Douyin tests pay-per-view function for short drama as a way of monetization - Pi...

Douyin tests pay-per-view function for short drama as a way of monetization

Douyin tests pay-per-view function for short drama as a way of monetization

November 30, 2021 10:44 pm

According to Tech Planet, Chinese popular video platform Douyin, the sister app of TikTok, has tested paid video content on its service. Users now can pay for the short drama they watch on the platform for fees on or above 1 yuan ($0.16) for a single episode.

This is the second time that ByteDance, the parent company of Douyin, has piloted the pay-per-view (PPV) function for its social apps. The first trial was on Xigua Video, which had 270 million monthly active users (MAU) as of March 2020.

Douyin’s latest move came after its rival Kuanshou, a short video app with MAUs of 519.8 million in Q1 2021, firstly launched the PPV feature for short drama.

The short-form video series on Douyin has gained significant popularity. The low-budget videos can be produced in less than 10 days, and cost only several hundred thousand yuan, estimated by market insiders. Resembling the fast speed of creation, watching them also takes a very short time. And a single episode of the works can get over 1 billion views.

In April, Douyin launched a specific three-month campaign to support its short drama creators with cash incentives.

The latest move of Douyin will pose challenges to Baidu’s iQiyi, Alibaba’s Youku, and Tencent Video. The three have been Chinese audiences’ major entrances for video streaming services. Previously, they charged fees for early access to TV show episodes but later canceled it due to massive complaints. They have basic modes for monthly subscription.

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