How to Do Account-Based Marketing in China

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5 minutes

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a proven B2B strategy worldwide. It aligns marketing and sales to target high-value accounts with personalized campaigns. In Western markets, it works well thanks to mature data ecosystems, digital buying journeys, and permissive privacy laws.  

But in China, ABM doesn’t work the same way. If your brand is looking to generate quality B2B leads in China, you need a localized strategy built for China’s rules, platforms, and buyer behaviors.

• Western ABM uses aggregated data across LinkedIn, CRM tools, and third-party providers.
• In China, platforms like WeChat, Baidu, and Alibaba are closed ecosystems. No API access, no cross-platform tracking.
• There’s no reliable way to build a full customer profile across touchpoints.

• In the West, most B2B journeys happen online.
• In China, 70% of key B2B decisions still involve offline touchpoints—trade shows, events, face-to-face meetings.
• ABM’s digital-only approach leaves gaps in coverage.

• China’s data laws don’t allow “legitimate interest” for data collection.
• All data usage needs explicit consent and security assessments.
• ABM campaigns that rely on multi-source data collection face high compliance risks.

• Western clients expect long-term nurturing.
• Chinese decision-makers want fast, relevant communication.
• ABM’s long cycles often miss the moment of interest.

• Media platforms already collect behavior data from users in specific industries.
• No need to combine or transfer data across platforms.
• You get precise targeting based on years of focused content and event engagement.

• These platforms run digital content hubs and offline events.
• Your brand appears in newsletters, webinars, trade fairs, and white papers.
• It builds trust through consistent presence across the buying journey.

• Trusted media platforms follow China’s data protection laws.
• You don’t handle data directly.
• You use platforms that are already authorized to engage users under strict regulations.
  
  

• Media buying matches the fast-paced B2B cycle in China.
• Reach decision-makers while they’re actively researching or attending events.
• Skip the long ABM workflows and engage real prospects at the right moment.