NetEase is pinpointing consumer tendencies in China

China’s dreams of a content utopia seem to be coming to fruition, and a large aspect of this evolution is a result of the manner in which people in China access the internet—there is no doubt that high mobile adoption in the country has led to an increased demand for quality online content.

The pioneers of the 'content consumption upgrade'

The Internet is the carrier and NetEase Media is a content creator and innovator. Leo Li, general manager of strategic management department & marketing management center at NetEase Media said that ‘content consumption upgrade’ will be one of the key focuses for the company in the coming year.

Li said NetEase has always been very focused on human nature, and that's the driving reason why the company is well-recognised as both a content creator and innovator, capable of combining the humanities with tech. "We are proud to take the leadership role in content consumption upgrade. Our ability to promote cross-border integration of science and humanities into the needs of consumers is one of the things that sets us apart."

An award-winning campaign

To achieve this, NetEase is constantly innovating and creating. For example, Netease recently promoted a new game to “share your sleep posture”. The H5 mini-game hit the mark with users in China. The style of the game is concise, fresh and the DIY mode allows for varied user engagement. Users can enjoy free collocation with sleeping posture, pajamas, bedding and room setting.

The copywriting is integrated to reflect the current trends of young people with humorous and incisive language that arouse young Chinese users to explore and share. The campaign saw success in China because the mini-game stimulates users to spread the word about the game through major social media networks.

Li believes that information on consumer behaviour should be the starting point for any marketing venture, and NetEase supports advertisers and marketers with a better understanding of consumer feedback towards the products or services they aim to market in China. Brands can obtain greater consumer insight from the big data collected, subsequently implementing more effective marketing strategies and plans. If there's a change in behaviour, NetEase also takes an active approach in responding and adapting to those shifts.

Connecting East with West

With this strategic approach, NetEase has been helping a long list of western businesses with targeted online marketing and advertising. Li advised western businesses who want to enter into the China market to gain a deeper understanding of the country’s own diverse culture, as well as consumers’ preference and means of emotional expression. "To better engage with the Chinese consumers, content is crucial. Any foreign businesses who wants to promote their products and services in China should add more Chinese elements and characteristics to their advertising and marketing efforts."