Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | C | Communication World

A whole new world: companies are learning how to reach Chinese consumers cost-effectively via social media tools.

Article Excerpt
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

There is a popular saying that all politics is local. In China, the same can be said about the Internet. Local players, in tune to the specific needs of the country's "netizens," rule the digital space, and the numbers are staggering. According to the China Network Information Center, China has some 338 million Internet users, or 25.5 percent of the population, including 320 million broadband subscribers, who are online for an average of 16 hours per week, the same amount of time they spend watching television. There are 111 million people managing a social network profile, and that number is growing daily. The power of the Internet in China has never been stronger and has not even begun to be realized.

It is no secret that the Internet has been an agent for reform in China, and it is serving as a valuable tool for people to explore a world often beyond their reach. The Internet is not just serving Chinas growing set of netizens, though. It is quickly replacing traditional media, as brands and companies seek to connect with consumers in new ways. With the exception of Google, international platforms that offer a cut-and-paste version of their American or European sites typically either fail or get banned. International phenomena like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have fallen victim to the Great Firewall of China. While young, innovative...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!