By Damian Maib, Founder and Managing Director of Genuine, and Thomas Derksen (AfuThomas), Influencer, author and producer.
‘Turning Followers Into Clients’ was published in the winter 2022 edition of the German Chamber Ticker. Editor: Noga Feige, Senior Editor of the Ticker Magazine. Visuals: Matter Design.
The Potential of Social Media and E-commerce in the B2B World
“It’s a ‘nice to have’.”
“It’s not really important for us at the moment.”
“It does not work with our products.”
These statements are often heard when discussing social media and e-commerce for B2B business models. However, we all have countless touchpoints with B2B brands and businesses through multiple social media and e-commerce channels every day. The best example in China is WeChat: When using the app, it is sometimes difficult to know which contacts, chats, and mini-programs are private – and which belong to brands. These professional contacts influence our decisions on multiple levels: our consciousness does not separate personal and business, B2B and B2C. This is even more evident in China, where personal and business dimensions are connected and the lines are often blurry. This construct strongly contradicts the German custom of not mingling private and business matters. Yet, we all engage emotionally with a company brand much faster and stronger even before we make rational decisions, whether we are German or Chinese. This means that the business potential of social media and e-commerce strategies for B2B in China is vast.
Since it is not a question of business potential, what explains the hesitation of many B2B companies to truly engage in social media? More often than not, it is a lack of knowledge. Which platform is the right one for us? What kind of content should we share? How do we engage our clients? How can we adapt our sales funnels? What are realistic targets and budgets? But worse than struggling with these questions is the fear of doing something wrong: many companies end up doing nothing and leaving the field to competitors purely out of fear. Yet if social media and e-commerce activities are based on a well-crafted strategy and follow some basic rules, customer engagement will come.
The main rule for successful B2B social media content in China is to overcome the learned – especially German – conventions, such as being discreet, unemotional, and too serious. Instead, one should be open-minded, experimental, and creative. B2B communication can and should be fun for consumers. A good example is the KUKA collaboration with Timo Boll for a Robot vs. Timo Boll Match. It was not exactly directed at the brand’s target group, but it was an entertaining and interesting campaign nonetheless, and a huge achievement for KUKA’s marketing team.
Another example is the B2B brand SATA, a producer of spray guns. In their social media videos for the Chinese market, the content focuses on people rather than the product. They show that the messaging doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around the products and their quality. In China, the quality of German products still enjoys an excellent reputation – and the Chinese people are more interested in getting to know German people. So ask yourself: who are the people behind the product? Who makes these products so successful? How can you deliver your messages in an entertaining and interesting way?
What B2B Should Learn From B2C
Certainly, no one would buy a very expansive and complex industrial machine online. But these machines can still be found on e-commerce channels. Because these platforms work like search engines, they are a potential touchpoint on the B2B customer journey. Similar to the B2C world, clients in the B2B world follow a very individual customer journey. Therefore, the challenge is to offer the right content in the right format at every potential touchpoint. Furthermore, it is tremendously important to integrate a direct sales channel at every touchpoint. Small and midsize companies have a certain advantage here, as they tend to be more flexible in their sales structure. They are able to try different approaches and adapt faster to new developments and customer needs.
Another big driver for B2B in China is that Chinese people trust platforms rather than suppliers. The biggest B2B e-commerce platforms, like 1688.cn (Chinese) or Alibaba.com (English) offer payment security like their B2C equivalents. Some B2B brands also sell on classical B2C platforms, like Tmall, Taobao, or JD.com. Another learning from the B2C e-commerce world is that the less expensive a product is, the more likely it is to create direct sales online.
Finding the Right Platform and Content
Since every product, brand, and customer journey is different, it is worth taking some time to find the right channel and content strategy. In general, it is always recommended to use social media to raise awareness among the general public and spread information. E-commerce platforms can work more as search engines to help consumers receive detailed product information. Opening a web store can be an advantage in terms of data handling, and can help the organization digitalize its sales processes. Platforms where brands combine content marketing with in-app shopping, such as short video & livestream platforms Douyin (Tiktok), RedBook, or KuaiShou, are especially useful. Long video platforms like Weibo (similar to Twitter), Bilibili, Toutiao, or WeChat Official Accounts are also well suited to spread a B2B brand’s message. These platforms help brands connect their official accounts with a wide range of fans.
Finally, finding the right content is another challenge. Videos and livestreams are still the most popular way to engage people online in China. A general way to create suitable content is to share the brand story, history, or manufacturing processes. Finally, combining these aspects while focusing on the people behind the brand can pave the way to a positive brand image and generate sales leads.
Damian Maib is an expert in e-commerce in China and South-East Asia. He is the founder of the digital marketing agency Genuine. The 50-strong agency supports from Berlin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong clients with services ranging from e-commerce consulting and market entry in China and South-East Asia to online shop operations. Genuine clients include FMCG and tech brands such as Beiersdorf, Cosnova, and Electrolux. Genuine is an official partner of Alibaba-Tmall (TP), JD.com, and Douyin. More information can be found on genuine-asia.com
Thomas Derksen, aka AfuThomas, is among the most influential German KOL in China. He has worked together with numerous German companies in the Chinese market as the producer and protagonist for a vast variety of marketing campaigns. His years-long experience as an influencer, regular participant in TV shows, book author, podcast and event host provided him with broad and deep insights into the marketing mechanisms and channels in China. For more information, visit afuthomas.de
