Pay for Facebook Ads from China: A Guide for Foreigners

Facebook is one of the most popular and powerful social media platforms in the world, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users. Facebook ads can help you reach your target audience, increase your brand awareness, generate leads, and drive conversions.
However, if you are a foreigner located in China, you may face some challenges when trying to pay for Facebook ads, as Facebook is blocked by the Great Firewall of China.

These are the payment methods supported in China:

In this blog post, I will not explain how to overcome this Great Firewall obstacle and will jump right into how to pay for Facebook ads from China using three possible methods: Debit/Credit Cards, Alipay, and local partner.

Method 1: Debit/Credit Cards

Facebook Ads only accept payments via MasterCard or Visa branded cards for both debit and credit.
The majority of Chinese banks appear to provide either UnionPay Debit cards or credit cards that support both Visa/Mastercard and UnionPay.
Nevertheless, obtaining a Chinese credit card can be somewhat challenging for foreigners (depending on the bank, location and nationality).
Another possibility is that if you have a bank account back home linked to a MasterCard or Visa debit/credit card then you may use it for payment but you need to factor in transactions fees.

Method 2: Alipay

Another option is to use Alipay to pay for Facebook Ads.
However, there are some disadvantages and limitations associated with this method, such as:

• The payment via Alipay is only allowed for accounts linked to China Mainland ID cards. Below is the error message you would get when you try to use Alipay not linked to a Chinese ID card:
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• You will have to rely on a Chinese friend to execute the payment for you by sharing the payment QR code to him/her.

Therefore, if you decide to use a this method, you should do your due diligence and choose a trustworthy Chinese friend.

Method 3: Local partner

The third and final option is to use a local partner or agency that has access to Facebook and can run your ads for you.
For example, you can use Nanjing Marketing Group, a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping foreign businesses reach Chinese consumers.
They can create, manage, and optimize your Facebook ads from their office in Nanjing, and you can pay them with your credit card, bank transfer, or PayPal.
However, there are some drawbacks and challenges associated with this method, such as:

• You will have to pay extra costs and expenses to the local partner, which may affect your budget and cash flow.
• You will have to sign a long-term contract and commitment with the local partner, which may limit your flexibility and scalability.
• You will have to communicate and coordinate with the local partner, which may involve language and cultural barriers, time zone differences, and misunderstandings.

Therefore, if you decide to use a local partner, you should do your homework and choose a qualified and experienced partner that has a proven track record, relevant expertise, and a deep understanding of your industry and audience.
You should also establish clear and frequent communication and feedback channels and set realistic and measurable goals and expectations.

Conclusion

Paying for Facebook ads from China can be a daunting and complicated task, but it is not impossible.
By using one of the three methods described above, you can overcome the obstacle and leverage the power of Facebook ads to grow your business and reach your potential customers.
However, each method has its own pros and cons, and you should weigh them carefully and choose the one that suits your needs and preferences best.
Alternatively, you can also consider using other platforms and channels that are more accessible and popular in China, such as WeChat, Weibo, Baidu, or Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok).
Whatever you decide, I hope this blog post has been helpful and informative for you.
Thank you for reading and good luck with your Facebook ads! 😊