For many Western brands venturing into China’s vibrant digital landscape, the experience can be perplexing. Despite significant investment in self-media platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, the results often fall short of expectations: dismal readership, minimal likes, and scarce shares. This leads to a common, frustrating question: “Does persisting even make sense?” The conventional wisdom of “just keep going” often rings hollow when the underlying…