2025 Marketing in China: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Brand

As China's social media and KOL marketing landscape evolves with increasing speed and sophistication, understanding the latest trends is critical for global brands navigating this dynamic environment. This report, drawing on key insights from the “Social Media & KOL Marketing Trends” whitepaper—jointly published by Weiboyi and the China Advertising Association (CAA), examines user ecosystems across leading platforms (WeChat, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, Kuaishou, and others), analyses brand media investment trends, and decodes shifts in user behaviour, influencer dynamics, and AI-driven marketing.

User Engagement: Xiaohongshu Surpasses Douyin in Growth

Time spent on a platform reflects user loyalty and immersion. According to the latest data, Xiaohongshu recorded the highest year-on-year growth in average daily user time in 2024, rising by 12.1%, narrowly surpassing Douyin, which posted a strong 11.0% increase. While Douyin continues to lead in total user base and attention volume, Xiaohongshu's growth signals a notable transition from a discovery tool to a destination app with daily-use utility, particularly among lifestyle consumers.

WeChat’s video channels also gained traction, with average usage time increasing by 7.4%, a sign that its shift from messaging app to multimedia hub is slowly taking hold. In contrast, Kuaishou saw only a marginal 1.5% growth, and Weibo recorded a decline of 2.1%, suggesting its waning influence in daily content consumption. Yet as later figures show, Weibo is not to be written off entirely, as it finds new relevance in other metrics.

Gender Composition: Female-Centric Platforms Shape Brand Narratives

Audience gender breakdowns reveal essential cues for brand positioning. Xiaohongshu remains the most female-dominated platform, with women comprising 70% of users. This explains the platform’s dominance in campaigns related to beauty, wellness, fashion, parenting, and lifestyle design. WeChat also features a significant female majority at 60.7%, aligning it with relationship-based marketing, content communities, and service-driven mini-programs.

Platforms such as Kuaishou and Bilibili are male-skewed, with male users comprising 55% and 52% respectively. This demographic structure suits campaigns in gaming, automotive, consumer electronics, and digital services. Douyin, meanwhile, is nearly gender-balanced, with a slight female edge, offering flexible targeting for a broad array of consumer verticals.

Advertising Budgets: Brands Double Down on Short Video and Social Commerce

The largest shift in brand budget allocations continues to favour short video and social content ecosystems. In 2024, short video platforms saw the highest net budget increase at 57%, confirming their dominance in driving discovery, impulse purchases, and visual storytelling. Community-oriented and social media platforms followed with 31% growth, demonstrating that authentic conversation and user interaction remain essential pillars of digital strategy.

E-commerce platforms experienced a 24% rise in investment, though the pace is slower compared to the last two years, reflecting intensifying ROI scrutiny. On the other hand, static formats such as news, utilities, and traditional search saw flat or negative growth, with news information apps declining by 4% and utility tools by 3%. This reveals a broader industry shift away from passive exposure to platforms capable of delivering measurable engagement and conversions.

Conversion Performance: Weibo’s Resurgence and Xiaohongshu’s Slippage

When it comes to return on investment, the performance of platforms in terms of order volume and transaction value paints a more nuanced picture. Despite falling engagement time, Weibo delivered a surprising 111.8% increase in order volume and a 52.3% rise in transaction value. This renaissance can be attributed to its evolving role as a space for narrative amplification, emotional storytelling, and virality, particularly in moments of national relevance or celebrity-driven discussions.

Douyin maintained steady strength, with a 14.5% increase in order volume and a 14.2% rise in transaction value, reinforcing its position as a commerce-entertainment hybrid. It remains the go-to platform for efficient, large-scale KOL activations and conversion-led campaigns.

Conversely, Xiaohongshu faced a -28.9% drop in order volume and a -21.1% decline in transaction value. This suggests that while time spent on the platform is increasing, its monetisation efficiency is under pressure. Factors may include increased brand saturation, less trust in overt marketing content, or a shift in user focus toward content browsing rather than shopping. WeChat and Kuaishou also posted noticeable declines in both order volume and transaction value, challenging the assumption that engagement naturally converts to commerce.

Strategic Implications for Brands Navigating 2025

Xiaohongshu’s growth highlights its strength in awareness and community-building, particularly among young urban women, though brands should temper expectations around direct conversions. Educational, inspiring, and peer-driven content is likely to outperform hard-selling. Douyin remains strong across the funnel, but creative differentiation is now essential in its crowded ecosystem.

Weibo’s revival underscores the power of narrative-led campaigns tied to cultural or emotional moments. WeChat increasingly serves as a CRM and loyalty tool, while Bilibili and Kuaishou offer niche opportunities that require content tailored to platform tone and audience.

Rewriting the Playbook for Multi-Platform Marketing

In 2025, platform selection in China requires more than just chasing reach—it calls for a deliberate balance of resonance, rhythm, and measurable return. Successful brands will architect campaigns around each platform’s distinct role: Douyin drives scale and visibility, Xiaohongshu builds trust and lifestyle influence, Weibo activates emotional storytelling, and WeChat deepens long-term loyalty. Media investments must align not only with exposure, but with strategic intent—whether to inform, inspire, engage, or convert.

For tailored strategic guidance and data-led campaign planning, connect with China Trading Desk—our team is here to help you unlock the next phase of your China growth.