Chinese Streaming Platforms: A Diversified Market & Opportunities for Brands中國流媒體平臺：多元市場與品牌商機

張思琳/譯

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，中國網絡視頻平臺發展勢頭強勁，2022年用戶規模已超9.9億。從遍地開花的中國在線流媒體平臺，到不斷增長的短視頻流媒體網站和應用程序，各品牌有很多機會通過視頻內容觸達中國受眾。本文將聚焦中國視頻流媒體市場及其給品牌帶來的一些機遇。

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.

中國為在線視頻內容提供了多元化的市場生態，就獲取的市場份額來說，目前沒有哪家服務商像美國奈飛那樣一家獨大——奈飛在美國的市場份額高達87%。中國的情況則不同，國內市場大部分由愛奇藝、優酷和騰訊視頻這三大在線視頻平臺占據，它們分別由中國“三大”互聯網公司百度、阿里巴巴和騰訊把控。

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，隨著付費會員和包月訂閱服務增勢放緩，自制劇和綜藝節目如今更受中國消費者青睞，中國流媒體平臺之間的競爭也愈發激烈。過去兩年，國有控股平臺芒果TV崛起，嗶哩嗶哩也逐漸發展壯大——從專注動畫內容到擁有影視服務產品線的完全授權媒體。流媒體平臺、直播平臺、短視頻平臺和應用程序風靡中國，仍有許多新玩家成功加入這一市場。與此同時，以抖音和快手這兩家最大的短視頻平臺為首的短視頻服務商已經主導業界，對中國頭部流媒體平臺造成沖擊。

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.

中國視頻流媒體市場之所以如此繁榮，主要原因之一是用戶對即點即播、無需下載的視頻需求不斷增長。隨著多媒體設備和互聯網的日益普及，越來越多的用戶使用短視頻點播服務，使在線視頻流量飆升。國內視頻平臺在努力滿足這樣的用戶需求，推出了各式各樣的娛樂業務。企業和跨國商家若想利用中國視頻流媒體平臺的熱度，不妨制作專門面向當地觀眾的內容，為直接與消費者對話的品牌整合提供了機會。

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

中國在線視頻平臺于品牌之大用

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，視頻和直播是文案策劃和數字營銷各種趨勢不可或缺的因素，近年來，國內許多平臺的視頻和直播功能在調動受眾參與度方面彰顯出強勁實力。

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，可以獲取更多潛在客戶，或者吸引更多人關注。有了社交媒體，發現和分享直播視頻也更容易了。這是一種生成用戶評論、提高品牌用戶基數的有效手段。

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.

作為數字營銷的制勝利器，視頻流媒體可以幫助觸達受眾、擴大品牌影響力，最終促進銷售。企業可以輕松上手制作自己的內容，無需大量投資，效果也比純文字宣傳來得快。

How to market your brand through Chinese streaming video platforms？

利用中國視頻流媒體平臺營銷的訣竅

Use Branding to promote your Brands on Chinese Streaming Services

利用流媒體服務推廣品牌

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，包括在電視劇中植入產品，需要按照平臺把控的廣告購買模式操作。在中國，品牌根據不同的曝光量支付相應的廣告費，廣告時間以秒計算。無論品牌采用何種內容策略通過國內視頻流媒體平臺觸達中國觀眾，最重要的是盡量避免生硬突兀。向受眾展示產品或品牌的實用價值，可以引導他們親自了解品牌，而非接受代言人或網紅的種草。

In China content is king

內容為王

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.

中國網民樂于在線觀看視頻，也不反感廣告，只要廣告有創意且/或能引發情感共鳴，正因如此，眾多國際大牌才迅速將中國視頻流媒體平臺作為廣告和營銷的主陣地。

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.

制作廣告和管理品牌專用頻道有一條簡單的黃金法則：內容為王。采取“內容商務”的方式，讓廣告有機融入有腳本或無腳本的節目中，內容最好體現目標顧客注重的潮流趨勢。國內外許多品牌都采用該策略來擴大在中國的影響力。

Special announcements and product introduction

發布及推介方式獨特

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.

過去20年，數百種消費品、奢侈品和時裝品牌在流媒體電視節目和電影中植入了廣告，從而走進中國觀眾的視線。雖然廣告植入可以有效提高品牌知名度，但如果植入十分生硬或脫離宏觀劇情，反倒可能弄巧成拙。觀眾經常詬病故事情節中貿然出現的品牌植入，摻雜不必要的廣告“灌水”內容的做法已經成為影視界的家常便飯。

Blogger hosted and user-generated content

博主主持與用戶聯動內容

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.

名人宣傳不僅能提高品牌知名度，還能觸發“遷移效應”（將公司形象遷移到公眾人物身上），有助于吸引更多潛在顧客參與互動。與名人實時問答的機會絕對不容錯過。

（譯者為“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽獲獎者）