On November 6, the "White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)" (hereinafter referred to as the "White Paper") was officially released during the opening ceremony of the Second Hangzhou Micro Short Drama Conference, outlining eight major findings. It is estimated that by 2024, the market size of micro short dramas in China will reach 50.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 34.90%; the total annual box office revenue from mainland films is expected to be 47 billion yuan. It is anticipated that by 2027, the market size of micro short dramas in China will exceed 100 billion yuan.
The "White Paper" provides an in-depth analysis of the current landscape and future trends of the micro short drama industry, offering multi-dimensional insights from user scale, market potential to industry ecology, serving as a reference for promoting the high-quality development of the micro short drama sector. During the release event, Zhou Jie, deputy secretary-general of the China Network Audio-Visual Association, interpreted the eight major findings in the "White Paper," sketching out the current status and future development blueprint for the micro short drama industry for the attendees.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
1. Strong "Renewal Power," Micro Short Dramas Become a New Highlight in the Online Audio-Visual Field
As of June 2024, the user scale of micro short dramas in China has reached 576 million, accounting for 52.4% of the overall internet population, demonstrating a steady growth trend. The user base for micro short dramas has surpassed various foundational digital services such as online food delivery, online literature, ride-hailing, and online audio, becoming an essential component of digital life.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
As the popularity of micro short dramas continues to rise, in 2024, their market size is expected to surpass the box office revenue of mainland films for the first time. Industry organizations estimate that the market size for micro short dramas will reach 50.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 34.90%, while the total box office revenue for mainland films is expected to be 47 billion yuan.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
Amid this development surge, the number of registered enterprises related to micro short dramas continues to rise, exceeding 83,000. Companies from various fields, celebrities, and major brands are entering the market, further expanding the industry's market and enhancing its influence.
2. Government Support Ensures High-Quality Development of Micro Short Dramas, with "Quality" as the Consensus in the Industry
The National Radio and Television Administration is actively promoting the high-quality development of micro short dramas through regulatory standardization, guiding support, and ecological construction to safeguard the healthy growth of the industry. The production costs of micro short dramas are continually rising, prompting creators to stabilize their creative mindset, shifting from pursuing viral hits to improving the average quality of their series, with long-tail effects of leading works beginning to emerge. Data shows that from January to August 2024, an average of over 8,000 old dramas were undergoing commercial promotion each month. The re-investment in old dramas has become a new trend in the industry.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
Notably, under the advocacy of the National Radio and Television Administration to promote excellent online audio-visual works on larger screens, dozens of micro short dramas have successfully made their way to television, achieving remarkable results. Eastern Television and the China Network Audio-Visual Association jointly launched the country's first daily broadcast micro short drama series, "Quality Eastern · Micro Theatre," with the premiere drama "Golden Pig and Jade Leaf" ranking first across all four networks on its debut day.
3. Strong "Attraction," Micro Short Dramas Become "Spiritual Supplements" in Daily Life
Over 70% of users have developed the habit of watching micro short dramas. Among them, 36.19% watch micro short dramas daily, and 38.15% watch several times a week. Watching micro short dramas has become an important part of the entertainment lives of the majority of users.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
Additionally, the viewing of micro short dramas is characterized by "dispersed" and "intimate" features, with solitary moments such as during work breaks or commutes becoming opportunities for users to enjoy them. Users often feel compelled to keep watching micro short dramas, with 65.78% of users having re-watched the same drama; they are no longer considered simply "fast food" content.
4. Grassroots Communication Power Stands Out, Micro Short Dramas Become the Super "E-Person" in the Content Field
Mobile micro short drama users are primarily concentrated in third-tier cities and below, with the user demographic mainly comprising individuals with a middle school education and an income below 3,000 yuan. Middle-aged and elderly users over the age of 50 form a significant supporting group, accounting for nearly one-third of the total. Conversely, on larger screens, micro short drama users demonstrate differentiated characteristics, appealing to both young and old, with a higher emphasis on well-educated audiences; larger screens further expand the user base of micro short dramas.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
The creation logic of micro short dramas centers around "dream-making," serving not only as a "pressure reliever" for user emotions but also as a "release valve" for consumer demand. Despite their primary user demographic being the grassroots masses in lower-tier markets, they exhibit a strong willingness to consume; over 40% of users have made purchases driven by advertisements from micro short dramas.
5. Unlimited Financial Potential, Micro Short Dramas Create New Playgrounds for the Digital Economy
The commercial model of the micro short drama industry is gradually transforming from primarily IAP (In-App Purchase) to a balanced emphasis on both IAP and IAA (In-App Ads). Micro short dramas are continuously exploring their B-end value potential, actively seeking diversified monetization models centered on advertising marketing, which have become the "new darling" of brand marketing.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
As of August 2024, a total of 332 micro short dramas have established partnerships with brands across major short video platforms, with the beauty sector leading the way, and impressive performances noted in e-commerce, personal care, home appliances, and beverages industries. Brand collaborations featuring top influencers have significant view counts, effectively enhancing brand exposure and market influence.
6. Breaking Barriers, Micro Short Dramas Explore New Models for Various Industries
Micro short dramas have become a source of creativity and a promotional channel for film and television as well as variety shows, fostering the incubation of new intellectual properties (IPs) and the innovative derivation of existing ones.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
Furthermore, under government guidance and policy support, efforts are being made to integrate "micro short dramas" with various sectors, launching several creative plans such as "Traveling with Micro Short Dramas," "Viewing Brands through Micro Short Dramas," and "Learning Laws through Micro Short Dramas," showcasing the broad cross-border empowerment potential.
7. Incubating New Industries, Micro Short Dramas Become a Key Focus for Local New Productive Forces
The development of the micro short drama industry exhibits significant regional distribution characteristics, with multiple local governments, represented by Linping, incorporating micro short dramas into their local digital economy development priorities.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
Various regions have successively introduced support policies, encouraging micro short drama upstream and downstream institutions to settle locally through financial incentives, talent recruitment, and infrastructure guarantees, driving the industry to take root and grow locally, further invigorating related sectors such as culture, tourism, and e-commerce.
8. International Appeal, Micro Short Dramas Attract Foreign Attention Towards China
Micro short dramas demonstrate enormous growth potential in overseas markets, with future market sizes expected to reach a long-term space of $36 billion. In particular, the U.S. market leads in both downloads and application revenue in the overseas market. Notably, Chinese applications dominate the top three download positions in the micro short drama category, becoming another globally popular application genre following short videos. Overseas users are learning about Chinese culture and life through micro short dramas, opening new international markets for Chinese cultural and entertainment products.
"White Paper on the Development of China's Micro Short Drama Industry (2024)"
