Chinese citizens are major consumers of social networks. There are more of them in China than in the West, with more features and higher levels of development. Among them, Toutiao is one of the most popular and, as far as we are concerned, it is a great opportunity for businesses interested in accessing the Chinese digital market.
Toutiao is a great opportunity for companies interested in accessing the Chinese market
In this article we will explore in detail what Toutiao is, its functions, numerical data and its significance for foreign entrepreneurs. In addition, we will pinpoint decisive factors to optimize your penetration into this social network and successfully attracting Chinese consumers.
1. What is Toutiao?
First of all, you might be wondering why Toutiao is successful. It is important to clarify that what makes Toutiao stand out from other Chinese social networks is its use of artificial intelligence through highly developed algorithms, which has made it one of the most prominent social networks in the country.
Toutiao was created by ByteDance in 2012, the same company that owns Douyin (Chinese TikTok). It is a Chinese platform in which, mainly, content is created and distributed through automated learning techniques. In addition, the content is well structured and categorized by niche.
What makes Toutiao stand out from other Chinese social networks is its use of AI through highly developed algorithms
How many people use toutiao?
According to data from Nikkei Asia, this major social network has more than 260 million monthly active users and a valuation of over USD 20 billion. It is also considered the best platform for content distribution, registering around 4.2 billion visits daily.
In terms of usage, users spend an average of 80 minutes a day on the app which, for comparison, is more than the average of Facebook and almost twice as much as Snapchat.
Toutiao records around 4.2 billion daily visits
It is worth noting that, according to the Nikkei Asia report, 90% of Toutiao users are under 30 years old, which underlines the importance of Generation Z for the Chinese market and social networks.
Toutiao's main features
Toutiao is often referred to as the Chinese version of Reddit, as most of the time on the app is spent reading articles and the most relevant news. Some of the main features of this social network are:
- All the most relevant news is published.
- Tailored and personalized content for each user.
- Articles written by artificial intelligence.
- You can post short videos that will be recommended to users. These options are also integrated by Bilibili, the equivalent of YouTube in the West.
- Toutiao also has a Q&A section, an open community for discussion, where users share their experiences and opinions on specific areas and interact with other users.
2. 4 reasons why Toutiao should interest foreign companies
Like the most popular Chinese apps, Toutiao provides great marketing opportunities to promote your business in China on social media, so being aware of its distinctive characteristics is essential if you are interested in penetrating the Chinese market. Some of the reasons why Toutiao is attractive for foreign brands include:
- 1. Toutiao has a young user base that spends a lot of time on their cell phones, with most of them being from tier 1 and 2 cities and with high levels of education, making it a potentially lucrative audience to promote fashion products or B2B marketing in China.
Toutiao is very lucrative for B2B marketing companies in China
- 2. Thanks to its technology, this social network allows content to reach the most interested readers through recommendation algorithms, so reaching new potential customers and gaining great exposure is within the reach of companies that make good content.
- 3. Toutiao not only offers the possibility of publishing news or promotional articles, but also provides the opportunity to publish entertaining videos. Short videos trend all over the world and, through this platform, they can all be seen in one place, meaning that content has a great chance of going viral.
- 4. An effective way of marketing on Toutiao is through advertising (knowing the advertising laws), thanks to the high concentration of constantly connected users. Brands can take advantage of this to reach consumers interested in viewing content for a significant period of time.
3. Account types on Toutiao
The existing account types on Toutiao are summarized in the following table:
Toutiao official account | Toutiao personal account | |
Ideal for | Companies and organizations | Person keen to stay informed |
Advantages | Reach users from high economic and educational backgrounds | Read and post content |
Disadvantages | Complexity of the website | No commercial intentions |
Registration | Personal data and official documents about the company | Personal data |
Cost | 0 USD |
4. How to register your brand on Toutiao
Now that we know the key details and critical data about this leading Chinese app, let’s take a look, step by step, at how to register a brand on Toutiao.
Log in to Toutiao’s official website and go to the top left. You will find a section where it says “Toutiao Product”; click on it.
Click on the Register option and start creating the account.
You will be required to confirm your Chinese phone number and after that you will fill in information about yourself such as your account name (similar to your business name and between 2-10 words), a short introduction, contact information, profile picture and link to your website.
You will then be asked for the following information about your business:
- Business license (Company Register)
- Company name.
- Website.
- Account name.
- ID of the person managing the account
You will receive a verification notification to complete the registration and the account will be created.
Log in by entering your phone number and wait for a code.
- Once in the application, you will need to upload a photo of your ID and do a brief facial recognition.
- Your account is ready to start posting.
To register your brand on Toutiao, you must provide information about your company: business license, company name, website, among other data
5. Conclusions
There is no doubt that Toutiao is a major player in the Chinese market, as brands take advantage of its ease of use to promote their products and services in China. Therefore, tapping into this Chinese social network can be key to overtake the competition and penetrate the most profitable market in the world, the Chinese market.
Tapping into Toutiao can be a decisive factor to overtake the competition and penetrate the most profitable market in the world, the Chinese market
If you are interested in promoting your brand on Toutiao, you can contact InfluChina through hello@influchina.com, a social media agency that is dedicated to attracting Chinese consumers to foreign businesses through influencer marketing strategy in China.
FAQ
Toutiao FAQ
What is Toutiao?
Toutiao, the Chinese mix of Reddit and YouTube, is a Chinese platform where content is created and distributed through machine learning techniques.
How many people use Toutiao?
Toutiao has more than 260 million monthly active users, and a valuation of more than $20 billion.
What does Toutiao do?
It is used, among other things, to publish articles, videos, view personalized content, promote your brand, products and services, and stay informed of current news. In addition, the content is well structured and categorized by niche.
How can I get started on Toutiao?
If you are interested in promoting your brand on Toutiao or any other Chinese social network, you can contact InfluChina, a social media agency dedicated to encouraging Chinese consumers to visit foreign businesses through strategic collaborations with influencers.