Chinese social media users are the most active in the world. Chinese social media users spend as much time on social media as Americans do, if not more. In 2023, social media users in China will have an active lifestyle and be able to express their opinions freely. This is because of the development of social media technology in China. With social media users’ active lifestyles, we can expect social media usage to become even more active in China than it is right now. Besides, we can also expect social media usage to become more diverse as Chinese internet users expand beyond traditional social platforms like WeChat and QQ. If you want to market your brand or business in China, knowing about social media trends and statistics is crucial for success. This blog covers the key social media statistics that we can expect from Chinese internet users in 2023 and how you can use them to promote your brand or business.
"Staying ahead of the curve means understanding the rapidly evolving social media landscape in China, and leveraging the latest statistics and trends to shape your strategy for success in 2023 and beyond."
Chinese Social Media Users Statistics 2023
The global social media user base was estimated to balloon to 4.74 billion by the end of 2023. The number of active users worldwide is expected to grow by 45% from 3.16 billion as compared to 2 billion as at January 2018. This growth is predicted to be driven by increased internet penetration in developing nations and internet users’ adoption of social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. In China, social media users are projected to increase by 52.5 million (+5.6%) by 2021-2022, representing 68% of the population as per SMI's latest forecast. Meanwhile, China is projected to become the largest market for social media users by 2022-2023 with a market share of 32%. The key factors driving this growth include increasing internet penetration, emergence of newer social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube, and increasing number of internet users in developing nations (Global Social Media Users’ Market-2019-2023).
How Many People Use Social Media in China?
On average, there are 1.05 billion active social media users in China on a monthly basis of these users, 960.4 million access social media daily. China has become one of the largest social media market in the world with active users topping over a billion. In 2018, Chinese internet users spent $8.3 billion on purchasing digital goods and services, according to eMarketer estimates. They spent $1.92 per hour on social media, which was $77 billion of their total internet spending that year. This is expected to rise by nearly 15 percent by 2025. With active users already exceeding one billion and more people accessing social media daily, social media continues to be an important platform for brands as well as consumers to communicate and share information.
What Are the Key Trends on Social Media in China?
In China, social media has become very popular and many people use social media to share their opinions, register grievances, and discuss news. This is a great way for the users to stay connected with friends and family as well as share pictures and videos of daily life. But in recent years, social media has started influencing food, life, fashion choices, makeup and homestyle reviews. People are also active users of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The leading social media platform in China is Weibo (China’s version of Twitter). It is one of the most popular social networks in the country and was one of the first social media platforms to allow companies to advertise their products directly through paid ads. Many Chinese firms have taken advantage of Weibo’s advertising platform by posting promotional messages or videos on the platform. Apart from Weibo, there are other popular social media platforms in China such as Tencent’s Wechat and Ali-Baba’s Sina-JiaYou. While BATS-led market (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Sina) has been disrupted by ByteDance’s Direct Push technology, we can see a healthy competition among these giants to provide users with engaging content as well as advertising options. With so many social media platforms available in China, users can stay connected with friends and family through various mediums without being restricted by any platform.
What Are the Most Popular Platforms in China?
In China, social media has become a vital part of daily life. The internet users' share of the population is fast-growing, and social media platforms are becoming an essential part of every internet users’ daily routine. The two most popular platforms in China are WeChat and Baidu. WeChat is a popular app that allows users to communicate, share media, and pay using a single app. It has over a billion users worldwide and is the leading social media app by market share in China.
Sina Weibo is another popular platform in China, with more than half of Chinese social media users using it. It's a social media network similar to Twitter with its own features and format. Xiaohongshu has 27% of the market share as it continues to rise as one of the prominent social media platforms in the country. While smartphones have become an essential part of daily life in China, we cannot ignore other popular platforms like smartwatches or PCs as well. Smartphones have become increasingly popular among internet users as they make it easier for them to access information at any time and anywhere. Besides, we can also expect more Chinese social media platforms to enter the market as we progress into the future.
What Does Social Media Look Like in China?
Social media heavily influences food, fashion, and lifestyle choices in China. The most popular social media platforms in the country are Weibo, a version of Twitter; Sina Weibo, another social media platform; and Sohu Weibo. These platforms have millions of users who share content and share their opinions on various topics. Many users use these social media platforms as a means of sharing their thoughts on current events as well as expressing their views on politics, culture, and lifestyle. Japanese social media giant, Kakao has also contributed to the popularity of social media in China. It offers internet access through its mobile app and is available on a wide range of devices including PCs, smartphones, and tablets. This app is particularly popular among users of its KakaoTalk messenger service. Skype is the only messaging platform that is accessible in China. The government has blocked other popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to prevent users from spreading fake information or inciting unrest.
What Are the Most Visited Websites and Apps in China?
Based on Alexa's statistics, Tmall.com is the most visited website in China in 2022, followed by Baidu.com and Qq.com. Other popular websites include Sohu.com, Taobao.com, and Ecosia. Besides, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snap are not accessible in China as of yet.
How Is Digital Content Regulated and Censored in China?
In China, digital content regulation is extremely strict. As a result, experts take a just-in-case approach to avoid government censors who are capable of taking drastic actions at any time. This creates a sense of paranoia among social media users and can deter people from sharing or posting sensitive content online.
The internet has become an essential part of daily life in China, and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have gained immense popularity. However, Chinese social media companies are all subject to the regulations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These rules can pose a threat to users inside and outside of China as the government can interfere with the functioning of these platforms without due process. This has led many users to seek alternative spaces on domestic social media platforms where they can share their views without fear of censorship or other forms of restriction.
As social media users become more aware of the risks involved with posting sensitive content on social media, they are increasingly hesitant to share anything controversial online. This has caused many social media users in China to demand that authorities take action against fake news, hate speech, and other harmful materials online.
What is the Social Media Landscape in China?
Social media is a popular platform in China that has altered the way people engage with the world. Different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Weibo are used by users to share pictures and videos, post comments, as well as live-stream events and discussions. However, social media is not accessible in China due to strict internet regulations by the government. The state-owned internet giant Baidu owns Weibo—a version of Twitter—in which users can share short videos and posts. Apart from these popular social media platforms, there are niche platforms like reddit or btina where users can discuss different topics under one roof.
Apart from these social media platforms, users also have access to various mobile app-based services for news and entertainment. However, social media has become such a huge part of our daily lives that we can’t imagine life without it anymore.
Top 10 Chinese Social Media Platforms in 2023
As of January 2023, the top 10 Chinese social media platforms are WeChat, Douyin, Kuaishou, Sina Weibo, QQ, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, Zhihu, Youku, and TikTok.
It is projected that WeChat will achieve 1.671 billion monthly active users (MAU) globally by end of 2023, indicating an impressive 8.43% year-on-year (YoY) increase, equivalent to 13 million users more than the estimated count from the previous year. WeChat is currently ranked fifth among the most widely used social media applications, boasting 1.309 billion MAU, according to BankMyCell.
The top five Chinese social media platforms are WeChat (1.671 billion monthly active users), Douyin (730 million monthly active users), Kuaishou (587 million monthly active users), Sina Weibo (584 million monthly active users), and QQ (574 million monthly active users).
How to Leverage Social Media in China?
Social media plays a huge role in China as it influences food, fashion, makeup, and homestyle reviews, and advises on holiday spots. With social media platforms such as Weibo and Baidu Tieba becoming increasingly popular, companies can now advertise their products directly through paid ads. Chinese social media landscape is very unique compared with the rest of the world, as many popular platforms can't be accessed. Live streaming broadcasts are also becoming increasingly popular in China, and Twitch and Sina Corp have both acquired Chinese live-streaming platforms. As more people use social media in China, we can expect to see social media usage continue to grow as well. Overall, we can say that social media usage is steadily increasing in China, making it an important part of daily life for many people.
The Future of Social Media in China
The market size for social networking in China is estimated to reach $10.3 billion by the end of 2023, with a projected growth rate of 10.8%. From 2018 to 2023, the annualized market size growth for social networking in China is expected to be 10.4%. The internet users in China are quite active on social media platforms such as Weibo and Douyin. This is because of the high number of users of social media platforms in the country. There are many internet users in China, who opt for social media channels as they offer various benefits, apart from engaging users with various content.
Gender Breakdown of Chinese Social Media Users
According to the Internet Society of China, as of 2023, there were as many as 1.05 billion internet users in China. Of this number, over two-thirds (63%) are female users. Also, the average age of social media users in China is barely 24 years. The percentage of social media users in North America and Europe is much higher than that of social media users in China. However, around a third of internet users in China have accounts on social media platforms like Weibo, social networking websites like QQ and Tencent’s Wechat. Bute, the gender breakdown of LinkedIn users in China is 56.4% male and 43.6% female.
These statistics tell us that social media platforms attract an equal number of men and women in the country. Though there is a rise in women’s participation in social media usage and online life globally, it still remains a small percentage overall. This can be seen by the statistics mentioned above as well as by looking at other countries with similar internet penetration rates such as India (where females make up 53% of internet users), Indonesia (where females make up 70%) or South Korea (where females make up 57%).
Social Media Penetration in China 2023
According to the Global Web audience statistics by Statista, as of 2023, China had 72% of its population as active social media users. The top social media sites and apps in China in 2023 are Sina Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, Qzone, Meipai and Douyin Huoshan with penetration rate of 50.70%, 47.90%, 45.70%, 34.40%, 28.00%, and 23.60% respectively. Over 70% of Chinese consumers felt inclined to shop via social media channels in 2020 as per a study by eMarketer. With increasing internet access and awareness among people, social media has become the preferred platform for sharing information on various topics. It has become vital for marketers to engage with social media users and build strong relationships with them to create awareness about their products and services. Overall, social media trends in China will continue to be positive during the forecast period.
Advertising on Chinese Social Media Platforms
Companies looking to advertise on Chinese social media platforms should use a Chinese social media marketing strategy. This involves investing in social media ads as part of your overall digital marketing strategy. Many users of social media platforms in China are young, internet savvy, and tech-savvy. They are accustomed to viewing ads and can be more receptive to advertisements on social media than users of other media channels. With this as a base, companies can create engaging ads that users find interesting and informative. One of the first platforms to provide paid ads was Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. It has over 584 million monthly active users in Jan 2023, making it one of the most popular social media platforms in China. The number of active monthly users per active user on Weibo is 1:5 as compared to others social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Besides paid ads, Weibo also allows brands to post sponsored content or ads on its platform. These ads appear as posts by verified users and can be seen by millions of users daily. Another popular platform in China is Baidu Tieba. It is an online forum where users can post links and photos from around the web for others to discuss and engage with them. Advertisements on Baidu Tieba can be linked to specific posts or threads for maximum visibility on the platform. Wechat is another popular platform for advertisers in China as it gives brands access to a large consumer base via its app store without having to invest in their own app development costs. With the increasing popularity of social media networks among its users, Chinese social media platforms have become important revenue sources for many companies operating in the country.
Video and Location-Based App Usage in China 2023
In China, weChat is the most popular social media platform in 2023, followed by Douyin and Tencent QQ. On Douyin, users can short video or live broadcast for free. In addition to social media, short video apps such as Douyin, Youku, and Yizhibo are popular in China. These apps are prominent in countries like Japan and South Korea, where they have active user bases of over 100 million users each. Chinese users spend an average of 1 hour 57 minutes daily on social media platforms such as Weibo, Tmall, Taobao, and Zhaopin. As e-commerce becomes more popular in China, live commerce will contribute 19.4% of the total retail online sales by end of 2023. This is projected to be worth $1 trillion by that year. With social media becoming an integral part of daily life for Chinese users of all ages, it has become a vital platform for marketers to reach out to their target audience across geographies and demographics. Besides, short video and live streaming apps such as Douyin have also gained popularity among Chinese internet users as they provide users with a convenient way to share short-form content with large audiences at ease.
E-commerce platforms such as Taobao and Tmall have become popular platforms for online shopping in China due to their interactive features that allow users to personalize their shopping experience. Especially among younger generations of consumers who are always on the go and prefer convenience over traditional retail shopping experiences.
Influence of Social Media in China
Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, has become hugely popular since its launch in 2009. With over 584 million monthly active users in 2023, it is no wonder that social media is becoming an integral part of daily life for Chinese internet users. The statistics show that social media usage in China is growing rapidly. The usage of social media in China is relatively high among internet users compared to other countries. The statistics show that 70% of internet users in China use social media as compared to 50% global users as a whole. Furthermore, statistics show that 45% of white-collar workers in China spend more than 10 hours per week on social media as compared to 6% globally as a whole.
That being said, companies can advertise their products directly on Weibo as opposed to running PPC campaigns on other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
How Many Accounts Does an Average Chinese User Have?
From 2013 to 2022, the average weekly online duration of internet users in China is depicted in this statistic. As of the conclusion of 2022, the average time spent online per week by internet users in China was 26.7 hours, which is equivalent to approximately 3.8 hours of daily online activity, according to Statista.
As of Jan 2023, Chinese internet users had a total of 1.05 billion active social media accounts on 8 platforms. This number was projected to reach 1.2 billion by 2025, making Chinese social media users the second-largest in the world after those in the United States.The global social media market grew from $193.52 billion in 2022 to $231.1 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.4%.
Language and Culture on Chinese Networks
Reports from social media statistics in China have shown that the internet is changing language use in young people. More and more young people are using Mandarin on social media, which is a concern for older generations as they worry that younger generations are adopting the language as their lingua franca. This shift can be seen as a reflection of the nation's increasingly globalised and interconnected world-view.
Relatively speaking, social media has become an important part of Chinese culture as it influences food, life, fashion choices, makeup reviews and homestyle advice. It has become an important media platform for brands to promote themselves and reach out to younger audiences. But, censorship has become widespread on social media as the authorities realise that people are turning to the internet for the truth and rumours are spread quickly. Word of mouth information is vital in China, where official news sources are trusted and brands can be seen as impartial. This dynamic environment requires young users to learn how to utilise social media effectively and responsibly to contribute positively to society.
Conclusion:
Social media has made an immense impact on people’s lives. People across the world today are more connected than ever before, and social media is a big reason for that. Chinese social media users use their social media platforms as a platform to connect with their friends, families, and followers. Regardless of age group or social standing, users can find support through social media by sharing experiences, ideas, and content. Social media users in China use their platforms as a way to express themselves and share content that can be seen by millions of users at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is it important to stay ahead of the curve with social media statistics in China in 2023?
Staying ahead of the curve with social media statistics in China is critical for businesses and individuals seeking to succeed in the Chinese market. Social media plays a significant role in consumer behavior and decision-making in China, and staying up-to-date with the latest statistics and trends can help businesses shape their strategies to better target their audience and maximize their success. Additionally, with the rapidly changing social media landscape in China, businesses and individuals who do not keep up with the latest trends risk falling behind their competitors and missing out on valuable opportunities.
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