Since the beginning of 2017, Meipai has updated a couple times, adding all kinds of new functions, including AR special effect “Cute Facial Expression” and dynamic purikura “10-second poster”. All these functions are centered around selfie and young female users. At this point, we can tell that Meipai’s priority,at least for now, is to get female users high.

　　Similarly, picture-based social networking app IN has also come up with the concept “UGC Center”, which means most contents used for circulation are created by users. Based on the tags users attach to their pictures and short videos, IN classifies these contents into different columns. Besides, Bilibili.com

　　In a word, most Chinese short video platforms focus on the weak social networking chains, since it’s too expensive to “transfer social network chains”.

　　3. Advertising spaces and content-based ads VS Creative ads skillfully integrated to contents

　　Based on Snap’s prospectus, ad is one of the major source of its revenue. More specifically, it’s about advertising spaces. However, Snapchat has been attempting to integrate ads to contents, from “Stories” to “Geofilters” and then to Discover, since advertising spaces are limited, while contents can be upgraded constantly.

　　Besides online ads, paid filters and special effects, internet celebrities may become the biggest source of fortune for Meipai in the future.

　　Online celebrities who rose into popular via Meipai, such as Papi Jiang, Liu Yang (Cary), Miao Da Xian, JoyceChu (Clover), have all drawn benefit from Meipai. Papi Jiang even auditioned for advertising space at a sky-high price, RMB 20 million.

　　For example, Miao Da Xian used to participate in beauty contest, work as program director for TV stations and serve as guest to large-scale entertainment shows. By integrating ads to original short videos in a creative manner, Miao Da Xian has attracted over one million fans. Some of the brands it has cooperated with includes Chow Sang Sang, Mizone, SNOW Camera, etc. In fact, its monthly revenue has reached over one million, making it a typical successful case on Meipai.

　　Miao Da Xian’s success lies in not only its emphasis on tags such as “Number One Female Nerve” (“Female Nerve” refers to women who often make fun of themselves), “Female Goddess of Jokes”, but also its short, creative and interesting videos, even if they turn out to be ads. This way, these SuperV users directly go pass Taobao and Baidu and are able to distribute traffic and information directly, making them the gateway to traffic in the mobile internet era. After all, they are also based on traffic, fundamentally.

　　From this aspect, Meipai is naturally fit for internet celebrities and KOLs who attach high importance to social influence, while Snapchat suits better in culture background where individualism is highlighted.

　　Two paths towards profitability: consumption upgrading as well as culture entertainment

　　Different from Snap, Meipai’s product logic and form determines that internet celebrities and KOLs are naturally fond of Meipai. In this case, how can platforms such as Meipai catch up with Snap?

　　Above all, I’d like to mentioned that in the era of mobile internet, users have to face an access of contents, while enterprises have to face the lack of attention from users. To make profit, enterprises have to attract proper attention from users.

　　In other words, these platforms have to stand from the point of users and help users whether save time and filter information, or kill time and entertain themselves. I shall dive into details in the following part of this article:

　　1. Consumption upgrading: ads, paid content, e-commerce retailing, self-owned brands, products and services

　　Although this may sound similar to the business model for internet products, but there’s one vital difference: the core of these platforms is to help users filter information, match needs and supply, save time. In other words, there’s one major premise for these platforms: “consumption upgrading”.

　　In an era of mobile internet where “being seen is being acquired”, users are highly impatient. Snap prefers sponsored lenses than bumper ads to avoid providing unnecessary information for users and hide ads.

　　Platforms such as Meipai, however, focuses much attention on helping users save time. Last year, Meipai carried out “Meipai College” to support, guide and nurture internet celebrities. Through offline salons and online communication, Meipai plays an active role in sharing short video producing, fans acquiring and management skills with local internet celebrities on Meipai.