Structure of Overseas Marketing Channel Spending for Chinese Enterprises Going Global in 2024

Overview of Channel Spending Structure

In 2024, the overseas marketing budget allocation for Chinese enterprises going global shows a mix of concentration and diversification. According to industry estimates, social media advertising is the largest spending segment, accounting for 30% of total expenditure; search engine advertising follows closely at 25%. KOL marketing (influencer marketing) accounts for 20%, ranking third. Content marketing and email marketing account for 15% and 5% respectively, while other channels (e.g., display ads, offline events) collectively account for the remaining 5%.

Detailed Channel Analysis

• Social Media Ads (30%): Including platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Enterprises rely on precise targeting and native ad formats to quickly reach overseas users, particularly effective for brand exposure and performance conversion.
• Search Engine Ads (25%): Centered around Google Ads, covering search, shopping, and display networks. For users with clear purchase intent, search ads capture precise traffic, making them a crucial tool for performance-driven marketing.
• KOL Marketing (20%): Collaborating with local influencers overseas leverages their follower trust to enhance brand awareness. Especially in markets like Europe, the US, and Southeast Asia, KOL marketing has become a standard channel for going global.
• Content Marketing (15%): Including blogs, videos, whitepapers, etc., focusing on educating potential customers and building professional image, suitable for B2B and high-ticket brands.
• Email Marketing (5%): Despite its small share, it is highly effective in repurchasing and customer lifecycle management, common in e-commerce and SaaS enterprises.
• Others (5%): Covering programmatic display ads, outdoor advertising, event sponsorship, typically used as supplementary or seasonal promotional tools.

Trends and Outlook

Compared with 2023, the shares of social media ads and KOL marketing have both slightly increased, reflecting the trend of content-driven and social commerce integration. The share of search engine ads has declined marginally but remains an irreplaceable closure channel. Email marketing remains stable, while content marketing is slowly growing with enhanced branding awareness. It should be noted that channel structures vary significantly across industries (e.g., gaming, e-commerce, utility apps), and the above data is an overall estimate.