6 Chinese Streaming Platforms to Amplify Your Business

chinese streaming platforms

The video hosting aspect of most Chinese streaming platforms means that your brand can reach millions of internet users in China and around the world. Short videos are an excellent way to capture the attention of online consumers for foreign brands in China using unique and dynamic ways.

China Gravy covers the video hosting aspects of Chinese streaming platforms and what it means for digital marketing success for foreign brands interested in updating their online presence in the largest market worldwide.

The Asset of Video Hosting on Chinese Streaming Platforms

Online videos are such regular occurrences in our everyday lives that it is often hard to remember that it was only 16 years ago, in 2005, that YouTube uploaded its first-ever video. Since then, viral videos and the integration of digital video content onto major online and mobile platforms have remained a constant trend.

By December 2020, the world of online video content in China had amassed a market size of approximately 927 million users and is on track to generate 100 billion RBM (15.6 billion USD) by 2022. 

As more online video platforms emerge, the market has split into two respective markets: live streaming platforms and short-form videos.

So, what does that mean for your business?

Benefits of Streaming Platforms in China for Your Business

So just how does video hosting on Chinese streaming platforms benefit online businesses?

1. Enhanced interaction and relationship builder

For one, potential consumers and businesses can use the platforms as an enhanced interaction and relationship builder, in which consumers can learn more about unique ecommerce goods and the features that make them competitive to other similar items. 

Companies may use these platforms to address questions or concerns, offer relevant information, and offer special deals to those that engage with active content during ecommerce live streaming or hosted short video clips, generating more leads.

2. PGC & UGC to address actual needs

Second, as users flock to the platforms for the popular video programs, referred to as Professional Generated Content (PGC), they also come across User Generated Content (UGC) by foreign brands that they might not have encountered before. 

This “digital shopping” experience within the live streaming platforms’ environment means that consumers are coming to businesses rather than the traditional outreach companies usually need to perform with traditional advertisements.

3. Word-of-mouth marketing through shareable content

More importantly, the social aspect that comes with video hosting capabilities on Chinese streaming platforms can benefit businesses greatly. Unlike when a customer buys a product in a physical store, online users are more likely to share content and products they are interested in or have purchased themselves on other social media platforms. 

For online businesses, word-of-mouth can be an effective way to achieve lead generation goals and funnel them into productive Call to Actions (CTAs) or build up a reputation for being experts in their respective industries.

Streaming Platforms in China

The Chinese streaming platforms are not all the same and digital marketers might mistake all live video platforms to be the same. While YouTube boasts over 2 billion logged-in users monthly, it is blocked in China and has given rise to a surge in new and popular Chinese video platform alternatives.

Yet, simply picking one platform over another for the Chinese market simply because of the user base may not give your particular brand an edge over the competition. 

For Western businesses, there are two options when it comes to using video content for digital marketing. The first is to host directly on your own website. However, video and website settings must be optimized for speed, not to mention the need to still find effective marketing techniques that bring viewers to your website to engage with your content. 

The other option is to host your videos on Chinese streaming platforms, which already have a large user base, and compete with other video content on the same platforms. But a thing to consider is the amount of ads that may be displayed on video streaming sites, which may be even more lengthy as those found on Western video platforms. 

Discover some of the top streaming platforms options to host videos from your company in 2021 and how they can help you reach the right audience for your brand.

1. Tencent Video

Did you know that Tencent Video is one of the largest online video platforms in China with a daily user base of 120.7 million? Both the internet and mobile versions rank the highest among competing Chinese streaming platforms and have landed them the opportunity to produce their own content as well as co-produce popular international content with the likes of BBC.

For digital marketers, Tencent Video not only provides a large audience on their platform to engage through video hosting in special areas such as games, sports, and music but also acts as an ecommerce platform important for lead generation and sales.

2. iQiyi

Digital marketers know the huge success of Baidu, the largest search engine in the Chinese market, and its video streaming platform is another distinct tool useful for digital marketing. 

With 174 million monthly unique visitors, iQiyi is second among Chinese streaming platforms, generating a short partnership in 2016 with Netflix and also leading to the nickname “Netflix of China”. Sports, news, and games are the highlighted content found on iQiyi beyond film and television.

3. Youku

Given Youku’s 144 million unique visitors, it is no surprise it landed the streaming rights for the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Since being acquired by Alibaba, China’s most important ecommerce platform, Youku has been dubbed the “Youtube of China”. 

More accurately, Youku is an internet television company that offers foreign brands the chance to shine in UGC with a mass-marketing approach.

4. BiliBili

BiliBili is the newcomer among Chinese streaming platforms, and in actuality is closer to a short-video platform. One of the unique aspects of the platform is that it is heavily dominated by UGC. 

In fact, BiliBili is hailed as the closest of all the top video platforms to YouTube even though it is one of the newest on the scene, stealing the title from Youku. It currently has 170 million monthly active users which enjoy its crossover as a mobile gaming platform as well as the live comment feature that allows viewers to see user comments appear during the video. 

Other growing areas of content are focused on food and travel as well as collaborations with content creators for younger audiences. B2B marketing often prefers the platform over others for the potential it offers for advertising and its large-scale popularity among Chinese consumers.

5. Other Platforms: Kuaishou and Douyin

In terms of short-video platforms, Kuaishou and Douyin are also extremely effective digital marketing tools for foreign companies. The success of both has demonstrated the increasing trend of young consumers relying heavily on social platforms to engage with all types of brands and influencers. 

Kuaishou jumped up in usage and had obtained more than 820 million monthly active users. One of the biggest advantages for digital businesses is the platform’s reach into smaller towns and lower-tier cities, which opens up a new range of potential audience outreach.

Douyin/TikTok, is no stranger to Western businesses and online users, averaging more than 400 million monthly users globally and 300 million in China alone. Find out more about the craze of Douyin and how to best market to its unique audience in this article.

While Kuaishou and Douyin center on short videos, their impact, and potential alongside Chinese streaming platforms should not be discounted.

Chinese Streaming Platforms – The Takeaway

Western businesses have many options when it comes to selecting the right Chinese streaming platform or short-video platform. However, setting up your platforms and understanding how to target specific audiences within the platforms might seem daunting. This is where China Gravy comes in!

China Gravy is a digital marketing agency that can help you showcase your brand to the right audience using Chinese streaming platforms as an effective marketing tool for a Chinese audience. Let us help you narrow down your selection of optimal platforms or get set up on the short-video platforms of Kuaishou and Douyin, providing you with more B2C cost-efficient solutions over search engine marketing. 

Contact our digital marketing professionals to learn more about the various platforms and, after thorough consultation over your business goals, discover tailor-made strategies to achieve success in China and its extensive global communities.

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