Chinese research company Analysis listed Baidu, Tencent, Sogou, Youku, Alibaba, Liebao, 360, Sohu, Google China, Weibo, Autohome, Letv, Netease, Sina, and Soufun as the most innovative companies in China’s online advertising market. Innovation capacity was mainly determined by manufacturers’ media operation capabilities, technical strength, and future monetization ability.
Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Google China, 360, Youku, iQIYI, Sogou, Sohu, Soufun, Letv, Liebao, Weibo, Autohome, Netease, and Sina had top operational capacities in China’s online advertising market according to Analysys. The execution and operational capabilities were mainly indicated by market share according to Analysys.
Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent lead China’s internet market whose innovation capacity and operational capacity was relatively high. Baidu launched Duer (Secretary of Baidu) in the 2015 Baidu World Conference targeting intelligent interaction field. But, Tencent was ranked the most innovative Chinese company by BCG, 12th globally.
Basing on a wide range of services and information basing on Baidu’s powerful search technology and intelligent interaction, Duer could provide users with more subdivisions of services through continuous learning and alternating people’s behavior as a full-time secretary. Currently, Baidu has reached a plurality of vertical O2O fields and it would further open up the capital flow and logistics of O2O market to promote more service-linked products.
Alibaba tended to integrate branding resources after the acquisition of AdChina. Alimama released “Dharma Sword”, the big data marketing platform based on Alibaba’s large number of user accounts, and developed targeted marketing services based on the big data of its e-commerce market in 2015. After the acquisition of Youku Tudou, Alibaba has built video e-commerce industry chain by the further integration of user data.
Tencent built its huge social marketing services around the Wide Click-through service. Wide Click-through DMP service was formally launched in 2015 through which advertisers could reach potential consumers by precise analysis of user data. Tencent cooperated with Jingdong to build “Pinshang”, a special marketing platform for brands.
Revenues from the mobile end increased dramatically in Qihoo 360 by deepening search commercialization process. Qihoo launched its own smartphone, which could open new opportunities in future.
Youku Tudou is a guru in the video advertising market and has been more powerful after joining Alibaba league. Youku Tudou began the intelligent search service targeting video e-commerce market in 2015. By enhancing technology and innovation capacity, Youku Tudou is expected to make further development in e-commerce.
iQiyi has maintained a leading position in self-made content of the online video market and invested a large amount of money in copyright. Targeting the post-90s, self-made content of iQiyi is much distinctive to attract consumers and improve their marketing value. Advertising forms are more diversified on iQiyi.
Sogou search traffic is relatively small compared with Baidu and Haosou. With its collaboration with WeChat and Zhihu (China’s Quora), it has direct access to the quality content on the two platforms. It will likely to keep its traffic growth.
Liebao promoted its advertising platform “Liehu” to integrate data, marketing, and other resources targeting native advertising services based on its overseas resources. Liebao has cooperated with Facebook, Tencent, Google and others to increase its market share.
Google China has deepened users’ innovative search service under diversified and contextualization usage. It entered the voice search market and managed to access to the mobile internet through mobile phones in 2015. Google DoubleClick achieved a breakthrough in native advertising technology, cross-screen delivery, and Programmatic Guaranteed delivery. From recent dozens of job position opening in China, Google may likely find its presence again in China.
Sohu slowed down in advertising growth rate. Sohu News spared efforts to build vertical polymerization channels and local stations. Sohu Video tried to reduce copyright competition stress with the self-made content in 2015. Sohu hoped to strengthen long tail traffic construction to attract younger users and improve content production structure.
SouFun’s e-commerce revenues rose while online advertising revenues fall in 2015 which indicated that advertisers’ marketing structure changed. With real estate market turning better, SouFun could gradually transform to a real estate commerce platform. Advertising revenues would continue to shrink in the future.
Letv created “platform + content + application + terminal” ecosystem and integrated the internet advertising resources by further accelerating the structuring the field of intelligent hardware in 2015. Letv strengthened the investment in high-quality content copyright and combined content and services to enhance the user experience and media marketing value to drive advertising revenues.
Weibo managed to build interest-based social circles to lay the foundation for the e-business in 2015. By the increase of the number of Weibo users and digital marketing services, monetization capability of Weibo would continue to maintain high in the future. Meanwhile, how to improve its ecological system, how to change the image as an information and marketing platform, and how to build a strong relationship with the e-commerce suppliers have become major challenges for Weibo’s future development.
Many automotive internet media expanded their business on automobile transaction in 2015. Automotive finance and e-commerce revenues increased which was mainly due to advertisers’ larger input in 2015. Autohome had a tough road to creating new advertising methods, increasing advertising revenues, and keeping a high market share in the future.
Netease News cooperated with Dianping, 58.com, and other internet service companies to improve localization services to meet the needs of users as well as strengthening its commercial value. Netease improved its content by we media and launched we media platform to strengthen content production capacity.
Sina accelerated multi-dimensional development on the mobile terminal in 2015. It expects to improve its mobile information content to enhance user stickiness and monetization in the future, localize information and connect with O2O e-business and other value-added services, promote diversified profit models, and promote the commercialization of mobile terminals.
Also read: China Social Media Marketing Trends in 2015
