Chinese video streaming platform Bilibili celebrated its 15th anniversary at an event in Shanghai on June 26, with CEO Chen Rui sharing insights into the online video preferences of the country's younger generation.

Chen Rui, chairman and CEO of Chinese video streaming site Bilibili, speaks at an event to mark the platform's 15th anniversary in Shanghai, June 26, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Bilibili]

Founded in 2009 as a niche community for anime and manga enthusiasts, Bilibili has evolved into one of the most popular video platforms among Chinese youth through the cultivation of its content ecosystem and positive creator-user interactions. According to Chen Rui, chairman and CEO of Bilibili, nearly 70% of Chinese people born in the 1990s and 2000s use the platform.

"Accompanying users as they grow and continuously providing the content they need" is key to keeping users of different ages and eras engaged on the platform, Chen said.

As Bilibili has achieved large-scale growth, user engagement has also increased simultaneously. In 2023, over 10 million people visit Bilibili almost daily, with monthly active users exceeding 20 million. Additionally, registered users from 2018 maintain an activity rate of over 75% today.

Chen announced rankings for the top 10 videos with the highest viewership among users who joined Bilibili in 2009, 2017, and 2022. The 2009 cohort predominantly watches anime and manga, while 2017 users enjoy a broader range of content, including anime series, Chinese animations, documentaries, and educational videos. Surprisingly, 2022 users, mostly born in the 2000s, primarily consume university courses rather than entertainment.

The continuous influx of new users and the sustained activity of existing users have transformed Bilibili into a hub for youth lifestyle and consumption, Chen stated. In 2023, sectors such as gaming, food, and knowledge maintained a growth of over 20% in viewership, while technology, fitness, and home improvement grew by more than 40%. Automotive content increased by more than 50%, and the mother and baby category saw a daily average viewership growth of over 110% year on year.

Every month, more than 70 million users research cars on Bilibili, driving the daily average video views in the automotive sector to over 80 million, with a 218% increase in video submissions year on year. This has made Bilibili a key discussion platform for new energy vehicles, with video views of new energy vehicles increasing by 71% compared to the previous year.

Bilibili has also become the most popular internet platform for content on artificial intelligence. In 2023, the daily average video views for AI-related content on Bilibili increased by over 80% year on year, covering popular topics such as science popularization, AI technology applications, digital humans, and creative applications.

"Those most interested in AI, with the highest level of attention and willingness to apply it, are all on Bilibili," stated Chen Rui. Every month, more than 80 million users watch AI-related content on Bilibili, of whom 60% were born after 2000.

At the same time, Bilibili is also the most densely populated community for AI industry practitioners, with over 90% of AI companies in China choosing to communicate with users on the platform.

"High-quality users gathering together form Bilibili's unique community, attracting more and more creators to join and provide richer content; meanwhile, the rich content leads to more user retention and more content demand, continuing to attract more creators and more users. This positive cycle among users, creators, and content is precisely the reason for Bilibili's sustained healthy growth," Chen stated.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)