Podcast or digital audio programs that are available for download or streaming have been popular worldwide. People like to listen to a podcast, especially on their commutes.
It provides a wide range of topics. Consequently, there is probably a podcast episode for every taste and need. It has also gained the same popularity in China. The total number of China’s podcast listeners surged to 425 million last year, compared with 348 million in 2017. Among many podcast platforms in the country, Ximalaya is China best podcast platform.
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China’s Best Podcast Platform
The Shanghai-based podcast startup, Ximalaya, launched in 2012. It now reportedly valued at more than US$3 billion and considering an initial public offering. The startup aims to enable any talent to share their know-how and appreciated emotionally and financially.
It has gained popularity since then. At the podcast platform, the average user spends 150 minutes a day on the app.
The app has attracted millions of users because of demand. The demand ranges from ambitious go-getters with voracious appetites for knowledge to parents using the audio-sharing platform to read stories or teach their children.
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Besides, there are more than 5 million users create and upload content onto the Ximalaya platform. However, there is no ranking of podcasters on the platform.
In June 2016 Ximalaya set up a category for paid content. While on May this year, there were 4 million paying members on the platform.
Besides, to optimize its content, the company is using algorithms to better understand the users. Later, they share the analysis with the content creators to improve the podcast quality.
The Ximalaya audio-streaming app was removed from various Android app stores in China in July for 30 days. The reason for that was a clean-up campaign by the Cybersecurity Administration of China.
Other than that, the company is also embroiled in disputes over copyright. But now the company has gained access to the market back and hoping to improve its app every day.
