The Internet: A Missing Link

Despite predictions that its spread would bring Chinese society more in tune with the West, the Internet in China “is growing less like the Internet in the rest of the world, not more like it.” Because Western companies like Google, hoping to foster freedom through information, fail to account for Chinese tastes, such as an affinity for playing online games rather than looking for news by undertaking the tedious task of typing Chinese characters, they risk being shut out of a growing market that already makes up more than one-fifth of internet users worldwide. Moreover, despite the furor over government censorship on the web, the “Internet is still the freest space in Chinese society.” In fact, the heightened connectivity afforded by the Internet has been a boon to many Chinese who trust word-of-mouth sources for consumer reports more than the news or advertising, according to a report by McKinsey. Thus, the burgeoning Chinese internet community is challenging traditional marketing techniques while offering vast opportunities for those willing to cater to its preferences. Companies that have understood these preferences quickest have succeeded. – YaleGlobal