Chinese Advertising

Marketing to Chinese visitors & residents in NZ

By Rachel Alexander, owner of Chinese marketing agency in Christchurch.

Marketing to Chinese audiences in New Zealand has changed significantly in recent years.

WeChat remains important, particularly for communication, relationship-building and lead follow-up. However, it is no longer the only channel New Zealand businesses should consider.

For many consumer-facing businesses, RedNote – also known as Xiaohongshu or Little Red Book – has become one of the most influential platforms for discovering brands, researching products and planning travel experiences.

The right marketing approach depends on who you are trying to reach:

• Chinese people already living in New Zealand
• International students and recent migrants
• Chinese tourists currently travelling in New Zealand
• People in China planning a future trip, study experience, investment or move
• Chinese-speaking business owners and professional decision-makers

These audiences may share a language, but their media habits, motivations and customer journeys can be quite different.

How Chinese consumers discover New Zealand businesses today

A modern Chinese customer journey is rarely confined to one platform.

A potential customer might:

1. Discover a New Zealand business through a RedNote post, creator recommendation or search.
2. Read comments and look for posts from other customers to assess whether the business can be trusted.
3. Search for the business on RedNote, WeChat, Google or another platform.
4. Visit a Chinese landing page or the company’s English-language website.
5. Ask a question through WeChat, a website form, phone, email or direct message.
6. Share the experience online or recommend the business within a private WeChat group.

This means businesses should not think only in terms of “placing an advertisement”. They need to consider the complete journey from discovery and trust through to enquiry and conversion.

RedNote: discovery, research and recommendation

RedNote is increasingly used as a visual search and recommendation platform.

Its users search for practical, experience-based information such as:

• Where should I stay in New Zealand?
• Which South Island itinerary is best?
• What is it really like to study at this institution?
• Which local products are worth buying?
• Is this restaurant suitable for families?
• What should I know before buying a home or renovating in New Zealand?
• Which professional adviser understands Chinese clients?

Unlike traditional advertising, successful RedNote content usually feels useful, personal and experience-led. Highly polished promotional copy may be less effective than content that answers a genuine question, shows a real experience or provides a helpful comparison.

For New Zealand businesses, suitable RedNote content might include:

• Travel itineraries and destination guides
• Customer experiences and case studies
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Product demonstrations
• Before-and-after stories
• Local tips and recommendations
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Staff introductions
• Short videos with Mandarin captions
• Posts created in collaboration with customers, creators or KOCs

A KOC, or Key Opinion Consumer, is generally an everyday consumer with a smaller but trusted audience. For many businesses, several credible KOC experiences can be more persuasive than a single large influencer campaign.

WeChat: communication, nurturing and conversion

WeChat still plays a central role, but its role within the marketing journey has evolved.

RedNote may introduce someone to your business, while WeChat can help turn that initial interest into an ongoing relationship.

A verified WeChat Official Account can provide:

• Company information in Mandarin
• Articles and service information
• Automated replies to common questions
• Links to landing pages and enquiry forms
• A recognisable and verifiable brand presence
• Ongoing communication with followers

Personal WeChat contacts may also be useful for one-to-one communication, particularly in industries where customers expect a more relationship-based sales process.

Chinese-speaking customers are often accustomed to relatively quick digital responses. If WeChat is offered as a contact channel, someone should be responsible for monitoring it and responding within a clearly stated timeframe.

Problem #1: I don’t have any Chinese staff.

You do not necessarily need a full-time Mandarin-speaking employee before testing the Chinese market.

An agency or external partner can help with:

• Initial Chinese market and competitor assessment
• Translation and localisation
• RedNote content creation and publishing
• Monitoring comments and direct messages
• WeChat account management
• Translating enquiries for your team
• Developing approved responses to common questions
• Escalating qualified enquiries to the appropriate staff member

If you already have a Mandarin-speaking employee, it is still important not to assume that translation or social media management should automatically become part of their role. They may need appropriate time, processes, brand guidance and support.

The goal should be to establish a manageable system before enquiry volumes increase.

Problem #2: I don’t have a RedNote or WeChat account.

1. You do not need to launch every Chinese channel at once.

   The best starting point is an assessment of:

   • Your target audience
   • Where that audience is located
   • What they are searching for
   • Your competitors’ Chinese-language presence
   • Your available content and internal resources
   • How enquiries will be handled
   • Your budget and timeframe

   Depending on the results, your first campaign could involve:

   1. Establishing an official RedNote presence and publishing an initial content series.
   2. Working with suitable KOCs or creators who already reach your target audience.
   3. Advertising through established New Zealand Chinese media or community accounts.
   4. Creating a Chinese landing page to support a specific campaign.
   5. Establishing a verified WeChat Official Account for credibility and ongoing communication.
   6. Adding Mandarin captions or voiceovers to your existing video content.
   7. Testing a small, measurable campaign before investing in a larger channel ecosystem.

   Using established creators or media channels can be a practical way to test demand, but the traffic should ideally lead to an asset you control, such as your website, landing page, enquiry form or official account.

Problem #3: I don’t know how to measure results.

Follower numbers and post views can be useful, but they should not be the only measures of success.

Depending on the campaign, useful indicators may include:

• Search visibility on RedNote
• Saves, shares and meaningful comments
• Profile visits
• Direct messages and enquiries
• WeChat followers
• Visits to a Chinese landing page
• Form submissions
• Phone calls or bookings
• Coupon or promotional code use
• Qualified leads
• Sales and revenue
• Cost per enquiry or acquisition

Tracking traffic from Chinese platforms can sometimes be less straightforward than tracking a conventional Google Ads campaign. In-app browsers, private sharing and cross-device behaviour can interrupt the usual analytics trail.

This does not mean results cannot be measured. Businesses can use:

• Campaign-specific landing pages
• Tagged links
• Unique QR codes
• Dedicated enquiry forms
• Promotional codes
• “How did you hear about us?” questions
• CRM source tracking
• Manual recording of WeChat and RedNote enquiries

Before launching, decide what a meaningful result looks like. A tourism attraction may prioritise bookings, while a professional services firm may value a smaller number of highly qualified enquiries.

Problem #4: My business is a scale operation and I can’t answer every question.

Not every question requires a manually written response.

Businesses can prepare bilingual answers covering common topics such as:

• Opening hours
• Location and transport
• Pricing
• Availability
• Shipping
• Booking requirements
• Payment options
• Cancellation policies
• Services available in Mandarin
• The next step in the enquiry process

WeChat supports automated replies, while RedNote enquiry management can use approved response templates for recurring questions.

Automation should deal with simple and repetitive enquiries. More complex, sensitive or valuable enquiries should still be handled by a person.

Q: should I translate my website into Chinese?

Not every New Zealand business needs a separate Chinese website.

For businesses primarily targeting Chinese residents already living in New Zealand, a well-designed Chinese section or landing page on the existing .co.nz website may be enough.

A useful Chinese landing page should include:

• A clear explanation of the service
• Relevant local information
• Trust signals and credentials
• Customer reviews or case studies
• Frequently asked questions
• Mandarin contact options
• A simple enquiry or booking process
• WeChat and RedNote QR codes where appropriate

A literal translation of the English website is rarely the best answer. The content should be localised to address the questions, concerns and decision-making priorities of the intended audience.

Businesses targeting users inside mainland China may need a more specialised website and technical strategy. Website accessibility, hosting, search visibility, platform restrictions and Chinese regulatory requirements should all be assessed before deciding to build a separate Chinese-language site.

The old assumption that every overseas company simply needs a Chinese website hosted in Hong Kong is now too simplistic. The right setup depends on the market, business model, technical requirements and acquisition channels.

Can AI translate our content?

AI can make the first stage of translation faster, but publishing raw AI translation is risky.

Chinese marketing content needs to account for:

• Brand tone
• Cultural context
• Industry terminology
• Regional language preferences
• Platform conventions
• Search behaviour
• Legal and factual accuracy

A sensible process is to use AI as a supporting tool, followed by review and localisation from a fluent Mandarin-speaking marketer who understands the New Zealand context.

This is especially important for legal, financial, medical, education, property and other high-trust sectors.

Reaching Christchurch Chinese residents

There are both digital and print options.

1. RedNote, WeChat and local digital media

RedNote is increasingly useful for reaching younger and middle-aged Chinese residents, international students and families. Businesses can publish content using Christchurch-related Chinese keywords or work with local creators and KOCs who already have relevant audiences.

Useful topics might include local services, neighbourhoods, schools, weekend activities, restaurants, family experiences and South Island travel.

Christchurch-based WeChat accounts and Chinese digital news platforms also offer paid articles and promotional opportunities. Some reach specific communities such as parents, students, property buyers or businesspeople. If you do not yet have your own official account, advertising through an established local account can be a practical way to test the market.

2. Chinese print, radio and television

Free Chinese newspapers and magazines are still available through Chinese supermarkets, restaurants and community locations. Print can be useful for reaching older residents and established families, particularly for property, healthcare, aged care, professional services, local retail and community events.

Chinese-language radio and television also tend to attract an older audience. Before booking, ask about audience demographics, distribution and whether the package includes digital promotion.

Print is more difficult to measure, so include a unique QR code, landing page, phone number or promotional code. This allows someone to see the advertisement offline and continue their journey online.

For many Christchurch businesses, the best approach may be a combination of local print or media exposure, searchable RedNote content and a clear Chinese-language enquiry page.

Reaching Auckland Chinese residents

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest Chinese consumer market and offers a wider range of Chinese-language media, community accounts, publications and creators.

Audiences can be targeted by age, location, life stage and interest. Options include RedNote, Auckland-based WeChat accounts, Chinese digital news platforms, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, community partnerships and Chinese-language advertising through Google, Facebook or Instagram.

Print remains relevant for sectors such as property, finance, healthcare, aged care, education, immigration and professional services. Some Chinese media packages combine print advertising with digital articles, website banners or social posts, providing wider reach and better measurement.

Auckland provides more choices, but buying placements across many channels does not necessarily produce better results. Selecting the right audience, message and call to action is more important.

Reaching Chinese visitors and people planning a New Zealand holiday

Chinese visitor numbers are continuing to grow. Tourism New Zealand’s July 2026 market snapshot reports approximately 297,000 arrivals from China in the year ending March 2026. Chinese visitors spent around NZ$1.5 billion, and 82% of Chinese holiday visitors travelled in the South Island.

RedNote now plays an important role in travel planning. Tourism New Zealand reported that a recent campaign generated more than 500 million impressions and increased searches for New Zealand travel guides on RedNote by 127%.

Travellers use the platform to search for itineraries, accommodation, restaurants, attractions, driving advice, shopping recommendations and first-hand experiences. Tourism businesses should therefore publish useful content while visitors are still planning their trip, rather than targeting them only after arrival.

Relevant content could include:

• Suggested itineraries
• Seasonal and family-friendly experiences
• Transport and driving information
• Food and accommodation recommendations
• Weather and packing advice
• Photography locations
• Booking instructions

Ctrip, Fliggy and other Chinese travel platforms may also support research and bookings.

After visitors arrive, they can be reached through Chinese visitor guides, brochures, hotel partnerships, local Chinese media, WeChat accounts and QR codes displayed at physical locations. Print remains useful in tourism, particularly at airports, hotels, attractions and information centres, but it should direct people to a Chinese booking page, RedNote account or WeChat contact.

Choosing the right Chinese marketing channels

There is no single channel that reaches every Chinese audience.

RedNote is useful for discovery, search, recommendations and social proof.

WeChat supports communication, enquiry follow-up and long-term relationships.

Chinese landing pages provide detailed information and convert interest into enquiries.

KOCs and creators offer credible first-hand experiences and access to relevant communities.

Local Chinese digital media can create rapid awareness within a city or interest group.

Print, radio and television can reach older or more established audiences and build local credibility.

Ctrip, Fliggy and other travel platforms can support travel research and bookings.

Google, Facebook and Instagram can reach Chinese-speaking audiences already living in New Zealand.

Print and digital channels can also work together. For example, someone may notice a print advertisement at a Chinese supermarket, scan its QR code, read customer experiences on RedNote and then enquire through WeChat or the company’s website.

Start with an assessment

Before opening accounts or purchasing media, identify:

• Who you want to reach
• Whether they are in New Zealand or China
• Which platforms and media they use
• What information will make them trust you
• Who will respond to enquiries
• How results will be measured

From there, you can develop a practical plan covering content, media, budget and responsibilities.

If you’re interested in a more full low-down, I provide a whitepaper giving a complete low down on recommended steps for NZ operators to market to Chinese visitors or residents. If you’d like a copy, please let me know via the Alexanders Digital Marketing contact form .

By the way, I do travel to Auckland regularly and there’s always Zoom or Teams if you want some pointers on reaching Chinese for your business. Have I missed anything above or have you found anything effective for your business? I welcome your input.

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