Updated: Sep 24, 2024
About 454 million internet users per month search the internet in China, followed by 452 million users who watch online videos. Take a look at our infographic "Search engine usage in China – Statistics and Trends" to know the latest search engine usage and the search behavior of Chinese internet users.
Below are some facts about search engines usage in China that are surely going to fascinate you:
Top Online Activities In China
Online Activity | Number of Users (in Millions) |
Search Service | 454.0 |
Online Video Watching | 452.0 |
Online Community | 439.0 |
News and Information | 413.0 |
eCommerce | 404.4 |
The 2012-2016 Chinese Search Engines Revenue Forecast
Year | RMB |
2012 | 28.06 billion |
2013 | 38.82 billion |
2014 | 50.69 billion |
2015 | 63.37 billion |
2016 | 75.35 billion |
Market Share Of Major Search Engines In China
Search engine | Market share |
Baidu | 65.74% |
Qihoo 360 | 16.58% |
Sogou | 9.27% |
Soso | 3.94% |
3.05% | |
Bing | 0.63% |
Yahoo | 0.47% |
Revenue Structure Of Major Search Engines In China
Revenue Source | %age |
Keyword Advertising | 76.5% |
Display Ads from Ad Networks | 14.6% |
Navigation Advertising | 5.3% |
Other Advertising | 3.4% |
Non-Advertising | 0.1% |
Mobile search traffic is gaining momentum in China. In 2012, mobile search traffic maintained a growth rate of 94% with a corresponding decline of 20% in PC search volume.
In 2012, Baidu was most popular mobile search engine, used by 96.9% of Chinese internet users.
Search Volume by Device
Percentage Of Users | |
Desktop | 85.2% |
Mobile | 56.2% |
Average Search Frequency Of Chinese Internet Users
More than 5 times aday | 17.5% |
1 to 4 times aday | 22.9% |
Several times in a week | 8.8% |
Occasionally | 50.7% |
Chinese Search Engine User Demographics by Age and Gender
Gender
Desktop | Mobile | |
Male | 69.3% | 30.7% |
Female | 69.0% | 31.0% |
Age
Desktop | Mobile | |
10-19 years old | 13.3% | 18.1% |
20-29 years old | 53.9% | 58.7% |
30-39 years old | 21.6% | 16.7% |
40-49 years old | 8.4% | 5.6% |
50-59 years old | 1.8% | 0.6% |
Older than 60 years | 0.9% | 0.3% |
Top Categories That Make the Most Searches
Desktop | Mobile | |
Students | 18.5% | 24.2% |
Business / Company personnel | 17.5% | 16.8% |
Self-employed | 16.6% | 14.4% |
Professionals & Technicians | 15.0% | 13.5% |
Unemployed | 7.8% | 6.3% |
Government agencies | 5.8% | 6.2% |
Information Most Searched for By Chinese Search Engine Users
Purpose | Desktop | Mobile |
Information related to work or studies | 75.9% | 61.5% |
Information related to their interests | 67.1% | 67.2% |
Latest news | 54.9% | 51.2% |
Software downloads | 63.6% | 48.0% |
Information related to lifestyles (food, clothing and so on) | 57.5% | 45.5% |
Online shopping | 44.6% | 22.9% |
Offline shopping | 43.2% | 25.8% |
Traveling abroad | 42.5% | 32.2% |
Search for people and friends | 32.1% | 31.3% |
Baidu is the most-used search engine in China, having more than 59% market share. It acts as a gateway to millions of users via desktop and mobile. Baidu stands apart not only in search but also in providing a host of other services, which include:
Sogou is the second most popular search engine in China with a market share of about 9.26%. This search engine is supported by Tencent, one of China's biggest internet firms.
It has made its strong online personality by providing:
Bing is a huge player holding 17% of the Chinese search engine market. It doesn't match the dominance of Baidu but it has a very decent reputation among those wanting to have more options other than locals.
Due to government restrictions, Google has a minor presence in China, having a mere market share of 2.04%. However, it remains a preferred option for users looking for global content.
Shenma is another mobile-first search engine which holds a 3.8% market share in China. It has focused on the sector of mobile search and was co-founded by Alibaba and UCWeb.-
China’s government has implemented several policies that have significantly influenced search engines usage in China. One key policy involves the blocking of various mobile apps, including Signal and Clubhouse.
The apps which were launched and meant to provide secure communication have been restricted. This has limited the Chinese users to interact with other people who are living abroad. Meanwhile, the government has tightened a crackdown on unapproved virtual private networks, or VPNs, which offer ways around such a firewall by prosecuting access providers. This makes it tougher for users to overpass censorship and access global content.
Another significant impact comes from the government's control over internet speeds. Despite official reports suggesting high broadband availability, independent tests have shown that China’s internet speeds rank below global averages.
The government’s extensive censorship slows down the loading of content from foreign websites, pushing users to rely more on local search engines, with Baidu remaining the most popular search engine in China. This restricted environment limits the choice and freedom of Chinese users, directing them towards government-approved platforms and content.