With the disease outbreak, the development of remote work and online teaching has further increased the use of smart devices in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's digital user figures hit a peak last year. Under the unprecedented environment, adopting effective digital marketing strategies in Hong Kong is remains a wise choice for your business in 2022, as its international position with a high digital penetration rate and one of the highest levels of purchasing power in the world. Do you want to learn more about the Hong Kong market and reach your potential customers there? This article will take a glance at what's in store for Hong Kong Digital Marketing in 2022 that favors your business success:

1. Hong Kong Digital Marketing Landscape in 2022    

2. Hong Kong Digital Marketing Opportunities in 2022    

3. How to Create an Outstanding Hong Kong Digital Marketing Campaign in 2022    

1. Hong Kong Digital Marketing Landscape in 2022

Source: Datareportal

Long before Covid-19, Hong Kong had already developed its universal and high-speed internet access provided for public which accounts for the common adaptation of different social and digital channels. Since last year, we have witnessed the promotion of remote work and teaching, as well as the need of smart devices in entering public spaces during the epidemic, that more children and the elderly become internet users. In 2022, Hong Kong has a population of 7.58 million, with more internet users accounting for 93% of the population, of which 88.1% are active social media users.

There is a saying that Hong Kong’s mobile services market is near saturation point that we even see a 0.1% drop in cellular mobile connections this year. However, the potential for successful Hong Kong digital marketing strategies is safeguarded by the stably rising internet users and social media users. So, where should we begin to investigate the potential chances for digital marketing in Hong Kong? To get started, we can look at Hong Kong citizens’ preferences for digital channels to get some ideas.

1.1 Hong Kong Most Visited Websites in 2022

Google is always the go-to website among Hong Kong users, regardless of the year. No matter when or where you are, simply connect to the Internet, type in the keyword of interest on your computer or mobile device, Google will immediately provide you with the answer you need. According to the 2022 data, the total number of visits to Google.com is 297 million, which is more than double the number of visits to Facebook in the second place, and the number of unique visitors to Google is also the highest, at 19.3 million. It shows that Hong Kong Internet users rely heavily on Google to get any information, which offers us a very straightforward and crucial method for entering the Hong Kong market — SEM & SEO strategies. It is worth noting that, in addition to Google, Yahoo is one of the top three search engine websites. We will undoubtedly prioritize these two search engines as our must-have Hong Kong advertising channels.

Aside from Google and Yahoo, websites classified as social media such as Facebook.com in second place and Youtube.com in fourth place, are also of interest to Hong Kong people. Therefore, when it comes to Hong Kong digital marketing, social media channel is also a vital part of your strategic plan which is going to be discussed below.

1.2 Hong Kong Most-Used Social Media Platform in 2022

It is essential to utilize localized platforms when developing a digital marketing campaign in any target market. In Hong Kong, WhatsApp and Facebook are used by more than 80% of local users, followed by Instagram (65.5%). Other communication tools such as WeChat and Facebook Messenger are used by more than half of Hong Kong internet users as well.

In the purpose of social networking, Facebook and Instagram are for sure the most popular social platform software used by Hong Kong people, and YouTube, which is not mentioned in this data but ranks second in most-visited website, is also one of the most popular social media platforms used by Hong Kong users. What cannot be overlooked is that TikTok utilization is expanding in 2022, with a 4% growth this year compared to 17.2% last year.

2. Hong Kong Digital Marketing Opportunities in 2022

Our insight article part one has given an outline of 2022 digital marketing landscape in Hong Kong. Now, let's dig a little more into the most engaging types of digital marketing channels in this digitally active city.

2.1 Search Engine Marketing in Hong Kong 2022

In the latest 2022 data, we can see that search ads spending in Hong Kong digital marketing reached $382.3M, that is an increase of 14%. Likewise, Hong Kong Internet users mainly depend on search engines such as Google and Yahoo to seek data as we mentioned before, which is a key foundation for making purchasing decisions. Try to imagine: if your brand appears on the first page of a user's search when they are looking for a product to purchase, or if it is displayed precisely on the websites or YouTube pages that potential customers visit frequently, both the brand credibility and quality traffic will be enhanced. To start your search engine marketing journey, you may take reference at AsiaPac's excellent case study for our client, Cashing Pro.

2.2 Video Marketing in Hong Kong 2022

Another trend to watch out for 2022 Hong Kong digital marketing is video advertising, which has increased by 28% in the latest report.

YouTube, the main platform for video content, is also one of the most popular social media platforms for Hong Kong users. Users can browse basically any content of their interest on YouTube, such as vlogs, gaming and cooking videos. The diverse content on YouTube benefits all kind of industries in doing video marketing on the platform. Through YouTube advertising, your brand can reach 94.8% of the Internet users in Hong Kong, and the number is expected to continuously increase in the remaining time in 2022.

Besides YouTube, TikTok is another short video sharing platform commonly used by Hong Kong digital users that your brand will not want to miss in the 2022 Hong Kong digital marketing strategies. You can sense the importance of creating short video content to increase brand awareness for your brand when the short videoing trend led by TikTok is also found in the newly released Reels by Instagram, of which we can see an increasing consumption and production. As a result, short video marketing is highly recommended for brands to keep an eye on in your Hong Kong digital marketing strategies in 2022. If you are not familiar with this young digital trend but want to give it a go, AsiaPac, as an experienced Douyin and TikTok marketing agency, can definitely help you on planning out a tailored short video content with promising ad performance driven.

Many brands also tactically combine KOL marketing with video marketing on different social media channels with proven campaign performance in the last few years. They look for KOLs who are not only well-known in the community, but also align well with their brand image to create endorsement content. McDonald's, for example, recently partnered with Mirror's member Keung To, to launch a social media campaign to promote its top selling product, Big Mac. The utilization of interactive video filter and the powerful fanbase of Keung To as the endorser have helped McDonald’s generate a huge amount of brand attention and buzz effect.

3. How to Create an Outstanding Hong Kong Digital Marketing Campaign in 2022

Watch out! A successful digital marketing campaign is more than just choosing the right advertising channels for your brand! In this section, we'll provide you with some pointers to help your business succeed in Hong Kong market.

3.1 Localized Copywriting in Cantonese, Traditional Chinese and English

Cantonese, English, and Mandarin are the official languages of Hong Kong, with Cantonese being the major language, and traditional Chinese being the dominant written language. On social media, Hong Kong users frequently communicate in Cantonese expressions and buzzwords, so don't mix it with the Chinese market, where its content is in simplified Chinese - the wordings and culture are vastly different! Without a comprehensive understanding of Hong Kong, it is difficult to design localized content that would pique the interest of Hong Kong users.

So, pay attention to the keywords you choose to use in Hong Kong Digital Marketing campaigns, or ask for help from our outstanding creative talents that can assist you with compelling, localized campaign copy, allowing you to enter Hong Kong digital marketing with little work. AsiaPac has also developed its PPC management tool, OptAdEasy, that provides quick optimization suggestions for your Hong Kong digital marketing campaign and get your brand exposed to Hong Kong customers in a few steps.

3.2 Collaboration with local trendy KOLs

KOL marketing is one of the most used digital marketing strategies in Hong Kong. Understanding which trendy KOLs are currently popular amongst Hong Kong customers, on the other hand, takes time to investigate. It's a waste of money and resources if you choose a wrong KOL that doesn't garner much attention or the target market is unsuitable. Working with an experienced KOL marketing agency maybe the best choice in your 2022 Hong Kong digital marketing plan. AsiaPac has developed KOOLER AI to get you the most relevant KOLs for your marketing campaigns on the platform.

4. Conclusion

Hong Kong, a city with a high penetration of digital devices and a broad consumer base, is a market you should not miss in 2022. Search engine marketing and video marketing will be the crucial Hong Kong digital marketing strategies in 2022. In addition, when integrated with KOL marketing, you could maximize your company's revenue in the Hong Kong e-commerce era, considering the mature online shopping habit of Hong Kong people. If you're already excited about expanding your business in Hong Kong but don't know where to begin, why not arrange a free consultation with AsiaPac's experienced team of digital marketing specialists in Asia to develop the perfect digital marketing solution for you?

About AsiaPac Net Media

With an extensive digital marketing experience of serving more than 2,500 clients across the region in sectors such as education, travel and hospitality, finance, Government and others, AsiaPac’s expert team is highly recognized for the excellence in providing performance-driven services to customers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the PRC, and global corporates targeting Asia markets. So far, our company has covered services for more than 20 educational institutions across the regions, including promoting MBA programs of the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities in Hong Kong, boosting conversions for overseas education agents, and bridging international markets to Asia, especially China. If you’d like to learn more about AsiaPac and the work we’ve done, visit our Work page. For more information on AsiaPac and our services, please contact us at info@asiapac.com.hk.