2025 China digital marketing: Insights for Global Brands
Looking to grow your brand in China? Discover the 2025 Digital Marketing trends through paid campaigns, consumer behaviour and digital advertising.
At OctoPlus Media, we specialize in helping brands grow with tailored China digital marketing strategies.
China’s digital marketing landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by evolving consumer behavior, platform innovations, regulatory updates, and shifting media ecosystems. The 2025 China Digital Marketing Market Research Report distills these complexities into four key focus areas every marketer should read.
At OctoPlus Media, we transform market data into real results. As a cross-border digital agency specializing in China marketing, we help global brands build scalable strategies across social commerce, content marketing, paid media, and CRM.
1.0 China’s Digital Marketing Market Environment
1.1 Consumer Spending Momentum in China
Recent macroeconomic data reveals a steady recovery in income levels and a gradual release of consumer potential, laying a solid foundation for China’s internet marketing landscape. Key highlights include:
- Steady Growth in Disposable Income
From 2020 to 2024, China’s per capita disposable income increased steadily from 32,189 to 41,314, with a real growth rate (adjusted for inflation) ranging between 2.1% and 8.1%. - Consistent Increase in Consumer Spending
Per capita consumer expenditure rose from 21,210 in 2020 to 28,227 in 2024, showing recovery momentum after the pandemic and contributing to domestic consumption vitality. - Urban-Rural Consumption Gap Narrowing
Although fluctuations exist, rural residents’ consumption growth rate reached 4.5% in 2024, narrowing the gap with urban areas, which saw a 5.8% growth rate. - Higher Share of Service Consumption
The proportion of service-related expenditure in total household consumption steadily increased from 42.6% in 2020 to 46.1% in 2024, indicating a shift toward experience-based and intangible consumption.
1.2 Internet Access & Device Penetration in China (2024)
- Surging Internet Population & Penetration Rate
By December 2024, China’s internet user base reached over 1.1 billion, with an internet penetration rate of 78.6%, reflecting ongoing digital inclusion and infrastructure expansion. - Mobile as the Dominant Access Point
7% of internet users accessed the web via mobile phones, underscoring the dominance of mobile-first behavior in the Chinese digital ecosystem.
1.3 The Economic Value of Digital Marketing
Digital advertising has become a core pillar of China’s digital economy, accelerating the digital transformation of businesses—especially SMEs. With growing internet penetration and lower barriers to entry through tech advancements, precision marketing is now more accessible, making advertising a vital engine for both innovation and monetization.
2.0 Current Landscape of China’s Digital Marketing
2.1 Market Expansion Driven by Demand & Tech Innovation
- In 2023, China’s advertising market reached 13 trillion, marking a 12.4% year-over-yeargrowth.
- Economic recovery and the rise of AI-powered marketing toolsare revitalizing the industry.
- The market is expected to maintain strong growth momentumwith expanded application scenarios.
2.2 Media-Type Breakdown of China’s Digital Ad Market
- E-commerce and short video platformsremain the top two advertising channels in 2023.
- E-commerce ads held 3%of market share due to their direct link to purchase behavior.
- Short video ads captured 5%, driven by shifting media habits and high user engagement.
- These two formats continue to dominate as advertisers prioritize performance-drivenand high-retention
2.3 A New Wave in Content Marketing
- Short videos are emerging as a powerful traffic driver and content format.
- As of Dec 2024, 662 million usersin China watched short dramas—7% of internet users.
- For brands, micro-dramas unlock new marketing methods:
▪️ Product placement
▪️ Custom plot integrations
▪️ Creator partnerships
▪️ Brand-produced content
In 2024, 90% of branded micro-dramas were either customized or self-produced—signaling a shift from traffic acquisition to deep content value creation.
3.0 Consumer Insights and Brand Marketing
- Optimism Drives Spending
▪️ 50.5% of consumers are optimistic about the 2025 economy.
▪️ Only 17.1% expect a downturn—consumer confidence remains relatively strong. - Spending Intentions Stay Balanced
▪️ 51.4% plan to maintain or increase spending.
▪️ 48.6% are looking to cut unnecessary costs. - Marketing Takeaway for Brands:
▪️ Focus on value-driven communication.
▪️ Highlight quality, necessity, and emotional resonance.
▪️Be sensitive to polarized consumer sentiment—balance aspiration with practicality.
3.1 Consumer Beliefs and Spending Preferences
Top 5 Recognized Spending Habits in 2025:
- 4% focus on price comparison and detailed budgeting.
- 9% research product quality, materials, and reviews before purchase.
- 1% prioritize value-for-money and rational consumption.
- 4% opt for affordable over branded products—“practical over prestige.”
- 4% shop for emotional value and personal happiness.
Top 10 Categories Consumers Plan to Increase Spending On:
- Consumer electronics – 37.6%
- Leisure/entertainment – 36.5%
- Travel – 35.9%
- Transportation – 33.6%
- Household cleaning – 32.6%
- Health & wellness – 32.5%
- Dining – 30.5%
- Fitness – 29.7%
- Child/self-education – 29.6%
- Personal care – 29.5%
3.2 How Media Shapes Consumer Decision-Making
Top 5 Media Sources for Shopping Information:
- 4% – Traditional e-commerce platforms
- 2% – Short video platforms
- 4% – Content & social media platforms
- 0% – Mid-length video platforms
- 6% – Brand-owned channels (official apps, WeChat accounts)
Social Media’s Role in Consumer Awareness:
- 8% of consumers encountered product recommendations on social platforms in the past year.
- 4% expressed some level of trust in short video/social platform content:
- 5% found the content very high-quality and useful.
- 9% believed most content had reference value.
- Only 28.6% were neutral or dismissive.
Social media, especially short video content, has become a major force in influencing purchase decisions, with high trust and frequent exposure.
3.3 How Advertising Influences Purchase Decisions
Top 5 Ad Content Types That Spark Consumer Interest:
- 0% – Ads that provide helpful product info or discounts.
- 5% – Ads related to products they’re already interested in.34.9% – Creatively designed ads with entertaining content.
- 4% – Ads that match their hobbies and personal preferences.
- 2% – Ads that feature valuable consumer evaluations or reviews.
Consumer Attitudes Toward Online Advertising:
- 8% – Generally positive; ads help guide purchasing decisions.
- 0% – Strongly positive; they will even share ads they find valuable.
- 9% – Ads provide planning insights, such as for future purchases.
- 1% – Often skip or close ads.
- 2% – Feel ads are irrelevant or lack uniqueness.
Digital ads are no longer just about visibility—they’re becoming key decision-making tools when designed with relevance, creativity, and value.
3.4 Product Quality and Service Shape Brand Competitiveness
As consumer values shift, brand loyalty is being redefined in today’s changing landscape.According to recent research, “product upgrades” are the most important reason consumers choose a brand (49.0%), followed by positive service experiences (43.5%). Consumers increasingly expect brands to align with their lifestyle values, emotional needs, and sense of social responsibility—highlighting the long-term importance of building trust and brand goodwill through quality and care.
4.0 Development Trends in China's Digital Marketing
4.1 Emotion-Led Branding Builds Loyalty
As consumers grow more introspective and value-driven, emotional resonance has become central to brand loyalty. In the era of “self-reward” consumption, the willingness to pay premiums for branding is fading, replaced by a desire for meaningful connections.
To stay competitive, brands must go beyond transactional value and instead cultivate authentic trust and emotional engagement. Building long-term loyalty now hinges on understanding evolving values and creating shared emotional narratives that consumers genuinely identify with.
- Cross-Category Co-Branding
Understand different user interests and preferences to spark emotional resonance through collaborative campaigns. - Personalized Service Experience
Deliver customized services and premium experiences to strengthen competitive advantage. - Health & Wellness Alignment
Integrate brand messaging with health and wellness trends to build deeper consumer affinity. - Trend Integration
Leverage popular culture and trending content to reduce the distance between brand and consumer. - Emotional Healing Value
Incorporate emotional themes like “healing” and “joy” to provide spiritual value to consumers. - Creative Content Development
Enhance advertising creativity to make brand messages more engaging and emotionally resonant.
4.2 Technology Empowering the Consumer Journey
AI is reshaping the consumer experience with personalization, emotional resonance, and smarter touchpoints. AI models are injecting human-like traits into brand-consumer interactions, pushing digital marketing towards greater personalization and emotional relevance.
Six Modes of Human Imitation by Technology:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Natural Language Processing (NLP)
- Sensory Technologies
- Robotics
- Mixed Reality
- Internet of Things (IoT) and Edge Computing
Contact OctoPlus Media Today!
As China’s digital marketing landscape continues to evolve at pace—driven by AI innovation, shifting consumer behavior, and content-centric platforms—brands must remain agile, data-driven, and emotionally connected. From precision targeting to short video storytelling, the opportunities for impact are bigger than ever.
At OctoPlus Media, we help global businesses decode these trends and turn insights into actionable marketing strategies for China. Whether you’re looking to amplify your presence on Rednote (XiaoHongShu) or other platforms, optimize e-commerce performance, or personalize your brand story, we’re your cross-border digital growth partner.
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