When reaching out to a Chinese audience online, it’s likely you will need some development work.
From websites to apps, developing for a Chinese audience can help you reach this growing market for UK exports.
At ExtraDigital, we have been developing websites and online applications for multilingual projects including Chinese for over eight years. These projects include Chinese virtual learning platforms, micro-sites for tourism and online tools for Alcoa.
Chinese Web Development
When developing for the Chinese market, you need to be aware of some key considerations including:
- Web Design
- Technology
- Cultural Differences
Design and Appearance
Successful Chinese online development needs to consider design and appearance. All development work must have a design that’s planned to be more than pretty; it needs to work for a Chinese audience.
Elements include:
- The type of website designs suitable for the Chinese marketplace
- The careful consideration of calls to actions to ensure they are appropriate
- Examples of imagery used must also be appropriate for the Chinese culture – for instance, did you know that black and white images are associated with funerals and death and so best avoided?
Technical Ability
How websites and applications are used in China differs from how they are used by Western audiences. Knowing this is key so that technical adjustments can be made to the site from the code up.
Elements include:
- The heavy use of mobiles by people in China means all development must be approached with a mobile-first view.
- Restrictions on the types of fonts that can be used on a Chinese website due to incompatibility with many Chinese characters.
- Slow internet connectivity in China means that websites need to be fast. Any elements that slow a site’s speed should be removed or optimised.
Strict Cultural Expectations
China has a strict censorship law, and all Chinese website developments and online tools must keep within these laws.
On top of this, no company is legally allowed to operate a website in China without a Chinese business license. Gaining this license and keeping it requires your site to be built with certain legal statements and disclaimers presented to protect your company and your business activity in China.
ExtraDigital can ensure that these legal statements and disclaimers are correct and in the most effective place on your website so that you can continue to operate in China.
Our Chinese Website Development Service
Here at ExtraDigital, we can guide you through the development process and develop a fantastic Chinese website or application.
To find out more contact us today on 01227 68 68 98 or tell us more about your business below.
