<p>Local governments in China have been promoting smart services as the country continues its digital transformation. However, there are differences in how digital development occurs across cities. It is essential to take the best practices and apply them in cities where lower digital levels impose restrictions. This paper examines the digital governance of Shenzhen, one of China’s first-tier cities, as a case study and analyzes its strategies. We demonstrate how the practices of Shenzhen, including government services, scientific decision-making, precise support, industrial transformation, urban perception and grid-style governance, can contribute to a new mode of governance. Furthermore, we use Zhenjiang, a city with a lower level of digital governance, as our example learner to show how these practices can be spread. Our study incorporates Shenzhen’s experience and proposes a “3 + 6” top-level design model for Zhenjiang, which consists of the strategic directions of “digital government, digital economy and digital society” and intelligent scenarios about “smart government affairs, smart decision-making, smart business environment, smart industrial parks, smart urban perception and smart gridded communities.” By identifying representatives, evaluating followers and replicating methods, we offer solutions for local digital governance, and add to the discussion of their applicability in Chinese cities and beyond.</p>