Since bursting onto the scene in September 2016, Douyin has become one of the fastest-growing apps in China. In 2018, the app saw explosive growth going from 150 million to 250 million daily active users in the space of just 6 months.

In this post, we look at what Douyin is, why it’s so popular, and who is using it. In a follow-up post, we’ll reveal how marketers looking to crack the Chinese market can take advantage of it.

What is Douyin?

Douyin is an app that allows users to produce and browse short videos 15 seconds in length. You may know Douyin by its English-language version Tik Tok, though it’s important to note that Douyin and Tik Tok don’t necessarily share all the same features, with Douyin often being slightly more advanced. Early last year, for example, Douyin released a feature allowing users to link directly to products on China’s most popular online shopping sites, paving the way for social e-commerce. This feature is not available on Tik Tok (not yet at least).

Understanding what has made Douyin so popular is important for marketers who wish to tap into its allure. Here’s what it boils down to:

1

It’s plug-and-play

Douyin uses algorithms to push content to users’ feeds – meaning, as soon as you download the app, you’re presented with an endless stream of videos for you to start scrolling instantly, without having to connect with friend, influencers or brands.

The app even curates content for you – the algorithms learn about your preferences based on your engagement level with each video, making the content more relevant to you to the more you use it.

2

It’s interactive and customisable

The other half of the Douyin equation is user-generated content, with users encouraged to upload their own videos via prompts such as hashtag challenges (more on this in the follow-up post). With extensive tools; a huge library of background music, clips and animations; and an almost unlimited number of filters, the sky’s the limit for content creators. Plus, the videos are only 15 seconds long, making them incredibly easy to produce.

3

It’s immersive and highly addictive

On Douyin, videos are full-screen and vertical, meaning they take up your entire phone screen, making the whole experience extremely immersive. The transition from one video to the next is also seamless – the next one simply starts playing automatically, or, if you can’t wait 15 seconds, you can skip to the next one with just a swipe.

This immersion and automation has made Douyin highly addictive – so addictive, in fact, that in 2018 regulators forced the app to add a feature alerting users to when they’ve been watching videos for 90 minutes straight. 

Who is on Douyin?

There is a bit of a perception that Douyin is particularly popular among teens, but while those under the age of 20 do make up a significant percentage (around 20% of users), Douyin is also popular with both Gen Z-ers and Millennials. According to figures from February 2018, 60% of its users are aged between 20 and 29 years old.

Women make up around two-thirds of users. That being said, Douyin has a significantly higher percentage of men compared to other platforms like Little Red Book. Douyin users are also well distributed across China, with 43% of users living in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, and 57% living in Tier 3 and Tier 4+ cities.

So is this a platform worth dedicating resources to? If your target audience are on Douyin, and your brand and/or product would translate well to the app, then we think the answer is a resounding yes.

But remember: Douyin is just a small part of China’s complex digital landscape. To get the big picture, check out our free guides on our website!