How to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day

How to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day

Are you an Advertiser who promotes in Asia or are you looking to break into the market with your E-commerce offers? Why not try Advertising in China for Singles Day 2024? In this article, we will discover ‘What is Singles Day?’, how to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day that convert in China, and our online advertising tips for Singles Day in China. Read on for more! 

What is Singles Day?

Singles Day, celebrated on November 11th each year, is a unique Chinese holiday that has evolved into a global shopping extravaganza. Unlike Valentine’s Day, which celebrates couples, Singles Day is a celebration of being single. This event is a pushback from the traditional views in China from previous generations that liberate the younger generations. However, over the years, it has become a day of consumerism in China, akin to Black Friday in America. The event continues to skyrocket with a year-on-year increase of 2.08% and a gross merchandise volume of ¥1138.6 billion (US$159.67 billion) in 2023 compared to 2022! This shows that the Chinese market is very lucrative for Advertisers, especially during the event. Now let’s look at what people want to buy during Singles Day.

What do people buy during Singles Day?

When it comes to Singles Day there is a vast number of E-commerce products that perform well. In 2023, electronics and home appliances attracted the most sales, with 152.6 billion yuan worth of products sold. Beauty was divided into categories meaning, Skincare reached 58.2 billion yuan, and Fragrance & Makeup amounted to 20.4 billion yuan. Lifestyle and Home Furnishing came in at number three, with 40% of consumers planning to increase their spending in this category. Another top performer in E-commerce was Nutra, with Health & Supplements garnering 14.8 billion yuan. As always, categories such as luxury goods and jewelry, health and fitness gadgets, e-books, and subscriptions for educational content, fitness, and hobbies all performed well. This shows that no matter your niche there is an audience for your offers in China.

Online Advertising Tips for Singles Day in China

It is important when advertising in China that you acknowledge and adhere to societal customs. Here are some online advertising tips for Singles Day in China to help you understand the wants of the Chinese audience while ensuring you are aware of the consumer’s expectations.

#1 Diversify your offers and refresh creatives:

The Singles Day shopping event happens mainly online. As mentioned above, Chinese audiences LOVE to buy all sorts of products and services on the internet: Health products, home, beauty, gifts, and fashion, including online services like online fitness programs, eBooks, etc. Make sure that you diversify your E-commerce offers to attract a wider audience. 

#2 Understand the context of Singles Day:

Singles Day reflects the shift in traditions over the last decade. Traditionally, being unmarried in one’s mid-twenties or older was viewed with shame by many in China. However, Singles Day has gained significance among younger generations, as it allows them to embrace their independence and feel proud of having control over their lives. The demographics most likely to engage with Singles Day, and who would be particularly interested in your e-commerce offers, include young adults aged 18 to 35, as well as students and working professionals.

Online Advertising Tips for Singles Day in China

How to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day

#3 Limited-time offers:

The primary reason people shop on Singles Day is because of the discounts and special offers available for a limited time. To maximize this event, run 24-hour discount promotions. Create a sense of urgency by using phrases like “1 day only” and “Singles Day Exclusive.” 

How to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day

#4 Create brand recognition:

Highlight the discounts available to your customers! Consider running Pre-Singles Day discounts in the week leading up to the event. Afterward, retarget users who showed interest in your pre-event offers, and launch new campaigns immediately following the event to extend your discounts for another week. You can use messages like, “Did you miss out on Singles Day offers? We’ve extended our discounts for another 48 hours!”

#5 Get involved in tradition:

Customize your creatives to reflect the Singles Days theme, including the number ‘1’ in your texts and creatives. Remember 11:11 will stand out during the event as the audience is specifically looking for Singles Day offers! There are other numbers that you could include like 1,6, 8, and 9 as they are lucky numbers. Remember to avoid 4 and 13 because they are considered unlucky in Chinese culture.

#6 Test out Responsive Display Ads:

Banner ads are hugely popular with our Chinese audience so why not try RDA ads? These ads automatically adapt their size, format, and appearance to fit any standard IAB Banner display ad placement giving you even more opportunities to make an impression on your audience.

#7 Create special Singles Day landings:

Create dedicated landing pages for Singles Day that showcase a variety of your products. Each product can be listed under the heading “The Best Singles Day Deals and Discounts!” This approach allows you to upsell your entire product range to consumers who click on your ads. You could create multiple landings and use our Landing Page algorithms so that the best performing landing gets the most traffic.

#8 Offer Singles Day gifts or gift cards:

According to a study carried out by the economist, Found that a 50% increase in quantity is seen as the same as a 33% Discount to customers. It also found that you can sell up to 73% of products if you create a bonus pack. So, why not use this to your advantage? Offer additional discounts with each purchase. For example, if a consumer buys an online fitness program subscription, you could upsell with a related gift card for one of your related services or try a ‘buy one, get one for your friend’ promotion.

Singles Day: Ideas for ad creatives and ad text!

Now that we have looked at some of our Online Advertising tips for Singles Day in China including, the ways you can incorporate tradition into your campaigns, let’s look at some ad text ideas to convert offers in China during Singles Day 2024.

#1 Highlight the benefits of being single and celebrating yourself.

Online Advertising Tips for Singles Day in China

#2 Use relevant keywords in the ad text to improve visibility.

#3 Keep your message concise and easy to understand, especially for campaigns where you are using translators. There’s a total of 302 spoken languages in China, including Standard Mandarin, Min Chinese, Wu Chinese, Cantonese (Yue) and Jin Chinese. You could use the Keyword Insertion Language Distribution tool, which automatically translates the keyword insertion token into your preferred language. We also recommend using a translator for your ad text. Some good translators include DeepL, Veed.io, for Audio translation, and Systran.

Ideas for ad creatives and ad text Singles day

Conclusion: How to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day

In this article, we have looked into all you need to know when considering how to create E-commerce campaigns for Singles Day. We also shared ideas for ad creatives and ad text for Singles Day. So, get involved in Asia’s biggest spending event of the year! If you have not joined the ExoClick network yet, now is a great time to join! Sign up now and start preparing your campaigns for some of the biggest shopping events of the year!

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Alice Naughton