China, Wine Digital Communication and Social Networks

The Chinese population is renowned for its love for new technology. In fact, many could not do without their smartphones and have been using social media networks heavily.

Indeed, according to statistics, by 2017 over 772 million people in the People’s Republic of China had access to the internet. The record also shows that in 2014, of the 2.9 billion internet users in the world, 20% were from China. The vast majority of people accessing the internet do so through their smartphones.

What makes this phenomenon even more interesting is the fact that China has banned numerous social media websites, including the most popular ones like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram to name a few. Instead, China developed its own microblogging sites such as WeChat, Weibo, Youku Tudou, Douban.

10% of people influence 90% of the population

Statistics showed that as of 2016, there are 889 million users of WeChat. It is now used not only by the Chinese population but even by other nationalities, mostly those communicating with somebody residing in China. WeChat is currently the 5th leading social network worldwide in terms of active users. This medium allows for a more confidential means to communicate.

We have analyzed red wines listed in Chinese restaurants:

1. Central Valley
2. Bordeaux
3. South Australia
4. California
5. France IGP

6. Languedoc
7. Rhone
8. Table Wine
9. Italy IGT
10. Cuyo

11. Navarra
12. Western Cape
13. Tuscany
14. Burgundy
15. Piedmont

Created in 2009, Weibo, which is Chinese for “microblog,” is a hybrid form of both Twitter and Facebook. The company reported that it now has 340 million active users monthly, with 254 million using it daily. Of the total number of users, 91% utilize their mobile phones to access Weibo.

Though social media networks like these, wine brands and products can be effectively promoted and marketed in China. Awareness and education about the wine brand are important. Since the Chinese are avid followers of specialized websites, it will benefit wine companies to introduce their brands to them through microblogging and other social sites.

Weibo, for one, has attracted considerable interest from the French wine industry. Opinion leaders and experts in wines typically have millions of followers online, thus allowing for virtually free advertising that generates a snowball effect in other marketing efforts.

One way to make the most out of your content marketing efforts is to use video, and make sure to feature a sommelier. The Chinese are more open to multimedia and more responsive to it than many other peoples, so this presents a great opportunity. Use your spokesperson to tell a story about the history of wine since oral history is such a strong part of the Chinese tradition.