Why Thai restaurants should promote themselves on Dianping to attract Chinese tourists.

Dianping marketing is becoming increasingly important in an era where more Chinese tourists are traveling abroad. Thai restaurants are considered one of the businesses with high potential to significantly expand their market to Chinese customers. However, simply opening a restaurant is no longer enough. It's crucial to be on a platform that Chinese customers trust and search for before they travel, and Dianping is one such platform that shouldn't be overlooked.

Getting to know Dianping and the behavior of Chinese tourists.

• Dianping is known as "China's Yelp" because it is a strong platform for reviewing restaurants, local services, travel activities, and hotels in China.
• This platform has a large user base who search for real-time information for their travels, such as restaurants, reservations, and reviews. Therefore, Dianping marketing for restaurants and tourist attractions is crucial for building brand awareness among Chinese tourists and attracting Chinese customers.
• For businesses overseas, such as Thai restaurants looking to attract Chinese tourists, using Dianping to promote their restaurants to Chinese visitors is a suitable starting point. This is because Chinese tourists use this platform to search for places to eat and visit when traveling abroad.

According to the report... NBH Global It was found that many Chinese tourists prefer using Dianping as their primary source of information before traveling abroad, especially in the categories of restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions. They believe that information from fellow Chinese people is more reliable and reflects a closer understanding of the cultural context than Western platforms like Google or TripAdvisor.

Why Thai restaurants should use Dianping marketing.

1. Reach the Chinese target audience directly.

           Chinese consumers tend to search for restaurants on Chinese platforms rather than Google or Facebook due to language convenience, familiarity, and the greater weight of reviews from Chinese users. Therefore, Thai restaurants aiming to attract Chinese tourists would benefit from having images, reviews, and information on Dianping, enabling their marketing efforts to attract more customers.

2. Build credibility and a positive image.

           Chinese consumers place great importance on real user reviews and recommendations. Dianping features content such as customer reviews, photos, actual menus and prices, and genuine experiences. When a Thai restaurant receives positive reviews, high ratings, and beautiful photos of food and ambiance, it signals that the restaurant meets Chinese standards. This effectively promotes the restaurant to Chinese users, increasing the likelihood of customers making reservations or visiting.

3.  Opportunity to increase footfall and sales from Chinese tourists.

           When Thai restaurants are found on Dianping in search results for "near me" or "recommended restaurants" for Chinese tourists, there's a high probability that when they leave their hotel or are in a tourist area, they will choose that restaurant. In addition, Dianping offers promotional features, coupons, and ads for restaurant businesses, allowing them to create targeted campaigns for Chinese tourists. This is a way to increase Chinese customers for Thai restaurants through Dianping.

           For more information about restaurant reviews on the Chinese restaurant review platform Dianping. You can find more information here: From food reviews to lifestyle: Dianping, a hub for modern marketing in China. 

Many people may wonder how Thai restaurants can start marketing on Dianping. The answer is: start by registering your restaurant on the Dianping system to manage your restaurant information. Then, update menu photos, photos of the atmosphere, customer reviews, and use Dianping Ads to make your restaurant appear in search results for Chinese tourists in areas such as Bangkok or Phuket.

Initial steps and strategies for Thai restaurants looking to market their restaurant using the Dianping method.

1.  Register your store and update your basic information.

• Create a merchant account on Dianping and upload your store information, such as Thai/Chinese name, English and Chinese location details, opening and closing hours, a translated Chinese menu, and high-quality food photos.
• Make sure the address is correct and includes map coordinates, as Chinese tourists often use location-based search apps.

2. Create Dianping marketing content that attracts Chinese users.

• Take appetizing photos of the restaurant's most popular menu items, along with easy-to-understand Chinese descriptions.
• Use both Thai and Chinese menu names so that Chinese people can find them, such as Tom Yum Kung. 冬阴功汤
• Offer special promotions for Chinese customers, such as discounts via Dianping, online coupons, etc.

3. Promote online reviews and manage online brand image for effective promotion of Chinese restaurants.  

• Encouraging real Chinese customers to leave Chinese-language reviews on Dianping and post photos of their experiences is a technique to attract Chinese tourists with credible and authentic reviews on Dianping.
• Respond to comments and reviews professionally, both compliments and addressing complaints, to create a friendly and caring image.
• A positive review is considered an added opportunity, but it's crucial to ensure the review is genuine and relevant. This is key to Dianping's marketing strategy, as Chinese users are highly sensitive to fake or untrue reviews.

4. Use advertising to promote Chinese restaurants and promotions on the platform.

• Use the Keyword Promotion feature to get your store listed at the top of search terms used by Chinese tourists, such as "“泰国 Thai restaurant Bangkok”
• Create group-buy promotions or coupons for Chinese tourists to attract family and corporate clients.
• Working with KOL/KOC China (Chinese reviewers/bloggers) to professionally market Dianping, building a positive brand image for Thailand in China, thereby increasing trust and reaching the target audience more effectively.

If you want to penetrate the Chinese market using the Dianping marketing strategy for Thai restaurants but lack expertise in using Dianping and need consulting services, you can check out the Chinese marketing services of Hello Ads Co., Ltd. Chinese marketing services 

Things to watch out for and adapt to the Chinese market.

• Language: Complete Chinese-language information is recommended, including menu names, Thai-Chinese translations, and concise, easy-to-understand descriptions. This helps create positive reviews on Dianping for Thai restaurants.
• Payment: Chinese tourists expect valid payment systems such as Alipay and WeChat Pay at Thai restaurants. Even if it doesn't directly go through Dianping, it's part of enhancing the restaurant's image.
• The importance of reviews: Within Dianping, users dislike insincere reviews. Therefore, a good Chinese social media strategy is for stores to focus on reviews from real customers with actual photos.
• Image management: Don't rely solely on cheap promotions, but focus on creating a positive experience. A distinctive menu and a friendly atmosphere will lead to better reviews.
• Continuously monitor Dianping marketing performance: Use Dianping analytics data to see the ROI from advertising, reviews, and promotions, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

summarize

           For Thai restaurants looking to consistently attract Chinese tourists, marketing on Dianping is a cost-effective and timely strategy. It's a channel that Chinese people actually use before traveling to find restaurants and new experiences. Having a well-appointed, updated, and positively reviewed storefront on Dianping, tailored for Chinese users, significantly increases the chances of the restaurant being discovered, selected, and recommended by the Chinese user community.

           If you are a restaurant or tourist attraction owner looking to professionally market your Chinese restaurant using Dianping, with expertise in Chinese online marketing and understanding Chinese online shopping culture, you can contact Hello Ads Co., Ltd. via the Facebook : HelloAds page or contact us directly. https://helloads.net/contact-us/ We are happy to provide consultation to help your brand succeed in the Chinese market.