- Zhihu is a question-and-answer platform with millions of users in China.
- Allows users to receive answers from experts and participate in specialized discussions.
- Offers monetization and advertising options for businesses and content creators.
- Zhihu continues to expand with new features and explore international markets.
Zhihu is one of the most popular question and answer platforms in China, similar to what it is Quora in the West. Since its launch, it has evolved into a knowledge center and a space where professionals, entrepreneurs, and experts share information on a wide variety of topics.
With millions of active users, the platform is a benchmark when searching detailed and well-founded answers. Now, in addition to its main function as a question and answer site, Zhihu diversifies its offering with services such as Expert articles, live streams, and exclusive member-only contentIn this article, we'll explain what Zhihu is, how it works, and why it's so relevant in the Chinese digital ecosystem.
Origin and evolution of Zhihu
Zhihu was born fifteen years ago. Its creators, Zhou Yuan and Wang Xing, identified the need for a platform where users could share knowledge and get answers from experts. The official launch took place on January 26, 2011, initially under an invitation-only system, which helped maintain control over the content. focus on content quality has been fundamental to its growth and popularity.
During the first years, the platform grew thanks to the detail of the detailed answers and the specialized level of discussionsIn 2013, Zhihu removed the invitation-only registration restriction, leading to an exponential increase in its user base. Since then, the platform has continued to evolve with new features, such as live streaming and premium content.
This transformation has made Zhihu a space where not only answers are shared, but also technical and professional knowledge that helps the community in various areas, similar to what can be found at ask on Instagram.
How Zhihu Works
The platform allows users ask questions on any topic and receive answers from other members, including professionals and experts in various fields. Each answer can be voted on by the community, helping to highlight the most useful and highest-quality answers.
In addition to Q&A, Zhihu offers Sections with user-written articles, live discussions, and monetization options for content creators. Users can also follow influencers and receive notifications about their posts and activities, fostering a participatory and dynamic environment.
Main features of Zhihu
What makes Zhihu different from other similar platforms? The main reason is its concern with maintaining the content quality at a high level. And also the effort to promote the interactivity of your communitySome of its most notable features are:
- Voting on answers: Users can vote on answers to highlight the most useful and relevant ones.
- Articles and blogs: In addition to answering questions, users can write articles. detailed on various topics.
- Zhihu Live: Function that allows experts to teach live sessions to answer questions from the audience.
- premium subscription: Zhihu offers exclusive content for users who pay a monthly membership.
Importance of Zhihu in China
In a digital environment dominated by giants like Baidu, WeChat y Weibo, Zhihu has established itself as a reference in the exchange of knowledge. Its community is staffed by professionals and academics who provide detailed and well-documented information. This makes it a crucial space for those seeking serious and well-founded answers.
In addition, it has become a valuable tool for companies and brands who want to engage with a specific audience through content marketing. The platform offers advertising opportunities and collaborations with influencers to increase the visibility of products and services.
Brands can learn a lot about how to respond to their target audience's concerns by observing interactions on Zhihu.
Advertising and monetization on Zhihu
Zhihu has become a interesting channel for digital marketing in China. Companies can leverage the platform to promote their products and services in several ways:
- Sponsored Ads: Allows brands to promote their content within the platform.
- Collaboration with influencers: Many companies work with content creators within the platform to improve their reach.
- Brand responses: Some companies use official profiles to answer frequently asked questions and build authority in their industry.
These types of interactions and responses can be considered a best practice compared to other digital marketing techniques, such as those used on Instagram or similar platforms.
Editor specialized in technology and internet issues with more than ten years of experience in different digital media. I have worked as an editor and content creator for e-commerce, communication, online marketing and advertising companies. I have also written on economics, finance and other sectors websites. My work is also my passion. Now, through my articles in Tecnobits, I try to explore all the news and new opportunities that the world of technology offers us every day to improve our lives.