7 media trends redefining China's digital landscape amid AI disruption

In this era of information overload, an effective media strategy is not only key to brand communication but also a crucial engine for driving business growth. As technology evolves rapidly, consumer behaviour patterns are undergoing profound changes, and the emergence of new platforms further expands the boundaries of the media ecosystem.

The study, “Increased Integration and Depth in China Media Market”, conducted by Publicis Groupe’s Starcom, offers a forward-looking analysis of media trends. It aims to provide the marketing industry with a forward-looking and practical interpretation of media trends, helping brand owners and advertising professionals better understand the current market and future trends.

By reviewing changes in the media industry over the past year, this report comprehensively examines key elements such as platforms, content, technology, and applications, and meticulously distils three development trends in media industry: horizontal integration, vertical deepening, and infinite possibilities.

Here are a few of the key future media trends in China laid out by the Starcom report. 

1. Reallocation of traffic

The internet “tearing down the walls” has shattered traditional boundaries, leading to resource sharing and compatibility across platforms. The accelerated integration of content, technology, and data across platforms is driving a transformation that reshapes the communication ecosystem and rewrites the rules of user experience.

This is leading platforms towards a new era of mutual integration and coexistence. Since 2024, China's digital ecosystem has transformed dramatically from its previous era of isolation, when major tech platforms actively blocked each other’s services, according to the report.

Today, unprecedented collaborations are emerging, with Tencent Games content now available on Douyin, Taobao accepting WeChat Pay, and JD.com integrating Alipay. This horizontal integration creates smoother user journeys while allowing brands to develop more cohesive cross-platform strategies.

This has also triggered a positive social feedback loop, with brands harnessing cross-platform integration and emerging technologies to push the boundaries of outdoor advertising, making creativity and expression more imaginative than ever.

2. Intelligent search

The integration of generative AI with search functions has shifted the paradigm from “people seeking information” to “intelligent interaction,” with technological innovation and the rise of proactive search behaviors jointly driving the industry competition back towards a more diversified approach.

From web to mobile, search engines still hold a significant position in the search market, said the report, with the monthly active users of search engine app increasing from 500 million to nearly 700 million in China. 

With AI search officially entering the search landscape, the market is expected to exceed 300 billion yuan by 2029, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 28.7% over the next five years.

Faced with the diversification of search platforms, Starcom suggested that brands should leverage the advantages of each platform to develop targeted search placement strategies through optimising keywords, content marketing, social media operations, amongst others, under the guidance of data-driven decision-making to maximise marketing effectiveness and brand influence.

3. The seamless interaction of virtual and reality

Online marketing, leveraging big data for precise reach and diverse content dissemination, sets the stage for offline traffic; while offline, through innovative interactive scenarios and cutting-edge technology, feeds back online to achieve a positive feedback loop for increased reach. The two resonate synergistically, reshaping the system of brand communication and user interaction.

The proportion of advertisers expecting an increase in offline outdoor advertising investment reaches 28.3% in 2025, marking a notable rise compared to 2024. This resonates with the trend that the report found: 52.1% of consumers increased the frequency of offline activities and consumption in 2024 compared to 2023.

Innovative campaigns such as Xiaohongshu’s lightbox billboards that incorporate user-generated content (UGC) demonstrate how brands can create seamless online-offline experiences. McDonald’s programmatic subway ads show how technology can make traditional media more dynamic and measurable.

This provides insights that brands should leverage interactive technology or creative placements to integrate ads into the surrounding narrative, while designing mechanisms that trigger UGC to stimulate social buzz and create memorable brand moments.

Brands can shift from traditional one-way communications by leveraging experiences as the focal point to attract and retain customers within an O2O feedback loop, said the report. At the same time, brands can set up data tracking points within the user journey to enable comprehensive user behaviour tracking across all channels.

4. Closed loop ecosystems based on social

The continuous evolutions in social media lead to innovations across content types, formats, and user journeys. While these changes have blurred the boundaries between media channels, each platform still retains unique vertical specialisations. This dynamic landscape creates more opportunities for brands to communicate with consumers.

One prime example of leveraging these changes is the Chinese social media giant, Xiaohongshu. The platform has successfully built networks among strangers, using shared interests as the connecting link. Brands on the platform are capitalising on this by publishing notes tailored to specific interest groups. Once in the groups, users are treated to exclusive offers such as group chat discounts, product launches, and live-streaming previews, ultimately driving them to enter the virtual store and make purchases through live-streaming sessions.

According to the report, the group chat user repurchase rate on Xiaohongshu is an astonishing 2.5 times higher than the overall market average, and the conversion rate of private-domain users is a staggering 300 times that of non-private-domain users.

5. eCommerce competing on value rather than price​

The fierce price competition in eCommerce has put merchants under pressure, even as consumer preferences shift toward product quality and service experience. To achieve sustainable growth, platforms are enhancing product standards, refining service experiences, and strengthening supply chain efficiency.

ECommerce giants turning more towards collaboration and mutual prosperity with merchants. For example, Taobao and Tmall launched the  Taobao To Home and hourly purchase within the site, along with the layout of new retail site to link both online and offline. Meanwhile, JD.com also launched "211" time-limited delivery service and "24-hour delivery in counties and towns" service.

The report suggested that brands need to optimise channel strategies based on platform policies, and establish product strategies with higher margins; at the same time, brands should provide more brand-exclusive value and services in their store operations, such as more flexible customer group service strategies, to gain competitive advantage.

6. Exploration of diverse content paths

The ongoing changes in the content landscape drive innovation in content types, formats, and user journeys, delivering high-quality content and experiences to consumers while opening new opportunities for brands to engage with their audience.

One example is the rise of podcasts and short drama series, which have opened up new channels for brands to communicate with segmented target groups. In China, podcast listeners have surpassed 220 million, with 71.6% making purchases influenced by podcasts. Meanwhile, Chinese short drama users account for over half of all internet users, and the market size is projected to reach RMB 50.44 billion in 2024, a 35% increase from 2023.

Brands should remain sensitive to new platform features and clarify the role of content marketing in brand communication and conversion, said the report. After analysing the compatibility of each platform’s lower funnel capabilities with the brand's own eCommerce strategy, adjust tactics in a timely manner to be positioned for success in the lower funnel ecosystem.

7. Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is progressing swiftly, with large pre-trained models showcasing powerful language processing abilities that are now being widely utilised. The industry is abuzz with anticipation for the imminent wave of AI-driven smart devices set to dominate the market.

Looking ahead, AI is set to transform the digital realm, enhancing data analysis for better decision-making, automate personalised content production and optimisation, and enable millisecond-level dynamic bidding in advertising. On the CRM front, AI's computing and prediction capabilities will drive more personalised interactions. It may also pioneer new commercial scenarios such as brain-computer interface advertising. For multichannel marketing, AI will streamline user journeys and strategy coordination.

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