Chinese social media: The top platforms in 2016

Anyone with a global online presence has a need to know a lot about how the Chinese online market evolves and how Chinese people are using online and social media. This article is created as short beginners guide to introduce the subject. This article presents the top six social media sites in 2016 by the number of active users.

A striking fact around social media usage in China: 91% of Chinese online users frequently use social media, compared to the US, where only 67% of online users use social media. China is the worlds largest social media landscape, and I will get back with advice and practical suggestions in another post. For now, here’s some basic info and background on the top six Chinese social media sites in 2016:

1. Tencent QQ

• Started 1999
• 850+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Instant messaging, games, music and hosting of images.

2. WeChat

• Started 2011
• 600+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Instant messaging (text, video, voice), users can become fans of brands, shopping and bookings.

3. Sina Weibo

• Started 2009
• 287+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Microblogging, information source.

4. Baidu Tieba

• Started 2003
• 200+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Online communities, topic boards, commenting.

5. Douban

• Started 2005
• 200+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Specialised networking, connect via common interest, ratings and reviews.

6. Renren

• Started 2010
• 96+ million active monthly users
• Primary usage: Networking, posting and interacting, photo and video hosting.
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I hope that this article is useful to you. In a while, I will get back with advice and more practical suggestions.

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