Unlocking China’s App Traffic Trends in 2025: How Brands Can Win on Douyin
China’s app market in 2025 is defined by fast-shifting traffic patterns, new monetization models, and evolving brand strategies.
For brands and advertisers, understanding these dynamics is crucial. Ocean Engine’s latest report on app traffic trends in China highlights two sectors driving growth and the creative strategies used to convert more new users.
From anime-style games leading user engagement, to utility apps capitalizing on seasonal surges, to Douyin’s rise as a central hub for creator-led campaigns, the report covers the key insights you need to succeed in 2025 and beyond.
Gaming sector
- China’s mobile game revenue hit 284B CNY (+10.74% YoY) in 2024, surpassing its 2021 peak. In 2025, the market is expected to stay stable with some slight growth.
- Traffic peaks in July and October (National Day & Mid-Autumn), driven by more leisure time and higher user engagement.
- Game licenses are now issued monthly, with import licenses for foreign games approved more frequently than before, with at least one license approval every two months.
- Anime-style games lead the market, followed by solo, content-rich RPGs as the second-largest genre.
Utilities sector
- Throughout the year, traffic is expected to increase mainly during summer (July & August), as well as during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays in October, when users have more time for entertainment and spending. However, traffic peaks in this sector occur at different times depending on the monetization model.
- IAAP: High competition during holidays; watch for cost spikes during high-traffic windows.
- IAP: Targets paying users; traffic is more stable.
- IAA: Frequent category changes cause traffic swings; avoid peak-period boosts.
Brand & content strategies
Brand marketing budgets have shrunk over the past five years, but investment in seeding and search-based products is on the rise. Creator-driven content is booming, making Douyin a key platform for product seeding. Douyin is also expanding into search, short dramas, and off-platform traffic, fueling new growth.
During peak moments, Ocean Creator Marketplace branding ads can help to reach users beyond auction ads, boosting overall performance and easing high CPMs. Combining both ad types also helps brands expand reach, improve conversions, and drive sustainable growth.
| Scenario 1: Brand Events | Scenario 2: Holiday Marketing | Scenario 3: Search Acquisition |
| Use top hard-sell ads combined with mission participation to promote brand events, such as new game launches or celebrity endorsements. | Collaborate with industry IPs on the platform to run marketing campaigns during major holidays including summer vacation and Golden Week. | Use General Brand Zone or Game Brand Zone to build brand image and support conversions. |
Key productsTopView: In-Feed Ads: Mission for All: | Project 1: Project 2: Project 3: Roaming Star Partner for the tourism industry | Upgraded Game Brand Zone: Game Brand Zone + Ocean Creator Marketplace search: Game Brand Zone playable formats: |
Ocean Creator Marketplace: StarAD Unite
This product integrates influencer content with ad traffic, matching brands with creators to produce high-quality assets. These creatives are then delivered using native, influencer-friendly strategies that maximize authenticity and impact.
Product advantages
- Increased certainty: Leveraging conversion goals and oCPM, the system prioritizes high-quality users to maximize conversion outcomes.
- Automated delivery: For the first time, organic traffic promotion and automated ad delivery come together in one seamless solution.
- No service fees: Platform service fee temporarily waived.
Best practices
Viral creative traits in the gaming market
- Diverse content formats including vlogs, gameplay recordings, on-camera commentary, and interactive skits.
- High-performing videos often feature elements like attractive women, curiosity-driven content, pets, etc., and use memes and special effects to enhance visuals.
- User appeal lies in ease of use, simple operation, and time efficiency.
- Titles aim to trigger a sense of challenge and stimulate impulsive clicks.
Viral creative traits in the utilities market
- Mixed editing + interactive skits
- AIGC digital humans explaining products and features.
- Real-life settings (streets, offices, workplaces) showcasing common user scenarios.
- Clear emphasis on coupon redemption, discount levels, and reward packages to drive app use.
AIGC use cases
Artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) unlocks new ways to enhance digital human presentations, making them more dynamic and engaging.
| AIGC market trend & usage penetration | Overall delivery success rate of AIGC tools | Usage share of AIGC tools |
 |  |  |
The following use cases highlight how splicing, voice variation, layout remixing, and interactive effects can elevate both creativity and impact.
| Usage Type | Presentation Type | Features | Advantages |
| Digital human splicing & editing | Digital human + Digital human/ live footage/mixed content | Multiple scenes/shots/materials/video layering | Increases richness of materials, adds novelty, and offers an eye-catching effect |
| Digital human with voice variation | Digital human + Altered voice | Adjust pitch, speed & other parameters | Modify voice, add local touch and fun appeal |
| Digital human with opening title | Digital human + Intro sequence | Enhanced video appeal | Improves 3-sec play rate |
| Digital human layout remix | Digital human + Top/bottom/left/right content frames | Provides more space for text | Richer layout and more comprehensive info |
| Background elements & interactivity | Digital human + Special effects animation | Adds weather effects, dynamic humans or animals, etc. | Enhances visual appeal |
Ready to advertise on Douyin? To learn more about advertising on Douyin using the Ocean Engine platform, contact us now for details or to answer any of your questions.
