Marketing in Douyin gives you access to over 600 million monthly active users - but, how much is the cost? In this article, we’re going to give a run down on what it takes to advertise on Douyin - the largest video-sharing platform in China.
If you didn’t know already, Douyin is the Chinese counterpart of Tiktok. In fact, it was the original. However, China implemented several restrictions that make it difficult for foreign brands to access this large user base.
According to an article from Walk The Chat, Douyin users spend an average of 67 minutes per day on the app. Multiply that by millions of users and you’ve got yourself a platform primed for conversions.
Additionally, the app’s primary users are both Gen Z and Millenials. So, not only do you get a larger audience, you can market to the generations most likely to buy products they see online. As such, Douyin is the best place to be if you want to boost brand Marketing in China.
Now, this sounds all fine and dandy, but how much will it cost brands and marketers who want to get a slice?
Paid Advertising Cost On Douyin
Before you can even start advertising on the short-video platform, you first need to create and verify your account. Afterward, if you want a business account on Douyin, you need to pay ¥600 for a verification fee.
More importantly, if you want to begin advertising your brand or service in China, then you need to know the common types of ads you can run on Douyin:
Open Screen Ads - Static (poster) and dynamic (video) open-screen advertisements are one of the most common ads you can find. The dynamic type supports video playback in full-screen and split-screen modes.
For the first three seconds, the screen displays a static image, and then a video for the next four to five seconds. New accounts and businesses can use them while there isn't much traffic.
Each user can see your ads on the recommended page only once per day, and the length of the video must be between 5 and 30 seconds to be considered acceptable. The ad appears in the 4th position in the feed.
Feed Ads - A listing of them can be found on Douyin's "recommended" page. After swiping a few times between videos, you'll see an ad with the word "advertising" in the lower right corner.
Sticker/Filter Ads - Businesses and brands have made it possible for users to personalize their video clips by allowing them to apply custom stickers and filters. Stickers that are both funny and creative are fairly common among Douyin users. Sticker designs can be submitted in response to a specific theme or challenge announced by the company. In the past, Vivo's new phones were advertised with stickers. Users were told to use a specific song and sticker to record videos that included any purple elements. A trophy was awarded to the participant with the most likes.
Cooperative Ads - It implies that you'll be working with a KOL who will be in charge of promoting your products and brand to the audience. He or she can record a quick video and upload it to the app right away, or set up a live broadcast.
Native Ads - These are ads similar to paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram that appear on the user’s feed.
Billing Methods For Douyin Advertising
There are three main billing methods that you can use to buy ads on Douyin: CPC, CPM, and CPT. Generally, the billing methods CPC and CPM are related to buying ads on the news feed. Meanwhile, CPT is used for purchases that are pushed on the open screen ad.
(Cost Per Click - CPCP) - 0.2 yuan is the current cost per click for a CPC advertising on Douyin. So, every time someone clicks on a CPC ad link, you have to pay Douyin 0.2 yuan.
(Cost Per Mille - CPM) - A CPM ad currently costs 4 yuan, which means you'll have to pay Douyin 4 yuan for every 1,000 clicks on the ad that you place.
(Cost Per Thousand CPT) - Douyin's opening screen advertisement, for instance, utilizes CPT (Cost Per Thousand). At least 1 million yuan is required to advertise your brand on Douyin's opening screen.
(Douyin Stickers) - Making your own sticker on Douyin will cost you a whopping 300,000 yuan, and it will last at least seven days (according to your preference).
That said, the average startup cost for advertising on Douyin could range from $250 up to $8000. But, this could easily go higher depending on how aggressive you want to be.
Still, dumping big bucks on your Douyin ads won’t necessarily equate to sales. Keep in mind that the Chinese market is highly competitive. On top of that, you need to understand nuances in their culture to effectively navigate it.
For that reason, it’s recommended that you contact an effective marketing service in China such as SODA Global Marketing.
Our experts will guide you through the best Marketing Strategies in China, help you set up your business license, and get your footing. Book a Free Meeting with us today!
Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Cost On Douyin - Influencer Marketing
Much like most social media platforms out there, Douyin is more effective when your brand partners up with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL). These influencers can have millions of followers.
However, you can’t just dismiss up-and-coming ones with a smaller, but dedicated fanbase. So, in this part of the article, we’re going to take a look at the average price you need to pay for a KOL.
But, first, let’s take a look at why KOLs are so effective:
Why Should Your Brand Tap KOLs?
Targeting potential customers is a crucial part of online and offline marketing. Influencer marketing focuses on the people who appeal to and influence your target customers. If you sell to young people, consider Douyin influencers.
Douyin's best feature is video-sharing. Any Douyin influencer marketing campaign will involve influencers making, sharing, and live streaming videos that promote your brand and attract their followers.
How Much Should You Pay Influencers?
Neal Schaffer says that influencers on TikTok are paid $25 per thousand followers on average. Meanwhile, the most influential KOLs in China can make around $1000 - $14,000 per post.
Connect With KOLs & Buy Advertising On Douyin Easily
The best way to connect with KOLs and get your start with advertising on the Douyin is by partnering with a China-based marketing agency that can help you with everything you need.
A successful KOL marketing campaign is the result of a KOL understanding your brand identity and personalizing it to achieve your campaign goals. This requires communication.
With that in mind, we need to understand that cross-cultural work has challenges. Most Chinese KOLs can't understand your brand's message in English. Cultural differences between KOLs and brands cause misunderstandings and we don’t want that.
Here is a list of top Marketing Agencies you can partner with:
SODA Global Marketing
NEXTSCLICK DIGITAL
RedFern Digital
HI-COM
Temba
In China, people will agree to what you want so as not to "lose face". So, determining what the KOL didn't understand wastes time. Western brands often come to China confident that their tried-and-true content approach will work, only to be disappointed.
A good KOL will tell you what works and why; it's their home court. For overseas brands working with Chinese KOLs, SODA Global Marketing ensures nothing gets lost in translation!
Contact us today and we’ll help you come up with the best marketing strategy for your brand to penetrate the Chinese market.
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