International Marketing News: LinkedIn Launches Chinese Job App

From LinkedIn's new app servicing jobseekers in China, to Canada's accelerated adoption of digital audio. Find out more.

INTERNATINAL MARKETING NEWS: LINKEDIN LAUNCHES CHINESE JOB APP 

This week in our International Marketing News: LinkedIn China launch new In Career app, Canada fast forward on digital audio, the UK & Australia announce a trade agreement and Zhejiang in China suffers its first COVID outbreak of the year.

Chinese Professionals Can Find Jobs on InCareer

LinkedIn announced exactly two months ago that they were starting a new chapter in China, sunsetting the local version of LinkedIn in order to focus on jobs with a new app. With the launch of InCareer, a new employment app aimed to help Chinese mainland professionals find jobs and organisations discover excellent talent in China, LinkedIn took the first step in their new China strategy this week. InCareer is available for download on iOS and Android smartphones and can be found here.

The launch is only the start. LinkedIn will expand on this basis in the next months, using feedback from members and customers to create a world-class experience. InCareer allows Chinese professionals on the Mainland to identify and apply for new employment opportunities, keep connected with their professional network, and be discovered and messaged by recruiters. Our Recruiter product experience will continue to be available to Chinese Mainland-based organisations looking to locate, connect, and employ top people in China and around the world. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions will now be offered to Chinese companies looking to connect with and engage professionals outside of the country.

InCareer can benefit members through:

• InCareer takes the best of LinkedIn's popular employment experience and simplifies the process for members to locate and apply for their next job. Advanced Search allows members to search for jobs by job title, location, company, industry, or seniority level. InCareer will surface fresh and relevant career possibilities based on members' saved searches, jobs they've viewed, and profiles.
• Recruiters may find InCareer members and message them, which means that their dream job can find them. Recruiters from all around the world can use the site to look for jobs in China, see profiles, and message members.
• Stay connected: While InCareer will not have a social feed or the option to share posts or articles, users will be able to update their new look profiles and be discovered and messaged by recruiters, allowing them to find their dream job. Members can also utilise the messaging tool to communicate with their contacts and offer and receive assistance.

InCareer can benefit businesses through:

• Organizations can utilise LinkedIn’s Recruiter product experience to locate and engage with candidates on the Chinese Mainland and throughout the world, including individuals who aren't actively looking for work.
• Recruiter users get up-to-date insights on 800+ million members based on the Chinese Mainland and throughout the world, as well as the ability to use complex search criteria and recommended matches to find talent. To expand their reach, they can use personalised InMail or pre-made templates to communicate with potential applicants.
• Sponsored content and Pages: Chinese brands will be able to use LinkedIn’s advertising solutions, such as sponsored content, to reach professional audiences outside of the Chinese Mainland. LinkedIn Pages will also remain visible to members outside of the Chinese Mainland in order to assist Chinese brands in connecting and engaging with overseas members, growing their businesses, and building global connections.

UK Obtains Trade Agreement With Australia

The United Kingdom has signed a free trade agreement with Australia, which is being billed as the first post-Brexit deal negotiated from scratch rather than a "roll-over" of previous EU agreements.

The importance of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) also includes its potential as a gateway to the Asia Pacific region's growing economies and as a boost to the UK's bid to join the CPTPP trans-Pacific trade partnership – one of the world's largest free trade blocs.

The government estimates that the FTA will increase UK-Australia trade by half (53%), stimulating £10.4 billion in additional trade while eliminating tariffs on all UK exports to Australia. Currently, Australia accounts for 1.7% of UK exports and 0.7% of imports.

In June, the two parties struck an agreement in principle, after which they spent months poring over the legal text. Last night (16 December), international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan signed the final agreement in a virtual ceremony.

The FTA represents a "landmark moment in the historic and essential relationship" between the UK and Australia, according to Trevelyan.
UK service providers (including architects, scientists, researchers, lawyers, and accountants) will be able to work in Australia without being subject to Australia's skilled occupation list. HM Government points out that this is more than Australia has ever offered in a free trade agreement to any other country.

Businesses and professionals from the United Kingdom will have assured access, allowing them to make long-term choices about personnel relocation, competing for and accepting new contracts, and advertising their services in Australia.

Firms from the United Kingdom and Australia will have guaranteed access to each other's government procurement markets.
'Highly experienced and competent' UK citizens with shown ability in sectors like as research and development, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and medical technology will also be eligible for visas.
Young people (aged 18 to 35) can now work and travel in Australia for up to three years at a time, without the need for a visa.

The agreement eliminates duties on UK exports, making it more cost-effective for Australian importers to sell British goods including vehicles, Scotch whisky, and clothing. The government announced that Australian favourites such as Jacob's Creek and Hardys wines, Tim Tams, and surfboards will be more readily available to British consumers.

The FTA establishes clear and transparent regulations to ensure that UK investors are treated fairly, provides greater legal certainty to prevent discrimination, and lowers the risks involved with investment decisions.
Provides UK investors with broader and deeper market access than Australia has ever guaranteed, making it easier to invest across the economy while limiting company activity restrictions and lowering 'investor-unfriendly' performance standards.

Canada's Adoption of Digital Audio Accelerates

In 2021, Canada's time spent listening to digital audio surpassed that of radio for the first time.

The chasm will grow wider in the future. In 2022, time spent with digital audio will be 8 minutes longer than time spent with radio, at 1 hour, 33 minutes per day on average. The change is related to less commuting, which has had a direct impact on terrestrial radio consumption.

By 2022, the number of digital audio listeners will have surpassed 25 million. Users who listen to music, digital audio, or podcasts fall into this category. The number of podcast listeners has increased by double digits in recent years as podcast networks expanded, providing nearly limitless options for even the most niche topics. In 2022, an additional 900,000 listeners will join the ranks, and podcast listeners will account for more than one-third of all internet users for the first time.

To cater to this new demographic, the advertising market is developing. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada's (IAB Canada) recent market research, digital audio ad spending will reach C$96 million ($71.6 million) in 2020. According to IAB Canada, that's only 1% of overall digital ad spending in the country, which is a mismatch given how much time consumers spend with audio forms.
 
In 2022, Spotify's recent expansion initiatives will assist advertisers in reaching its expanding audience of 10.7 million Canadian listeners. In September 2021, the firm announced more hiring in Canada to expand its ad sales force. In June, it added Canada to its Audience Network, which is a marketplace for both on- and off-Spotify ad inventory (as well as Australia and the UK).
 
Prediction
In 2022, digital audio advertising will take a giant leap ahead. Spotify's 'streaming radio firms', and 'podcast network' initiatives will continue to grow advertising inventory and improve measuring tools for reliable return on ad spending (ROAS).

Chinese Province Of Zhejiang Dealing With First COVID-19 Outbreak This Year

This year, the Chinese province of Zhejiang is dealing with its first COVID-19 outbreak. Since the first case was reported on December 6, the area has recorded 217 locally transmitted cases with verified symptoms.
 
Ningbo, Shaoxing, and Hangzhou are among the cities affected. According to Reuters, these municipalities would account for more than half of the province's $1.02 trillion (6.46 trillion yuan) economic production in 2020.
 
More than 50,000 people have been quarantined in authorised facilities in Zhejiang, and medical professionals are monitoring the health of nearly half a million people. Moreover, many businesses have halted operations. More than a dozen Chinese-listed firms have temporarily suspended manufacturing in Zhejiang owing to COVID-19 regulations, according to the Business of Fashion.
 
In the meantime, sporting activities and travel excursions have been cancelled, as have domestic flights between Ningbo Lishe International Airport and Shenzhen and Beijing.

Given that Zhejiang accounts for over 6% of China's GDP, any delay or suspension of operations might be detrimental to the province's economy. Furthermore, now that manufacturing output in the region is decreasing, the existing global supply chain turmoil should worsen.
 
Businesses in the West will suffer due to goods shortages and delays as China deals with the new COVID-19 epidemic. As a result, Western consumers will have to wait longer for items from other countries. With clothes manufacturers and textile dye firms closing, the textile and apparel industry is likely to be hurt the worst. Luxury, like all other industries, will be affected.
 
Because of the COVID-19-related restrictions, those customers may choose to postpone their holiday shopping until physical stores are fully open and the COVID-19-related restrictions have been eliminated.

That wraps up this International Newsletter from this week! If you would like Andrea and the team to support your brand's international success, then get in touch!