Vloggers hit pay dirt; advertisers perk up

Vlog, or video blog, is gaining popularity among young people in China, as many of them use smartphones or cameras to record and share their daily lives and thoughts, and upload these videos online.

Different from short videos, which usually last from 10 seconds to a few minutes each, vlog is not limited in terms of duration. It could last five minutes to an hour, and has relatively higher standards than those for short videos as creators need to master multiple skills, such as editing, filming and performing.

Vlog as a format of video has proven quite popular on videostreaming site YouTube since 2012, but it started to gain momentum in China in the last two years. A vlog may last just a few minutes, but vloggers put in several hours, or even days, in preparation.

Pop idol Ouyang Nana, who has 17 million followers on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent to Twitter, posted her first vlog in 2018, when she went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, the United States, for study.

The 19-year-old star records her student life, such as making breakfast, playing the cello, studying at the library and traveling with friends via vlog. The first episode received more than 10 million visits online from netizens.

Her down-to-earth vlogs have also enhanced her online media exposure, boosted her popularity, and attracted other celebrities to participate in the booming vlog industry.

In my spare time, I'd like to watch vlogs about cosmetics, gourmet meals and fashion. I find them captivating.

In a survey by China Youth Daily which polled 2,003 people, 54.4 percent of the interviewees said they have watched vlogs and 29.1 percent made vlogs.

About 61 percent of the respondents said they like watching video clips about travel, while 57.4 percent said food vlogs are their favorite. About 67 percent are interested in the vlogs of internet celebrities and while 51 percent adore entertainment stars.

The battle for China's vlog pinnacle is heated. In September 2018, Sina Weibo launched a vlog event. Those who uploaded more than four vlogs in a 30-day period qualified as vloggers, and receive more exposure on the platform.

Internet search giant Baidu Inc announced in May it will give out 500 million yuan ($70 million) in cash subsidies to vloggers and encourage them to publish vlogs on its Haokan short video app.

In July, Xigua Video, which is owned by Beijing Bytedance Technology Co Ltd, set up a fund, with an aim of helping excellent vloggers earn more than 10,000 yuan each month.

With help from its vlog college, an online training program, video content consumers could turn into content creators. The program also offers cash rewards and perks as bonuses for such producers.

Moreover, some brands including French luxury brand Louis Vuitton and Chinese smartphone maker Oppo have already cooperated with some influential vloggers to promote and advertise their products.