In today’s digital world, people are constantly being connected through the World Wide Web. The widespread use of online social media platforms has brought forth new opportunities in terms of marketing.
One of the recently emerged marketing trends is the collaboration with social media influencers. These influencers are not only exclusively celebrities since social media is accessible to almost everyone. Anyone can have a huge and loyal following by providing the right content to the right audience.
As markets continuously grow and change, people have become more particular with the products and services that they want. The prevalent use of technology in their daily lives has also influenced their buying behavior. Furthermore, the endless influx of online content has shortened people’s attention spans.
Marketers now have to accept the challenge of creating content that stands out and engages the target audiences on a personal level. By collaborating with the right social media influencer, companies can effectively roll out their campaigns and achieve success.
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/DataReportal/digital-2020-taiwan-january-2020-v01?
In Taiwan, marketers have quickly adapted this trend into their digital marketing strategies. We Are Social and Hootsuite’s Global Digital report indicates that the country has 20.51 million Internet users, and about 21 million active social media users. As a result, Taiwan has a remarkably high internet penetration rate of 86%. With the populace spending more time on social media, the country’s digital landscape can certainly provide vital insights into the function and power of influencer marketing.
Additionally, Taiwanese consumers increasingly rely on reviews and recommendations to decide on their purchases. This attitude serves as an opportunity to utilize influencers to rake in more sales through online platforms. To make use of influencer marketing in providing a form of reassurance for customers would definitely have a positive impact on a brand’s Return on Investment (ROI). Influencer marketing would, therefore, be an effective strategy to reach out to the Taiwanese market, especially to those who are continually looking for reviews and recommendations online.
This article will discuss the status of influencer marketing in Taiwan, particularly its most popular social media platforms and influencers, and ways on how to reach them.
Popular Taiwanese Influencer Platforms
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/DataReportal/digital-2020-taiwan-january-2020-v01?
Taiwan’s social media landscape is vastly different from that of mainland China. Without the Great Firewall of China, foreign social media platforms are all permitted to operate freely. Thus, according to We Are Social Report for 2020 by Hootsuite, among the top dominating social media platforms in Taiwan are the sites YouTube, Facebook, and Line.
Facebook is undoubtedly one of the most widely used social media platforms across the globe. Taiwan is no exception. According to Statista, the social media giant holds a penetration rate of 89% in the country. In an article by Forbes, Facebook Asia Pacific VP Dan Neary places today’s Facebook penetration at 97% of Taiwan’s internet users which is one of its highest rates anywhere.
Social media influencers often use Facebook for 直播 (zhibo) or “live” shows. Basically, these are live broadcasts in which one or two people sit in front of a camera and talk, dance, sing, or otherwise look attractive to a real-time audience. Live viewers can make reactions, post their comments, as well as share the video.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/Crossing.cw/videos/609052375948575/
YouTube
When it comes to video content, YouTube takes the top spot in Taiwan with an estimated 89% of Internet users who report using the platform. A survey conducted by Google found that YouTube turns out to be a far more effective platform among other leading sites for advertising. Additionally, the study also found that the duration of viewers’ gaze time on YouTube ads was twice as much of other leading sites, with 83% spending 11 minutes or more per visit.
YouTube is also a platform where users can access ratings, reviews, and product information. For brands, this means that they can use the platform to increase their sales. In fact, 75% of Taiwanese users access the platform to find more information and reviews about a product, and 83% tend to purchase more products after watching a video.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSzsg7Rja5c
It is undeniable that Instagram is the preferred social media platform of fashion lovers nowadays, and Taiwanese fashionistas are no exception. There are over 3,610 influencers in Taiwan with between 1,000 and 10 million followers. When it comes to influencers on this platform, it is essential to consider their level of engagement. An influencer’s level of engagement can be gauged by taking the average likes, comments, and mentions from the last ten posts and dividing the total by the number of followers. Popular categories of Taiwanese influencers are fashion & lifestyle, traveler, photography, food photography, and celebrity.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BzuypIclntL/
Popular Taiwanese Influencers
The number of social media influencers in Taiwan are constantly increasing. With thousands of Taiwanese influencers, companies have a higher chance of finding the best one to represent their brands. The following are some of the most popular influencers in Taiwan.
Molly Chiang
Source: https://www2.hm.com/de_de/life/fashion/featured-fashion/molly-chiang-s-take-on-erdem-x-h-m.html
One of Taiwan’s most popular influencers, Molly Chiang has an Instagram following of over 704k and for a good reason. This fashion influencer, artist, and model gives her followers a unique inside look at the life of a celebrity fashionista.
Arial Chen
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzf3_ejktuo
Arial Chen is a famous vlogger in the beauty and makeup category and has a huge following on YouTube and Instagram. Aside from creating content on her topics of expertise, which includes beauty, makeup, and skincare, she also records and shares her life as a wife and mother.
Kathy Cheng
Source: https://www.facebook.com/trickytaipei/photos/p.2401752469918084/2401752469918084/?type=1&theater
Kathy Cheng is a Taipei-based writer, creative consultant, and the creator of Tricky Taipei, an English-language design and culture blog. Since the blog’s establishment in 2014, Tricky Taipei has grown into a lively online community with an enormous following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Lee Yi Hugh
Source: https://www.facebook.com/yihugh/photos/a.1400319980228158/2417506111842868/?type=3&theater
Lee Yi Hugh is a fitness vlogger devoted to spreading the word and encouraging others to eat healthily as well as adopt an active lifestyle. His popular YouTube channel features content on how to eat and enjoy healthy food as well as tips on improving strength and flexibility.
Cerise
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx9yKAmBejQ/
Originally from the United States, Cerise is currently living in Taiwan and blogs about her family’s travels and adventures around the world. She has traveled to over 65 cities and gives honest advice about what to do and where to go when you’re traveling with kids, as well as tips about staying on budget, kid-friendly adventures, and family-friendly luxury.
How to Get in Touch with Taiwanese Influencers?
To get in touch with Taiwanese influencers, companies have two options: they can contact influencers personally, or coordinate through an influencer marketing agency.
At first glance, it seems reasonable to reach out to influencers personally with the presumed low and easy accessibility. However, with the sheer number of influencers in the country, each concentrating on specific topics of interest, carrying out influencer marketing and coordinating with the chosen influencer can be an enormous challenge. On the contrary, an influencer marketing agency would be of great benefit to a company when it comes to identifying the right influencer for a marketing campaign, negotiating prices, and measuring results.
Here some Taiwanese influencer marketing agencies that can help brands collaborate with the best influencer for their campaigns.
AsiaKOL
AsiaKOL is a Taipei-based company that provides influencer marketing strategies and related services for companies who are looking to expand their business in other Asian countries. The agency has large amounts of influencer data, and its website allows for quick keyword searches. As a result, their service enables marketers to accurately locate the target area and professional categories to make the fastest and most efficient way of choosing influencers.
Source: https://www.instazu.com/tag/asiaKol%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E9%9B%B6%E9%A3%9F%E5%B1%95
AsiaKOL’s best feature as an influencer agency is its ability to shorten the intermediate process by promoting the early proposal and effective implementation of the needs of both clients and influencers. The agency shows the influence and appeal of influencers’ work and gives them maximum exposure, which mutually benefits both the influencer and the brands they represent.
StarNgage
Source: https://starngage.com/app/global
StarNgage is an influencer marketing and reporting agency which allows businesses to customize, manage, launch, and measure digital advertising campaigns on Instagram. The agency enables brands to collaborate and advertise with everyday influencers the same way as search engines or social networks.
StarNgage’s network is composed of the most talented influencers on Instagram. These influencers are immensely diverse, represent a broad range in age, location, and area of interest. They have all earned their followers through their ability to curate and produce the most attractive, unique, and inspirational images from across the web. As a result of these top quality content, these influencers perform very effectively in engaging their audiences.
Conclusion
Many of the social media users in Taiwan look up to influencers for their health, fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle choices. Thus, influencer marketing has a huge potential as a marketing strategy in the country. For brands aiming to penetrate the Taiwanese market, these strategies are often necessary for achieving the most success in their campaigns. Contrary to mainland China, influencer marketing in Taiwan has its distinct qualities and environment. Taiwanese residents have access to foreign social media and use these platforms heavily. This accessibility has led to the rise of a significant number of influencers. As a result, finding the best influencer for their target market can be seen as the biggest challenge for marketers.
For more information about Taiwanese Influencer Marketing, contact us at Info Cubic Japan today.
