Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Covered in this Report
- Demographic groups
- Social and media networks users
- Personal income
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Rural areas show potential
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- Figure 1: Internet users and year-on-year growth in China, 2009-16
- Social networks become information channels, and live streaming is developing rapidly
- Companies and brands
- WeChat tops
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- Figure 2: Monthly active users of WeChat, QQ, Qzone and Sina Weibo, December 2013-16
- YY Inc. leads live streaming sector but also faces fierce competition
- The strategies: ‘Super Apps’ and paid content
- The consumer
- Declining heavy users of leading social networks
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- Figure 3: Heavy users of leading social networks, February 2017, January 2016 and March 2015
- Fewer activities via social networks
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- Figure 4: Activities on social networks in the last 6 months, February 2017 and January 2016
- Relevant content is more important than promotion to motivate repost
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- Figure 5: Reasons for reposting content from public accounts, February 2017
- 25-29s are core target audience of live streaming
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- Figure 6: Live streaming penetration in the last 6 months, by age, February 2017
- Potentials within variety shows/live shows and lifestyle-related shows
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- Figure 7: Types of live streamed shows watched in the last 6 months, February 2017
- Consumers watch live streamed shows to relax
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- Figure 8: Reasons for watching live streaming, February 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Switching off?
- The facts
- The implications
- From purely social to knowledge and information sharing
- The facts
- The implications
- Live streaming campaigns: interaction and information are key
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Total internet users saw a 6.2% increase in 2016
- Social networks become news feeds
- 344 million users of live steaming by 2016
Market Trends
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- Growth potential in rural areas
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- Figure 9: Internet users and year-on-year growth in China, 2009-16
- Social networks become important information channels
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- Figure 10: Channels to read news on mobile phones, 2016
- Live streamed shows bring brands closer to consumers
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Tencent continues to dominate, WeChat taking the lead
- ‘Super Apps’ and paid content
- Fierce competition in live streaming market
- Innovation highlights
Key Players
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- WeChat became No. 1
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- Figure 11: Monthly active users of WeChat, December 2013-16
- QQ and Qzone losing appeal
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- Figure 12: Monthly active users of QQ and Qzone, December 2013-16
- Sina Weibo maintains growth
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- Figure 13: Monthly active users of Sina Weibo, December 2013-16
- YY Inc. leads live streaming while the competition is heating up
Competitive strategies
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- The ‘Super App’
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- Figure 14: Examples of Mini Programs on WeChat, May 2017
- Paying to learn
- More ways to leverage the power of KOLs
Who’s Innovating?
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- The ‘Chatbots’: from online retailer to social networks
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- Figure 15: KLM Emoji ‘Chatbot’ on Facebook Messenger, May 2017
- Gifting, what’s next after Red Pocket?
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- Figure 16: Starbucks Mini Programs on WeChat, May 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Fewer heavy users
- Only 16% would repost for discounts
- 25-29s are core target audience of live streamed shows
- Variety shows/live shows and life-style related content have potential
Usage of Social Networks
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- WeChat dominates
- The users of Facebook and Instagram
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- Figure 17: Usage frequency of leading social networks, February 2017
- Fewer heavy users of leading social networks
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- Figure 18: Heavy users of leading social networks, February 2017, January 2016 and March 2015
- Females and the early 20s switching away from dominating social networks
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- Figure 19: Annual change of social network heavy users, by gender, February 2017, January 2016 and March 2015
- More heavy users in tier one cities
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- Figure 20: Annual change of social network heavy users, by city tier, February 2017, January 2016 and March 2015
Activities on Social Networks
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- Fewer types of activities on social networks
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- Figure 21: Repertoire of activities on social networks in the last 6 months, February 2017 and January 2016
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- Figure 22: Activities on social networks in the last 6 months, February 2017 and January 2016
- Switching off trend more apparent among females
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- Figure 23: Activities on social networks in the last 6 months, by gender, February 2017 and January 2016
- Switching-off less obvious among those in their 30s and high earners
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- Figure 24: Annual change of activities on social networks, February 2017 and January 2016
Reasons for Reposting
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- Informative and resonating content appeals more than promotions
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- Figure 25: Reasons for reposting content from public accounts, February 2017
- Event marketing works better on males and high earners
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- Figure 26: Key drivers of reasons for reposting, February 2017
- Humour is important for engaging the 20-24s
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- Figure 27: Reasons for reposting content from public accounts, by age, February 2017
- High earners are more likely to advertise for brands
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- Figure 28: Reasons for reposting content from public accounts, by monthly personal income, February 2017
- Reasons vary by the type of organisations people work for
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- Figure 29: Reasons for reposting content from public accounts, by company type, February 2017
Live Streaming Penetration
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- Consumers aged 25-29 are target audience
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- Figure 30: Live streaming penetration in the last 6 months, by age, February 2017
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- Figure 31: Live streaming penetration in the last 6 months, by personal income and education level, February 2017
- Live stream audiences tend to be heavy users of QQ, Qzone and Weibo
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- Figure 32: Social networks heavy users among live streaming audience, February 2017
Types of Live Streaming Shows
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- A wide range of interest
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- Figure 33: Types of live streamed shows watched in the last 6 months, February 2017
- Women are more interested in shopping-related, food/cooking and celebrity shows
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- Figure 34: Audience profile of live streamed shows, by gender and age, February 2017
- Lifestyle related shows have monetisation potential
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- Figure 35: Audience profile of live streamed shows, by personal income and city tier, February 2017
Reasons for Watching Live Streaming
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- Top reason: just to relax
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- Figure 36: Reasons for watching live streaming, February 2017
- Different purposes between men and women
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- Figure 37: Reasons for watching live streaming, by gender, February 2017
- 20-24s watch live streaming to kill time and chase celebrities
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- Figure 38: Reasons for watching live streaming, by age, February 2017
Meet the Mintropolitans
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- Biggest drop in Baidu Tieba, Qzone and Sina Weibo
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- Figure 39: Annual change of heavy users, by consumer classification, February 2017 and January 2016
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- Figure 40: Annual change of activities via social networks, by consumer classification, February 2017 and January 2016
- Lifestyle related live streaming content appeals to Mintropolitans
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- Figure 41: Types of live streamed shows watched in the last 6 months, by consumer classification, February 2017
- Getting information rather than killing time
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- Figure 42: Reasons for watching live streaming, by consumer classification, February 2017
Appendix – Key Driver Analysis
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- Methodology
- Interpretation of results
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- Figure 43: Key drivers of reasons for reposting – key driver output, February 2017
Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
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- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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