China’s population of over 1.4 billion presents a vast and desirable market for international brands. To capture the attention of Chinese audiences in the competitive market and complex Chinese media landscape, iQiyi, China’s top online streaming platform, is a popular channel among marketers.
Advertising on iQiyi is not limited to targeting Chinese consumers within China. It is also an effective way for global brands to attract outbound Chinese shoppers to their stores when they travel abroad. As travel restrictions have eased, Chinese tourists are keen to travel again. Chinese tourists have been and will continue to be the largest groups in international travel and tourism spending.
In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of advertising on iQiyi, the various advertising options available, effective advertising strategies, best practices for advertising campaigns, and the challenges that brands may encounter when advertising on this platform.
So, whether you are looking to target Chinese consumers at home or reach Chinese travelers abroad, this guide will give you the insights and strategies you need to succeed with iQiyi advertising.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Understanding iQiyi and Its User Base
- Benefits of Advertising on iQiyi
- Types of Advertising on iQiyi
- Creating Effective Ads for iQiyi
- Know Your Audience
- Focus on Quality
- Keep it Short and Sweet
- Use Eye-catching Visuals
- Add a Clear Call-to-Action
- Best Practices for iQiyi Advertising Campaigns
- Set Clear Objectives
- Target the Right Audience
- Use Retargeting
- Optimize Your Ads
- Monitor and Measure Results
- Challenges of Advertising on iQiyi
- Language and Cultural Differences
- Competition and Clutter
- Ad Blockers and Privacy Concerns
- Conclusion
1. Introduction
iQiyi, one of China’s most popular video streaming services, boasts over 500 million active monthly users. The platform offers movies, TV dramas, variety shows, and other content, attracting a diverse audience ranging from young adults to seniors. In Q4 2022, iQiyi recorded over 10 million net subscriber additions. This solidifies its position as a leading streaming service in China. The massive user base and cutting-edge technology make iQiyi an ideal platform for global brands seeking to reach Chinese consumers and tourists. The wide range of advertising options also cater to every brand’s needs and budget.
2. Understanding iQiyi and Its User Base
Brands need to know who are the users and what kind of content they like. iQiyi’s users tend to be urban and educated, with high disposable incomes and a keen interest in entertainment, fashion, and technology.
iQiyi’s content is extensive and diverse, including anything from drama series and films to reality shows and documentaries. The following are some of the most popular content categories among iQiyi users:
- Drama Series: iQiyi is known for its extensive collection of high-quality Chinese drama series. They are hugely popular with young and affluent female viewers. In addition, iQiyi has added various popular Korean dramas into its library, further cementing its allure for affluent female viewers.
- Movies: iQiyi has a large library of both domestic and foreign movies, with a focus on blockbusters and popular titles.
- Variety Shows: iQiyi produces and broadcasts a range of popular variety shows . They include singing competitions, talk shows, and reality TV programs.
- Anime: iQiyi has a dedicated section for anime lovers, featuring popular titles from Japan, China and other countries.
- Documentaries: iQiyi also features a range of documentaries covering various topics, including nature, science, history, and more.
For global brands that want to advertise on iQiyu, it’s important to know who its users are and what kind of content they like. By making their ads fit the right audience and type of content, brands can get the most out of the campaign and reach their ideal customers.
3. Benefits of Advertising on iQiyi
There are several benefits of advertising on iQiyi for global brands seeking to reach Chinese consumers and tourists:
- Massive User Base: With over 500 million MAU, iQiyi can help brands expand their reach in China.
- Targeted Advertising: iQiyi’s advanced targeting technology allows brands to reach their desired audience based on factors such as demographics, interests, and behavior. This means that global brands can create customized campaigns that resonate with Chinese consumers and increase engagement and conversion rate.
- Brand Awareness: iQiyi’s rich content and high user engagement rates provide brands with a powerful platform to build their brand awareness in China.
- Innovative Advertising Formats: iQiyi offers a range of cutting-edge advertising formats that allow brands to engage with users in exciting new ways.
- Brand Safety: iQiyi places a high priority on brand safety and has robust measures in place to ensure that ads are placed alongside suitable content. All contents on iQiyi are expertly produced and officially licensed, so brands do not have to worry about the risks associated with user-generated content. iQiyu uses both automated and human review processes to make sure that ads are not shown next to inappropriate or harmful content. This provides peace of mind for global brands and helps protect their brand reputation.
- Mobile First: China is a mobile-first country. iQiyi is optimized for mobile devices, and its mobile app is one of the most popular apps in China. Marketing on iQiyi allows global brands to attract Chinese consumers where they are most active and engaged. Whether your ideal Chinese audiences are at home in China, traveling to places like Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand or top destinations around the world, iQiyi will serve as one of the best media platforms to reach Chinese Travellers even when they are engaged in cross border travel.
4. Types of Advertising on iQiyi
iQiyi offers several types of advertising options for global brands to choose from. These include the familiar pre-roll and mid-roll video ads, as well as the high-impact opening splash ads, as well as showtime, masthead, carousel banner, and in-feed ads, amongst many others. The ad formats are optimized for user experiences on mobile devices or PCs, ensuring an engaging, impactful connection with brands’ desired audiences.
5. Creating Effective Ads for iQiyi
To succeed in iQiyi marketing, brands must create effective ads that capture users’ attention and deliver their marketing message effectively. Here are some tips for creating effective ads for iQiyi:
1. Know Your Audience
Understanding iQiyi’s user base and content preferences is essential for creating effective ads. Brands should research their target audience and tailor their ads to their interests, preferences, and behaviors.
2. Focus on Quality
iQiyi’s users are discerning viewers who expect high-quality content. Brands should invest in high-quality video production, sound, and visual effects to create ads that stand out and capture users’ attention.
3. Keep it Short and Sweet
With users’ attention spans getting shorter, brands should aim to deliver their message quickly and concisely. Ads should be short and clear, getting to the point in the first few seconds.
4. Use Eye-catching Visuals
Visuals are a crucial part of any successful ad campaign. Brands should use eye-catching visuals, such as vibrant colors, dynamic animations, and bold text, to capture users’ attention and make their ads stand out.
5. Add a Clear Call-to-Action
A clear call-to-action is essential for guiding consumers towards the desired action, whether it’s visiting a website, downloading an app, or making a purchase. Brands should include a clear call-to-action in their ads, directing users towards the next step in the customer journey.
6. Best Practices for iQiyi Advertising Campaigns
Brands should follow these best practices to get the most out of their advertising campaigns on iQiyi:
1. Set Clear Objectives
Brands should set clear objectives for their iQiyi advertising campaigns, such as increasing brand awareness, website traffic, or boosting sales. They also need to know whether they want to attract Chinese consumers while they are at home or attract Chinese tourists during the pre-trip planning stage or in-trip. Clear objectives will help brands focus their efforts and measure the success of their campaigns accurately.
2. Target the Right Audience
With iQiyi’s advanced targeting technology, brands can reach their desired audience based on demographics, interests, and behavior, among other things. Brands should take advantage of this targeting capability to reach the right audience with the right message. iQiyi also has a separate channel for viewers whether they are in China or abroad (called IQ.com), making it easy for brands to separate their digital marketing campaign objectives if the focus is on Chinese tourists.
3. User Retargeting
Retargeting is a powerful marketing technique that allows brands to target users who have already interacted with their brand, such as by visiting their website or social media pages. Brands should use retargeting to engage with users who have already shown an interest in their brand and are more likely to convert.
4. Optimize Your Ads
Brands should continually optimize their ads to improve their performance and reach their desired objectives. This could mean changing the ad’s target audience, visuals, or message based on how users act and what they say.
5. Monitor and Measure Results
Lastly, brands should track and measure the results of their iQiyi advertising campaigns to find out how well they work and where they can improve. This may involve analyzing metrics such as ad impressions, click-through rates, and conversion rates. For example, utilizing EternityX’s Trading Desk to monitor the brands’ campaign performances on iQiyi will provide brands with insights as to important performance metrics and how best to improve their results.
7. Challenges of Advertising on iQiyi
While advertising on iQiyi offers significant benefits for global brands, there are also several challenges they may face.
Foreign brands can find it hard to do business in China, especially if they are not familiar with the language or culture. Brands should take the time to research and understand the local culture and preferences of Chinese consumers to ensure their ads resonate.
Another challenge that global brands often face when advertising in China is in the account opening and campaign approval processes. Brands often are not familiar with the documents required or may miscalculate how long such an approval process will take. This may lead to a delayed campaign launch, which would decrease the overall effectiveness of the campaign.
EternityX has extensive experience in helping global brands formulate and localize the perfect digital marketing campaign to target Chinese consumers or Chinese tourists. Furthermore, EternityX is connected to all major Chinese media, covering 90% of China’s netizens. For example, EternityX is the official marketing partner for iQiyi. Our dedicated platform and professional experts will make sure that the campaign onboarding process goes smoothly, giving global brands frictionless, highly effective campaign results for converting Chinese consumers and Chinese tourists.
8. Conclusion
Advertising on iQiyi offers global brands a powerful way to reach Chinese consumers and tourists. By understanding iQiyi’s user base, content preferences, and advertising options, brands can create effective ads that capture users’ attention and deliver their message effectively. Following best practices and monitoring their results can help brands to maximize their iQiyi ads results and achieve their desired objectives.
Explore our case studies or connect with our experienced team for a free consultation to learn effective Chinese tourists marketing strategies and the best practices for China content marketing. EternityX can help you identify the most effective marketing channels, including popular social media platforms such as WeChat and Little Red Book, and Chinese influencer marketing solutions.
