Key
- Story Mode: A short - video content mode with a single - column information flow launched by Bilibili.
- View count: An indicator used by Bilibili to measure the dissemination of videos, which may be replaced by the user consumption duration.
- Content ecosystem: Bilibili's community ecosystem created by UP owners, nourished by the secondary creation ecosystem, and purified by dynamic users.
- Traffic theory: A content evaluation standard centered around view counts, which may lead to a decline in content quality.
- User stickiness: The degree of users' dependence on the platform, which is related to high - quality medium - and long - form content.
Abstract
Bilibili is facing challenges brought by the short - video Story Mode. In pursuit of growth, Bilibili has actively embraced short - videos, but this has also led to an imbalance in users and the content ecosystem. Although the rapid growth of Story Mode has increased user activity and commercialization efficiency, it has also led to the proliferation of low - quality content, eroding the traffic of high - quality medium - and long - form videos. Bilibili's management is considering removing the view count data displayed on the front - end and using the user consumption duration to measure the dissemination of videos, attempting to optimize the content ecosystem and get out of the dilemma of solely focusing on traffic. Whether this measure can help Bilibili reshape its content advantages and achieve a balance between commercialization and user experience remains to be seen.
Insights
Bilibili's strategy of embracing short - videos reflects the common dilemma faced by Internet platforms in the process of pursuing growth and commercialization. Platforms need to find a balance among user growth, content quality, and commercial realization, rather than overly relying on a single traffic indicator. Bilibili's case also shows that the healthy development of the content ecosystem is crucial for the long - term value of the platform. Platforms need to continuously optimize recommendation algorithms and content screening mechanisms, and encourage the creation and dissemination of high - quality content to maintain user loyalty and platform competitiveness.
Views
01 "Story Mode is a double - edged sword"
While Story Mode increases user activity and commercialization efficiency, it also brings the risks of a decline in content quality and damage to the user experience.
02 "Solely focusing on traffic is not advisable"
Over - relying on view counts as the content evaluation standard will lead to the proliferation of low - quality content, erode the traffic of high - quality content, and damage the content ecosystem.
03 "User consumption duration is a more reasonable indicator"
Measuring the dissemination of videos by user consumption duration can better reflect the long - term effect and user stickiness of the content, guiding the platform to attach importance to the creation and dissemination of high - quality content.
In - depth
Can Bilibili "Quit TikTok"? A Self - Rescue of the Content Ecosystem?
Against the backdrop of the gradual disappearance of Internet traffic dividends, Bilibili is facing a difficult choice between growth and the content ecosystem. This video platform, which started with anime, comic, and game (ACG) culture, has actively embraced short - videos in recent years, trying to achieve user growth and speed up commercialization through Story Mode (single - column information flow short - video content). However, while this strategy has brought impressive data in the short term, it has also led to an imbalance in users and the content ecosystem. Bilibili is now trying to get rid of its dependence on TikTok and reshape its content advantages.
The Temptation of Growth and the Risk of Imbalance
Bilibili began to embrace short - videos in 2018 and fully launched Story Mode in 2021. This move has achieved remarkable results in user growth and commercialization. In 2022, vertical videos accounted for more than 12% of the overall traffic at the Bilibili homepage entrance, and the daily average view count of Story Mode increased by 175% year - on - year. The rapid growth of short - videos is partly due to the increasing demand of users for fragmented entertainment and partly due to Bilibili's accurate capture of users' interests.
However, the rapid expansion of Story Mode has also brought negative impacts. The popular channels on Bilibili's homepage are "dominated" by high - view - count works, and the weekly must - watch list is filled with low - quality works that attract clicks through eye - catching titles and covers. These short - videos have eroded the exposure traffic of high - quality medium - and long - form videos, affecting the user experience. More seriously, the content style of Story Mode is becoming more and more similar to that of TikTok, diluting Bilibili's original secondary creation ecosystem and making Bilibili's positioning blurred.
A Bilibili finance UP owner said that the vertical - screen playback interface of Story Mode completely imitates TikTok, saving the process of cultivating users' mental models. However, this "copy - and - paste" approach has also made Bilibili lose its own characteristics. Bilibili was originally known for the depth of its medium - length video content, but under the impact of Story Mode, more and more UP owners are starting to transform into short - video creation, leading to an increasingly serious problem of content homogenization.
The Dilemma of Solely Focusing on Traffic
Bilibili's recommendation algorithm comprehensively measures videos mainly based on view counts, supplemented by interaction rates, playback completion rates, etc. However, view count, the most inflated indicator on Bilibili, plays a decisive role in the fate of videos. Since Story Mode plays continuously in a loop without pausing, the view data can naturally snowball. This traffic - only orientation has enabled a large number of low - quality short - videos to obtain undeserved exposure, while high - quality content has been buried.
To change this situation, Bilibili's management is considering removing the view count data displayed on the front - end and using the user consumption duration to measure the playback of videos. This measure aims to optimize the content ecosystem and encourage the creation and dissemination of high - quality content. In fact, short - video platforms such as Kuaishou and TikTok have also hidden the direct view count data on the front - end and instead use more comprehensive data dimensions such as likes, shares, and popularity values to optimize the content presentation.
Self - Rescue of the Content Ecosystem
Bilibili's move to remove the front - end view count display is undoubtedly a self - rescue action for the content ecosystem. By introducing more reasonable indicators such as user consumption duration, Bilibili can better evaluate the quality and value of content, guiding the platform to attach importance to the creation and dissemination of high - quality content. This adjustment will reduce the display weight of low - quality short - form content with eye - catching titles, hot topics, and meme - based content, allowing high - quality content to break free from the quagmire of solely focusing on traffic and receive more positive feedback.
In addition, adjusting the video view count to user consumption duration can better demonstrate the long - term effect and user stickiness of Bilibili's content. After all, the commercial value of short - form content is obviously lower than that of high - quality medium - and long - form content. Therefore, this adjustment will push more high - quality content to the forefront, further driving Bilibili's value - added services and brand advertising revenue.
Bilibili's uniqueness lies in the unique scenarios created by its young users. Bilibili should focus more on these unique scenarios created by young users to drive breakthroughs in its overall advertising business.
Prospects and Reflections
Bilibili's attempt to "quit TikTok" reflects the common dilemma faced by Internet platforms in the process of pursuing growth and commercialization. Platforms need to find a balance among user growth, content quality, and commercial realization, rather than overly relying on a single traffic indicator. Bilibili's case also shows that the healthy development of the content ecosystem is crucial for the long - term value of the platform. Platforms need to continuously optimize recommendation algorithms and content screening mechanisms, and encourage the creation and dissemination of high - quality content to maintain user loyalty and platform competitiveness.
For Bilibili, removing the front - end view count display is only the first step in the self - rescue of the content ecosystem. In the future, Bilibili also needs to conduct more in - depth reforms in content distribution, community management, business models, etc., to truly get rid of its dependence on TikTok and reshape its content advantages.