Zhihu vs. Quora: How to Do Content Marketing in China

I have never realized how much I appreciate Zhihu and Quora until I became curious about studying in China. I had long been looking for reviews about student’s life in the university of my interest.

…“What is your experience with XXX university?”…

…“What is the reputation of XXX university?”…

Not disappointingly, both provided me tons of insights. I found the answers there to be more relatable (and realistic) than reading the university’s catalogs.

As Zhihu is a Chinese-based platform, while the other one is not, it is evident that their primary users are geographically different. However, is this the reason why there is a separate Zhihu and Quora? Why wouldn’t I choose one over another?

The similarities and discrepancies between Quora and Zhihu

One might argue that both provide similar features. Indeed, you can post, answer, and recommend questions. You can also follow, like, and share posts just like on Facebook. If you work in digital marketing, you may even know that Zhihu and Quora are suitable for SEO options, lead generation, and selling a brand image.

Nevertheless, the following points are something distinctive about Zhihu and Quora.

User’s objective of using both platforms may differ

On Quora, people ask questions because they are curious about something. However, users from Zhihu may have many purposes. For example, they might want to share content through writing articles and live streaming. These are functions that Quora lacks. Users can even make money by educating and building a fan base here. One user said he has enrolled in a live session held by a famous lecturer. This costs him only 0.99 RMB ($ 0.14). With over 121,230 attendants, the lecturer will eventually receive an approximate revenue of 120,000 RMB ($ 17,331).

The quality of content posted is maintained through Zhihu’s user rating system called “Salt Values”, where users with high Salt Value receive high credentials from the community.

Many knowledgeable users

There is no doubt that both places are full of people with diversified backgrounds. Apart from individual users, companies can also register their official accounts on Zhihu. They can then address some technical questions related to products inquired by potential customers. For example, Yihai Chuangteng, one of Google’s premium partners located in Guangzhou, China, has responded to questions concerning Google advertisement and marketing on Zhihu. The content published there is often highly educational and reliable.

Different search recommendation systems

Zhihu and Quora use different algorithms that help filter out topics based on your interests or previous search queries. In Zhihu, you will see the newest and most popular posts on your search results. In contrast, Quora probably will return answers with the highest votes regardless of the date posted. The mechanism of such a recommendation system has its pros and cons, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes, one would want to find more up-to-date information than going through the old ones despite the high upvotes.

Some unique features

Another point worth mentioning is that some features are found and absent on Zhihu and Quora. Quora has an “Answer requests” page, where you can invite your selected users to answer your questions. There is also an “Answer Later” page. Unfortunately, Zhihu does not have these functions. Instead, it caters to other kinds of services like Zhihu Bookstore, where users can purchase books and read them on mobile devices at any place and at any time. You can also share questions from Quora to Facebook or Twitter. However, people in China use WeChat and Weibo as their social media platforms.

Content marketing on Zhihu and Quora

In terms of content marketing, you won’t be disappointed if you choose either Zhihu or Quora. Quora has a better system than Yahoo Answers to show and recommend good content. You can find the tips to promote blogs on Quora at this link. Similarly, you can find tips to market your content on Zhihu here.

Zhihu has a high SEO ranking, meaning that it often appears on the first page of search engines such as Baidu and Sogou. That’s why doing content marketing on Zhihu is one of the preferable choices for businesses entering the Chinese market.

You will not only find Zhihu and Quora useful for content marketing but also for digital advertisement. Display advertising is relatively common in China, but this trend does not apply to Quora. There will always be a pop-up ad that lasts for only 3 seconds on Zhihu. Display advertising provides businesses with alternative ways to promote their brands and reach millions of Chinese users. On the other hand, Quora offers paid advertisements. They are shown on many sections easily seen by users such as home page, topic feed, and question page. The advertisement feature is user-friendly, not causing a nuisance to users.

Conclusion

Even though Quora and Zhihu serve the same purpose, one stands in stark contrast to another regarding features, search algorithms, users, and more. In the end, the users on both platforms are geographically different. Thus, they have different views and cultural perspectives. Finally, bear in mind that if you are running a business or a blog, Quora and Zhihu may be an excellent choice to promote your brand!

If you want to get started with Zhihu marketing, contact us here!

Author’s Bio

Katie is a Thai Bachelor’s graduate who used to live in China for 4 years before she began her college life at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Recently, she came back to China to start a new chapter of her life. As China leaps forward in innovation, she is intrigued by the technological advancement the country has to offer. Thus, she becomes motivated to share some knowledge about Chinese marketing!

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