Douyin Marketing, The Best Way to Promote Destination Travel
Douyin is the TV of Chinese People. They spend hours every day on Douyin, like Tiktok in the USA or Europe for young people. Known globally as TikTok, Douyin stands tall as China’s most popular short-video platform, attracting over 600 million daily active users. For travel brands looking to break into the Chinese market, mastering Douyin marketing isn’t just a smart move – it’s essential.
In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Douyin, unpacking its vast potential for promoting destination travel, and revealing how your brand can harness this power to make a significant impact in one of the world’s most lucrative travel markets. Buckle up and get ready to explore the fascinating landscape of Douyin marketing!
Introduction to Douyin
Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, has carved out a prominent spot in the digital realm. With more than 750 million monthly active users, the majority of whom are under 30, it represents an invaluable opportunity for marketers. For those in the travel industry, Douyin offers an unparalleled avenue to reach a young, dynamic, and mobile-savvy audience.
Douyin has distinguished itself from other platforms through its focus on entertainment rather than lifestyle. Its user-friendly interface invites anyone to become a content creator, contributing to its global appeal and rapid growth.
This platform has been a launchpad for countless individuals who have risen from anonymity to stardom, providing ample opportunities for influencer marketing strategies. Douyin has also become an open marketplace for e-commerce, dropshipping, and print-on-demand services, attracting not just individuals but a host of luxury brands. Local and international brands leverage the platform to raise brand recognition, collaborate with influential figures, and facilitate sales through Douyin’s eCommerce features.
Industry forecasts suggest that by 2025, Douyin will grow to a staggering 835 million users, surpassing other short-video platforms and challenging the social media behemoth, WeChat, in popularity. The combination of its diverse content, ease of use, and expanding user base make Douyin an exciting and lucrative prospect for businesses looking to tap into the Chinese market.
What are the benefits of using Douyin for destination travel promotion in China?
Douyin’s potential for promoting destination travel in China is enormous, thanks to several unique benefits, such as:
Access to a High-Value Audience
Douyin boasts a young, affluent audience with high purchasing power and an appetite for travel. With 600 million daily active users, it’s a fertile ground for reaching a vast number of prospective tourists, particularly those within the millennial and Gen Z demographics.
Engaging Short-Video Format
Douyin’s short-video format is ideally suited for the travel industry. Brands can showcase the beauty and uniqueness of their destinations, capturing the attention of users with immersive, easily digestible content. These videos can be shared widely, increasing their reach and impact.
Viral Exposure Potential
Douyin’s algorithm rewards engaging content, making the platform a perfect place for creating viral marketing campaigns. If a brand’s video strikes the right chord with users, it could rapidly garner millions of views and a surge in brand awareness.
In-App Booking Functionality
Douyin also supports direct booking links, facilitating the transition from inspiration to reservation. Users can go from watching an alluring video of a destination to booking their trip right in the app, significantly reducing the booking funnel and improving conversion rates.
Influencer Marketing Opportunities
Influencer culture is highly influential on Douyin. Collaborations with popular content creators, or Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), can offer authentic endorsements of destinations, driving credibility, and trust among their vast follower bases. The KOLs’ user engagement can also be leveraged to create user-generated content, further amplifying the reach and resonance of the brand’s message.
Data-Driven Advertising
Douyin’s sophisticated data analytics capabilities can provide travel brands with valuable insights into user behaviors, preferences, and engagement. This can help in fine-tuning advertising strategies and content creation for maximum impact.
These benefits make Douyin an indispensable tool for destination travel brands seeking to tap into the lucrative Chinese market. The platform offers a unique combination of audience reach, engaging content formats, viral potential, seamless booking processes, influential partnerships, and data-driven advertising opportunities.
To Get Started, You Need a Certified Douyin Business Account
To be able to create an appealing Douyin marketing strategy and reach out to Douyin users, you need to start by creating a Douyin business account and verify it for better credibility.
Who Can Get a Certified Account
Anyone can create a Douyin business account, but getting it certified requires a bit more. As of now, foreign companies, Chinese companies, and Chinese individuals can apply for account verification. However, it’s important to note that verification requirements for foreign companies are more demanding and may require the assistance of a certified agency.
Requirements for a Douyin Business Account
For a foreign company, the requirements are typically:
- Legal business registration documents from the company’s country of origin
- Trademark registration certificate (Chinese or international)
- Application letter for opening the account
- Company’s logo and description
These documents are subject to change, and it’s always best to check with Douyin’s official channels for the most current requirements.
Steps to Create a Douyin Business Account
- Download the App: First, you need to download the Douyin app, which is accessible from the official Douyin website or through app stores.
- Register: Open the app and register for an account. You can do this by clicking on the person icon in the bottom right and then on ‘Register/Log in’. You’ll need a phone number for this step.
- Switch to a Business Account: Once registered, navigate to your profile page and select ‘Switch to Pro Account’ in the settings. Then, select ‘Business Account’.
- Verify Your Account: At this point, you’ll be prompted to fill out your company details and submit the necessary documents for verification.
- Await Approval: After submission, Douyin will review your application. This process usually takes around 5-7 business days. Once your account is verified, you’ll be able to access all the features of a Douyin business account.
Remember, while creating a business account is straightforward, navigating the complexities of advertising and marketing on Douyin may require the assistance of professionals who understand the platform and the Chinese market well.
Is it worth verifying the account?
A Douyin business account offers a plethora of benefits designed to help brands maximize their reach and influence on the platform. Here are a few key advantages:
- Access to detailed analytics
- Longer video options
- Ability to run targeted advertisements
- Integrated e-commerce functionalities and own flagship store
- Credibility through a verification badge, that strengthens your brand authority
- Use of additional engagement tools (like customized stickers)
- Opportunities for live streaming
Best Practices for Destination Travel Douyin Marketing
When it comes to destination travel marketing on Douyin, it’s essential to leverage the platform’s unique features to ensure your brand stands out and connects with your target audience. Here are some best practices to consider:
Content Creation Strategies
A good starting point for your content creation strategy is to focus on video quality. High-quality videos that are visually engaging are more likely to grab a viewer’s attention, spreading brand awareness across the Douyin platform.
When showcasing a travel destination, consider sharing panoramic views, popular tourist spots, local cuisine, culture, and lifestyle. Don’t shy away from showing authentic experiences to make your content more relatable and engaging.
Moreover, use Douyin’s editing features to your advantage. Quick cuts, filters, music, and captions can help your content be more engaging and appealing to viewers. Experiment with various styles until you find what resonates with your audience. You can see an example below:
User-Generated Content
What makes Douyin unique and appealing to its young user base is its focus on authenticity. Unlike conventional travel promotions, Douyin thrives on user-generated content. Real people sharing real experiences – it’s the essence of this platform. To resonate with Douyin users, we need to inspire them to create and share content about their travel experiences with our brands.
Encourage user-generated content (UGC) as it can significantly amplify your reach and authenticity. You can create branded hashtags and challenges that encourage viewers to participate and share their experiences. This not only fosters community engagement but also provides you with free, organic content that resonates with Douyin users.
Branding and Storytelling
Telling a story is at the heart of successful brand strategy, and Douyin provides a fantastic platform for this. Whether it’s sharing the history of a destination, telling stories of people living there, or sharing customer testimonials, a well-told story can make your brand memorable and build an emotional connection with your audience.
Branding is equally important. Make sure your brand’s personality shines through your content. This could be achieved through the tone of your captions, the style of your videos, or the topics you choose to cover. Consistency is key – it not only enhances brand recall but also helps you build a dedicated community of followers.
Power of KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders)
Influencer marketing or Key Opinion Leader (KOL) marketing is extremely effective on Douyin. Collaborating with popular influencers in the travel niche can bring significant exposure to your brand. These influencers often have loyal followers who trust their recommendations, which can lead to increased brand awareness and conversions.
When choosing a KOL, it’s crucial to pick someone whose brand aligns with yours. Their followers should be people who are likely to be interested in your offerings. Also, don’t forget to track the performance of your KOL campaigns to understand their effectiveness.
Localized Content Strategy for China
Understanding the importance of cultural nuances and the need for localized content is crucial for success in the Chinese market. Striking a balance between showcasing global tourist destinations and highlighting local experiences is key. Tailor your content strategy to resonate with the interests and preferences of the Chinese audience.
Douyin Marketing Campaigns
Douyin’s versatility allows you to unleash your creativity in marketing campaigns. From brand takeovers to hashtag challenges and in-feed native videos, a plethora of options are at your disposal. Design your campaigns to be immersive and engaging, prompting users to interact with your brand.
Chinese travel marketers can leverage Video in-app features, such as:
- “Daka” (Check-in)
- Influencer in Travel
- Viral hashtag challenges
- Inspiring Short-video series to market unique destinations
The Douyin Daka feature, for example, lets users check in at locations they visit and upload photos, allowing their followers to see where they are and what they are up to. The Daka feature also lets users view who else has checked in at the same location.
Thus, if travelers are looking for suggestions on what to do in a new city and they want local insights on the best spots to visit, they can simply find visitors who have already been there and gather useful tips and insights.
Integration with E-commerce & Payment
Another standout feature of Douyin is its seamless integration with e-commerce, which allows users to book travel experiences directly through the platform. This immediate call-to-action can boost bookings and lead to a higher return on investment.
Douyin Advertising
Douyin provides a wealth of advertising options, each tailored to different marketing objectives, making it a powerful tool for brands to increase their visibility, drive traffic to their page, and boost engagement.
In-feed Ads
Douyin feed ads, as the name suggests, appear directly in the users’ content feeds. They blend seamlessly into the stream of videos that users scroll through, which helps in maintaining user experience while ensuring your content gets viewed.
In-feed ads are designed to look and feel like regular content, enhancing the chances of engagement. You can include interactive CTAs like “Learn More,” “Download Now,” or “Shop Now” to drive user action.
Brand Takeover Ads (or Open Screen Ads)
Brand takeover ads are full-screen dynamic ads that appear as soon as a user opens the Douyin app. These ads offer massive visibility as they take up the entire screen, ensuring your brand captures the user’s attention instantly. Given their premium placement, brand takeover ads are ideal for creating a significant impact and making announcements, like product launches or events, used by many luxury brands on the platform.
Branded Effect Ads
Branded effect ads are another unique advertising feature offered by the short-video app. These are interactive ads that let users engage with them directly. You can create custom stickers, filters, or effects related to your brand, and users can apply these effects in their videos.
This makes your audience a part of the advertising process, enhancing engagement and spreading brand awareness organically as users share their videos with your branded effects with their followers.
When crafting your ads, remember that creativity is key. The more your ads stand out and engage users, the higher the likelihood of them interacting with your content and taking the desired action. Always monitor and analyze the performance of your ads to understand what works best with your target audience and to optimize future campaigns.
Promote Your Destination on Douyin with our Expertise!
In conclusion, Douyin should be an integral part of your marketing strategy in the Chinese travel industry. Its vast, youthful user base, emphasis on authenticity, powerful KOLs, need for localized content, diverse campaign options, and e-commerce capabilities make it an effective platform for driving brand visibility and conversion.
As with any platform, understanding its specificities and nuances is key. Therefore, consider seeking local expertise to navigate this platform effectively and achieve your marketing goals.
Let us guide your brand through the exciting journey on Douyin. Our tailored strategies, born out of years of experience and successful campaigns, ensure your brand is projected in the most engaging and enticing way thanks to our Douyin digital marketing matching service.
We understand the importance of storytelling for brand promotion and how to weave your brand narrative into digestible, attention-grabbing content that stands out amidst the sea of videos and posts on multiple platforms.
In addition, we can help you navigate the comprehensive advertising opportunities that Douyin presents. From in-feed ads to brand takeovers and branded effects, we know how to make the most out of every option, ensuring your content not only reaches your target audience but also resonates with them.
And it doesn’t stop there. With our expertise in KOL marketing, we connect your brand with the right influencers, amplifying your message through their loyal following, and drive not just awareness, but conversions.
Don’t let your brand get lost in translation. Embrace the vibrant world of Douyin and let us propel your brand to the forefront of China’s booming travel market. Partner with us today to revolutionize your destination travel marketing. Your journey to success on Douyin starts here!
