The right China digital marketing agency is the one whose scope matches the work you need done. A brand launch, a Baidu lead-generation campaign and a PR agency’s local publishing brief are different assignments. Compare deliverables and responsibilities before comparing a headline monthly fee.
For an international company, the decision is who can translate business requirements into dependable local execution. For an overseas agency, it is also whether the partner can work within your approvals, reporting and client relationship.
Define the assignment before asking for a proposal
Write down the buyer, product, geographic scope and desired response. Then separate work that is already complete from work the local team must provide. If your global team supplies creative and strategy, say so. If China-specific positioning and content are missing, make that visible.
A useful proposal should explain why a channel belongs in the plan and what must be ready before launch. A China SEM agency should be able to describe the search intent and destination. A PR execution partner should explain content preparation, media selection and publication evidence.
| Your need | What to request | Relevant PPCOps starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Search enquiries | Keyword, page and campaign scope | Baidu ads / L1 or L2 |
| China brand communication | Chinese content and media deliverables | PR and media execution |
| Consumer discovery | Content, creator and paid-media roles | REDnote / Douyin / WeChat |
| China B2B development | Initial demand evidence and lead review | B2B marketing with optional L3–L5 |
| Agency delivery support | Approval, communication and reporting matrix | Agency partner execution |
Ask for a clear responsibility matrix
Account access, media payments, Chinese copy, technical approvals, creative rights, response handling and reporting each need an owner. This prevents a campaign from stalling because both teams assumed the other would answer enquiries or approve copy.
For white-label work, agree who speaks to the end client, whose templates are used and how changes are approved. A partner can support your delivery without taking over your client relationship.
Compare itemised fees, not incompatible packages
PPCOps Standard advertising execution is USD 800 per platform per month; Professional operations is USD 1,500 per platform per month and replaces Standard. Advertising media funding is additional. Standalone account-opening support starts at USD 300 and may be waived in a managed package.
PR and media publishing starts at USD 500 per project. KOC seeding starts at USD 800 for 10 posts. Integrated China execution starts at USD 3,800 per month, with the actual combination and third-party costs defined in the proposal. These are PPCOps offers, not market-wide price benchmarks.
A small defined project can be the right first purchase. Request a separate quote for production, creators, publishers, local pages, ongoing account work or commercial follow-up that falls outside the selected service.
Use experience as context, then ask how the work runs
PPCOps brings 18 years of advertising-industry experience and 8 years of global trade experience. For a buyer, the useful question is how that background affects the present assignment: interpreting the product, preparing Chinese messaging, checking enquiry relevance and coordinating the next step.
Discuss relevant experience, a sample reporting structure and the people responsible for delivery. A brand list is useful context, but it does not by itself establish that a particular campaign format or commercial result will be repeated.
Understand the optional B2B path
L1 is Standard advertising execution. L2 is Professional operations, using industry information and enquiry-quality feedback supplied by the brand or through separately selected L3. L3 is human telephone confirmation of lead quality only.
L4 local sales representation and business follow-up, and L5 distributor, agent and channel-development support are separate scopes after the initial L1–L3 work. They are not automatic components of a PR project or a basic ad retainer. The starting assignment remains the service you actually need.
Evaluate reporting by the decisions it enables
A report should show what was delivered, what was spent, what changed and what the client must decide. For lead-generation work, distinguish raw forms from relevant enquiries and business progress. For media or creators, distinguish publication evidence and meaningful audience response from sales attribution.
Before appointment, ask how forms, contact clicks and confirmed enquiries are separated. The team should be able to explain missing attribution without assigning every enquiry to the campaign with the nearest date.
A short agency-selection checklist
Use the same brief for each agency. Compare the answers line by line, and retain the proposal version approved for launch. This makes pricing, change requests and reporting easier to reconcile.
- Does each channel have a commercial reason?
- Are deliverables, media and third-party fees separated?
- Are account permissions and asset rights documented?
- Who reviews Chinese claims and answers enquiries?
- How are quality feedback and project changes recorded?
- What work and budget must be approved before the next phase?
Frequently asked questions
Should we choose a China SEM agency or a full-service marketing agency?
Choose the scope first. A search-led requirement may need focused SEM execution; PR, social content or creators can be separate additions when they serve the same objective.
Can an overseas PR agency outsource only local execution?
Yes, the brief can define local content, publishing, media buying or campaign work while your agency retains strategy and the client relationship.
Do we need all five B2B service levels?
No. The selected starting service comes first. Later support depends on the initial work, evidence, agreed scope and operational capacity.
What should we send for a quote?
Your website, offer, audience, target market, timing, budget range, available assets and the responsibilities you want to retain.
Send your China marketing brief
Share your website, offer, target audience, timing and budget range. Start with the service you need; additional work is agreed separately.
View the service and enquiry options → Contact PPCOps