networks and the most social media users recorded. The number of interactions and daily users can be considered off the chart for some countries.
Although the different social media networks are competing for their share of activity, many of the networks meet a particular demand that allows a large part of them to coexist.
Businesses and internet users also need to be aware of the restrictions as well as the repercussion surrounding what the Chinese Government considers to be “inappropriate content”. The Chinese Government employ over two million people to monitor web activities, blogs and social media sites and are known to block access to topics if deemed sensitive.
China also restricts what can be posted on the internet in its country by banning foreign companies or their affiliated websites from publishing online content within China without Government approval.
However, as Chinese consumers spend more time online, foreign companies should deepen their knowledge of Chinese social media platforms. There are numerous ways in which an Australian businesses can have an online presence in China, some that are now achievable, however all of which are challenging to the Australian way of social media management.
