Silkline DataChinese Social Media Platforms Explained: Which One's Data Do You Need?
Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Weibo, WeChat, Bilibili, Zhihu and Kuaishou compared by what people do there and what data you can collect from each.
Published 2026-11-10 by Silkline Data
Short answer: pick the platform by the question you are asking. Product research and lifestyle trends: Xiaohongshu. Short video reach and live commerce: Douyin. Breaking news and public opinion: Weibo. Long-form brand content: WeChat Official Accounts. Young audiences and long video: Bilibili. Detailed opinions and Q&A: Zhihu. Lower-tier cities: Kuaishou.
None of these platforms runs a public data API for people outside China, so in every case the data comes from what is publicly visible in the app.
The platforms at a glance
| Platform | What people do there | Best for | Request types in our tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaohongshu (小红书, RedNote) | Post notes reviewing products, places and routines; save notes to plan purchases | Product and brand research, travel, beauty, food | 18 |
| Douyin (抖音) | Watch short videos, buy in live streams | Trend spotting, creator reach, live commerce | 21 |
| Weibo (微博) | Follow news and celebrities, argue in comments | Hot topics, public opinion, crisis monitoring | 23 |
| WeChat Official Accounts (公众号) | Read long articles from brands and media | Brand messaging, industry news, read counts | 17 |
| Bilibili (B站) | Watch long videos with live comments (弹幕) | Gen Z interests, gaming, tech, anime | 16 |
| Zhihu (知乎) | Ask and answer questions in depth | Detailed opinions, purchase reasoning | 18 |
| Kuaishou (快手) | Watch short videos, often from smaller cities | Reach beyond tier-1 cities | 9 |
Xiaohongshu: what people want to buy
Xiaohongshu users write notes that read like reviews: what they bought, where they went, what they would not buy again. The signal that matters most is saves (收藏), because people save notes they plan to act on. A note with more saves than likes is usually a buying guide. See the Xiaohongshu API or the guide on getting Xiaohongshu data from outside China.
Douyin: what is spreading right now
Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok, run by the same company but a separate app with separate content. Its hot list (热榜) shows what millions are watching today, and its shop links videos straight to purchases. Use the Douyin API for videos and comments, Douyin Shop for product sales, and Douyin Xingtu for creator rates.
Weibo: what people are arguing about
Weibo works like X. Its hot search list (热搜) is the fastest public view of what China is talking about, and comment sections show the tone of the reaction. The Weibo API covers hot search, posts, comments, reposts and user profiles.
WeChat Official Accounts: what brands publish
WeChat chats are private, but Official Accounts publish articles to anyone, with read and like counts. It is where Chinese brands and media publish their long-form content. See the WeChat Official Account API and WeChat Index for keyword trend data.
Bilibili, Zhihu and Kuaishou
- Bilibili is where younger users watch long videos, with danmaku comments flying across the screen at the moment they react. Bilibili API.
- Zhihu is China's Q&A site, the place for long, reasoned answers about products and careers. Zhihu API.
- Kuaishou is Douyin's main short-video rival, stronger outside the largest cities. Kuaishou API.
Which one should you start with?
If you sell a consumer product, start with Xiaohongshu search for your category, then read the comments under the most saved notes. If you track a brand's reputation, start with Weibo hot search and comments. If you plan creator campaigns, compare rates on Xingtu (Douyin), Pugongying (Xiaohongshu) and Huahuo (Bilibili), each listed on the home page.