As one of China’s most influential video platforms, Bilibili sets itself apart from traditional long-form video sites by focusing on user-generated content. Over 70% of the videos come from individual creators, while professionally licensed content makes up just 17%.
While this is similar to YouTube, Bilibili’s audience skews much younger, with nearly 80% of its users being under 30.
In this post, we explore Bilibili’s evolving user base and what it means for brands hoping to grow in China.
Key takeaways:
- Bilibili has approximately 340 million monthly active users (MAU) and 34 million daily active users (DAU).
- 78.7% of Bilibili users are under the age of 30, making it an ideal platform for marketing to China’s Gen Z audience.
- Technology, knowledge-based, and gaming content categories perform exceptionally well, making them suitable for B2B, education, and lifestyle brands.
- Videos in parenting, automotive, and fitness are rapidly growing, reflecting current user lifestyle habits.
- Western brands can also register Bilibili accounts, and NMG has seen strong results operating accounts for clients in the B2B and education sectors.
Who Are Bilibili Users?
According to Bilibili’s publicly shared data, nearly 70% of Chinese Gen Z and late millennials (those born after 1990, including the 2000s generation) are active on the platform. The platform boasts 34 million daily active users and 340 million monthly active users.
Bilibili also uses four keywords to describe its users: Young, Urban, Highly Educated, with High-Spending Potential.
Young
Bilibili’s core audience, users born in the 1990s and 2000s, accounts for an impressive 78.67% of the platform’s user base.
A 2025 user analysis report by Blue Lion Insight highlights that
- 60.28% of users are between 18–24 years old, mostly university students or recent graduates just starting their careers, and
- 16.71% are aged 25–30, a group with increasing financial independence and decision-making power.
The average user age is just 22.8, with university students making up a significant portion.
Urban
Roughly 78% of Bilibili users come from China’s first-tier, second-tier, third-tier, and “new first-tier” cities, meaning most users live in relatively developed and affluent urban areas.
High-Spending Potential
Bilibili attracts users with strong online spending power, shown by a TGI (Target Group Index) of 136+.
*TGI, or Target Group Index, is a marketing metric that compares the presence of a trait in a specific audience against the general population. A TGI over 100 means the trait is more common in the target group. The higher the number, the stronger the association.
In this case, Bilibili users are significantly more likely to be high-value online consumers.
Highly Educated
Over 80% of students from China’s elite “985” and “211” universities are registered users of Bilibili. These institutions are similar to the Ivy League in the U.S. or the Russell Group in the UK, and being popular among this group speaks volumes about the platform’s appeal to high-achieving young adults.
Gender Split
In terms of gender, Bilibili’s user base is 57% male and 43% female. While the male audience is slightly larger, the platform still maintains a fairly balanced mix.
Interestingly, earlier this year, Bilibili released a white paper titled “15 Key User Archetypes on Bilibili.” Based on users’ interests, the platform grouped its audience into 15 distinct categories.
Translations of user behaviors
For each group, it shared insights such as gender distribution, age range, geographic concentration, and the types of video content they tend to watch.
For example, in the “learner” group (those who use Bilibili for educational content), female users make up a higher percentage than the platform average. This group also primarily consists of users under 30 and tends to be concentrated in higher-tier cities.
They frequently watch content in categories like paid courses (Bilibili classroom), current affairs, and knowledge and education.
Each of the 15 user archetypes is further broken down into subgroups. For example, the “knowledge explorer” category includes some of the following subtypes:
- Career starters
- Exam conquerors
- Certification chasers
- Academic achievers
- Language enthusiasts
Why Is Bilibili So Popular Among Young People?
The “15 Key User Archetypes on Bilibili” white paper also sheds light on why the platform resonates so strongly with younger audiences.
So, why does Bilibili attract such a large young audience?
One key reason lies in the platform’s strong subculture communities. When Bilibili launched in 2009, it started as a niche space focused on ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) fandom. In its early days, new users were even required to pass an entrance quiz on ACG topics before they could become full members and watch videos, which was an intentionally exclusive setup that created a tight-knit, like-minded community from the start.
As the platform grew, it didn’t abandon this community-driven model. Instead, Bilibili expanded its content beyond ACG to include categories (tech, music, dance, education, lifestyle, etc.), ensuring that every user could find a “home” on the platform based on their personal interests.
According to data from Bilibili’s 15th-anniversary presentation, the platform now supports
- 2 million+ cultural tags,
- 7,000+ niche user communities,
- 20+ primary content categories, and
- 100+ subcategories.
On average, each user engages with seven different interest areas.
Whether you’re browsing Bilibili on a smartphone or desktop, the homepage makes it easy to explore by topic and quickly discover videos that match your unique interests.
For Gen Z users, Bilibili taps into a key psychological need and the desire to express a unique identity online and find a sense of belonging within niche communities.
What Kind of Content Do Bilibili Users Prefer?
Bilibili’s Strongest Content Categories
Bilibili has identified technology, knowledge, and gaming as its most competitive and high-performing content segments.
1. Technology
According to Bilibili’s 2024 ESG report, over 15 million users watch content in the technology category daily. The emergence of ChatGPT in 2023 sparked an explosion of interest in AI-related videos, with this trend accelerating well into 2024.
In China, there’s a widely known saying: “Science and technology are the primary productive forces.” Reflecting this mindset, Bilibili has now hosted the “Bilibili Super Science Night” for two consecutive years since 2023.
2. Knowledge
Gen Z users have a strong appetite for both “light knowledge” (e.g., legal tips and workplace skills) and “hard science” (e.g., AI and space exploration). This trend was further amplified during the pandemic, which increased the demand for online learning.
According to Bilibili’s 2023 ESG report:
- Over 200 million people used Bilibili to learn something new.
- 2.17 million creators uploaded educational content.
- 645 professors and scholars officially joined the platform.
Unlike short video apps, Bilibili focuses on mid-length videos (typically 3 to 30 minutes long), making it a better fit for structured, educational content.
If you’re in a B2B industry, Bilibili’s technology and knowledge categories offer ideal channels for content marketing.
Positioning: Sharing industry insights, product explainers, or educational content can help your brand establish authority and gain trust with a professional audience.
Reach: Bilibili is home to a large pool of users passionate about science, innovation, and business, many of whom are corporate decision-makers, R&D professionals, and industry insiders.
This makes Bilibili a prime platform for generating qualified leads and sparking real business conversations in China.
3. Gaming
Bilibili is currently China’s largest gaming video community, with a massive and highly engaged user base. It’s consistently the top-performing content category on the site, and according to Bilibili’s Q3 2024 financial report, the platform’s gaming audience exceeds 123 million monthly active users, making up 35% of total MAUs (out of 348 million).
On average, gaming users spend 60 minutes per day on Bilibili, which is four to seven times longer than users on other Chinese video platforms.
One standout example in 2024 is the blockbuster game Black Myth: Wukong. Hailed as China’s first AAA title, Bilibili played a major role in the game’s marketing and fan engagement.
The game’s developer, Game Science, launched a creative campaign on Bilibili, inviting users to submit videos inspired by the novel Journey to the West and broader Chinese mythology. There were no restrictions on content category or style—just a focus on storytelling. Rewards were based on view count and included gaming gear, branded merchandise, and even cash prizes.
At present, the campaign hashtag and in-game reference #偷丹的贼又来 (“The thief is back for more elixirs”) has attracted over 2,000 video submissions and racked up over 20 million views.
On the game’s open beta launch day alone, 12 million users watched gameplay guides and walkthroughs on the platform.
Notably, the official Black Myth: Wukong Bilibili account has posted only 15 videos, yet those videos have already accumulated 260 million views.
Bilibili’s Fastest-Growing Content Categories
Beyond its core strengths in gaming, tech, and education, Bilibili has also identified three emerging content categories with the fastest growth in viewership.
1. Parenting & Family
As Bilibili’s user base matures, so do their life stages. In 2018, the average user was around 17 years old; by 2024, that average had climbed to 25. With China’s legal marriage age set at 22 for men and 20 for women, Bilibili is now home to a growing number of young parents.
This group is increasingly turning to Bilibili for parenting tips, early childhood education, and peer-to-peer advice. Among all new content verticals, parenting has seen the highest growth rate in video views.
Third-party data from analytics platform Wanhua Mirror highlights the surging interest in family-related content, suggesting a strong opportunity for maternity and childcare brands to connect with young, urban Chinese parents.
2. Automotive
In the “15 Key User Archetypes” white paper, one group is specifically focused on automotive enthusiasts. This audience is segmented further:
- Everyday drivers
- Performance car lovers
- Off-road veterans
- Custom car modders
- Outdoor adventurers
This category is male-dominated, primarily aged 25–30, and mostly based in China’s top-tier and “new first-tier” cities.
Interestingly, this group isn’t just passionate about cars. According to Bilibili’s data, they also demonstrate strong purchasing behavior in categories like parenting products and financial services, and they’re known for conducting thorough online research before making any buying decisions.
For advertisers, this offers a valuable targeting segment: well-informed, high-income users with broad cross-category interests.
3. Fitness & Wellness
Like parenting and automotive, fitness content overlaps with Bilibili’s strength in educational and science-based video content. In the fitness category, you’ll find
- certified personal trainers,
- academic experts in exercise science, and
- licensed rehabilitation professionals
This category boomed during the pandemic when many users began exercising at home using online video workouts.
A notable example is Pamela Reif, a global fitness influencer with over 10 million YouTube subscribers. She launched her Bilibili channel in 2020 to share follow-along workout videos with Chinese fans.
Since then, she has gained
- 13.4 million followers on Bilibili,
- 15.26 million likes across her videos, and
- over 860 million total views.
How Can Western Brands or Individuals Market on Bilibili?
If you create original video content, you can establish a presence on Bilibili either as a brand or individual creator. By consistently sharing high-quality, valuable content, you can gradually build trust, grow your follower base, and increase your influence on the platform.
Bilibili actively welcomes both personal and business accounts. If you’re a business, you can even apply for enterprise verification—free of charge, as long as your industry falls within Bilibili’s approved categories. (This is relatively rare in China, as platforms like WeChat, Rednote, and Zhihu usually charge for business verification.)
At Nanjing Marketing Group, we help clients set up and manage their Bilibili accounts, and here are three examples of Bilibili accounts we’ve created.
1. Personal Account
Tait is the founder of Nanjing Marketing Group. On Bilibili, he runs a personal account called 泰特能说 (Tait Talks), one of several social media profiles he has created specifically for Chinese audiences.
On this channel, Tait shares content about cross-cultural communication, language tips, and digital marketing insights, helping bridge the gap between Chinese and Western perspectives.
As of now, the account has
- 35,000+ followers,
- 282,000 likes, and
- 5.94 million total views.
Looking ahead, we plan to use this channel as a marketing asset for selected client campaigns, especially those looking to build trust and visibility in China through authentic, personality-driven content.
The following are two brand accounts we built for our clients.
2. Education-focused Account: Emory Law
Emory Law is a top private law school in the United States. We created a Bilibili brand account to share content, such as campus overviews, online info sessions, and other helpful resources. This approach successfully generated qualified inquiries from prospective Chinese students.
3. B2B-focused Account: Oxylabs
Oxylabs is an IP proxy service provider based in Lithuania. On their Bilibili channel, we introduced their Chinese-language website and contact details in the bio and shared educational content about IP proxy technologies. This helped guide viewers to either contact a sales manager directly or visit the official website to purchase services.
Advertising Options on Bilibili
Bilibili places a strong emphasis on video quality and user experience. That said, if you’d like to reach a larger, more targeted audience, the platform offers several advertising options. Currently, there are four main ad formats available:
#1. Spark Ads (商业起飞)
Promote your videos to ensure they’re seen by users likely to be interested in your content or brand. This boosts visibility while maintaining native integration within the platform.
#2. Huahuo Platform (花火平台)
This is Bilibili’s official influencer marketing platform, where brands can connect with suitable key opinion consumers (KOCs) or key opinion leaders (KOLs) for paid collaborations.
#3. Brand Zone (品牌专区)
Display a banner on Bilibili’s homepage to increase brand exposure. This format is highly visible and suited for brand awareness campaigns.
#4. Danmu Ads & E-commerce Links (弹幕广告 & 蓝链电商)
Interactive “bullet comments” (danmu) that overlay videos can include clickable links, directing users to product pages or third-party e-commerce platforms for instant purchases.
How Can Western Companies Advertise on Bilibili?
Bilibili advertising accounts are now open to international businesses, but access is still restricted by industry. NMG can assist by reviewing your company credentials and verifying your eligibility based on Bilibili’s platform requirements.
Pro Tip: If possible, we recommend using a Chinese business license to register your Bilibili ad account. This typically provides you with broader access across more industry categories and speeds up the approval process.
With its unique community culture and deep respect for original content, Bilibili has become a digital home for China’s younger generations. For brands hoping to truly connect with Gen Z, this is a golden opportunity to earn trust, build shared values, and create long-lasting impact.
We hope this user persona analysis has given you valuable insights into how Bilibili works—and how it can fit into your broader China marketing strategy.
If you’re ready to explore how your brand can grow on Bilibili, get in touch with us at Nanjing Marketing Group. We’re here to help you get started.