Chinese Companies Scale the Great Firewall to Build Brands on Facebook, Twitter

As Chinese companies reach out to consumers abroad, more are trying their hand at Facebook and Twitter, both blocked by the Great Firewall. The ban is intended to keep the masses off foreign social networks it can't control, but it's clear skies for businesses using Facebook.

When Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg visited China in September 2013, she posed for a photo with the head of the government's State Council Information Office. Their meeting reflected a practical reality: Chinese companies want to use Facebook to build their brands abroad, and Facebook wants their ad revenue. Facebook said it is working with reseller Pzoom -- China's largest search-engine-marketing company -- to help Chinese companies buy ads on Facebook, which will be seen outside the mainland. Many Chinese companies want to break in but just don't know how, said Kevin Ti, digital strategy manager for H-Line Ogilvy in Beijing. "The biggest obstacle is that they don't have access to these platforms, so they have limited knowledge in terms of how to communicate with followers, not to mention the inherent cultural difference," he said.