Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, has rapidly become one of the most influential social media platforms in China. With its dynamic short-form videos and robust content creation tools, Douyin offers unique opportunities for brands to engage with a vast and highly engaged audience.
Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, has rapidly become one of the most influential social media platforms in China
In this article, we’ll dive deep into Douyin advertising, exploring what Douyin is, how it works, and how brands can leverage its advertising capabilities to maximize their reach and impact in the Chinese market.
First of all, if you are interested in entering the Chinese market effectively and doing Douyin advertising, do not hesitate to contact Influchina, an influencer marketing agency in China.
1. What is Douyin?
Douyin, launched by ByteDance in September 2016, is a short video platform that allows users to create, share, and discover dynamic content. Although it is the Chinese version of TikTok, both platforms operate independently, with Douyin focused on the Chinese market and TikTok catering to the rest of the world.
Douyin’s success in China has been extraordinary, reaching over 700 million daily active users in 2024. Initially, videos on Douyin were limited to 15 seconds to 1 minute in length, but the platform now allows videos up to 10 minutes long. This extension gives creators more flexibility to produce detailed and extended content, accommodating a broader range of formats, from quick viral clips to more in-depth material. Additionally, Douyin’s advanced algorithm-driven recommendation system, along with integrated e-commerce and live-streaming features, continues to keep users highly engaged and connected.
Douyin's success in China has been extraordinary, reaching over 700 million daily active users in 2024.
Why is Douyin Important for Brands?
Douyin’s massive user base and its influence on Chinese pop culture make it a crucial platform for brands looking to connect with consumers in China. The app’s format encourages creativity and engagement, making it an ideal space for brands to showcase their products in innovative and authentic ways.
Additionally, Douyin’s user demographic is particularly attractive to marketers: the majority of users are between 18 and 35 years old, making it a prime platform for targeting young, tech-savvy consumers.
The app's format encourages creativity and engagement, making it an ideal space for brands to showcase their products in innovative and authentic ways
Douyin Users Demographics and Engagement
Understanding Douyin’s user demographics is essential for brands aiming to optimize their Douyin advertising strategies. As of 2024, Douyin has:
- Over 700 million daily active users: Douyin’s user base is massive, making it one of the largest social media platforms in the world.
- Age Group: 70% of Douyin users are between 18 and 35 years old, with a significant portion of these users being urban professionals and students.
- Gender Distribution: Douyin has a nearly equal gender distribution, with a slight lean towards female users.
- Geographical Reach: while Douyin is primarily popular in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, it is also gaining traction in lower-tier cities and rural areas.
User engagement on Douyin is incredibly high, with users spending an average of 120 minutes per day on the platform. This high level of engagement is driven by Douyin’s addictive algorithm, which ensures that users are constantly exposed to new and interesting content.
User engagement on Douyin is incredibly high, with users spending an average of 120 minutes per day on the platform
For brands, this means that there are ample opportunities to capture user attention through well-crafted Douyin advertising campaigns.
2. Types of Douyin Advertising
Douyin offers a variety of advertising formats that cater to different marketing goals. These formats range from traditional in-feed ads to more innovative options like branded challenges and influencer collaborations.
Below, we explore the main types of Douyin advertising available to marketers.
1. In-Feed Ads (信息流广告)
Douyin advertising is one of the most popular forms of promotion on the platform, with feed ads being a standout option. These ads integrate seamlessly into the flow of content that users browse, allowing brands to engage their audience through Douyin advertising in a non-intrusive manner. Typically, they consist of videos between 5 and 60 seconds long that autoplay with sound, blending effortlessly with the organic content in the feed.
A key feature of Douyin advertising is the ability to include a call-to-action (CTA) button, directing users to various destinations, such as a landing page, an e-commerce store, or even a function within the app, like direct product purchases or participation in a campaign.
Furthermore, thanks to Douyin’s personalization algorithm, Douyin advertising is highly targeted to users’ interests, improving both the relevance and effectiveness of the ads for brands.
Advantages of In-Feed Ads:
- Native Optimized Experience: Feed ads are designed to seamlessly blend with Douyin’s organic content, making them less intrusive and more engaging for users. Their immersive and visual format, along with autoplay and sound, captures users’ attention without disrupting their browsing experience, significantly boosting engagement.
- Advanced Targeting and Personalization Capabilities: Douyin leverages advanced AI and machine learning technologies to offer highly precise targeting capabilities. Brands can reach specific audiences not just by age, gender, and location, but also by more complex data like shopping behaviors, viewing habits, and content preferences. Additionally, Douyin allows ads to be customized based on these profiles, maximizing the relevance and impact of each advertising campaign.
- Real-Time Optimization and Advanced Analytics: Brands have access to real-time performance tracking tools, enabling them to make instant adjustments to their ad campaigns. Moreover, advanced analytics based on interaction and conversion data help businesses gain deeper insights into user behavior, allowing for continuous optimizations to improve return on investment (ROI) throughout the campaign.
- Integration with the E-Commerce Ecosystem: Through native integration with e-commerce platforms in China and features like live streaming and in-app shopping, feed ads can directly drive conversions, shortening the purchase cycle and providing users with a smooth shopping experience.
2. TopView Ads (开屏视频广告)
TopView Ads are premium, full-screen video formats that appear immediately when a user opens the Douyin app. Lasting up to 60 seconds, these ads ensure maximum visibility and are among the most effective ways to capture user attention right from the start.
TopView Ads are premium, full-screen video formats that appear immediately when a user opens the Douyin app.
Their immersive format allows the ads to autoplay with sound, providing a high-impact audiovisual experience. Due to their prominence, TopView ads are ideal for major campaigns or brands looking to make a strong first impression, increase brand awareness, or launch key products. Additionally, this format offers the option to include a call-to-action (CTA), redirecting users to landing pages, e-commerce stores, or specific functions within the app.
Advantages of TopView Ads are:
- High Visibility: TopView ads are the first thing users see when they open Douyin, making them highly impactful.
- Extended Duration: with up to 60 seconds of video playtime, brands have more room to convey their message.
- Maximum Reach: as a premium ad format, TopView ads guarantee high reach, especially during peak usage hours.
3. Brand Takeover Ads (开屏图片广告)
Brand Takeover Ads are exclusive ads that dominate the entire screen when users first open the Douyin app. Unlike TopView Ads, which are video-based, Brand Takeovers can consist of static or dynamic images, providing an instant visual impact right from the user’s first interaction with the app.
Unlike TopView Ads, which are video-based, Brand Takeovers can consist of static or dynamic images, providing an instant visual impact right from the user's first interaction with the app.
This format is ideal for brands looking to quickly and effectively increase brand awareness. By occupying the entire screen, these ads immediately capture the user’s attention and ensure full exposure without distractions.
Advantages of Brand Takeover Ads：
- High Immediate Visibility: Brand Takeover Ads are the first thing users see when they open the app, ensuring immediate attention.
- Powerful Visual Impact: As full-screen ads, they dominate the visual space, creating a strong impact from the very first second.
- Exclusivity: Only one brand can use the format at a time, avoiding direct competition and ensuring the ad takes center stage.
4. Douyin Branded Hashtag Challenges (挑战赛广告)
Branded Hashtag Challenges are one of the most interactive and engaging forms of advertising on Douyin. In this format, brands create a challenge that encourages users to create and share their own content using a specific hashtag. These challenges are typically accompanied by an introductory video or visual campaign that explains how to participate, inviting users to get actively involved.
In this format, brands create a challenge that encourages users to create and share their own content using a specific hashtag.
This format heavily relies on user-generated content (UGC), which not only increases authenticity and strengthens the connection with the audience but also has the potential to spark viral trends, amplifying the brand’s visibility. As more users participate in the challenge, the brand gains greater organic exposure, achieving massive message amplification without relying solely on paid media.
Advantages of branded hashtag challenges:
- High User Engagement: Branded hashtag challenges encourage active participation by inviting users to create and share their own content. This fosters a sense of community and commitment around the brand, increasing both loyalty and interaction.
- Significant Viral Potential: When executed creatively and engagingly, these challenges have a high potential to go viral, reaching millions of users. User-generated content (UGC) spreads quickly, multiplying the brand’s exposure organically and on a large scale.
- Increased Brand Awareness: Hashtag challenges are extremely effective for building brand awareness, allowing brands to introduce new products or campaigns in a fun, interactive, and shareable way. Through UGC, the brand becomes part of users’ everyday conversations.
- Trend Creation: These challenges can set trends within the platform, generating a chain of participation that keeps the brand relevant over an extended period.
5. Douyin Branded Effects (Filters, Stickers, AR Lenses)
Branded Effects (Filters, Stickers, AR Lenses) are an interactive and creative form of advertising on Douyin, where brands can design custom effects such as filters, stickers, or augmented reality (AR) lenses that users can apply to their own videos. These effects allow users to uniquely personalize and enhance their creations, integrating the brand organically into their content.
Brands can design custom effects such as filters, stickers, or augmented reality (AR) lenses that users can apply to their own videos.
This format encourages direct interaction between brands and users, as the customized effects become a fun part of user-generated content (UGC). Additionally, Branded Effects are often tied to larger campaigns, such as hashtag challenges, allowing brands to expand their reach and increase engagement.
Advantages of Branded Effects
- Natural Virality: Visually appealing and fun effects have a high potential to be shared, helping content go viral organically.
- Enhanced Brand Recognition: By integrating effects into users’ videos, brands gain constant visibility and stay top-of-mind in a non-intrusive way.
- Innovation with Augmented Reality (AR): AR lenses provide an immersive experience, positioning the brand as innovative and tech-savvy.
6. Douyin Live Streaming Ads
Livestreaming has become a key feature on Douyin, allowing brands to leverage this format for promotions, product launches, or real-time sales events. Brands can integrate ads during livestreams or host their own livestreams to interact with users in real-time, offering a direct and authentic experience.
Brands can integrate ads during livestreams or host their own livestreams to interact with users in real-time, offering a direct and authentic experience.
Douyin makes it easy to integrate e-commerce into livestreams, enabling brands to sell products directly through the platform. During these events, viewers can purchase products in real-time through purchase links, shortening the purchase cycle and maximizing conversions. This format combines the immediacy of live interaction with the convenience of e-commerce, making livestream ads ideal for brands looking to boost user engagement while also generating instant sales.
Douyin makes it easy to integrate e-commerce into livestreams, enabling brands to sell products directly through the platform.
Advantages of Douyin Livestream Ads
- Instant Conversion: The integration with e-commerce allows users to purchase products in real-time during the livestream, driving immediate sales.
- High Engagement: Livestreams generate a high level of interaction, with users actively participating through comments and questions.
7. Douyin E-Commerce Integration Ads
Douyin has become a powerhouse in e-commerce thanks to its seamless integration with online shopping. Brands can create ads that link directly to products, allowing users to make purchases without leaving the app. This functionality provides users with a quick and smooth shopping experience.
A common strategy is product placement in influencer videos or during livestreams, which combines the credibility of content creators with the convenience of integrated shopping. This synergy between entertainment and commerce maximizes conversions, as users can go from inspiration to purchase in a matter of seconds.
A common strategy is product placement in influencer videos or during livestreams, which combines the credibility of content creators with the convenience of integrated shopping.
Advantages of E-Commerce Integration Ads
- Seamless Direct Purchases: Users can make purchases directly from ads without leaving the app, facilitating quick conversions.
- Higher Conversion Rate: The integration of purchase links in regular content allows users to buy instantly, leading to an increase in sales.
- Continuous Exposure: Brands gain constant visibility through product placements in influencer videos and feed ads, keeping them present in the daily content flow.
8. Douyin Influencer Collaborations (达人合作)
In 2024, collaborations with influencers on Douyin, known as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), have become one of the most effective digital marketing strategies in China. With their ability to create authentic and engaging content, Douyin influencers boast millions of loyal followers who trust their recommendations. These KOLs hold significant influence over their audience’s purchasing decisions, making brand collaborations a key tool for increasing brand recognition and driving product or service sales.
Douyin influencers boast millions of loyal followers who trust their recommendations. These KOLs hold significant influence over their audience’s purchasing decisions, making brand collaborations a key tool for increasing brand recognition and driving product or service sales.
Brands collaborate with KOLs to run customized marketing campaigns, from sponsored posts and product reviews to participation in viral challenges, maximizing exposure and engagement with the audience in an organic and trustworthy way. Thanks to Douyin’s targeting capabilities, these collaborations can be directed at specific audiences based on their interests, further enhancing the effectiveness of the campaigns.
Advantages of Douyin influencer collaborations:
- Authenticity: influencers can present the brand in a relatable and authentic way, which can be more persuasive than traditional ads.
- Audience Trust: influencers often have strong relationships with their followers, meaning their endorsements carry significant weight.
- Flexible Content Creation: brands can collaborate with influencers to create a wide range of content, from simple shout-outs to complex campaigns involving multiple influencers.
Here’s the table in English, organized according to our previous conversation:
Types of Douyin Advertising | Key Features |
In-Feed Ads | Appear in the feed, up to 60 seconds, allow interaction |
TopView Ads | Full-screen video ads, up to 60 seconds, high visibility |
Brand Takeover Ads | Static or dynamic images, full-screen ads when opening the app |
Branded Effects | Custom filters, stickers, or AR lenses, encourage user-generated content |
Live Streaming Ads | Real-time interaction, allows purchases during the live stream |
E-commerce Integration Ads | Direct product links, purchase without leaving the app |
Branded Hashtag Challenges | Encourages users to create content using a specific hashtag, has viral potential |
Influencer Collaborations | Partnerships with KOLs, authentic content, and product promotion |
3. How to Create a Douyin Advertising Campaign
Creating a successful Douyin advertising campaign requires careful planning and execution. Below are the steps brands should follow to launch an effective campaign on Douyin.
Step 1: Define Your Objectives
Before diving into the creative aspects of your Douyin advertising campaign, it’s crucial to define your marketing objectives. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or boost sales? Your objectives will influence the choice of ad format, targeting strategy, and overall campaign approach.
Your objectives will influence the choice of ad format, targeting strategy, and overall campaign approach
Step 2: Understand Your Audience
Douyin’s audience is diverse, so it’s essential to understand the demographics, interests, and behaviors of your target market. Use Douyin’s analytics tools to gain insights into your audience and tailor your campaign to meet their preferences.
Step 3: Choose the Right Ad Format
Based on your objectives and target audience, select the ad format that best suits your campaign. For example, if your goal is to drive high engagement, a branded hashtag challenge or influencer collaboration might be the best choice. If you’re looking for maximum visibility, consider a TopView ad.
Step 4: Create Engaging Content
Content is king on Douyin. Your ads need to be visually appealing, creative, and engaging to capture the attention of Douyin users. Consider working with professional content creators or influencers to ensure your videos align with Douyin’s style and resonate with the platform’s audience.
Step 5: Utilize Targeting Options
Douyin offers a range of targeting options, including demographics, interests, and user behavior. Use these tools to ensure your ads reach the right audience. Additionally, consider using retargeting strategies to engage users who have previously interacted with your brand.
Step 6: Monitor and Optimize
Once your campaign is live, closely monitor its performance using Douyin’s analytics dashboard. Track key metrics such as impressions, click-through rates (CTR), engagement, and conversions. Use this data to optimize your campaign in real-time, making adjustments to improve performance and achieve your marketing goals.
Track key metrics such as impressions, click-through rates (CTR), engagement, and conversions
4. Conclusion
Douyin advertising offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience in China. With its diverse ad formats, advanced targeting capabilities, and strong emphasis on creativity, Douyin is an essential platform for any brand looking to succeed in the Chinese market.
Douyin advertising offers brands a unique opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience in China
By understanding Douyin’s user base, leveraging the right ad formats on Douyin advertising, and creating engaging content, brands can maximize their impact and achieve their marketing goals on this dynamic platform.
As Douyin continues to grow, so too does the potential for brands to reach new heights in their marketing efforts. Whether you’re launching a new product, building brand awareness, or driving sales, Douyin advertising provides the tools and audience needed to succeed in China’s competitive digital landscape.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Douyin advertising
What is Douyin?
Douyin is a popular short-video social media platform in China, launched by ByteDance in 2016. It allows users to create, share, and discover videos ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute. With over 700 million daily active users, Douyin is one of the most influential platforms in China, particularly among younger demographics.
How does Douyin differ from TikTok?
While Douyin and TikTok are both owned by ByteDance and share similar functionalities, they operate independently. Douyin is specifically tailored for the Chinese market, with unique features, content, and regulations that cater to Chinese users. TikTok, on the other hand, is the international version, available in markets outside of China.
What are the main types of Douyin advertising formats?
The main types of Douyin advertising include:
- In-Feed Ads: Short video ads that appear within a user’s feed.
- TopView Ads: Full-screen video ads that play when the app is opened.
- Branded Hashtag Challenges: Campaigns encouraging user-generated content with a specific hashtag.
- Influencer Collaborations: Partnerships with popular Douyin influencers (KOLs).
- Branded Effects and Filters: Custom effects and filters that users can apply to their videos.
How can brands target their ads on Douyin?
Douyin offers advanced targeting options based on demographics (age, gender, location), user interests, and behavior. Brands can also use retargeting strategies to engage users who have previously interacted with their content, allowing for more precise and effective ad campaigns.
How do branded hashtag challenges work on Douyin?
Branded hashtag challenges invite users to participate in a specific challenge by creating and sharing videos using a particular hashtag. These challenges often include branded effects or music, encouraging creativity and engagement. When executed well, they can go viral, generating significant user participation and brand visibility.
How effective is influencer marketing on Douyin?
Influencer marketing, or KOL (Key Opinion Leader) collaborations, is highly effective on Douyin. Influencers have large, loyal followings, and their endorsements are often seen as more authentic and relatable than traditional ads. Collaborating with influencers allows brands to reach targeted audiences in a way that feels natural and engaging.
What are the costs associated with Douyin advertising?
The costs of Douyin advertising can vary widely depending on the ad format, targeting options, and campaign duration. Premium ad formats like TopView ads are more expensive, while in-feed ads and influencer collaborations offer more flexibility in terms of budget. Brands should work with Douyin’s advertising platform or a marketing agency to develop a budget that aligns with their goals.
Can foreign brands advertise on Douyin?
Yes, foreign brands can advertise on Douyin. However, it’s essential to understand the Chinese market, cultural nuances, and regulatory requirements. Working with a local marketing agency or partner can help navigate these complexities and ensure a successful campaign.
What are some examples of successful Douyin advertising campaigns?
Successful Douyin advertising campaigns include Nike’s “This Is Us” hashtag challenge, which generated over 5 billion views, Louis Vuitton’s TopView ad that significantly boosted brand awareness, and Oreo’s branded filter campaign that led to widespread user participation. These examples demonstrate the platform’s potential for creativity and engagement.