A Comprehensive Overview: Yizhibo

By: ASHLEY DUDARENOK

Updated:

Live streaming witnessed unprecedented growth in 2016 with a remarkable increase in platforms and users. It’s become one of the most popular trends in Chinese social media and a huge boost for e-commerce.

Although there are many live streaming platforms, Yizhibo achieved outstanding performance in a short time largely due to its partnership with Sina Weibo.

Here’s an overview of Yizhibo.


1. The Successful Launch of Yizhibo

Yizhibo was launched in May 2016. With the partnership between the two platforms, Weibo users can view Yizhibo live streams and videos, interact with broadcasters and send virtual gifts to live broadcasters directly on Weibo without installing any other application.

This cooperation has greatly increased Yizhibo’s exposure and popularity.

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↑ Live streams of celebrities (left) and KOLs (right) on Yizhibo

During the month after its launch, Yizhibo achieved an average of 7.73 million daily active users and more than 300 Chinese celebrities have joined in on the live streaming trend.


2. Functions

i. Live broadcasting

Users can live stream almost anything, such as singing, dancing, tutorials, discussions, Q & A sessions or just their real, everyday life. They can decide the content, duration and performance style. These broadcasts are categorized according to location, popularity, topic, etc.

ii. Interacting

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↑ Fans interact and give virtual gifts during a live stream in Yizhibo.

When users join a live stream, they can leave messages anytime to interact with broadcaster. The messages are shown at once and seen by both the broadcaster and other viewers.

There are lots of virtual gifts (cars, yachts, etc.) that users can send to the broadcasters. Most gifts require payment.


3. User and Content Characteristics

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↑ Chinese actor Mark Chao launched a live stream to promote his new TV series. The live stream attained 154 million viewers.

The main users of Yizhibo are young and tech savvy, 30% of them are located in first-tier cities in China. Most of them belong to the post 90s and post-2000 (millennial) generations.

When celebrities and KOLs start live streams on Yizhibo, their large fan bases tune in. This allows them to engage with millions of people at a time and create enormous influence in a short period.

Live streaming has also increased the rate of information exchange due to its speed and immediacy. Content related to entertainment gossip and trending topics often leads to heated discussions.


4. Key User Behaviors

When Yizhibo users watch a live stream, they will only spend a few seconds to decide whether or not like it. If they don’t, they will change to another channel immediately. To better capture the audience, live streamers need to create strong content capable of retaining viewer attention. For example, the content about make up and skin care are popular in Woman’s Day recently.

Yizhibo’s data also suggests that evening is a better time for live streaming, as user numbers increase, their activity level is higher and viewing duration times are longer at night. Living streaming is a way for people to relax and share their daily life after work.


5. New Marketing Approaches

Live streaming is becoming more and more popular for branding as a good live stream can attract fans, start trends and spread information rapidly.

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↑ Weibo KOL Junifly does a sponsored NUTRILITE live stream.

One successful example is NUTRILITE. In order to promote their products and healthy lifestyles, NUTRILITE launched a live stream entitled “Breakfast for Everybody”(全民早餐日) in Dec 2016. It brought in 150 million viewers in total in only 3 days.

This topic in Weibo also attracted million users to share their breakfast.

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↑ Weibo users shared their breakfast pictures to participate “Breakfast for Everybody”.

Recently Haier also started its first live stream to promote the new no-clean washing machines. During the streaming, Haier introduced the product and encouraged the audience to participate in a free trial. This live stream has attracted 1.8 million views and helped its Yizhibo official account attract 0.12 million followers in 2 hours.

Noted that Yizhibo and other live streaming platforms are now major social media players and have provided a new, powerful marketing avenue for brands, companies need to figure out how to create live streaming content that matches their brand positioning, in order to attract fans and make them stay.


Want to know more about Yizhibo? Please leave a comment below.


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    About The Author

    Ashley Dudarenok

    Ashley Dudarenok is a leading expert on China’s digital economy, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of 11 books on digital China. Recognized by Thinkers50 as a “Guru on fast-evolving trends in China” and named one of the world’s top 30 internet marketers by Global Gurus, Ashley is a trailblazer in helping global businesses navigate and succeed in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

     

    She is the founder of ChoZan 超赞, a consultancy specializing in China research and digital transformation, and Alarice, a digital marketing agency that helps international brands grow in China. Through research, consulting, and bespoke learning expeditions, Ashley and her team empower the world’s top companies to learn from China’s unparalleled innovation and apply these insights to their global strategies.

     

    A sought-after keynote speaker, Ashley has delivered tailored presentations on customer centricity, the future of retail, and technology-driven transformation for leading brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and 3M. Her expertise has been featured in major media outlets, including the BBC, Forbes, Bloomberg, and SCMP, making her one of the most recognized voices on China’s digital landscape.

     

    With over 500,000 followers across platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube, Ashley shares daily insights into China’s cutting-edge consumer trends and digital innovation, inspiring professionals worldwide to think bigger, adapt faster, and innovate smarter.

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