Bilibili Opens Brand Partnership Program to Foreign Companies: 5 Key Takeaways for Cross-Border Marketers
Bilibili (哔哩哔哩, bìlìbìlì) has officially opened its Brand Partnership Program to foreign-registered companies for the first time, allowing overseas brands to apply for official collaboration status on China’s leading Gen Z video platform. This change, announced in early 2025, removes a previous restriction that limited the program to domestic Chinese enterprises, giving foreign marketers direct access to Bilibili’s 340 million monthly active users (MAUs) without requiring a 外商独资企业 (WFOE, wàishāng dúzī qǐyè) entity. Here are 5 key takeaways every cross-border brand needs to know.
What Changed: The Program Details
Previously, only companies registered in mainland China could join Bilibili’s Brand Partnership Program (品牌合作计划, pǐnpái hézuò jìhuà), which provides priority placement in search results, access to native ad tools, and co-creation features with key opinion leaders (KOLs). Now, foreign brands can apply using their overseas business registration, though they must still nominate a local representative or agency for compliance and payment. The program fee starts at RMB 50,000 per year for basic access, with premium tiers costing up to RMB 200,000 — a 40% increase over the domestic rate due to additional vetting costs. Bilibili reports that the program already includes over 1,200 domestic partners, and the company expects foreign sign-ups to add 200–300 new partnerships within the first six months.
Key Takeaway 1: Access to China’s Most Concentrated Gen Z User Base
Bilibili’s user base is 78% Gen Z (born after 1995), with average daily time spent on the platform reaching 95 minutes per user — 22% higher than Douyin’s average. For foreign brands targeting China’s younger consumers, this is a direct pipeline. The platform’s 2024 revenue grew 18% year-over-year to RMB 22.5 billion, driven largely by advertising and value-added services. Foreign brands in categories like cosmetics, electronics, and education have already seen click-through rates (CTR) of 3.2% in pilot campaigns, compared to a platform average of 2.1%. However, note that Bilibili users are notoriously resistant to overt advertising; native, educational, or entertainment content performs 4x better than standard display ads.
Key Takeaway 2: Content Requirements Are Stringent — But Rewarding
To succeed on Bilibili, foreign brands must produce 视频内容 (video content, shìpín nèiróng) that aligns with the platform’s “community-first” ethos. The program requires at least 4 original video uploads per month, each 3–10 minutes long, with Chinese subtitles or dubbing. Brands that maintain a monthly upload cadence see follower growth of 12–18% per quarter, according to Bilibili’s internal analytics. Compare this with Xiaohongshu (小红书, xiǎohóngshū), where short-image posts dominate and video length averages 60 seconds. For example, a German automotive parts brand that launched a 5-minute educational series on engine maintenance gained 80,000 followers in 90 days and saw a 15% conversion rate to its Tmall store — well above the 3% industry benchmark for automotive peripherals.
Key Takeaway 3: Comparison with Other Major Platforms for Foreign Brands
To help you decide where to allocate your China digital marketing budget, here’s a head-to-head comparison of Bilibili’s new program against Douyin (抖音, dǒuyīn) and Xiaohongshu (小红书, xiǎohóngshū) for foreign companies.
| Feature | Bilibili Brand Partnership Program | Douyin Enterprise Account | Xiaohongshu Brand Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | 340 million | 750 million | 300 million |
| Primary Demographics | Gen Z (78% under 30) | Mass market (25–45 core) | Urban women (18–35) |
| Content Format | Mid-length video (3–10 min) | Short video (15–60 sec) | Image + text + short video |
| Foreign Brand Entry Cost | RMB 50k–200k/year | RMB 30k–100k/year | RMB 20k–80k/year |
| Average Engagement Rate | 4.5% (comments + shares) | 3.8% (likes + shares) | 6.2% (saves + comments) |
| Ad Approval Time (Foreign) | 5–10 business days | 3–7 business days | 7–14 business days |
| Content Moderation Strictness | High (community-driven) | Medium (algorithm-driven) | High (brand-safety focused) |
As the table shows, Bilibili offers the highest engagement rate among the three for foreign brands, but its content requirements are the most demanding. If your brand can produce high-quality, educational video content, Bilibili provides the deepest user trust. If you need faster ad approval and shorter content, Douyin may be a better starting point.
Key Takeaway 4: Registration and Compliance Steps for Foreign Companies
Applying to the program requires three steps. First, submit your overseas business registration certificate (translated into Chinese and notarized) along with a nominated local agent’s business license. Second, sign a 内容合作协议 (content collaboration agreement, nèiróng hézuò xiéyì) that includes a RMB 100,000 performance bond — refundable after 12 months of compliance. Third, pass Bilibili’s content review, which checks for violations of Chinese advertising laws, including restrictions on comparative claims and health-related assertions. Approvals typically take 5–10 business days, longer than the 3-day domestic average. Foreign brands operating through a WFOE can bypass the agent requirement entirely, reducing setup time by 40%.
Key Takeaway 5: Focus on Long-Term Brand Building, Not Short-Term ROI
Bilibili’s strength lies in community loyalty, not impulse purchases. The platform’s conversion rate for direct product links is just 1.8%, compared to Douyin’s 5.2%. However, Bilibili users who engage with a brand account show 73% higher lifetime value (LTV) on cross-platform purchases (e.g., Tmall, JD.com) over 12 months. For foreign brands, this means initial campaigns should aim for follower growth and engagement rather than immediate sales. A Korean beauty brand that ran a 6-month series of “ingredient deep-dive” videos achieved 150,000 followers but only RMB 300,000 in direct sales; yet its Tmall store traffic from Bilibili referrals grew 340% in the same period, generating RMB 2.1 million in attributable revenue. Patience is critical — results typically materialize after 3–4 months of consistent posting.
Decision Framework for Foreign Brands
If your brand targets Gen Z consumers with complex or educational product stories (e.g., tech, beauty ingredients, financial services), choose the Bilibili Brand Partnership Program — invest upfront in video production. If your brand relies on impulse purchases or visual-only appeal (e.g., fashion accessories, snacks), choose Douyin or Xiaohongshu for faster short-term ROI. For brands with limited content budgets, consider starting with a hybrid approach: test Bilibili with a single high-production video series while using Douyin for weekly short clips.
3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid
NEXT STEPS
- Read our full guide on China digital marketing compliance — including rules for foreign brands on Bilibili, Douyin, and WeChat. China Digital Marketing Compliance Guide 2025
- Explore our Bilibili content strategy toolkit for foreign brands — sample content calendars, video templates, and KOL vetting checklists. Bilibili Content Strategy Toolkit
- Contact our team for a Bilibili partnership application readiness assessment — we review your registration docs, content plan, and budget against platform requirements. Book a Free Bilibili Readiness Call
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