What are the most popular Chinese social media?
6 most popular social media platforms in China, including WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, Bilibili, Little Red Book and Zhihu, and explain their unique features and benefits for businesses.
Zoe
8/3/20248 min read
Due to the Great Firewall, Chinese audiences cannot access popular international social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Instead, China has developed its own social media ecosystem with platforms that may appear similar to their international counterparts but function differently and cater to a unique audience.
This makes it challenging for international businesses to market effectively in China.
In this article, I will introduce the six most popular social media platforms in China, including WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, Bilibili, Little Red Book, and Zhihu, and explain their unique features and benefits for businesses.
The Unique Chinese Social Media Ecosystem
China's social media landscape is vastly different from that of the rest of the world, primarily due to the Great Firewall, which restricts access to many international platforms.
Instead, Chinese social media users engage with a diverse set of homegrown platforms that cater specifically to their needs and preferences.
These platforms not only offer similar functionalities to their international counterparts but also incorporate unique features that resonate with Chinese culture and consumer behavior.
Understanding this unique ecosystem is crucial for international businesses aiming to penetrate the Chinese market.
The differences in platform functionalities, user behaviors, and regulatory environments require a tailored approach to social media marketing in China. The challenge lies in navigating these complexities and effectively leveraging the strengths of each platform to reach the desired Chinese audience.
Top 6 Chinese Social Media Platforms
China's social media landscape is dominated by several key platforms, each offering unique opportunities for businesses to engage with Chinese consumers. Here are the top six Chinese social media platforms you need to know about:
1. WeChat: A versatile platform that functions as a messaging app, social network, and payment service.
2. Douyin: Known internationally as TikTok, it is a short-video-sharing platform with strong entertainment attributes.
3. Weibo: A microblogging platform similar to Twitter, popular among celebrities and for public relations.
4. Bilibili: A video-sharing platform focused on longer videos, appealing to younger audiences.
5. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): A lifestyle and shopping recommendation platform popular for KOL marketing.
6. Zhihu: A question-and-answer platform similar to Quora, known for its well-educated user base.
TOP 1 Chinese Social Media: WeChat
What is WeChat?
WeChat is China's most popular social media platform, with over 1.3 billion monthly active users. Initially launched as an instant messaging app, it has now evolved into a complete ecosystem. Chinese users can do everything from messaging friends and family, paying bills, shopping online, watching videos, buying flight tickets, and much more, all within WeChat.
How Can Businesses Leverage WeChat?
For businesses, WeChat provides three primary ways to enter the Chinese market:
- WeChat Official Accounts: Essential for international brands to showcase products and services and post blog content. WeChat Official Accounts serve as a company's official website on mobile devices.
- WeChat Enterprise Accounts (Wecom): Designed for internal communication and collaboration within companies.
- WeChat Mini Programs: Mini-apps within WeChat that offer additional functionalities and services, enhancing user engagement.
However, WeChat is a closed ecosystem, meaning users will only receive your post notifications if they actively search for and follow your account. This makes WeChat an excellent customer relationship management platform for engaging with existing customers.
In my upcoming posts, I will provide more details about these WeChat marketplaces. So stay tuned and subscribe to my blog to learn more about how to leverage WeChat for your business in China.
TOP 2 Chinese Social Media: Douyin
What is Douyin?
Douyin, also known as TikTok outside China, is a short-video-sharing platform with over 800 million monthly active users (as of 2024 Aug). It offers a wide range of short videos, live streaming, and interactive features to engage users. Douyin attracts users from various generations, but it is particularly popular among those looking for entertainment, making it a great platform for time-killing activities.
How Can Businesses Leverage Douyin?
For businesses, Douyin is an excellent platform to create short, engaging videos to attract audiences.
One simple strategy for B2C brands is to start by identifying their target audience and pain points. From there, you can create videos that showcase how your products or services can solve those problems.
Additionally, keeping up with trending topics can help businesses stay relevant and increase their visibility on the platform.
TOP 3 Chinese Social Media: Weibo
What is Weibo?
Weibo is a microblogging platform similar to Twitter, with over 500 million monthly active users.
The platform is popular among Chinese celebrities and entertainment industry professionals, with over 50% of Weibo's monthly activity coming from celebrity fans.
However, the platform's development is limited, and new user groups are few.
How Can Businesses Leverage Weibo?
Weibo is an excellent platform for businesses to create buzz and generate big news, especially in the entertainment industry.
Unlike WeChat, Weibo is more open and has a stronger news attribute, making it an ideal choice for public relations efforts.
Its hashtag function allows businesses to easily monitor and participate in relevant conversations, making it an effective tool for reputation management.
TOP 4 Chinese Social Media: Little Red Book
What is Little Red Book?
Xiaohongshu, also known as Little Red Book, is a lifestyle and shopping recommendation platform with a monthly active user base of over 300 million.
Xiaohongshu's users are primarily located in major Chinese cities such as Guangdong, Shanghai, and Beijing, as well as overseas.
Xiaohongshu's user base is relatively high-end, and some users have an international background, making it an ideal platform for international consumer brands looking to tap into the Chinese market.
How Can Businesses Leverage Little Red Book?
For businesses, Little Red Book is an essential platform for any consumer product as it serves as a commercial decision-making social media platform.
Chinese consumers often turn to Xiaohongshu to read user reviews before purchasing a product.
The most effective way to market on Xiaohongshu is through KOL (key opinion leader) marketing, where businesses can partner with influential users to promote their products and increase brand exposure.
Leveraging user-generated content and reviews can also enhance brand credibility and influence purchasing decisions.
TOP 5 Chinese Social Media: Bilibili
What is Bilibili?
Similar to YouTube, Bilibili is a popular video-sharing platform that primarily focuses on longer videos with a duration of over five minutes.
It is known for its diverse content categories, including gaming, animation, and knowledge sharing.
With over 300 million monthly active users, Bilibili strongly appeals to the younger generation, particularly Gen-Z users.
Approximately 80% of Bilibili's user base is under 30 years old, making it a valuable platform for businesses targeting a younger audience.
How Can Businesses Leverage Bilibili?
For businesses, Bilibili provides an opportunity to reach a highly engaged and younger audience through creative and engaging video content.
Brands can leverage Bilibili by creating content that aligns with the interests of their target audience under specific categories, such as animation, gaming, music, travel, and technology.
Additionally, creating educational long-form content can help businesses establish authority and trust with their audience.
Bilibili also offers advertising options, such as banner ads and pre-roll ads, that can help businesses to further promote their products or services to the platform's users.
TOP 6 Chinese Social Media: Zhihu
What is Zhihu?
Like Quora, Zhihu is a question-and-answer platform allowing users to ask and answer various topics.
The platform has over 100 million monthly active users with a well-educated audience.
Zhihu's users are known for their in-depth knowledge and expertise, making it a valuable platform for sharing high-quality content and engaging in meaningful discussions.
How Can Businesses Leverage Zhihu?
Zhihu is a platform where businesses can share their expertise and knowledge with a Chinese audience.
One way to leverage Zhihu is by answering relevant questions related to your industry, which can help establish your brand as a thought leader and build trust with potential customers.
Additionally, content from Zhihu is highly ranked on Baidu, China's leading search engine, making it a valuable tool for improving your company's SEO. Creating comprehensive and insightful answers can drive traffic to your website and enhance your online presence.
Conclusion
Each social media platform in China offers its own set of unique features and benefits for businesses.
Therefore, it is crucial to define your goals in the Chinese market and determine which platform your target audience is most active on to achieve the desired results.
By leveraging the strengths of WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, Bilibili, Little Red Book, and Zhihu, businesses can effectively reach and engage with Chinese consumers.
Navigating the Chinese social media landscape can be challenging, but with the right strategies and understanding, international businesses can successfully tap into this dynamic market.
Whether it's through creating engaging video content on Douyin, leveraging the community-driven aspects of Little Red Book, or sharing expertise on Zhihu, each platform offers unique opportunities for growth and engagement.
If you have any questions or require assistance in navigating the Chinese social media landscape, feel free to book a consultation with me.
I will provide an in-depth analysis tailored to your industry and brand.
FAQs
1. What are the most popular social media platforms in China?
The top six social media platforms in China are WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, Bilibili, Little Red Book, and Zhihu.
2. How can businesses effectively market on WeChat?
Businesses can leverage WeChat by creating WeChat Official Accounts, WeChat Enterprise Accounts (Wecom), and WeChat Mini Programs to showcase products, engage with customers, and enhance user experiences.
3. What makes Douyin different from other social media platforms?
Douyin, known internationally as TikTok, focuses on short, engaging videos and trending topics, making it ideal for brands looking to create entertaining and viral content.
4. How does Bilibili cater to younger audiences?
Bilibili appeals to younger audiences, particularly Gen-Z, through its diverse content categories such as gaming, animation, and educational long-form videos.
5. Why is Little Red Book important for consumer brands?
Little Red Book, or Xiaohongshu, is essential for consumer brands because it serves as a social commerce platform where users rely on reviews and recommendations from key opinion leaders (KOLs) before making purchase decisions.
6. How can businesses use Zhihu for marketing?
Businesses can use Zhihu to share their expertise by answering relevant industry questions, which helps build brand authority and improves SEO rankings on Baidu, China’s leading search engine.
If you need further assistance or have more questions, feel free to reach out to me via email or visit my website. I'm here to help you navigate the Chinese social media landscape and grow your business in this dynamic market.
If you found value in this post, there are more ways I can help you!
- Follow me on Instagram [@chinamarketingzl]for behind-the-scenes insights into my business and Xiaohongshu tips.
- Check out my YouTube channel [HERE] for more free educational content.
- Visit my website at [www.chinamarketingzl.com] to see how we can work together.
- Email me directly for help at [zoe@chinamarketingzl.com]
Subscribe to my newsletter
Enjoy exclusive special value available only to our subscribers.