The data
The more rural the area, the longer the attention span, at least when it comes to online news media. An October 2018 survey tells us that Chinese user tolerance for longer videos increases the further we get from major metropolitan areas.
Users in 5th-tier cities and below were much more likely than their urban counterparts to prefer news videos that ran between 4 and 10 minutes.
Why it matters
There’s a ton of growth potential outside of China’s urban capitals. Certain apps – most prominently short video app Kuaishou – have stirred interest for their ability to attract a largely rural user base. But there’s very little information available about what makes China’s non-urban population tick. At this point, frankly, every little bit helps.
Sources
- Penguin Intelligence: 2018新媒体趋势报告 (2018 New Media Trends Report)
Kendra Schaefer
