Promotion on Chinese Video Hosting Platforms

Account Registration and Verification on Major Chinese Video Platforms
Competitor Analysis and Content Strategy Development
Profile Setup and Content Creation
Advertising Account Registration and Campaign Launch
Collaborations with Platform Opinion Leaders

In China, familiar platforms like YouTube and Vimeo are also blocked. Instead, the Chinese market is dominated by local video hosting services. This article explores three major Chinese video platforms and their potential for promoting foreign businesses: Youku, Bilibili, and Xigua.

Youku: The «Chinese YouTube»

Youku is one of China’s most popular video platforms. Launched in 2006 and owned by the Alibaba Group, it initially started as a YouTube equivalent but has since evolved into a full-fledged internet television service. Youku users are accustomed to consuming high-quality content and enjoy a wide variety of options—including movies, TV series, variety shows, sports broadcasts, and much more.

Important Note: The subsequent text about OTA (Online Travel Agencies) appears to be unrelated to the description of Youku. It discusses how Chinese tourists use OTA platforms to purchase tickets, book hotels and restaurants, and manage other travel arrangements, highlighting that these services combine the functions of travel platforms and social networks.

Advertising on Youku:
The platform does not support targeted advertising. Only banner and reserved ad formats are available, without the option to select a specific audience. The minimum cost starts from 50,000 CNY.

Monetization Methods

In-Video Advertising

Cost-per-view (CPV) and cost-per-click (CPC) rates vary for each channel. Higher metrics—such as ad click-through rates, overall channel activity, view counts, and subscriber numbers—directly influence the advertising CPM (cost per mille) and, consequently, the channel’s revenue. Essentially, the better a channel performs, the more it earns.

User Gifts

Creators can earn between 1,000 and 8,000 CNY for every million views on the platform. However, to activate monetization features, a Chinese business license and a Chinese ID card are required.

Bilibili: The True «Chinese YouTube»

Bilibili is a video hosting platform that was launched in 2009 and now boasts 332 million monthly active users (MAU). While it originally targeted anime and manga enthusiasts, the platform has significantly expanded its reach and influence over time.

A key feature of Bilibili is its creator monetization system, which allows users to upload videos and earn revenue. This model, similar to YouTube’s, sets Bilibili apart from other Chinese video platforms and solidifies its reputation as the most YouTube-like service in China.

Advertising Formats

Huahuo (花火, Huahuo):

Creators with 10,000 or more subscribers can join the special Huahuo partnership program, which provides better content monetization terms and helps creators more easily find advertisers. Collaboration with advertisers is possible through co-creation formats where the creator places links to the advertiser’s store or products. Brands can also list products available for promotion, and creators earn commissions from each sale made through their links.
Qifei (起飞, Qifei):

Brands and companies on Bilibili can promote both through KOL integrations and targeted advertising. Companies need to set up a Qifei account — a full-featured advertising dashboard through which they can launch advertising campaigns, analyze and segment audiences, and much more.

Reservable Advertising Formats

Huahuo (花火, Huahuo):

Creators with 10,000 or more subscribers can join the special Huahuo partnership program, which provides better content monetization terms and helps creators more easily find advertisers. Collaboration with advertisers is possible through co-creation formats where the creator places links to the advertiser’s store or products. Brands can also list products available for promotion, and creators earn commissions from each sale made through their links.
Qifei (起飞, Qifei):

Brands and companies on Bilibili can promote both through KOL integrations and targeted advertising. Companies need to set up a Qifei account through which they can launch advertising campaigns, analyze and segment audiences, and much more.
Content-Integrated Advertising

Appears in recommended and related video lists (播放页推荐)

To launch advertising, you need to create an account on the platform, complete verification, open an advertising account, and prepare a promotion strategy. The platform offers numerous targeting settings, and there is also the possibility to register using a Russian legal entity!

Content Monetization on Bilibili

Earnings per 1 million views vary for each creator and depend on subscriber count, view numbers, content quality, and publishing frequency. Content monetization can be activated from 500,000 subscribers, while account monetization is available starting from 10,000 video views.
Donations during streams
Gifts from users
Participation in contests

However, a Chinese passport is required to activate monetization features.

Xigua: A New Player in the Market

Xigua is a relatively new video platform that was launched in 2018. It belongs to the Chinese internet technology company ByteDance, which also owns the popular social network TikTok. MAU is 120 million users. Xigua offers its users high-quality content across various genres, including movies, TV series, variety shows, news, and more. The platform is rapidly gaining popularity thanks to its unique recommendation algorithm, which allows users to discover content that matches their interests. Banner advertising is available on the platform, with the cost for 1 million impressions starting from 40,000 yuan.

Youku, Bilibili, and Xigua are the three main video platforms in China with their own characteristics and different audiences. Youku is a popular internet television service, Bilibili is a platform for anime and manga, and Xigua is a new player in the market with a unique recommendation algorithm. If you want to upload your video to Chinese platforms, you will have to familiarize yourself with the Chinese language and internet terminology. However, this can be useful for attracting a new audience and expanding your influence in the Chinese video content market.

Our team is ready to provide assistance on all three platforms:

Registration and verification for Russian legal entities, obtaining the blue checkmark.
Creation of an advertising account and depositing advertising funds.
Preparation of advertising creatives and passing moderation.
Setup of effective advertising campaigns.

Related
services

Baidu

The leader of search engines in China
Douyin

One of the most popular online platforms for watching and sharing short videos.
LRB

Vivid social media and e-commerce platform.

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