The population of China currently stands at 1.4 billion people, the second-largest population on Earth and the second largest economy on Earth. With the improvements in living standards brought about by the transformation of China’s economy over the past forty years, China’s massive market has become one of the largest engines for global consumption in the world. As a result, many businesses that previously concentrated primarily on the North American or European markets are looking for ways to get a slice of the Chinese market. With Chinese consumers excited by the prestige of Western products and services, there has never been a better time to push into the Chinese market.
Succeeding in Affiliate Marketing in China: Challenges and Opportunities
Of course, there are many challenges to entering the Chinese market, from cultural and language differences to government protectionism, and any business needs to be able to navigate through these challenges in order to realize profits in China.
One great way to get a slice of the 1.4 billion-strong Chinese consumer base is through affiliate marketing. However, there are some differences when it comes to affiliate marketing in China, and those who are looking to enter this market for the first time should be aware of some of the steps you’ll need to take to succeed in the Chinese market.
In our article, we’ll take a look at how you can succeed in affiliate marketing in China. We’ll take you step by step through the process to help you achieve the most from marketing to Chinese consumers.
Step #1. Comply with All Local Laws and Regulations
This might seem obvious, but the very first step to launching an affiliate marketing campaign in China is to ensure that you are familiar with Chinese laws and regulations and are in compliance with them. Adhering strictly to the local laws is important for safeguarding your business and ensuring that you stay on the right side of Chinese regulatory authorities. It can be helpful, if you are not based in China, to work with someone local who is familiar with Chinese business law, or to have a local Chinese lawyer to help.
Step #2. Understand the Chinese Digital Landscape
You might think that the internet is the same everywhere, but that isn’t the case. In China especially, the digital landscape is very different from the one that Western consumers encounter. Many in the West got their first taste during the American dispute over TikTok in early 2025, when U.S. users turned to the Chinese alternative Red Note, a popular social media service in China. Within China, popular platforms like WeChat, Douyin (Chinese TikTok), Weibo, Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), Bilibili, and Taobao dominate. If you are to enter the Chinese market, you cannot simply rely on global brands like Facebook and Google but must actively engage with popular local apps, sites, and networks to connect with Chinese users where they can be found. China blocks many Western sites, including Facebook and Google, making it imperative that you have deep connections with native Chinese apps and sites. It’s also beneficial to take advantage of Chinese e-commerce sites to integrate your marketing into the platforms where Chinese customers do business. E-commerce platforms like Taobao and Tmall offer affiliate marketing programs that are highly integrated with online shopping, making it easier to promote products.
#3. Connect with Local Chinese Influencers
The dynamic Chinese marketplace is driven by young, tech-savvy consumers who are digital natives. If you want your marketing to be successful, you’ll need to partner with people who are trusted and influential within China. Key opinion leaders, such as Chinese social media influencers, can drive conversion with their endorsement of your product or service. By creating connections (paid or organic) with influencers and social media personalities in niches (beauty, tech, fashion, etc.) related to your product or service, you can gain access to a powerful avenue for affiliate marketing, especially when they have a highly engaged follower base. This is, of course, very similar to how you might engage in affiliate marketing in the West, but it is important to remember that the influencers who are best known in China are not going to be the same influencers that are most famous in America or Europe.
#4. Leverage Local Affiliate Networks
One of the fastest ways to reach a Chinese audience is to make use of preexisting affiliate networks rather than trying to build one from scratch. You can enter the Chinese market quickly by partnering with Chinese affiliate networks such as Yoyi, DJI Affiliate Network, or Rakuten China. These platforms help bridge the gap between Western businesses and Chinese consumers by offering local support, affiliate tracking, and compliance with regulations, thus taking a lot of the uncertainty and guesswork out of your hands and giving you a reliable Chinese partner on the inside. If you have a specific niche, you can also choose a global affiliate network that also has access to specific markets. For example, within the crypto field, the global affiliate network OFFER.ONE provides access to a number of platforms specifically targeting those interested in cryptocurrencies and crypto gambling.
#5. Recognize the Need for a Mobile-First Strategy
In the United States, e-commerce moved from laptop and desktop access to mobile access as the primary means of engagement relatively slowly. It was only in the last few years that the number of purchases via smartphone surpassed those from laptops or desktops, even as visits to retail sites via mobile app accounted for 75% of all retail sale visits. But in the rest of the world, e-commerce has always been a primarily mobile phenomenon. For many in China, their smartphone is the primary, if not only, means of accessing e-commerce sites. Consequently, to succeed in affiliate marketing in China, you need to come in with a mobile-first strategy to engage users on the platforms they access most regularly. In China, QR codes are very popular and widely used, and they can be an effective strategy for driving traffic to your marketing sites.
#6. Provide Locally Attractive Offers
While everybody loves a discount, it can pay to target your offers to local interests and needs. In China, for instance, there are specific days that are considered important shopping days. Local shopping festivals like Double 11 (Singles’ Day) and 618 (June 18) have massive affiliate marketing potential, which makes it beneficial to plan some of your campaigns around these events to take advantage of an audience already primed to shop. And remember, offering discounts, cashbacks, or exclusive deals via affiliate marketing programs can drive higher engagement no matter what culture you are marketing to—just be sure you localize your marketing so you speak to China in an authentically Chinese voice.