Planning self-media topics isn’t creativity—it’s detective work. Win in China’s noisy digital space by letting data lead.

Forget “viral hunches.” In China’s self-media landscape, your topic strategy lives or dies on three pillars:

1, Auditorium Espionage

Chinese audiences don’t fit Western molds. To crack their code:

• Track behavior, not just demographics (e.g., Baidu searches reveal hidden pain points).
• Spy on competitors: Use tools like Chinabrand or NewRank to see which topics drive engagement for rivals.
• Listen beyond comments: WeChat groups and Douyin hashtags (#话题) expose raw, unfiltered needs.

2, Keyword Gold Mining

Baidu and Sogou are your crystal balls:

• Target long-tail keywords (e.g., “跨境直播带货避坑指南” – cross-border livestream pitfalls) – low competition, high intent.
• Filter for search intent: Is the user researching (“how to”), comparing (“best VPN for China”), or buying (“Tmall store setup service”)?
• Pro Tip: Use 5118 or Baidu Index to forecast rising trends before they peak.

3, ROI-Fueled Topic Tests

Treat every post as a live experiment:

• Track scroll depth & session duration (high = deep resonance).
• Kill topics where bounce rates exceed 70% – they’re misaligned with audience expectations.
• Double down on content that drives micro-conversions (e.g., WeChat official account follows, mini-program signups).

Bottom Line: China’s self-media isn’t about inspiration—it’s about interrogation. Let metrics interrogate your topics, then scale what works.