Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Built Today's Alibaba International, But Alibaba Is Gradually Moving Away from Them — How Social Media Marketing Has Become Essential for Survival？

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been the backbone of Alibaba International's success, but today, the platform is increasingly distancing itself from these companies. For SMEs, survival is the key priority, and leveraging social media marketing has become their "essential course." However, for import and export businesses, the key challenge is how to achieve precise customer targeting and rapid results.

In the face of this challenge, Foshan Gaoming Yuehua Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Yuehua") offers a successful example. By combining big data and social media marketing, Yuehua was able to boost their annual sales to 200 million RMB in just a few years, establishing themselves as a leader in the industry.

Interview with Huang Jieren, Brand Director of Yuehua Company

1. Leaving Alibaba Behind: Shifting from Traditional Platforms to a Social Media Strategy

In the past, many import and export businesses relied on traditional B2B platforms and trade shows to secure orders. However, this model is showing clear limitations.

Despite investing heavily in platforms like Alibaba International, Yuehua found that the results were minimal. Even after increasing their investment, the quality of inquiries remained low, making it difficult to target the right B2B customers.

Recognizing that the landscape for import-export marketing had fundamentally changed, Yuehua's brand manager, Huang Jie'en, decided to lead the company through a complete transformation, exploring new marketing strategies.

Since 2016, Yuehua has gradually reduced its reliance on traditional e-commerce platforms like Alibaba, instead focusing more on social media and online platforms.

2. Precise Targeting, Content is King, and Data-Driven Marketing

Huang Jie'en quickly realized that social media is not only a platform for showcasing products but also a powerful tool for attracting potential customers.

He explained, "We no longer focus on securing orders through traditional B2B platforms. Instead, we prioritize using social media to showcase our products and services and attract the attention of potential customers."

Huang carefully researched the features and target audiences of major domestic and international social media platforms.

Mainstream Social Media Platforms:

（1）Facebook

· Features: Largest user base, strong advertising system, ideal for brand promotion.

· Target Audience: Broad reach, but younger users are gradually leaving the platform.

（2）Instagram

· Features: Visual content-focused, ideal for showcasing brands and products.

· Target Audience: Predominantly younger users, suitable for industries like fashion, beauty, and travel.

（3）Twitter (now X)

· Features: Real-time information sharing, suitable for news and trending discussions.

· Target Audience: Younger users, ideal for politics, technology, and entertainment.

（4）YouTube

· Features: Video-sharing platform, great for long-form content and promotions.

· Target Audience: Broad reach, suitable for education, entertainment, and product reviews.

（5）TikTok

· Features: Short-form video platform, focused on creativity and entertainment, highly engaging.

· Target Audience: Mainly young people, ideal for entertainment, education, and product promotion.

（6）LinkedIn

· Features: Professional networking platform, great for B2B marketing and recruitment.

· Target Audience: Professionals and businesses, ideal for business partnerships and career development.

Under Huang Jie'en's leadership, Yuehua began to establish a matrix marketing approach on both domestic and international social media platforms. By posting high-quality product videos and marketing content, they successfully attracted the attention of a large number of potential customers.

The viewership of individual videos often surpassed 3 million, and the monthly organic traffic exceeded 20 million views. This massive exposure not only boosted brand awareness but also led to real order conversions.

However, Yuehua's products are not necessarily everyday essentials, so their conversion rate was relatively low, at only 0.2%.

3. Achieving Fast Results: The Perfect Combination of Big Data and Social Media

To improve conversion rates, Yuehua turned to Tendata, a platform that allowed them to dig deeper into the information of potential B2B clients and implement targeted marketing strategies.

Through Tendata, Yuehua was able to access key data on potential large clients, including purchasing volumes, import trade trends, HS codes, suppliers, and supply chains.

This data enabled them to target their marketing efforts more effectively and focus on clients with genuine needs. By analyzing the data, Yuehua reached out to these potential large clients and communicated with them directly through emails, phone calls, and WhatsApp.

This strategy not only dramatically improved marketing efficiency but also significantly reduced customer acquisition costs, ensuring that every client interaction was valuable.

4. The "1+1" Combo: Successfully Securing a U.S. Client

A successful case study illustrating the effectiveness of this approach was when Yuehua secured a deal with a major U.S. buyer.

Initially, the client discovered Yuehua through the company's official website and watched related product videos on YouTube. Yuehua used Tendata to analyze the client's profile, confirming they were a legitimate buyer and successfully obtained their contact information.

Yuehua then proactively reached out, engaged in detailed discussions to understand the client's needs, and tailored a solution specifically for them.

Social media exposure + precise data analysis = Winning the big client

This "1+1" combo helped Yuehua not only secure the U.S. client but also establish a long-term, stable partnership.

It's worth noting that Yuehua's products are priced around $4,000 to $5,000 USD. Currently, the company is negotiating with several large clients and expects to secure at least four more orders. These major clients have monthly purchase volumes of 500 to 600 units, contributing over 200 million RMB in sales annually, which has played a key role in Yuehua's steady growth.

Conclusion

As Huang Jie'en, Yuehua's brand manager, summed up: by creating a low-cost online customer acquisition strategy and building a sustainable marketing system, securing orders isn't that difficult. For those still hesitating in the import and export industry, it's time to break free from conventional thinking. Embrace the power of big data and social media marketing to create a new chapter in international trade!