Even though the social networking scene in China has been dominated by Weibo and Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok), new apps keep coming out. While not all of the newcomers may survive, a few have managed to stay relevant, targeting the same audience group known as Gen Z, but with a new media form this time: audio.
According to App Annie, a data analysis platform, voice-based social product Soul has ranked in the top 10 in Apple Store under the social category for almost 4 months now ever since January 2019. Data shows that it's one of the most popular social Apps among users born after’95. The App classifies users based on their interests, matching them with common interests, then allows users to communicate via recorded voice messages. Basically, it is Tinder, but for voices.
Yinyu, another voice-based App on the Chinese market, takes music as the primary form of interaction between users, has also made it to the top 5.
Equipped with features like allowing two or more people singing or chatting together in real-time, Zhiya, another app that once rushed into the App Store’s top 5, has remained in the top 15 at present.
Obviously, the rankings of those voice-based Apps are soaring due to the understanding of the young generation.
In China, where people share a relatively introverted culture, it is pretty absurd for people to make friends with strangers in real life. However, the demands of getting to know strangers still exist, especially among younger generations.
Since sometimes it can be tough for people to meet someone with common interests in real life, or their thoughts can't be shared with acquaintances, apps like the above mentioned----known in China as “social network for strangers,” were created to solve these issues. The best example is Momo, a location-based social app for strangers is dominating the stranger social market after acquiring Tantan, which was known as the "Chinese Tinder."
Regardless of the difference of app features in Momo, Tantan, or other stranger social Apps, the ultimate goal of their users is to hook up with each other offline. The same as Tinder, they are more like dating applications.
Li Zelong, the CEO of Zhiya, told PingWest that the users long for companionship, going as far as posting info on online BBS looking for someone to complete school assignments with them. "It's boring to do homework all alone; however, you'll feel better if a stranger is on the other end of Zhiya accompanying you, even without saying a word," he added. Gen Z accounts for 95% of Zhiya’s users,
Voice-based social Apps offer unlimited imagination to users, since the users' appearance cannot be discerned by voice, whether they're attractive or not good looking in real life.
"People can't help spotting the shortcomings of others' appearances if their photos or videos were seen at the very beginning," Li said, "With the help of voice-based App, you will get into the conversation with strangers faster." As the CEO of the company, he also mentioned that the user's privacy is not easily violated if they are only communicating through voice. This is due to the fact that while an image search can expose a lot about a person, voice recognition technology isn’t as ubiquitous as facial recognition in China.
Social networking is a cutthroat industry in China. As for now, Tencent dominated the acquaintance social field via WeChat and QQ, while Momo is a pioneer in the stranger social field. For the newcomers, navigating the hot waters can be tough. With that being said, seeking success by creating market segmentation, focus on potential needs that are ignored by the giants, like what the apps as mentioned above are doing, maybe one option.
But in the meantime, Gen Z moves on from one trend to another quickly. Therefore, whether or not these products can sustainably monetizing their traffic is yet to be verified.
(This report is based on Du Lili's original article, translated and edited by Rebbeca Ren and Du Chen)