Understanding the local flavour and uniqueness of India’s e-commerce opportunity, however, is critical to success. CJ Affiliate has had a front-row seat on this growth from its Bangalore office, the home base for its publisher development team focused on publisher growth in the APAC markets. Based on our firsthand learnings, below are the top five things to understand about the market and supporting strategies to be successful in this continually growing market. 

1. Indian shoppers prefer shopping “in app” and are fans of cross-border shopping

Massive government programs such as “Digital India” are transforming India’s cash-based economy to a paperless one, and the country’s digital population has evolved to be some of the world’s most engaged online buyers. When they shop, Indians prefer the experience and convenience of retailer branded apps — 94% of Indians prefer using apps over websites to make purchases online. This digital-forward culture has also embraced shopping from overseas retailers, primarily from brands in the US, China and Australia. Cross-border shopping by Indian shoppers is estimated to reach $2B USD in 2020. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: Connecting with Indian shoppers means reaching them on their mobile phones and converting them requires easy digital payments. Work closely with review or content sites to educate consumers about the value of your brand and ensure you have the necessary global payment methods and mobile capabilities to streamline checkout.

2. Retail events during the religious festival season are gaining traction with online shoppers

Autumn is the biggest online shopping season in India because retailers have grown the number of promotional events they host during the Fall religious festivals: Diwali, Dussehra, and Navratri. The Big Billion Sale usually held in October by the Walmart-owned Flipcart company is one of the biggest events, rivalling Amazon’s Prime Day in sales volume and shopper interest. The Big Billion Sale has become an important sales event for sellers of mobile phones and electronics and India’s price conscious shoppers approach the event with a keen interest in getting a great deal. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: Create customized offers for shopping events. Indian consumers are looking for special deals and savings during Holiday season and shopping events. 

3. Content publishers are a fast-growing publisher model

Similar to what we’ve seen in the UK and US markets, large media sites in India have started to use affiliate offers to monetize their content. Reaching many millions of readers, the digital newspapers and television sites launching content monetization models are currently gaining momentum faster in India than any other market. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: For advertisers to fully take part in the vast reach into digital audiences of India’s content sites, they have to bring a deep commitment to working closely with the publisher. We’ve found content publishers in India are most inclined to work with advertisers who help them sell the partnership within their companies by collaborating on pitches and informational meetings. Advertisers should also be prepared to offer hybrid compensation models

4. Affiliate network compliance education and monitoring is key

Affiliates in India often have a different understanding of network compliance then western networks do.  For example, it may be acceptable for a local advertiser from a network compliance perspective to promote offers through direct linking and iframes. For many global brands this isn’t business as usual and such practices have inevitably given some brands pause on launching in India.  

Affiliate Strategies for Success: It is important to establish transparent and clear guidelines up front when working with local India-based affiliates. Introducing network compliance rules and practices have become a part of early (and ongoing) education and training that CJ Affiliate provides to both publishers and advertisers we work with in India.    

5. Publisher scale, transparency, and trust are key—but local connections seal the deal

Forging scalable partnerships based on trust continues to be an essential ingredient to making affiliate marketing successful in India. But at the end of the day, the local connection seals the deal. This emphasizes the importance of having a local publisher’s development team available to take calls and meetings to build relationships and trust. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: What makes India unique is not only the digital market but also the size of affiliate partner opportunity. It is essential to create processes for recruitment and onboarding that can scale by delivering self-help tools for affiliates and giving them access to relevant offers. It is equally important to build the human connection and forge a partnership. 

With 240 million potential consumers to reach, it is clear that now is a great time to start testing the affiliate waters in India. With these strategies, brands are sure to be off to a good start in this booming market. 

The post Five Trends That Are Shaping Affiliate Marketing Opportunities in India appeared first on PerformanceIN.

With over 50% of the world’s retail e-commerce sales, China offers many opportunities for brands looking to reach new customers. The affiliate industry started to gain traction in the early 2000s and has continued to grow since then. Though not as advanced as the US and Europe, affiliate marketing in China has developed, and there are plenty of opportunities for brands looking to expand to APAC. 

Like any new market expansion, brands must tailor marketing strategies to the local market, industry landscape, consumer behaviour and cultural etiquette. 

Country overview

China is the most populous country in the world, with a total population surpassing 1.4 billion in 2019. By June 2019, China’s internet users reached 854 million, with a 60% internet penetration rate. Among that were 639 million online shoppers. Mobile devices are highly popular with a 99.1% mobile usage rate across the country. Due to such high mobile penetration, many consumers prefer mobile payment solutions such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.

With China’s e-commerce revenue exceeding $2 trillion in 2020, digital ad spending is expected to grow steadily to an estimated 94.58 billion USD. While traditional affiliate marketing through networks and affiliates is growing, influencer marketing has soared in popularity through social media networks like Weibo, WeChat, Douyin, and live-broadcast platforms.

1. Industry nuances

The Affiliate marketing industry started in China in the early 2000s, with local affiliate networks controlling the majority of affiliate traffic. Some leading Chinese affiliate networks include Duomai, Yiqifa and Adways. Publishers readily rely on these affiliate networks for the security of commission payments as well as the ability to quickly work with many brands. Brands wanting to reach many affiliate sites at one time will work with multiple networks to grow their share of voice.

Like the US and Europe, traditional affiliate models are popular in China including Loyalty, Voucher and Content. One affiliate model that is thriving in China is influencer marketing. Driven by a growing consumer demand on e-commerce platforms, influencer marketing has evolved to become a channel capable of quickly delivering huge volumes, even in real-time. To tap into this channel, brands can work through affiliate networks or influencer marketing platforms with an existing pool of influencers in various verticals and tiers. China’s influencer marketing industry is considered to be 3-5 years ahead of the rest of the world and a must, for any brand looking to raise awareness in the Chinese market.

2. Communication

The official and commonly used language in China is Chinese (Mandarin). Although English is widely spoken, Mandarin is preferred in business settings and being able to communicate in Mandarin is essential for starting any business relationship and subsequently maintaining the long-term partnership. Having a Mandarin speaker is necessary for any brand looking to expand their affiliate programme to China. 

While emails are used frequently in global business communication, it is not the most efficient option in China. Direct email outreaches usually result in a low response rate. The preferred communication tool is WeChat with 1.151 billion monthly active accounts, followed by QQ Messenger, phone calls and then email. 

3. Chinese culture

China has a long history spanning 5,000 years; throughout this time, it has developed a unique and nuanced culture. It’s imperative to recognise business culture, etiquettes and nuances before engaging with partners in the region. 

Mianzi: The direct translation of Mianzi is “face”, and it carries the meaning of “reputation”, “respect” and “honour”. Chinese culture places a high value on harmony, so people tend to be polite, considerate and respectful. There are some unspoken social rules and etiquettes associated with Mianzi. Open conflict, direct criticism and upfront rejection are avoided as these are considered an ‘unpleasant’ experience and can make people feel they are “losing face”. When working in the Chinese market its important to handle conflict and criticism indirectly and subtly.

Hierarchical order: People in China pay special attention to the hierarchical order; understood as one aspect of Mianzi. Older, more senior, and higher-ranked people command more respect. They’re usually the first one to enter the room, take a seat, be greeted and addressed in the introduction. It’s advisable to check with your contact beforehand about the seniority of any other members present in the meeting and act accordingly. 

Build trust: The trust among the Chinese is relationship-based. Invest time and energy to develop and maintain relationships. After business meetings, it is common to have entertainment such as drinking or karaoke when developing a partnership. So, be open to planning after-work activities, especially in the early stages of the partnership.

4. Business etiquette

When developing partnerships with Chinese networks or affiliates, you need to observe certain business etiquettes. Business cards are exchanged during any introduction and having one side of your business card translated into Chinese is a great way to show dedication to the Chinese market.  

Other business etiquettes include gentle handshakes, addressing with the surname followed by an honorific title (e.g, GM Liu), and avoiding pro-longed eye contact.

China’s e-commerce market has grown steadily over the years and affiliate marketing is growing in popularity, as e-commerce across the country booms. With a high mobile penetration rate and prevalence of mobile payment, the purchasing behaviours of China’s consumers are rapidly evolving, giving rise to new features in affiliate marketing. For businesses looking to expand into China having well-planned strategies with a sound understanding of the Chinese culture and the local marketing landscape is key to survival and success in this market.

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: China appeared first on PerformanceIN.

The third-largest economy in the world, Japan offers many opportunities for brands looking to reach new consumers. Its unique culture and business etiquette mean Japanese expansion is more hands-on than most Western countries. But with the right planning, research and support, brands can find success in this growing e-commerce market.

Country overview

Japan has a population of around 126 million people with a high internet penetration of 91%. eCommerce revenue is predicted to reach $99,130 million by the end of 2020, amounting to an annual growth rate of 5% (CAGR 2020-2024). While this means that digital marketing is now important for any brand, affiliate marketing is an exception because it allows advertisers to pay based on performance and by 2023, the market size of affiliate marketing is expected to reach $4,357 million. 

Thanks to growth in mobile use and social media proliferation, the affiliate market has shown steady growth, with increasing sales at leading sub-networks (known as ASP’s, affiliate service providers in Japan). Affiliate marketing has proven its value in businesses ROI, and brands are starting to view the channel as a crucial part of their overall marketing strategy, more than ever before. 

If you feel that Japan is the next step towards expanding your company to the APAC region, then read on for some essential tips and nuances:

1. Cultural adaptations

Japanese culture and traditions are incredibly unique, and recognising business culture, etiquettes and nuances are vital before engaging with Japanese people to prevent any miscommunication. 

Japanese language skills: The most widely spoken language in Japan is Japanese. It has no official status, but it is a national language. In terms of the number and quality of English speakers, Japan is one of the weaker countries because the differences in grammar, syntax, and pronunciation between English and Japanese are so significant. Japanese-speaking support is essential when managing your affiliate programme and communicating with affiliates. Reach out to Japanese business partners in native Japanese to build trust in a shorter timeframe, avoid ignorance and receive friendly and faster responses.   

Politeness: Being polite is essential, as it is closely tied to respect. Japanese people are well-mannered and courteous, and business culture is less relaxed than countries such as the UK, Australia and America. In the business world, a respectful attitude is essential. Saying no directly is considered rude in Japanese culture. Instead, it is preferential to say no euphemistically and avoid any confrontation. Lastly, when addressing people, use last names with the honorific -san to show respect, like “Smith-san”.

Business etiquette: In Japan, business cards have more considerable significance than in Western culture. Exchanging business cards is a formal self-introduction used to remember the names and roles of other people. Double-sided business cards in Japanese and English are great for building trust and showing potential partners that you are serious. The card should be clean, removed from a professional business card case and presented with both hands.

2. Market maturity

The affiliate marketing industry is well established in Japan. Sub-affiliate networks control most of the affiliate traffic, known as ASP’s (Affiliate Service Provider). For any brand new to Japan, a partnership with at least one of the largest ASPs is recommended. Due to the market dominance of ASPs, SaaS platforms are not yet widely known, and there is hesitation to work with networks directly that are not CPA-networks. Both are growing in popularity, and we expect this trend to increase. 

In terms of affiliates, loyalty sites are popular, with a particular focus on points sites such as Chobirich and Hapitas. These sites allow customers to collect points with purchases and exchange these for products and services. Any brand new to the Japanese market should consider partnering with points sites to gain brand awareness and build customer loyalty. 

3. Japanese creatives

Localising your website and creatives into the local language and currency have significant effects on marketing strategies, enhanced visibility and brand recognition. Before entering the Japanese market, we encourage conducting a competitor analysis of affiliate’s creatives and websites to understand what kind of creatives can attract the attention of Japanese customers and increase engagement. Japanese customers are used to high-quality creatives, and often they do not read English websites unless they are straightforward. 

4. Building trust

Building trust with affiliates is also crucial for long-lasting relationships and smoother negotiations in Japan. Punctuality is key.  Japanese people are punctual, particularly in the business world. If you are going to be late or miss a deadline, inform partners in advance. It’s also important to note that business decisions can take longer compared to the European and American markets. Japanese businesses tend to follow a top-down approach in terms of the company hierarchy, and therefore, sign-off can take a little longer. 

Sake and Japanese style dining bar: If you are planning on a business trip to Japan, it is a great idea to meet business partners in person, to forge stronger connections and build trust. The local word, “Nominication”, combines “Nomi (drink)” and the English loanword “communication”. It refers to the practice of connecting with others through the drinking process. I recommend cherry blossom or foliage season if you can pick a time to visit. The breathtaking views make Japanese sake even more delicious! 

As the affiliate marketing space grows in popularity in APAC, Japan offers an excellent opportunity for brands. As consumers spend an increasing amount of time online, the affiliate industry is rapidly evolving with new partners and players entering the space. Like any business expansion, adapting your strategies to the country’s cultural and business nuances is key to success and winning the hearts of new customers in Japan.

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: APAC – Japan appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Redirecting funds which were meant for the social media giant’s Splice Beta Fund, the new grant will aid 50 publishers in the region with support in mentoring and training journalists who are reporting on the latest developments around the world — helping them to navigate the economic impact as well as building a sustainable digital business.

Facebook will be working closely with the Walker Foundation to hand out funds to publishers based in Australia and New Zealand that are outside city centres.

Facebook is also working with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), where it will offer a combination of grants, webinars and professional mentorship.

In addition, the social media platform is set to launch a virtual edition of its Reader Revenue Accelerator grant and training program to help publishers monetise readership.

This announcement follows something similar done by Google last week in supporting publishers during these times as the tech giant released a Journalism Emergency Relief Fund to provide support for local and small newsrooms on the frontline of covering COVID-19.

The post Facebook Unveils $2M Grant Funding to Financially Support Publishers appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Country overview

Australia has a population of approximately 26 million people with an internet penetration of 88%. Year over year, e-commerce sales continue to rise, with 2019 showing a steady 17.2% increase from 2018. While this means digital marketing is a must for any brand nowadays, partner marketing is a standout since it is a pay for performance channel. Brands are catching on to the minimal, upfront cost this channel boasts and converting their digital strategy accordingly. 

The IAB Australia’s latest 2020 insights reported that over one-third of brands and agencies are allocating around 10% of their overall marketing budget in the affiliate/partnerships space with intentions to continue to increase that spend over the next 12 months. Partner marketing has shown its value in ROI and brands are viewing the channel as a necessary part of their overall marketing strategy. 

Besides the statistics that back up expanding your programme to the region, Australia’s geographic location along with its generally western culture, make it a prime location for European and American business to capitalise. If you feel Australia is the next step for bringing your business to the APAC region, then read on for some key market expansion tips and nuances. 

1. Cultural adaptations

Australia overall is a westernised country with symbiosis stemming from the UK. Two of the most-significant cultural differences I have learned as an American are:

Laidback work culture: Australians value work-life balance, receiving a minimum of 4 weeks paid annual leave. Australian’s often take this leave all at once (something uncommon in the US) to travel to new countries and spend time with family. Australians view their family as their main priority and shutting work-life off to enjoy their personal lives is expected- don’t email them on the weekend, save your email for Monday morning. 

Build trust: Trust and relationship building in Australian business culture is a huge factor. If you are not building a relationship with your partners, I guarantee you will hit a standstill and things will not progress. Facetime is key, inviting your contacts to discuss business over lunch or an afternoon drink is a common approach. Aussies like to know who they are doing business with, open up and get to know your contact on a personal and professional level, it will go miles!

2. A less mature market

The partner marketing industry is still in its early stages in Australia. For those coming from a more mature market such as the UK or US, you will find it feels about five years behind where the industry currently stands in those countries. As partner marketing grows in popularity, there is a ton of opportunity for thought leadership as well as brand and affiliate strategy when it comes to running a programme in the region. Education is key. Brands often need to be educated that this is a pay for performance channel with great ROI potential, while affiliates tend to need a push to steer away from flat spend models and adapt to a CPA. 

3. Location is important

Australia is a huge country. So, where do you start when putting boots on the ground? Currently, Sydney is the country’s leading affiliate hub, with Melbourne as a second business hot spot. Keep in mind that domestic travel is often quick and efficient. A flight from Sydney to Melbourne is only an hour and thirty minutes. Remembering the value of facetime in this culture, those flights are often worth it to build relationships across cities with different partners in the space!

4. Allocate budget to aid business growth

Travel to Asia: Australia is a great starting point for APAC business growth; however, you will want to allocate a budget for your employees to travel to other key countries in the region. Some current standout countries in the industry include Singapore, China, Thailand, and Korea. 

Events and speaking engagements: Attending industry events as a guest or a presenter in APAC is key to getting your company recognised. As the industry is still new here, thought leadership is sought after. Hosting a panel discussion is a great way to get yourself established in the market and a popular format at events. 

Flat whites and pints: Knowing that those face to face meetings are valued, remember to have money available to treat your contact to a morning coffee (my Aussie staple is a flat white) or an afternoon pint! Oh, one other thing I should point out, Fosters is NOT the beer of choice here despite the rumours. You’ll come off well versed in Aussie beers by grabbing a Victoria Bitter or Coopers instead. 

Conclusion

As the partner marketing space grows in popularity in APAC, you will not regret picking Australia as your regional hub. The industry here is continually evolving, with new affiliates, platforms, and marketers entering the space on what seems like a weekly basis! The talent is incredibly hardworking, creative, and collaborative as everyone works to educate brands on the value of the pay for performance channel. With the rapid growth and success in the industry I have seen over my 18 months here, I can confidently say it is only a matter of time before partner marketing becomes a must have in business across the Asia Pacific region. 

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: APAC – Australia appeared first on PerformanceIN.

But despite these ideal conditions, perception is that publishers have been slower here than elsewhere in the world to take advantage of commerce content and harness e-commerce as a revenue stream for their businesses. Until now. 

As publishers from Australia to Taiwan and Malaysia scale commerce, Skimlinks has played a key role in many of their journeys, so we’ve put together the key levers they can pull to grow commerce revenue:

Time is of the essence 

Publishers in the UK and US are keenly focused on two commercial factors: commission rate and earnings-per-click. They want to know how many shares of a sale they’ll receive and how much they’ll make for every click they send to a merchant. 

In APAC there are different key priorities: Time to delivery and shipping charges. 

Shipping is key because as everywhere else people are becoming more impatient and want items quickly. In Australia for example, where shipping can sometimes take weeks, publishers will look to prioritise brands that can deliver items faster. Publishers are likely to see fewer conversions if the merchants they link to can’t deliver orders quickly. 

Charges are also key. Free shipping has appeals everywhere, but in APAC it is especially appealing for publishers because it remains a relatively rare promotion, in a huge market where deliveries often cost more and take longer. Where publishers can’t find free shipping offers, they will look to pick the merchants that offer cheaper rates to ship items and use that to inform the merchants they feature in commerce content. 

Use tailor-made expert editorial content 

Despite e-commerce’s advance across APAC, commerce content lags behind, but many publishers find syndicated editorial content an expedient way to scale. 

It helps them produce content without increasing direct headcount and enables them to rely on a regular stream of expert commerce content to publish. 

It takes time to make the business case to hire commerce editors. While publishers work to scale commerce, to prove its value and argue for investment in the channel, syndicated content helps them maintain momentum. 

The volume of articles produced plays a key role in publishers scaling commerce content. The more advice on products readers see, the more accustomed they become to using publisher recommendations to inform the purchases that they make. Skimlinks’ own editorial network has scaled to produce over 200 articles per quarter since the start of 2020. 

Our research shows a commerce editor needs to write 5 articles a day for commerce to scale. So if syndicated content can supply some or all of those articles for a publisher it will help them scale faster. It can also offer valuable insights publishers can benefit from early in their commerce journey. 

Commerce editors need to optimise the length of an article, number of links, number of merchants, when they publish content and many other factors. Bespoke commerce content, tailored editorial needs and informed by commerce expertise can make all the difference. 

Highlight international brands in your commerce content 

When we think about our top publishers in the UK and the US, they prefer to highlight domestic merchants. 

That is to say that in the UK publishers will typically write about British retailers like John Lewis, Argos and Marks & Spencer, while in the US publishers will favour brands like Walmart, Target and Wayfair. 

But in APAC there’s a much broader emphasis on international brands. 

This varies between the individual sub-markets. International fashion brands like Nike, for example, perform strongly in Australia, which is doubly interesting as many of the top performers failed when they attempted brick-and-mortar launches in Australia. 

Things look slightly different in South East Asian markets like Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Here international luxury brands like Net-A-Porter are the popular topic matter. 

In South-East Asia there’s a huge appetite for luxury merchants across all categories. These naturally shape the kind of commerce content created and provide a different emphasis, then might be expected on large regional players like Alibaba.

Attention to detail is all important  

Publishers in APAC really take the maxim one size does not fit all to heart. This is informed by their heavy emphasis on timeless or evergreen content. 

Their preference is to spend more time on a single piece of content, that has a longer lifetime value, rather than more disposable pieces linked to seasonal e-commerce events. 

A key focus area is product guides – for trainers or jeans for example – which they can update periodically to keep relevant. Attention to detail is arguably more vital here than elsewhere and that’s linked to cultural differences. For example publishers in Taiwan pay close attention to the individual colours of the item chosen, as different shades hold various deeper interpretations. 

Audiences are also more demanding, so for articles around items a celebrity is wearing, or outfits from a TV show, readers want the exact pieces from the exact retailer and will know if a publisher has gotten it wrong. 

Summary 

Ecommerce sales in Asia-Pacific and Australia grew to an estimated $2.3 trillion in 2019. 

We expect that growth to continue into 2020, driven in part by the continued growth of e-commerce, and by publishers who’ve focused on commerce, reaching maturity with their strategies in the next 12 months. 

For APAC publishers that want to grow commerce the path to scale is clear: 

• Prioritise merchants with shortest delivery windows and free shipping offers 
• Take advantage of editorial content from others 
• Highlight international brands in Australia, and luxury brands in South East Asia
• Attention to detail is all important 

As publishers face uncertain times, commerce remains a revenue stream that can provide a valuable service to readers and offer alternative revenue to intrusive advertising. In APAC, as elsewhere in the world, there’s huge room for publishers to scale it as a meaningful part of their business. 

The post The Key Levers Publishers in APAC Can Pull to Grow Commerce Revenue appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Announcing via a staff memo and as reported on The Drum, chairman and chief executive Daniel Zhang said the initiative includes, but is not limited to, helping export-focused SMEs expand into new markets through AliExpress, Lazada and Tmall World.

In addition, Alibaba will be helping a selective group of SMEs to transform and develop their practices in the Chinese market through measures such as resource support, fee reductions and fast track processing. This will be done by activating manufacturing belts, incubating a group of “Super Producer IP” designations, and fostering 10 digitised manufacturing clusters with production output valued at tens of billions in RMB.

Furthermore, the e-commerce giant will support alleviate financing challenges for more SMEs by extending “immediate settlement” services until June 30.

“The pandemic has exacted tremendous pain to our world, but it cannot stop hope from being born. In the global and China fight against the pandemic, Alibaba has proven to be a bulwark in the battle through our concrete actions. This pandemic will ultimately end, and we will eventually see the beginnings of new life,” said Zhang.

“We must band together with the SMEs that need the most help, and convert Alibaba’s resources into strength for the SMEs. We must turn the “danger” brought about by the pandemic into “opportunity” for SMEs to prepare for the future through digital transformation. Now is the time for Alibaba to give back to our community and to give back to our SMEs.”

The post Alibaba Launches Initiative to Support Chinese SMEs During COVID-19 appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Global commerce content platform Skimlinks has extended its publisher portfolio in Asia-Pacific (APAC) with additions including Pedestrian Group, Yahoo! Australia and South China Morning Post — in wake of new partners with affiliate networks in the region.

The high-profile signings come amidst a major growth period for the commerce content platform. Skimlinks recently announced partnerships with Commission Factory and Involve Asia last year, which gave advertisers access to a quality editorial content network of publishers that spans the globe. 

New solutions have also been released for Skimlinks’ platform in the past 12 months, including a first-to-market solution to automatically monetize AMP articles and an editorial network, which can produce commerce content articles for publishers that don’t have the resources to scale their own commerce strategy from scratch. The editorial network has seen early success in APAC, with plans to produce 250 articles per quarter for clients. 

The company has confirmed further plans to increase headcount in the region with three more roles in Sydney and Kuala Lumpur. 

“We have put a real focus on helping publishers across APAC scale commerce content into a meaningful source of revenue for their businesses,” said Skimlinks CEO Sebastien Blanc; “We’re delighted to add Pedestrian Group, Yahoo! Australia, and SCMP Magazines Limited to the portfolio of clients in the region we’re helping scale commerce revenue.”

“Skimlinks’ growth in APAC was fantastic last year, and we’re keen to capitalize on our momentum. We’ve been able to work with publishers on their domestic commerce content strategies, but also help them establish partnerships with international brands too. The expertise we’ve gained working with 60,000 publishers around the world has given our team the insights and best practices to help publishers everywhere scale commerce into a meaningful stream of revenue,” Blanc concluded.

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Rakuten Inc has announced the launch of Rakuten SQREEM in partnership with SQREEM Technologies Pte. The newly formed company based in Japan will provide advertising companies with marketing solutions built on AI-based behavioural pattern analysis.

Rakuten SQREEM will utilise the data provided by the more than 100 million Rakuten members in Japan and the behavioural pattern analysis data owned by SQREEM to provide marketing solutions enabling media buying for internet advertising and the precise analysis of consumer behaviour. 

SQREEM is one of the world’s largest aggregators of behavioural pattern data, providing marketing solutions through its behavioural pattern analysis platform that combines the collection and analysis capabilities of their proprietary AI technology and big data acquisition technology to analyze the massive and complex consumer behaviours. 

By combining the technology of SQREEM with the consumer behaviour analytical data of the Rakuten Group, the new company launched today (February 3) will provide digital marketing solutions that offer a higher level of precision for the Japanese market.

Protecting personal information

Greater considerations for the handling of user data are being called for with the rise in awareness of the importance of protecting personal information in data-based marketing, including GDPR and the recent California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) enacted in California in January 2020.

To date, Rakuten has worked hard for the protection of personal information when utilising data accumulated by the Rakuten Group to provide marketing solutions. In addition to fully complying with these regulations, Rakuten SQREEM hopes to provide high-performance solutions to advertising companies that take into account the importance of protecting user data by developing digital marketing solutions that are not dependent on personal attributes and instead use the analysis of open data available online.

Rakuten and SQREEM will continue to create new digital marketing solutions for a range of companies through Rakuten SQREEM.

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Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has beat last year’s record in sales for China’s annual Singles Day online shopping bonanza, hitting $31 billion in under 24 hours.

The company, which recorded $30 billion over 24 hours in 2018 topped last year’s record in 16.5 hours. Meanwhile, presales in the run-up to Singles Day smashed targets with the likes of Estée Lauder hitting a record $143 million in pre-sales and Alibaba users recording $14 million worth of Apple iPhone 11s during the three weeks before the online shopping event  — which reaches more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.

Singles Day is an informal, anti-Valentine’s Day holiday in China celebrating people who aren’t in relationships. Its date, November 11, was chosen because the date is written as four ones or singles.

Alibaba started offering Singles Day discounts in 2009 and has since turned the day into a 24-hour bonanza of online shopping in China and one of the largest, if not, biggest shopping events in the calendar year.

Although the shopping event broke records again in e-commerce sales, there’s still signs of the market maturing as it becomes more established. 

A recent survey from research firm Oliver Wyman found that buyers are expecting to spend nearly 10% more on Singles Day this year compared to 2018. Furthermore, Alibaba reported a 27% uptick in Singles Day revenue.

“We continue to feel very confident about the growth potential of the economy,” Alibaba chief marketing officer Chris Tung told CNN in an interview. “We are pushing deeper towards the less developed areas of China, to reach more new online shoppers, so there’s a huge untapped opportunity there.”

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