Last Updated on October 24, 2024
Today, there are over 1.3 billion Chinese internet users. With 74.2% of this user base actively engaging via social media, it’s clear why more foreign businesses are pouring their resources into building their presence on these apps.
But here’s the thing: when it comes to digital marketing, what works in the West doesn’t always work in China. Their social media landscape is unique, and to succeed, you need to understand the platforms that matter most to your audience.
Read along as we explore the top Chinese social media platforms and discover which can bring your brand closer to your consumers.
Overview of the Chinese Social Media Landscape
To successfully navigate the Chinese social media space, you must stay in touch with the evolving dynamics within the landscape. You should understand that local consumers have distinct characteristics and preferences depending on the app they’re using.
To tap into the Chinese market in the long run, here are some factors we recommend looking out for:
- User Behavior and Demographics
The Chinese social media market recorded 1.06 billion monthly active users throughout the past year. It has the highest usage rate among Asian countries, with an average surfing time of 143 minutes per day and locals having at least eight accounts created on different social media sites.
In a 2023 Statista survey, 41.7% of the locals responded that they mostly use these social apps for communication. Others noted that they stay on social media sites to find trending topics or news, watch live-stream content, and look for products to purchase.
Another market demographic that contributes to the growth of China’s social media landscape is the country’s mobile-first digital economy.
According to recent data, mobile phone subscriptions peaked at 1.7 billion in April 2023. With over 99% of these subscribers accessing the Internet, it becomes more apparent why social media sites are overflowing with active users.
However, not all Chinese users are active on the same social media platform. There’s a generational divide between older and younger demographics. Users born in the 1990s and 2000s appear more adept at using social media apps like Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Meanwhile, older people prefer WeChat and Weibo.
- Cultural Nuances and Preferences
While Western counterparts highlight individualism and self-expression, Chinese social media users emphasize community, collectivism, and shared experiences more. You must create content with cultural values that resonate well with Chinese users.
You should also remember that China has high regional variation, which marketers can use to weigh target audience preferences by releasing localized content.
- Compliance with Legal Regulations
All Chinese social media platforms adhere to strict content regulations set by the government. Staying up-to-date with the latest policies, such as Cybersecurity and Advertising laws, can be crucial when strategizing content.
Complying with these regulations will help you avoid legal complications and demonstrate your dedication to operating ethically and responsibly in the Chinese market.
Top 19 Chinese Social Media Platforms: Overview and Features
1. WeChat
WeChat goes beyond traditional social networking. It’s basically a super app that allows users to engage in messaging, content creation, video consumption, online shopping, and e-wallet transactions.
Perhaps the most notable feature that sets WeChat apart from other social networking sites is its ability to create sub-applications within the platform and its location-based functions.
Here’s a closer look at China’s biggest super app and its advantages for businesses trying to break into the local market:
User Demographics and Statistics
WeChat remains the largest social media platform in China, with an estimated reach of 1.37 billion monthly active users in 2024. This year’s second quarter alone garnered around 44 million new app users.
The number of WeChat users accessing Mini-Programs also skyrocketed in 2024, with approximately 945 million monthly active users. Currently, the super app has 3.7 million operating sub-applications for business and informational purposes.
Unlike other apps, local users in all age categories are fond of using this social media platform. In fact, the highest penetration rate among WeChat’s audience segments is users over 51 and under 24 years old.
WeChat’s popularity is also not limited to first-tier cities. It has widespread adoption across urban areas, including consumers in low-tier regions (Tier 2 and 3).
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
WeChat allows businesses to create official accounts for customized content distribution, customer relationship management, and paid promotions. The variety of features that this platform offers is particularly handy for marketers, especially when trying to increase local visibility and conversions.
With the WeChat ecosystem integrated with Mini-Program tools, businesses can develop interactive and unique consumer experiences for their Chinese audience (e.g., live streaming, games, virtual storefronts, reservation services, etc.) without leaving the app.
The virtual storefronts created within the app include a built-in digital payment service, which allows businesses to send and receive e-wallet payments from their consumers.
As WeChat runs with location-based features, campaigns on the platform can target active users based on their geographic position and open opportunities to launch location-specific offers, promotions, and events.
2. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)
Xiaohongshu is a social media platform that became popular in the Chinese market due to its popularity among younger consumers. This demand was mainly due to the app’s community-driven environment, which initially focused on fashion, beauty, travel, and lifestyle.
From being a go-to lifestyle app for sharing and finding recommendations, tips, and experiences, Xiaohongshu now emerges as a powerful social commerce platform.
It also became a hub for influencer marketing collaborations, with users putting more value on recommendations and user-generated content from micro-KOLs and KOCs.
User Demographics and Statistics
While it’s true that Little Red Book has already evolved far from a female-centric consumer base into a more generalized social commerce app, women are still the platform’s dominant consumer segment.
To this day, the platform’s overall gender user distribution is still unevenly divided between 68% female users and 32% male audiences. However, it’s a notable increase from last year’s numbers.
It has a younger demographic, with users ranging from their early 20s to late 30s. The lifestyle app also reported around 212 million monthly active users, most of whom have higher spending power.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Xiaohongshu offers many marketing opportunities for foreign brands, primarily through its blend of social content and e-commerce functions. For example, opening a Little Red Book shop for your business shortens the consumer journey, allowing users to make purchasing decisions within the app.
Collaborating with influencers also boosts brand visibility and trust among consumers, especially with KOLs with established credibility and a loyal following. With its highly interactive features, XHS is the best avenue for live-streaming campaigns where real-time engagement and product showcasing can drive immediate sales.
Thanks to its community-driven environment, marketers can also take advantage of user-generated content to further establish their credibility in the Chinese market.
3. Douyin (also known as the Chinese TikTok)
Douyin, internationally known as TikTok, is undoubtedly the hottest and best social media app in China for the younger generation. Launched in September 2016 by ByteDance, this popular platform gained significant global traction in 2020 with 2 billion mobile downloads.
At first, the feature that sets Douyin apart from other Chinese social media apps is its capability to let users create and share short videos set to music. However, the app has since expanded with live streaming options and e-commerce platform tools, allowing businesses to increase local visibility and facilitate sales conversions.
User Demographics and Statistics
Besides the whopping 2 billion mobile downloads, Douyin has 755 million monthly active users. With more Chinese social media apps following its short video format, the platform is no longer exclusive to the younger generation. In fact, around 45% of its user base is now composed of Chinese Millennials.
Beyond being one of the most popular social media platforms, Douyin is also making waves in the local e-commerce scene. In last year’s 11.11 festival, the platform became the second-most used shopping platform, with over 480 million Chinese consumers actively purchasing from its e-commerce touchpoints.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
When implementing content strategies in massive Chinese social media platforms like Douyin, one of the most effective ways is collaborating with known influencers who resonate with your brand. The short videos that the KOLs will produce can help you tap into their established fan base.
You can also start hashtag challenges. These tags encourage users to create videos about your products and services. And because they’re user-generated, these videos have a higher potential to go viral and drive brand awareness within the platform.
Beyond filters, music, and effects, many brands now utilize Douyin purely for e-commerce purposes. From opening a flagship store to integrating product links on video content and live-streaming, the ways you can tap into the platform are limitless.
4. Kuaishou
True to its translation “Fast Hands,” Kuaishou quickly gained fame as a Chinese social media app because of its emphasis on creating and sharing bite-sized videos. Unlike Douyin, where most videos are customized thoroughly, the platform prioritizes explicitly unfiltered content, such as live streaming and vlogging.
User Demographics and Statistics
While it’s not comparable to Douyin’s user base, Kuaishou’s daily active users reached a substantial range of 395 million. Its demographics cater to both urban and rural areas. According to the metrics released in the second quarter of 2024, the average time users spend on the platform is around 122 minutes.
Since it has a significant reach in lower-tier cities, most marketers promoting their brand on this platform leverage localized content to appeal to its specific user base.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
As a Chinese social media app that values real-time content, adding the platform’s live-streaming features to your marketing strategy can yield positive results.
It’ll allow your brand to communicate with potential customers directly. Marketers can also utilize it for exclusive product launches, KOL collaborations, or event-related marketing strategies.
Successful Brand Campaigns on Kuaishou
In the past, Chevrolet tapped into Kuaishou’s roster of influencers to launch their “Little White” campaign. The event includes posting short videos with the famous character “Little White” while showcasing the vehicle’s components. It generated interest and buzz among younger Kuaishou users.
5. Sina Weibo
Most social media users refer to Sina Weibo as Chinese Twitter mainly because it features an intriguing microblogging function that allows sharing of texts, media files, and links.
However, if you look closely, this app shares more similarities with Facebook, specifically when boosting user engagement through liking, commenting, and sharing. This unique user interface is why it remains one of the most popular Chinese social media platforms.
User Demographics and Statistics
Despite stiff competition from massive social media platforms, Sina Weibo managed to maintain its popularity in China. In 2023, the platform reached 600 monthly active users, signifying its expanding influence.
The app is also more prominent in Tier 1 and 2 cities than rural regions. The gender distribution among Weibo users is pretty even, with 51% of the overall user base belonging to women and 49% to men.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Since Sina Weibo’s main feature is utilizing hashtags and trending topics, marketers and brands can leverage it to facilitate content discovery and conversation. They can use popular news to weigh into relevant discussions, increase visibility, and reach more potential audiences.
The platform also has an established influencer culture, so it’s wise to integrate it with your current social media marketing plan. Collaborating with these online personalities can help shape consumer opinions and preferences.
And if you’re looking to attract more Chinese consumers to follow your brand, you can run contests, giveaways, or interactive campaigns on Sina Weibo.
6. Meituan-Dianping
At first glance, Meituan-Dianping may seem similar to typical delivery and e-commerce platforms. However, it offers comprehensive recommendations for local services near the user, like hotel and travel bookings, movie ticket purchases, and other business establishments.
Famously dubbed “China’s Yelp,” this platform is integral to the country’s urban daily life to find convenient and reliable services.
User Demographics and Statistics
In 2024, Meituan-Dianping’s daily orders reached around 68 million on-demand orders. Most of the app’s user demographic is highly urban-focused, but its convenience appeals to different age groups. The platform’s food delivery transactions alone garnered 81 million monthly active users.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Meituan-Dianping provides exclusive deals to brands promoting within their platforms. The features marketers can make use of range from discounts to in-app advertisements, attracting new customers and driving a loyal user base.
7. Bilibili
Bilibili is another video-sharing platform that is immensely popular in the Chinese social media landscape. While it’s open to user-generated content, its primary focus is animation, comics, and games (ACG). In addition to these videos, Bilibili also prioritizes live-streaming content.
User Demographics and Statistics
Bilibili has a notably younger user demographic than other mainstream Chinese social media platforms. A considerable percentage of their current user base ranges between 18 and 35 years old.
With 341.5 million monthly active users in 2024, the platform continues to overflow with enthusiastic and passionate discussions about games, anime, and manga.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Through Bilibili’s bullet chat feature, any brand can formulate interactive campaigns like challenges, quizzes, or events. These user engagements can result in extended market reach and buzz about the brand’s product or services.
Given its highly specific niche, Bilibili has a roster of popular influencers. These content creators have dedicated ACG fan bases that can support your brand if your products and services resonate with them.
8. Zhihu
If there’s an easier way to describe this Chinese social media platform, it’s how most people call it Quora of China. Zhihu is a go-to site for students or individuals seeking to ask questions, reply to queries, and find answers.
Its community comprises highly knowledgeable individuals, so the platform prioritizes well-researched content, from featured articles to essays.
User Demographics and Statistics
Most Zhihu users hold significant educational attainments, such as bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. Considering its unique user base, the platform fostered an active community of experts from different fields.
In 2024, the platform’s average monthly active users (MAUs) reached 80.6 million, a notably significant decline from 102 million in the same quarter of 2023. Among its engaged user base are 14.7 million paying consumers utilizing the platform’s premium services.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Establishing your business as a thought leader can be crucial in a market as crowded as China, so it’ll help to release insightful content using Zhihu to build credibility.
You can do this by creating content to share your expert knowledge, answering relevant questions within your target community, and engaging with existing topics related to your niche.
Unlike other Chinese social media sites, Zhihu integrates native advertising options. Their sponsored articles blend seamlessly with the platform’s content. It allows you to reach the intended audience without intruding on their user experience.
9. Douban
As a community-centric Chinese social media platform, Douban is a suitable digital space for intellectual discourse and cultural discussions.
It’s an app where users can form groups and forums to connect with like-minded people and share reviews or recommendations. For brands trying to build a community around their business, this platform is a gold mine of marketing opportunities.
User Demographics and Statistics
Douban is the perfect Chinese social media app for users with niche and specialized interests. This community environment attracts culturally engaged people, such as music lovers, artists, and pop culture fans.
The app has over 60 million registered accounts recorded and 150 million unregistered platform visitors.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Douban users value content that resonates with their interests. Fortunately, the platform helps brands to establish a positive business image through native advertising options.
If you’re promoting a book or movie, collaborating with critics and reviewers in the app can help generate interest in your offerings.
10. Tencent QQ
Although Tencent QQ started as an instant messaging app in 1999, it has developed into a diverse platform that caters to a wide range of internet user needs. If you check today’s version of this platform, you’ll notice that it provides various interactive functions like voice and video calls, online gaming, social networking, and more.
Users can also access other services directly built within the platform, like news updates, weather forecasts, online purchases, music streaming, etc.
User Demographics and Statistics
Some may say Tencent QQ is less massive than other Chinese social media platforms, but it still had a reported 571 million monthly active users in 2024.
Its user demographics mainly include college students, the younger workforce, and others seeking to connect and communicate with their peers. According to the latest reports, around 27.7 percent of QQ’s active users are under 25 years old.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Tencent QQ provides official account privileges to businesses. Foreign marketers can leverage this feature to enhance their brand’s credibility and visibility in the Chinese market.
Besides that, did you know that this platform includes community forums? QQ groups are where users can join and interact with like-minded individuals or people with similar interests. Businesses can take this opportunity to create or join these communities to build relationships with their target audience.
11. Youku Tudou
If Sina Weibo is China’s Twitter, Youku Todou is the Chinese social media marketing platform equivalent to YouTube. This video-sharing app allows you to upload, watch, and share personalized video content.
This platform also houses licensed TV shows, movies, and documentaries. With the content diversity prevalent within Youku Todou, the app naturally built a vibrant community of content creators.
User Demographics and Statistics
While it’s not as mainstream as Douyin or Kuaishou, Youku Tudou has approximately 461 million monthly active users. Due to its varied video content, the app attracted and maintained a significant domestic audience in China.
Youku Tudou appeals to a broad range of audiences. While the younger users prefer to watch user-generated videos and popular TV shows, the older age group opts for films and dramas.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
One of the opportunities Youku Tudou offers marketers and brands is the ability to reach their target audience through video ads. If you have already created readily available video advertisements, you can select this option to gain more visibility and exposure within the platform.
As mentioned, this app has already fostered a long list of content creators. Since these influencers have an established following, businesses can approach them to create sponsored content or endorse products to their dedicated followers.
12. Toutiao
Toutiao is a modern content platform driven by AI technology. It utilizes machine-learning algorithms to give users a personalized newsfeed according to their app behavior, preferences, and engagements. The app is also rich with content variety generated by users that address different information needs and official news.
User Demographics and Statistics
Toutiao has approximately 300 million monthly users and has been downloaded 238 million times. Most of its demographics use mobile devices to access the application.
Since Toutiao has diverse content categories, users of all ages are interested in using this platform. Its consumption also heavily leans on the urban population instead of the rural area.
Users on Toutiao under the 20–29 age group, in particular, show preferences on hot searches and video content.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Most of Toutiao’s user base prefers high-quality content, so integrating your social media marketing plans with informative materials related to your brand will undoubtedly draw more attention. You can utilize this user behavior to establish business authority and attract organic engagement.
Successful Brand Campaigns on Toutiao
When Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign reached Toutiao, it encouraged users to buy and share their personalized Coke bottles within the platform. The brand utilizes the app’s native advertisement tools to foster engagement and social sharing.
13. Taobao
Although Taobao is an e-commerce platform developed by Alibaba Group, it includes interactive social media features. These functions allow users to leave ratings and comments on the products they have already purchased, helping other shoppers decide if an item is worth buying.
User Demographics and Statistics
This popular e-commerce and social platform serves about 921 million online shoppers. Although it’s particularly popular with younger, tech-savvy people under 30, 10.3% of its user base is over 46 years old.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
An official store within Taobao gives existing customers a more accessible avenue to purchase your products. The platform’s advertising options also give businesses the power to reach new consumer segments beyond their existing customer base.
Marketers can customize the store layout and product listings to promote and attract potential audiences more comprehensively. Beyond that, Taobao has also got into the live-streaming trend. With real-time videos, online shoppers can see how products work and engage with the host regarding their queries about the brand.
Successful Brand Campaigns on Taobao
As L’Oreal caught on to the beauty tutorial trend, the brand utilized Taobao’s live-streaming tools for product showcases. Experts from the field hosted the event and demonstrated the proper product application. Obviously, the campaign resulted in high engagement and user base loyalty.
14. JD.com
Like other platforms specializing in selling products, JD.com has a varied catalog ranging from electronics to home goods. The app also has an established logistic network and customer service team, allowing it to address customer concerns and delivery issues.
User Demographics and Statistics
Around 80% of JD.com users use mobile devices to purchase and interact with the platform. According to the brand’s usage report, it serves approximately 580 million customers, all of whom are China consumers.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
If you want to market your products at JD.com, using social media features and interacting with your customers via Q&A sections or user reviews is highly advisable. You can also opt for sponsored product listing options to increase the brand’s visibility and sales.
15. Miaopai
Miaopai managed to stay in the game by providing easy-to-use video editing tools to its users. In addition to video content creation and sharing, the app (previously called “China’s Vine”) also focuses on live streaming to engage its audience.
User Demographics and Statistics
Around 55.3% of Miaopai users reside in Tier 1 and 2 cities, with a daily user base reaching approximately 70 million. Like other popular video-sharing platforms, Gen Zs and Millennials dominate a massive chunk of its demographics.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Launching joint campaigns with KOLs can help marketers to reach specific target customers. You can offer to sponsor the influencer’s video through branded content or product placements for a more natural marketing strategy.
16. Tmall
Tmall is a business-to-consumer platform consisting of authorized distributors selling their goods in the Chinese market. While its main focus is e-commerce, the online marketplace also integrates social media-like features within its interface, like official brand pages, user-generated content, and product reviews.
User Demographics and Statistics
Since Tmall handles around 51% of B2C transactions in the country, it’s only natural that the platform has about 780 million monthly active users. Its dominant user base is also from Tier 1 and 2 cities.
Currently, Tmall accommodates over 46,000 international brands from 90 different countries. The demand mainly comes from a younger demographic, which is unsurprising given that two-thirds of its user base was born after 1990.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Businesses can create branded storefronts within Tmall’s virtual space to elevate their brand image and reputation. After customizing these sales channels, marketers can integrate their marketing plans with the platform’s advertising options, like banner ads and sponsored listings.
Successful Brand Campaigns on Tmall
Tmall launches the Singles’ Day Global Shopping Festival every year at 11.11 to help different brands achieve higher sales through exclusive discounts, promotions, and limited-edition products.
17. Yizhibo
Yizhibo is a popular live-streaming platform in China. Influencers, celebrities, and brands frequently use it to connect with audiences through real-time video content.
The app provides a range of features vital for live-stream marketing, including chat engagement, which allows for direct interaction with viewers, virtual gifting options, which can enhance user participation, and built-in monetization tools.
These features make it an effective platform for brands looking to increase engagement, promote products, and drive sales through influencer partnerships and interactive live-stream campaigns.
User Demographics and Statistics
Yizhibo’s live-streaming services led the platform to attract a large user base of influencers, celebrities, and content creators. These users have massive fanbases that add to the app’s monthly active users of 7 million. It’s worth noting that over 50% of these accounts are under 24 years old.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
As a brand promoting in Yizhibo, marketers can host sponsored live-streaming events. You can also integrate product placement in real-time videos while collaborating with established influencers within the platform, as long as they have a niche similar to your business.
18. Pinduoduo
Pinduoduo quickly gained popularity in China because of its interactive shopping experience and budget-friendly offerings. In addition to group buying perks, the platform has incentivized activities and social commerce integration to encourage informed purchasing decisions.
User Demographics and Statistics
As of the last quarter of 2023, Pinduoduo served 637 million monthly active users in the local market. Its typical target audience consists of value-conscious Chinese consumers, who are often from lower-tier cities and rural areas.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
As most of its users are looking for budget-friendly options, brands can gain interest and buzz by launching discounted deals. Establishing authenticity can also be achieved by encouraging user reviews and recommendations. Such strategies can lead to viral growth and added recognition.
20. Baidu Tieba
Baidu Tieba’s forum-type interface is the main feature that sets it apart from typical social platforms in China. The app covers various topics, including entertainment, technology, lifestyle, gaming, and more. Most social interactions within the forum stem from the community and user-generated content.
User Demographics and Statistics
There are around 8.2 million community topic boards in Baidu Teiba, and most of these discussions are from the platform’s estimated monthly users of almost 300 million. If you look at its demographic, 70% of forum visitors are post-90s users actively engaging and contributing content.
Marketing Opportunities and Strategies
Marketers can establish themselves as industry leaders within the platform by participating in relevant forums related to their expertise or field. Alternatively, you can also promote the brand’s messages through influencer collaborations and addressing user feedback.
Tips on Choosing the Right Chinese Social Media Platforms for Your Business
- Adjust Strategies Based on Relevant Insights
You must monitor metrics such as reach, impressions, and conversion rates to evaluate the campaign’s performance. These insights will tell you which applications to consider in your marketing strategy.
- Collaborate with Chinese Influencers (KOLs)
Like it or not, influencer marketing is integral to the Chinese social media ecosystem. These key opinion leaders can elevate the business’s reach and credibility when utilized correctly.
- Stay up-to-date with the Future Trends in Chinese Social Media Apps
The evolution of top Chinese social media platforms is still ongoing. Because of this, you must stay updated on the continued rise of short video content, AI technology integration, and social commerce.
What are the emerging social media apps in China?
- Vipshop: It may appear to be an e-commerce platform, but it recently expanded with social media features.
- Mafengwo: A social platform enhancing travel experiences and planning trips.
- Kugou Music: While its primary focus is music streaming, it has social features such as user-generated playlists, music sharing, and comments.
- DEWU: An online shopping app popular with Chinese Millennials and Gen-Z consumers.
Your Trusted Social Media Marketing Partner in China!
Navigating the top Chinese social media platforms requires a deep awareness of each user base’s unique characteristics and preferences. You must also understand how crucial it is to adapt marketing strategies and stay updated with evolving trends.
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At Sekkei Digital Group, we specialize in solving these challenges and specialize in turning them into opportunities. Our team is equipped with the expertise and experience necessary to tailor a strategy that maximizes the potential of the local social media landscape for your brand.
We offer comprehensive services to empower your digital marketing strategies in China. So, if you need help finding the right social network for your brand, don’t hesitate to contact us.
