Study: Mobile Users in China Are Open to Targeted Ads

A new study from iiMedia shows the attitude of China’s mobile users toward advertising is changing in a positive way.

The study found nearly half of mobile users (45 percent) in China are willing to share or engage with mobile ads. Furthermore, 80 percent of mobile users will browse ads they are interested in and 10 percent browse all ads no matter the content.

For businesses, this reveals how critical proper ad targeting is on mobile. The study found that 50 percent of mobile users are accepting of ads that are delivered based on personal interests; an additional 40 percent are open to mobile ads based on their browsing or purchasing history.

Users are more open to certain types of mobile ads, the data shows. The top formats were information flow ads – ads that are seamlessly integrated into a social media newsfeed such as WeChat and Weibo – and offer walls (ads integrated into a gaming experience).

In 2016, the mobile advertising market exceeded 100 billion yuan (U.S. $14.5 billion) and researchers expect it to continue to grow and increase in competitiveness this year.

Digital Channels Account for 40% of Advertising Spend in China

A 2016 study, also by iiMedia Research, found that digital channels accounted for nearly 40 percent of advertising spend in China.

Of that nearly 40 percent, businesses in China are devoting 21 percent specifically to mobile advertising.

The study, which was based on iiMedia Research’s proprietary data, uncovered that many more companies are leveraging DSPs (demand side platforms) for marketing and advertising. Mobile DSP advertising currently accounts for roughly half of the total market.