Welcome to the captivating world of live streaming in China, where businesses are transformed, lives are changed, and B2B can join in on the fun. Live-stream can sound like a daunting and stressful task for more traditional industries, but it doesn’t have to.

In this article, we will explore the incredible impact of live streaming for businesses and individuals alike. From revolutionizing B2B brands to boosting foreign trade, we’ll delve into the exciting realm of live streaming platforms and their role in shaping the Chinese market. So, get ready to embark on a thrilling journey that combines entertainment, education, and limitless opportunities.

Live Streaming: A Modern Twist to TV Shopping

Globally, live-streaming has breathed new life into TV Shopping, offering a contemporary twist that captivates audiences worldwide. It generated sales of $480 billion in China last year that are likely to jump 30% this year. 

B2B brands, usually considered to be on a more conservative side, are leveraging this dynamic medium to expand their reach and engage with customers on a whole new level both in China and beyond. In a survey conducted among Chinese B2B brands, 56% said that they plan to increase the budget for live-streaming video in the coming months.   

By harnessing the power of live streaming, businesses can showcase their products and services in an interactive and immersive way, leaving a lasting impact on viewers.

🤳 Check out our Introduction to WeChat Channels Live-Streaming

Boosting Foreign Trade through Live Streaming

Chinese manufacturers have discovered the immense potential of live streaming platforms in boosting foreign trade. Platforms like Alibaba.com, a leading global wholesale trade platform, have witnessed steady growth in cross-border business-to-business (B2B) trade through live streaming. 

In fact, during a recent trade event organized by Alibaba over 60,000 Chinese businessmen used cross-border live streaming to promote their products, attracting more than 700,000 foreign buyers. Viewers can witness the production process, product testing, and interact with hosts who speak multiple languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Arabic. 

This seamless communication and access to international markets eliminate constraints of time and location, fostering a truly global business environment. This trend has significantly contributed to the rebound in China’s foreign trade.

Can Western brands leverage live-streaming and reach their potential customers and partners based in China?

💼 10 Ways for a B2B Brand to Generate Leads on WeChat

Breaking Barriers for B2B Brands: Virtual Tours and Multilingual Experiences

Travel restrictions during COVID-19 seriously impacted the possibility of face-to-face meetings, trade show participation and factory meetings not only among overseas brands but also internally. That’s why Chinese companies acted fast and quickly adapted to obstacles. Virtual tours, industry conferences in metaverse, live-streaming shows and webinars quickly entered Chinese digital space and are here to stay. 

Since China’s reopening earlier this year, visitors can come freely to China. Nevertheless, new tools developed helped to break down geographical barriers and enabled brands to start and continue conversations online at their fingertips.

Live-streaming: What To Stream and How?

B2B brands can captivate their audiences through engaging live-streams on a myriad of topics. Whether it’s industry insights, product demonstrations, or thought-provoking discussions, live-stream events can offer a dynamic platform to connect, educate, and foster meaningful connections with clients and partners.

Themes:

• New products and explanations of new features and functionalities
• Frequently asked questions
• Case studies
• Tutorials
• Behind the scenes: virtual tours, production process
• Interviews
• Trade shows

Because the Chinese digital ecosystem is vastly different from the global one, user behavior also varies considerably. However in this case it will work in your favor. 

Why WeChat Channels?

In China, users often don’t need to switch between different platforms and apps. Therefore if they already follow you on WeChat, you can send them a notification that a live-stream will take place and remind them just before it starts. It’s very convenient and helps to maximize effort. 

Since most B2B brands build their brand hub on WeChat it’s the best choice to start live-streaming there as well (click here to learn more about WeChat for B2B sector). Thanks to the multitude of functionalities like live comments, customer service connection, and more, brands can bring their communication to the next level and truly get in a conversation with their followers.  On WeChat live-streams can be saved and watched later by your followers and newcomers. Recently our Head of Strategy, Miriam Dabrowa, shared her insights on how luxury brands can leverage WeChat Channels for live-streaming with JingDaily, you can read the full article here: A Luxury Brand Guide To Using WeChat Channels. Although, the article is dedicated to luxury brands, B2B brands can also learn and apply the key takeaways.

⚠️Live-streaming from trade shows outside of China require applying to Tencent beforehand. You can contact us to support you on this.

🎥 See how you can get started on WeChat Channels – Guide for Beginners

The Fun Side of Live Streaming: Engaging and Entertaining

Live Streaming isn’t just about serious business—it’s also a realm of entertainment and engagement. This kind of content can seriously increase your credibility with authentic live content. Of course, professionalism should always be a priority but audiences look for valuable and interesting content first. 

The rise of live streaming in China has revolutionized the way businesses approach marketing and engagement. It has become a driving force in boosting foreign trade and facilitating cross-border business transactions.

Live Streaming not only breaks down barriers but also provides an entertaining and immersive experience for viewers. English-speaking WeChat users can now dive into this exciting world, where education, entertainment, and endless opportunities converge.

So, embrace the power of live streaming and unlock a new realm of business growth and engagement. Don’t miss out on this incredible journey that awaits you in the captivating world of live streaming in China. Also, don’t forget to check out article on Top 5 alternatives for LinkedIn in China you need to know now. For additional information, please contact at contact@thewechatagency.com.