Chinese Streaming Platforms: A Diversified Market & Opportunities for Brands中国流媒体平台：多元市场与品牌商机

张思琳/译

Its no secret that China is a powerhouse when it comes to online video platforms， reaching more than 990 million users in 2022. From ubiquitous online Chinese streaming platforms to the growth of short-form video streaming sites and apps， there are plenty of opportunities for brands to reach the Chinese audience with video content. In this article， well take a look at Chinas video streaming market and some of the opportunities it presents for brands.

眾所周知，中国网络视频平台发展势头强劲，2022年用户规模已超9.9亿。从遍地开花的中国在线流媒体平台，到不断增长的短视频流媒体网站和应用程序，各品牌有很多机会通过视频内容触达中国受众。本文将聚焦中国视频流媒体市场及其给品牌带来的一些机遇。

China offers a diversified ecosystem for online video content， with no single service yet coming close to attaining a market share comparable to Netflixs 87% in the U.S. Instead， the bulk of the domestic market is split between the three largest online video platforms; iQiyi， Youku， and Tencent Video， which are respectively controlled by the countrys “big three” internet companies： Baidu， Alibaba， and Tencent.

中国为在线视频内容提供了多元化的市场生态，就获取的市场份额来说，目前没有哪家服务商像美国奈飞那样一家独大——奈飞在美国的市场份额高达87%。中国的情况则不同，国内市场大部分由爱奇艺、优酷和腾讯视频这三大在线视频平台占据，它们分别由中国“三大”互联网公司百度、阿里巴巴和腾讯把控。

As growth in paid membership and monthly subscription service has slowed， however， self-made dramas and variety shows have become more popular among Chinese consumers， and competition has intensified between Chinese streaming platforms. Over the past two years， with the rise of the state-backed Mango TV， Bilibili has gradually expanded from animated content to fully licensed media with a product line of film and TV services. Streaming platforms and live-streaming platforms， as well as short-video platforms and apps are very popular in China， with many new players still joining the market with success. Meanwhile， short videos， led by the largest short-video platform Douyin and Kuaishou， have taken over the industry， impacting the top Chinese streaming platforms.

然而，随着付费会员和包月订阅服务增势放缓，自制剧和综艺节目如今更受中国消费者青睐，中国流媒体平台之间的竞争也愈发激烈。过去两年，国有控股平台芒果TV崛起，哔哩哔哩也逐渐发展壮大——从专注动画内容到拥有影视服务产品线的完全授权媒体。流媒体平台、直播平台、短视频平台和应用程序风靡中国，仍有许多新玩家成功加入这一市场。与此同时，以抖音和快手这两家最大的短视频平台为首的短视频服务商已经主导业界，对中国头部流媒体平台造成冲击。

One of the key reasons for the video streaming market growth in China is the rising demand for continuous streaming of data at the users convenience and time， without downloading. Owing to the increased access to multimedia devices and the internet， consumers are increasingly viewing short-form videos on demand， leading to a sharp increase in online video traffic. Domestic video platforms are trying to cater to these needs， offering many options to entertain consumers. For companies and international marketers interested in tapping the soaring demand for video streaming platforms in China， content tailored to local audiences now provides opportunities for brand integrations that speak directly to consumers.

中国视频流媒体市场之所以如此繁荣，主要原因之一是用户对即点即播、无需下载的视频需求不断增长。随着多媒体设备和互联网的日益普及，越来越多的用户使用短视频点播服务，使在线视频流量飙升。国内视频平台在努力满足这样的用户需求，推出了各式各样的娱乐业务。企业和跨国商家若想利用中国视频流媒体平台的热度，不妨制作专门面向当地观众的内容，为直接与消费者对话的品牌整合提供了机会。

Why are Chinese online video platforms important for brands in China？

中国在线视频平台于品牌之大用

Now inevitable in editorial plans and among digital marketing trends， the videos and live streaming features of many domestic platforms have shown in recent years to be able to guarantee a strong engagement.

如今，视频和直播是文案策划和数字营销各种趋势不可或缺的因素，近年来，国内许多平台的视频和直播功能在调动受众参与度方面彰显出强劲实力。

With increased exposure， you can generate more leads for your business or get more followers for your personal brand. Within social media， its also easier to get people to find and share live videos. Its a very effective way of generating user comments and growing your brands user base.

品牌曝光度增加后，可以获取更多潜在客户，或者吸引更多人关注。有了社交媒體，发现和分享直播视频也更容易了。这是一种生成用户评论、提高品牌用户基数的有效手段。

Video streaming is an effective tool in your digital marketing arsenal that can help you reach your audience， expand your brand， and ultimately drive more sales. You can start making your own content easily without big investments and see the results faster than when it comes to written forms.

作为数字营销的制胜利器，视频流媒体可以帮助触达受众、扩大品牌影响力，最终促进销售。企业可以轻松上手制作自己的内容，无需大量投资，效果也比纯文字宣传来得快。

How to market your brand through Chinese streaming video platforms？

利用中国视频流媒体平台营销的诀窍

Use Branding to promote your Brands on Chinese Streaming Services

利用流媒体服务推广品牌

Brand integrations， including product placements on scripted series， operate on an ad-buying model controlled by the platforms. Brands in China pay for varying levels of exposure， and their broadcast presence is counted in seconds. Regardless of the content strategy used by a brand to reach the audience in China via domestic streaming video platforms， the most important thing is to ensure engagement in a way that is as fluid and discreet as possible. Sharing the practical value of a product or brand allows audiences to “see for themselves” rather than hearing from a paid spokesperson or online influencer.

品牌整合，包括在电视剧中植入产品，需要按照平台把控的广告购买模式操作。在中国，品牌根据不同的曝光量支付相应的广告费，广告时间以秒计算。无论品牌采用何种内容策略通过国内视频流媒体平台触达中国观众，最重要的是尽量避免生硬突兀。向受众展示产品或品牌的实用价值，可以引导他们亲自了解品牌，而非接受代言人或网红的种草。

In China content is king

内容为王

Chinese internet users love watching videos online and have shown little resistance to viewing advertisements as long as they are creative and/or strike some kind of emotional chord. It is for this reason that many if not most major international brands have been quick to turn to stream video platforms in China as a pillar of their advertising and marketing strategy.

中国网民乐于在线观看视频，也不反感广告，只要广告有创意且/或能引发情感共鸣，正因如此，众多国际大牌才迅速将中国视频流媒体平台作为广告和营销的主阵地。

The main tip for making ads and managing dedicated channels for brands is simple： content is king. Taking a “content commerce” approach， in which brand messaging or advertising is camouflaged in interesting scripted or unscripted. Content that incorpor-ates trends that matter to your target customer is a best practice. Numerous brands both inside and outside of China use this tactic to increase their impact in China.

制作广告和管理品牌专用频道有一条简单的黄金法则：内容为王。采取“内容商务”的方式，让广告有机融入有脚本或无脚本的节目中，内容最好体现目标顾客注重的潮流趋势。国内外许多品牌都采用该策略来扩大在中国的影响力。

Special announcements and product introduction

發布及推介方式独特

Hundreds of consumer goods， luxury， and fashion brands have turned to product placement on streaming television shows and movies to get in front of Chinese audiences over the past two decades. Although an effective way to increase awareness， product placement can be a minefield for brands whose integrations come across as awkward or irrelevant to the broader storyline. Viewers tend to be highly critical of obvious brand intrusions into dramatic plots. Dramas already have a reputation for “watering down” content with unnecessary ads.

过去20年，数百种消费品、奢侈品和时装品牌在流媒体电视节目和电影中植入了广告，从而走进中国观众的视线。虽然广告植入可以有效提高品牌知名度，但如果植入十分生硬或脱离宏观剧情，反倒可能弄巧成拙。观众经常诟病故事情节中贸然出现的品牌植入，掺杂不必要的广告“灌水”内容的做法已经成为影视界的家常便饭。

Blogger hosted and user-generated content

博主主持与用户联动内容

Not only the participation of famous people increases visibility， but also a “take over” （transfer of the company profile to a public figure） of the company account helps to increase engagement with potential consumers. Receiving live answers to your questions from a celebrity is definitely an opportunity not to be missed.

名人宣传不仅能提高品牌知名度，还能触发“迁移效应”（将公司形象迁移到公众人物身上），有助于吸引更多潜在顾客参与互动。与名人实时问答的机会绝对不容错过。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）