China’s Mobile Video Consumption Constantly Growth

Sohu, iQiyi, and Youku. These popular online video platforms are the go-to sites of millions of subscribers in the Mainland.

Watching videos is ubiquitous that digital media has overtaken traditional media. eMarketer said adults spent an average of 3 hours and 5 minutes a day with digital media.

I’m not surprised as I have observed it myself.

One of my Chinese millennial friends told me that most young people watch everything on their mobile phones.

That was her answer when I asked, out of curiosity, why she rarely turn on the TV in our apartment. “It’s for the old people. I like watching on my phone or iPad. I bought that so our living room will look good.”

Connected than ever with a strong demand

As Chinese consumers become more connected than ever – whether via smartphones and other connected TVs and devices – there’s also a strong demand on video content, whether it’s free or premium online streaming.

As Chris Schreiner, Director of Syndicated Research put it, “An important behavioral and attitudinal change of mobile video consumers in China in 2016 was that they were much more willing to pay a subscription fee for video content.”

Netflix, US-based video streaming service, recently gained a foothold in the China market through iQiyi licensing deal.

While it was a tough ride for the company in 2016, the deal with the latter makes it easier to reach out to iQiyi’s 368.9 million monthly active users.

From work to leisure to advertising

There’s also an opportunity for hardware manufacturers to work or partner with local video service providers because of the consumer’s willingness to pay for multiple video services.

If e-commerce has been dubbed as a lifestyle in China, video consumption is also morphing into one especially in big cities during long commutes.

Workers in Beijing and Shanghai would probably have 45-60-minute commute from home to the workplaces and most of the time, stuck in traffic that could make it longer.

This is an opportunity for consumer video, whether in smartphones or tablets.

The type of content often watched in these devices are movies, TV shows and variety shows—the same type of content that were once viewed on traditional media such as TVs.

As the growth of video consumption increases, advertising companies are also reflective about these digital habits.

eMarketer reported that advertisers were expected to spend 58.3% of their budget in media in 2016.

Paid search has the highest spending among other digital formats. But as the shift to video consumption subtly moves, video ads are keeping up.

Key takeaway for global companies planning to expand in China

Videos are the most effective way to engage with customers. People have a short span of attention, making it also challenging for companies to map out a creative, short, yet relevant one that connects to the audience.

That’s where you need the assistance of a team of marketers, videographers, translators in China who can help you flesh out an idea and translate it into something engaging to your viewers.

Whether it’s a promotional video, an educational one or even a documentary, video translation and Chinese voice-over can be your starting point.