The best China streaming platforms offer significant business opportunities, especially in the ever-evolving digital landscape. In this guide, we explain which live video platforms are optimal for brands in the Chinese market and why they are so effective.
A live stream means watching and listening to someone at the exact moment they are performing an action. There are no edits or cuts; it is that person at that moment behind a screen. Live streaming allows you to watch videos in real-time and share them as you consume them. It also enables you to interact with the person at the same time, fostering a sense of immediacy and connection.
This type of streaming differs from a video call, for example, in that live videos in China are created to reach thousands or even millions of people. Platforms like Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Kuaishou, and Bilibili have millions of daily active users, making them ideal for reaching vast audiences. Brands can leverage these platforms to reach a large number of consumers, generate content, and provide entertainment instantly.
Platforms like Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Kuaishou, and Bilibili have millions of daily active users, making them ideal for reaching vast audiences.
Currently, it is a highly impactful and relevant sales channel. China streaming platforms offer a range of content from hours-long live broadcasts to short, engaging videos. For example, Douyin and Kuaishou are particularly popular for short video content, which brands can use to spread on social media and create viral marketing campaigns.
1. Why are China Streaming Platforms so Popular?
One of the main reasons for the growth of the live video market in China is the continuous increase in demand for China streaming platforms.
Due to the large population, the number of multimedia devices, and widespread internet access, there is a vast variety of content, leading to high consumption and increased traffic of live videos on these platforms.
When did the success of streaming in China begin?
China has a significant background in the world of video games. It is one of the leading countries in consuming this type of audiovisual content, including live videos. The success of streaming in China started gaining momentum thanks to this deep-rooted gaming culture.
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified its consumption even more. This not only made existing users more frequent viewers but also brought new consumers into the world of live videos on China streaming platforms.
The numbers speak for themselves. The gross merchandise value (GMV) of live streaming e-commerce on China streaming platforms is continuously growing. There is an estimation that by 2022, it will surpass 2.8 trillion RMB, which is equivalent to 438 billion dollars.
There is an estimation that by 2022, it will surpass 2.8 trillion RMB, which is equivalent to 438 billion dollars.
American social media leaders don’t want to be left behind in this commercial launch either. Outside of China, Amazon has also launched its live streaming and sales platform; Facebook and Instagram offer streaming on their platforms as well.
What Types of Streaming Content are Most Popular in China?
In China, most internet consumers watch live videos through their mobile phones every day.
Male consumers show a higher demand for gaming content, while female consumers have a greater affinity for live videos related to everyday life.
Short videos created for mobile consumption are particularly popular, reflecting the sector's trend in the streaming video industry in China.
The most popular themes used to create streaming content in the Chinese market are:
- Fashion
- Cosmetics and accessories market
- Entertainment performances such as singing and dancing
Challenges, such as dance or task-based challenges, often go viral and are very popular.
Anyone can be a live streamer in China: from a farmer to an influencer, whether they have 5 followers or millions.
2. How to Sell Products through China Streaming Platforms?
The success of live video platforms is evident from the data – China streaming platforms have revolutionized the way products are sold.
Selling through a live stream can be very effective in China. The methods of selling are varied, including product trials and utilizing influencers who share their experiences, conduct demonstrations, and offer tutorials. Influencers play a crucial role as they have established trust and rapport with their followers, which can significantly drive sales.
Influencers play a crucial role as they have established trust and rapport with their followers, which can significantly drive sales.
Involving and engaging the consumer is crucial. Participating with followers through live Q&A sessions via the chat function is common practice. This interaction makes consumers feel important and involved. Interactive features like polls, giveaways, and exclusive discounts during the live session can also enhance engagement and encourage immediate purchases.
As a result, viewers can immediately purchase the presented item, usually from an embedded link. These links often lead directly to e-commerce platforms like Taobao or JD.com, simplifying the purchasing process for consumers.
These links often lead directly to e-commerce platforms like Taobao or JD.com, simplifying the purchasing process for consumers.
This approach creates a sense of community and a strong bond with brands. Consequently, followers become committed to these brands, their topics, and their favorite influencers. They are “ready to buy” and make purchases without needing to be guided through extensive sales funnels. This makes live streaming a commercial segment with great potential. Moreover, real-time analytics provided by the platforms can help brands understand consumer behavior and preferences, allowing for more targeted marketing strategies in future streams.
3. Advantages of Live Streaming on China Streaming Platforms
China streaming platforms have become a new avenue for brands of all kinds to communicate with the audience in this country. The rapid growth of these platforms has created a dynamic environment where brands can connect with consumers in real-time, enhancing their marketing strategies and driving sales.
When a brand creates a strategy that includes launching live streaming campaigns on China streaming platforms, the first step is to choose the platform that has the features you are looking for, based on your product and target audience. Popular platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and Taobao Live each offer unique features that can cater to different marketing needs.
One of the significant advantages of live videos for your brand is the guarantee of strong engagement. Live streaming is a key element in editorial plans and marketing trends, having proven to offer substantial benefits for brands in recent years. This engagement is driven by real-time interactions, where viewers can ask questions, give feedback, and even influence the content of the stream.
Live streaming is a key element in editorial plans and marketing trends, having proven to offer substantial benefits for brands in recent years.
Additional advantages include:
- Increased Potential Customers: Live streaming on China streaming platforms increases brand exposure, which in turn generates more potential customers. The interactive nature of live streams can convert viewers into customers as they feel more connected and involved with the brand.
- More Followers and Business Visibility: It becomes easier for people to find you on social media, and the live videos you generate are more likely to be shared. Live streams on these platforms often appear at the top of social media feeds, giving them prime visibility.
- Immediate Broadcast and Diffusion: Since the content is broadcasted live, its diffusion is also immediate, giving your target audience the opportunity to watch it right away. This immediacy can create a sense of urgency, encouraging viewers to take immediate action, such as making a purchase.
Another noteworthy advantage of streaming videos on China streaming platforms is their effectiveness in growing your audience and profitability. While many marketing methods require significant investments, live videos can be created with a minimal budget while still achieving great results. This cost-effectiveness makes it accessible for businesses of all sizes to leverage the power of live streaming.
While many marketing methods require significant investments, live videos can be created with a minimal budget while still achieving great results.
Live streaming on China streaming platforms is an effective tool in Chinese digital marketing that can help you interact with your audience, expand your brand by increasing its visibility and communication, and ultimately boost your brand or business’s sales. By integrating live streaming into your marketing strategy, you can create a more engaging and interactive experience for your audience, leading to stronger brand loyalty and higher conversion rates.
4. How to do a Live Stream on China Streaming Platforms?
China streaming platforms have become essential for brands looking to engage with the vast Chinese market. To maximize their impact, brands must follow certain golden rules when utilizing these platforms.
Utilize Brand Branding
Use branding to promote your products on Chinese streaming services. There are different ways to communicate your brand effectively.
Brand integrations, including product placements in scripted series, operate under an advertising model controlled by the platforms. In the United States, brands typically work directly with producers to place products in shows, which is often costly and limits flexibility. In China, brands pay for varying levels of exposure, and their presence in shows is measured in seconds. This approach allows for more budget-friendly and flexible advertising options, enabling brands to adjust their investment based on the desired level of visibility.
In China, brands pay for varying levels of exposure, and their presence in shows is measured in seconds.
Regardless of the content strategy a brand uses to reach the audience in China through national streaming video platforms, the most important thing is to ensure consumer engagement in the most seamless and discreet way possible. This can be achieved by integrating the product naturally into content that viewers find engaging and relevant.
Ensuring consumer engagement is crucial. Brands must focus on creating content that resonates with the audience, blending product placements into the storyline in a way that feels natural and unobtrusive. Authenticity is key – consumers are more likely to respond positively to products that are seamlessly integrated into content they already enjoy, rather than feeling like they are being subjected to a direct advertisement.
Brands must focus on creating content that resonates with the audience, blending product placements into the storyline in a way that feels natural and unobtrusive.
Content is Key on China Streaming Platforms
The golden rule for creating effective ads on China streaming platforms is the type of content. Brands should focus on content marketing, meaning their brand and sales messages should blend naturally into various scripts. This makes the brand presence feel natural and fluid.
Blend with Trends: This strategy creates content aligned with trends that interest your target audience. It is a recommended strategy that many brands already use, both in China and internationally, to increase their impact. Streaming ads and product communication have become crucial.
Increased Impact: The success of China streaming platforms has led hundreds of consumer goods, luxury, and fashion brands to consider it essential to include their products in TV shows and streaming movies to reach the Chinese audience in recent years. This approach not only boosts visibility but also enhances the overall viewer experience by making ads feel less intrusive and more engaging.
Creating Effective Content:
- Story Integration: Integrate your product into compelling storylines that capture the audience’s interest.
- Authenticity: Ensure that the content feels genuine and relevant to avoid appearing forced or out of place.
- Cultural Relevance: Tailor your content to reflect cultural trends and preferences in China, making it more relatable to the audience.
Impactful Ads in Streaming and Product Communication
The rise of streaming platforms in China has significantly influenced marketing strategies, prompting numerous consumer goods, luxury, and fashion brands to integrate their products into TV shows and streaming movies. This approach aims to effectively reach the vast Chinese audience, leveraging the popularity and wide reach of these platforms.
However, this strategy requires careful execution. While product placement can enhance brand visibility, it can also backfire if not done thoughtfully. Ensuring that the product fits naturally within the content and aligns with the overall message and context is crucial. Forced or irrelevant placements can lead to negative perceptions, making the brand seem out of touch or overly commercial.
Chinese consumers, known for their discernment, can be particularly critical of poorly executed product placements. This is especially true in dramatic series, where audiences expect a seamless viewing experience. Chinese dramas, in particular, have gained a reputation for diminishing the quality of their content with intrusive and unnecessary advertisements, which can lead to viewer frustration and a devaluation of the brand.
To avoid these pitfalls, brands should focus on creating meaningful and contextually appropriate integrations that resonate with the audience. This involves understanding the narrative and character dynamics, ensuring that the product placement feels organic and enhances the storytelling rather than detracting from it.
By strategically aligning with popular content and thoughtfully incorporating products, brands can achieve a more positive impact and foster a deeper connection with the Chinese audience.
Selling Your Brand with Bloggers or KOLs in China
Streaming in China plays a crucial role in creating a strategy to sell your brand, especially if you aim to achieve strong consumer engagement.
The use of Chinese influencers or KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) is highly recommended. Involving famous personalities not only boosts visibility but also enhances engagement through tactics like “takeovers,” where a public figure temporarily takes control of the company’s official account.
These methods significantly help in increasing brand awareness and commitment among potential consumers. By leveraging the influence and reach of KOLs, brands can effectively connect with a broader audience, making their marketing strategies more impactful and successful.
5. Do you want to Start Selling your Products in China?
Are you interested in implementing this marketing strategy for your brand in China? Incorporating streaming in China to make your product visible and drive sales is an opportunity you should seize.
If you want to learn more about how to create live videos for your brand in China, contact us.
6.The most Popular Streaming Platforms in China
China’s digital landscape is rich with innovative streaming platforms that offer unique content and features catering to various audiences. Among the most influential are Douyin, Kuaishou, and Bilibili. These platforms not only dominate the streaming scene but also present significant opportunities for brands aiming to engage with Chinese consumers. Here’s a detailed look at each:
China Streaming Platforms Douyin (TikTok)
Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, is a powerhouse in the short-video and live streaming segment. Launched by ByteDance in 2016, Douyin has quickly become an integral part of Chinese digital culture.
With over 600 million daily active users, Douyin offers brands access to a diverse and extensive audience, particularly among younger demographics.
Features and Benefits for Streaming:
- High User Engagement: Douyin’s live streaming feature allows brands to interact with a highly engaged audience in real-time, creating a dynamic and interactive marketing environment.
- Powerful Editing Tools: Brands can create professional-quality live streams using advanced editing tools, making their content visually appealing and engaging.
- Music Integration: The vast library of music and sound effects helps brands make their live streams more entertaining and captivating.
- E-commerce Integration: Douyin’s live streaming is seamlessly integrated with e-commerce, allowing viewers to purchase products directly during the broadcast, thus driving immediate sales.
Impact for Brands:
- Enhanced Visibility and Sales: Brands can significantly boost their visibility and drive sales through engaging and interactive livestreams.
- Viral Marketing Potential: Participating in or creating viral live streaming challenges can increase brand reach and popularity.
China Streaming Platforms Kuaishou
Kuaishou, known globally as Kwai, is a leading short-video and live-streaming platform, particularly popular in China’s smaller cities and rural areas. Founded in 2011, Kuaishou focuses on authentic, user-generated content and live broadcasts.
With over 300 million daily active users, Kuaishou offers brands a broad reach, especially in non-urban areas, giving access to a diverse and untapped market.
Features and Benefits for Streaming:
- Authentic Engagement: Kuaishou’s emphasis on real-life, everyday content resonates well with its audience, making live streams feel genuine and relatable.
- Extensive Live Streaming: The platform hosts millions of live broadcasts daily, providing brands with ample opportunities to reach a large audience in real-time.
- Social Interaction: Features like live comments and virtual gifting enhance interaction between users and brands during live streams, fostering a sense of community.
- E-commerce Integration: Kuaishou’s integration with e-commerce allows viewers to make purchases directly from live streams, simplifying the buying process and increasing conversion rates.
Impact for Brands:
- Real-Time Consumer Connection: Brands can connect with consumers in real-time, providing a personalized and engaging shopping experience.
- Market Penetration: Kuaishou’s reach into smaller cities and rural areas offers brands the opportunity to expand their market presence.
China Streaming Platforms - Bilibili
Bilibili started as a platform dedicated to anime, comics, and games (ACG) but has since expanded to include a wide variety of content, including documentaries, lifestyle videos, and live streaming. Launched in 2009, Bilibili is known for its strong community and interactive features.
With over 200 million monthly active users, Bilibili attracts a younger, tech-savvy audience that is highly engaged and participatory.
Features and Benefits for Streaming:
- Diverse Live Content: Bilibili offers live streaming across various genres, catering to a broad range of interests, from anime and gaming to education and lifestyle.
- Interactive Features: The “bullet comments” feature allows viewers to interact with live content in real-time, enhancing engagement and community interaction.
- Original Live Content: Bilibili invests in original live-streamed events, providing unique and exclusive content that can attract and retain viewers.
- Community Focus: The platform’s strong sense of community and user participation in live content creation make it a highly engaging platform for brands.
