Douyin Advertising Guide: Effective Douyin Ads in 2024

Douyin (Tiktok) The Battle Ground Of Beauty Brands In China

I’ve always loved helping foreign Beauty brands getting started in China.

And in the last year Douyin (the Chinese TikTok) has been my favorite platform to get them their first sales in China.

Douyin has gone from this ‘new and strange’ short-video app to a fully mature ecosystem offering brands (and its users!) not only a great social media experience, but an e-commerce one on top of that.

But before starting selling you need to be seen right?

That’s where Douyin ads come into play.

In this article I’ll give you my insight on advertising on Douyin for dozens of clients (including famous and middle sized beauty and makeup brands).

Summary

  • Douyin, also known as TikTok, is a hot spot for beauty brands in China.
  • L’Oreal made big sales on Douyin with help from music star Ouyang Nana and the Palace of Versailles.
  • Chinese-style beauty, called “Douyin makeup,” is getting more popular thanks to influencers and e-commerce on Douyin.
  • Western brands can reach many Chinese buyers through Douyin. They don’t just have to use Tmall.
  • Livestreaming is important on Douyin. It lets brands show their products in real time to make shopping personal and fun.
Douyin Marketing: overview

The Growth of Douyin as a Beauty Retail Battleground

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, has grown tremendously to become a fiercely contested platform for beauty brands in China.

L’Oreal’s Success on Douyin

L’Oreal has found great success on Douyin. The beauty brand pulled in a huge $3.4 million during its first week on the platform. They teamed up with the Palace of Versailles and music star Ouyang Nana to make this happen.

This smart move made L’Oreal the top sales winner on Douyin with 1 billion RMB taken in. It’s clear that luxury beauty brands like L’Oreal have a big chance to grow using Douyin.

Make up genius in China L'OREAL

Lancôme’s Spectacular Douyin Triumph

Lancôme’s remarkable entry into Douyin in May 2022 represents a triumph in China’s digital marketing and beauty sales arena. Their success is attributed to strategic collaborations with over 20 top beauty influencers on Douyin.

“Lancôme,” “Lancôme 196,” and “Lancôme 888,” have garnered a staggering 2 billion views on Douyin since May 2022. This viewership reflects Lancôme’s robust marketing, particularly its partnerships with leading Chinese beauty influencers.

Lancôme’s distinction on Douyin lies in its commitment to sustaining sales and fostering organic growth. Daily self-livestreaming, membership programs, and fan chat rooms have cultivated private domain traffic, resulting in increased repeat purchases and unwavering customer loyalty.

Lancome in China

Douyin Dominance: How MAC Cosmetics Became #2 in 2023

MAC Cosmetics’ impressive #2 ranking on Douyin in 2023 highlights its savvy marketing strategy. Targeting China’s young generation, MAC utilized creative, visually appealing short videos to showcase its makeup range. Embracing inclusivity, the brand attracted male consumers by breaking down gender norms.

MAC actively engaged its audience through live streaming and user-generated content, fostering a sense of community. This approach not only increased brand visibility but also drove significant sales through Douyin. MAC’s adaptability and commitment to diversity contributed to its success as a key player in the Chinese makeup market via this innovative marketing channel.

M.A.C. in China

Impact on China’s Beauty Landscape

Douyin is changing the beauty scene in China. It has become a key place for beauty brands to fight for buyers. In just one part of this year, sales of beauty items in China went up by 1.8%.

At the same time, sales on the web rose even more, by 8%. Many beauty brands now pick Douyin over Tmall to sell their goods. This shows how big Douyin’s effect is on China’s beauty market.

A lot of local Chinese brands do very well on Douyin too. They have a key role in selling makeup and other items there. This highlights how strong local brands are in China’s own market.

More than anywhere else, Douyin is where these brands need to be if they want to win over Chinese buyers and keep them loyal.

Korean cosmetic on Douyin

The Rising Popularity of Chinese-Style Beauty and “Douyin Makeup”

Driven by Chinese influencers and e-commerce platforms, Douyin has sparked a new trend for “Chinese-style beauty” which emphasizes natural, youthful looks. This rising popularity of “Douyin Makeup” represents a shift from traditional Western-focused beauty standards and gives local brands an opportunity to cater to new consumer preferences.

It also provides a platform for international brands to showcase their adaptability and relevance in the ever-evolving Chinese beauty landscape.

The Role of E-Commerce

E-commerce plays a big part in the rise of Chinese-style beauty in Douyin. It lets the target audience buy beauty goods with just a few taps. In this way, influencers link their short video to shopping sites for promotion.

This makes it easy for fans to buy what they like right away. The trust in online shopping is high among Chinese users, even when using social media apps like Douyin.

The Influence of Influencers

Influencers, KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) hold a lot of power on TikTok. They shape the “Douyin makeup” trend and boost Chinese-style beauty. Gen Z in China pays attention to these influencers. This group makes choices about what to buy based on them.

Beauty brands know this too. They use influencers to show their products to more people. The fake luxury market also grows because of this influencer effect on TikTok trends, as people want looks they see on the app but can’t always afford real luxury goods.

How Brands Can Utilize Douyin for Marketing and Sales

To capitalize on Douyin’s booming platform, businesses need to understand the key tactics such as integrating ecommerce features within their high-quality videos, partnering with popular influencers for larger reach and focusing on live streaming – a powerful tool that allows real-time interaction between brands and consumers.

Douyin selling make-up

Closing the Gap Between Western Brands and Chinese Consumers

Western brands have a chance to reach Chinese consumers on Douyin. This app is popular in China, with 70% of luxury buyers using it. Also, it has about 680 million users. So, western brands can use this tool for marketing their goods and increasing sales.

Chinese users like Douyin’s quick and fun style. The behavior style used by TikTok/Douyin works well to get the attention of Chinese users. Western beauty brands should not just rely on Tmall for sales.

They should also focus on making the most out of Douyin’s popularity among luxury buyers in China.

The Importance of Livestreaming

Livestreaming on Chinese Tiktok is very popular. Many brands use it for marketing and sales. To sell luxury goods, they host live videos. In these, you can see the products up close in real-time.

It is like a personal shopping trip! This makes buyers feel more connected to the brand. Plus, over 70% of luxury buyers in China watch these videos on Douyin. They even have “Douyin Zibo,” which means brands do their own livestreams instead of hiring someone else to do it for them.

So now, many workers at stores are also becoming livestream stars for their brands!

The Future of Douyin in China’s Beauty Industry

Douyin is changing how beauty brands do business in China. Big companies and new ones fight on this platform to win over customers. They use the app’s power to reach a lot of people and sell more products.

The coming years will show Douyin’s real impact on China’s beauty market. If you want to be part of this world, don’t hesitate to contact us. We can help you in every step from entering China to selling your products not just on Douyin!

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