Bytedance is the company behind TikTok and Douyin, as well as other popular social media channels in China. 

Collectively, it has a staggering reach of over 1.5 billion monthly active users and is one of the biggest companies in the world. 

It’s no surprise, then, that in 2019 the tech giant secured almost 25% of all digital ad spend in China, representing a huge $7 billion. 

But what kind of advertising is available on Bytedance?

And what platforms offer the best Bytedance ads? 

In this article, we’ll be answering those questions and more, as we break down the world of Bytedance and its position in China’s advertising industry. 

So, first things first: what are the top Bytedance apps in China? 

Here are the top four Bytedance apps you need to know about: 

1. Douyin

Launched in 2016, Douyin is the original and Chinese version of TikTok. 

It is used by over 600 million users a day and is the second most downloaded app in the world. 

On the app, users share short videos of themselves dancing, singing, and taking part in viral hashtag challenges. 

Each user has their own feed which features videos from who they follow, trending topics, and recommended content based on previous engagement. Think of it like Snapchat meets Instagram, where short videos form a unique feed of personalized content. 

In terms of its user base:

• 80% of all users on Douyin are under the age of 30
• 65% are women 
• Over 60% also have college degrees

2. Toutiao 

Toutiao is China’s most popular news and information application, attracting over 220 million a day. 

In a nutshell, it is an online platform that uses machine learning to build content feeds that are uniquely relevant to each user. As a result, Toutiao sees high rates of engagement, with the average user spending 76 minutes on the app each day. 

Toutiao isn’t just for news stories, either — it brings together a wide range of media based on a user’s preferences, including visual content, such as short videos. The app also includes a Q&A channel where registered users can discuss hot topics in a moderated community. 

It’s Toutiao’s intelligent algorithm that makes the platform so attractive to marketers, as it offers a unique opportunity to target very specific segments in China. We’ll be breaking down the exact advertising formats available in our next section, so stick with us!

3. Xigua Video

The Xigua Video app is China’s third biggest short video platform, entertaining over 50 million daily active users who generate more than 3 billion views each day. 

It is a very different platform to Douyin, since videos are between 1-30 minutes (as opposed to a few seconds) and are of a higher and more substantial quality than what you’d find on Douyin. Some content is even professionally generated by production companies. 

It helps, then, to think of Xigua Video as China’s answer to YouTube where content creators (and businesses) produce longer-form videos that entertain their fans and customers. 

80% of Xigua Video’s users are between 18-30 years old and are from Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, making it an ideal channel for advertisers looking to reach young consumers in China with higher disposable incomes. 

4. Huoshan Video

As China’s fourth most popular short video app, Huoshan Video has 50 million daily active users and generates around 2 billion views each day. 

The app is very similar to Douyin in that it is designed for very short videos (15 seconds) and is used by a similarly young audience. In fact, Bytedance recently rebranded Huoshan as ‘Douyin Huoshan’ to bring together users on both platforms. 

This merger has worked extremely well, with content creators on both apps reaching larger audiences than ever thanks to the cross-over appeal. 

That said, the Huoshan app still offers brands a separate and unique advertising opportunity in China, as 60% of its users are male, which differentiates it from the female-dominated Douyin. 

Bytedance ads — what’s available and where

Now you know the basics of Bytedance’s biggest channels, here’s an overview of the best Bytedance ads available on each platform: 

1. Advertising on Douyin

Douyin offers brands five, main advertising options: 

TopView ads

A TopView ad is a high impact, full-screen video between 4-60 seconds long that appears when Douyin is first opened. These videos can be liked, shared and commented on by users, and are ideal for reaching users in an interactive way. 

Brand Takeover ads

A Brand Takeover ad increases brand awareness and guarantees impact by filling a user’s screen with either 5-second videos, 3-second pictures or 4 second GIFs when the app is first opened. These are similar to TopView ads but last for less time. 

In-feed ads

In-feed ads are short videos that are natively displayed in a user’s ‘For You’ feed. They are full-screen and can last up to 60-seconds with functions including auto-play, sound-on and user engagement. 

Branded hashtags

A branded hashtag is ideal for interacting with Douyin users and encouraging them to create content around a specific ‘challenge’, like lip-syncing to a particular song. These hashtags can then be promoted on Douyin to appear in the feeds of targeted users. 

Branded stickers

When creating videos on Douyin, users can add branded stickers to their content. These can be logos, mascots or any other symbol related to your brand. If enough creators use a sticker, it can quickly become viral and generate leads in a fun and native way. 

2. Advertising on Toutiao 

There are two advertising formats available on Toutiao:

In-feed ads

An in-feed ad on Toutiao will appear in a user’s daily feed of content. They are available in three different forms: 

• A carousel ad, which combines multiple videos or images into a single in-feed ad 
• An image ad, either in the form of a banner or larger image
• And a video ad, which will automatically play as a user scrolls through their feed

Full cover open ads

A full cover open ad will fill a user’s screen with a video, large banner or multiple small images, making them ideal for maximum impact. These ads appear at random intervals as a user is scrolling through their feed. 

3. Advertising on Xigua Video

Xigua Video predominantly offers in-feed ads that appear in a user’s feed of recommended content and search results. These can come in the form of images and videos. 

56% of active users on the platform are exposed to these ads, which gives Xigua Video the highest ad penetration rate among all short video apps in China. 

Video ads in particular offer great ROI for brands, as they are only charged after a user has watched them for at least 5-seconds. 

4. Advertising on Huoshan Video

Huoshan Video, again, offers in-feed ads that appear natively within a user’s feed. These can be videos and images, depending on a brand’s requirements. 

Recently, Huoshan Video has also launched mini-programs. The programs allow brands to engage users with their own sub-applications on the platform in the form of in-app games that can be used as part of a brand awareness campaign or to launch a new product. 

Bytedance advertising: how to get started 

Each Bytedance channel has its own set of requirements, which can make it difficult for brands to get started — especially for those outside of China, since you’ll need to repeatedly prove your right to operate in the country. 

That’s where AdChina.io comes in. 

Our all-in-one platform will give you instant access to advertise on each of the apps we’ve covered today without all the hassle. 

Book your free demo today to get started with running the Bytedance ads your brand needs to excel in China. 

How much does it cost to advertise on Bytedance?

The cost of your Bytedance ads will vary from platform-to-platform. It’ll also depend on your industry and its competitiveness. 

That said, there are some ballpark figures to be aware of:

• Both Toutiao and Douyin have average setup costs of around $249 and a minimum top-up amount of $7999.
• From there, the average CPM on Toutiao is between $0.90-1.80, whilst the average CPC is $0.07. 
• On Douyin, you should expect an average CPM of between $2-3.00, and an average CPC of $0.15-0.30. 

Ready to start running Bytedance ads? We’ve got you covered

Here at AdChina.io, our all-in-one platform is all you’ll need to: 

• Run ads on all Bytedance channels 
• Target your ideal consumer in China
• Optimize your budgets 
• Analyze and review results 
• Avoid the challenges of Chinese advertising

Book your free demo today to see for yourself why AdChina.io is just what you’re looking for.