Chinese short video and live streaming platform Kuaishou recently released a report on its 230 million young users—defined as those between the ages of 18 and 35—living in the country’s small cities and rural areas.
In all, 2.8 billion short videos were posted by this demographic. Their clips garnered 2.6 trillion views and 18 billion comments in 2018.
This segment of users prefer to watch videos that confer knowledge about hands-on skills, such as playing musical instruments, baking cakes, or raising pigs.
Kuaishou concluded that the high demand in instructional videos points to a new market where educational materials can be monetized on video sharing platforms.
Live streaming has transformed the employment landscape for many young people in China. Some see the path to becoming an influencer as a replacement for more traditional career options in teaching or the service industry. Many have made the leap to become web-based singers, actors, photographers, or even food critics, said Kuaishou.
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Editor: Nadine Freischlad