Who’s winning China’s luxury social media race?

As Q4 progresses, examining the trends of the year’s first three quarters provides insights into how luxury brands are navigating digital in China. Dynamic trends in follower growth and content strategies have emerged. Data provided by Jing Daily’s data partner Re-Hub shows how brands are adjusting to maintain relevance as macro conditions deteriorate. Notable growth in follower counts, combined with shifts in content volume, underscores a varied approach to engaging Chinese consumers on social platforms. Strong follower growth Golden Goose emerged as a top performer in follower growth, achieving a remarkable 74% increase from Q1 to Q3, bringing its total follower count to 0.27 million. This growth rate, although starting from a smaller base, reflects the appeal of Golden Goose’s niche positioning and targeted digital campaigns. Similarly, Ralph Lauren saw a 35% increase, reaching 1.24 million followers. The strong upward trend continued with brands like Glashütte Original and Karl Lagerfeld, each recording a 32% growth, followed closely by Songmont, which saw a 24% increase. Established brands Tory Burch and Balenciaga, despite lower growth rates of 20% and 19% respectively, retained significant follower volumes, with Tory Burch holding 2.02 million followers and Balenciaga 1.86 million. This contrast illustrates the challenge that mature brands face: maintaining steady growth while retaining a large, engaged base. Approaches to content volume Golden Goose emerged as a top performer in follower growth, achieving a remarkable 74% increase from Q1 to Q3, taking its total follower count to 270,000. This expansion, although starting from a smaller base, reflects the appeal of Golden Goose’s niche positioning and targeted digital campaigns. Similarly, Ralph Lauren saw a 35% increase, reaching 1.24 million followers. The strong upward trend continued with brands like Glashütte Original and Karl Lagerfeld, each achieving 32% growth, followed closely by Songmont, which saw a 24% increase. Established brands Tory Burch and Balenciaga, despite lower growth rates of 20% and 19%, respectively, retained significant follower volumes, with the former boasting 2.02 million followers and the latter 1.86 million. This contrast illustrates the challenge that mature brands face: maintaining steady growth while retaining a large, engaged base. Key takeaways The analysis of content volume from Q1 to Q3 provides insights into the shifting strategies luxury brands are employing. Versace led in post volume, peaking at 25.2 million posts in Q2, up 195.7% before pulling back in Q3 with a 17% decrease. Cartier also experienced notable growth, with content volume rising 502.1% in Q3, reflecting a surge in engagement efforts. Maison Margiela ramped up posts 2,375.6% quarter-over-quarter in Q3, stabilizing at 9.8 million posts by Q3, while Maison Kitsuné and Chopard dialed back their posts in Q3, with Chopard decreasing output by 42.9% and Maison Kitsuné by 8.3%. These fluctuations suggest a mixed approach to content volume. Some, like Versace and Cartier, appear to have leveraged high-frequency posting to maximize visibility and engagement, while others may be recalibrating their approach, focusing on the quality of engagement rather than sheer volume.

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Who’s winning China’s luxury social media race?