What’s Kuaishou, and Why Is It Helpful for Creators?

Kuaishou is one of China’s leading short-form video platforms, second only to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Like its competitor, Kuaishou offers a variety of tools for creative content production and community building. These features have led to an explosion of popularity, bringing the app to users worldwide.

This article will explore what Kuaishou is and why you should consider using it.

What’s the Kuaishou Short Video App?

Kuaishou launched in 2011 as a GIF generator before pivoting to short video sharing. As of late 2024, Kuaishou had more than 700 million monthly active users, many from smaller cities and more rural areas of China. This geographic base has shaped user preferences, with audiences typically favoring down-to-earth, authentic content centered on daily life. 

While rooted in China, Kuaishou has also expanded its reach globally through its sister app, Kwai. With Kwai, a broader audience can access the platform’s simple features for shooting, editing, and producing short-form videos, complete with various filters and effects. More recently, Kuaishou introduced Kling, an AI text-to-video tool that lets you create B-roll footage from text descriptions.

Fortunately, there’s no need for extra downloads or regional platforms. Kling is one of several integrated models available directly through Captions’ AI text-to-video generator.

What Do Creators Like About Kuaishou?

Below are the top reasons content creators are migrating to this platform: 

• Higher audience interest — Kuaishou’s Chinese users appreciate the app for its window into the lives of ordinary people in unfamiliar places. Because the audience is so receptive to this content, creators can simply vlog their daily activities to earn a following.
• More diversity — Kuaishou has almost as many members as Douyin (aka TikTok), so the site has plenty of diversity. With such a large user base, influencers can build a community in their niche, even if it’s not common. 
• Additional money-making opportunities — Kuaishou has several features designed to generate revenue. For instance, the site encourages e-commerce livestreams, which reach a large potential customer base.

How To Make the Most Out of Kuaishou

There are several ways to include Kuaishou in your existing content creation strategy, including the following.

Short-Form Video

As with Douyin, short-form video is the heart of Kuaishou’s app in China. The platform has a scrollable feed filled with user-submitted content. Although the site's initial popularity came from its authentic look at rural life, the types of content available on the platform have significantly expanded. Creators upload everything from vlogs to comedy skits to gameplay footage, so you can post on the site regardless of your niche.

Livestreams

Kuaishou offers popular livestreaming rooms aimed at everything from preserving cultural heritage to promoting agriculture. Popular categories include:

• Talent showcases
• Daily life
• Agricultural empowerment
• Handicrafts
• Scientific education
• Sports and outdoor activities

In addition to people just sharing their daily routines, livestreams are an extremely popular format for brands selling products. The app allows viewers to purchase items directly from the stream, so doing product demonstrations is a popular way to advertise company offerings.

In-Feed Video Ads

In-feed ads appear in full-screen among viewers’ regular videos. If you’ve already got a social media advertising strategy, you likely already produce in-feed ads for other platforms. Cross-promoting on Kuaishou will broaden your reach without adding any extra video production time to your plate. 

How Content Creators Generate Revenue With Kuaishou 

Content creators can generate revenue with Kuaishou in several ways. Below are the most common methods.

Online Marketing

Businesses looking to reach potential customers can purchase in-feed video ads, splash screen ads, full-screen ads, and cover images. To increase sales, brands can use Kuaishou’s built-in tools to target specific viewers who are more likely to be interested in their products.

You don’t need to purchase ads to benefit from them, though. Kuaishou offers ad revenue sharing to content creators, encouraging more people to post on the platform.

Livestreaming

Kuaishou’s livestream feature attracts large audiences, especially for popular creators. Viewers can send virtual gifts or donations, allowing influencers to earn money while sharing their everyday lives.

Businesses can also use livestreaming to their advantage, offering behind-the-scenes looks, product demos, Q&As, or early previews. This kind of content builds transparency and trust, which can lead to more sales.

E-Commerce Integration

E-commerce streams are one of the most popular ways to advertise on the platform, and the site is continuing to look for new ways to encourage in-app shopping. For instance, Kuaishou partnered with JD.com, a popular e-commerce retailer, so users could buy their products without leaving the app.

Creators and brands can take a similar approach by promoting products and directing viewers to product pages.

How To Generate Videos With Captions’ Kuaishou Integration 

The best way to customize posts for Kuaishou audiences is by generating B-roll with Captions’ Kling text-to-video generator. Here’s how it works:

• Upload your footage — Start a new project by uploading a video. Select “Clips” from the menu, and choose “Kling” from the list of AI model integrations.
• Describe a clip — In the text prompt box, enter a detailed description of the scene and action you want to generate. Include the clip’s ideal location, action, characters, and aesthetic. For example, you could write, “A child follows a frog in a forest, in the style of Disney animation.” Then click the “Generate” button.
• Edit and share — Create as many clips as you need, then edit and arrange them within your video using Captions’ other AI editing capabilities. Download your video and share it on your social media platforms.

Take Your Videos to the Next Level With Captions

Cross-posting your content on Kuaishou is a solid strategy for growing your overall following. This app lets you tap into a new audience, increasing your reach. To keep these new viewers engaged, though, you have to create high-quality videos.

That’s where Captions comes in. Our generative AI tools allow you to create better content faster. Create B-roll to transition between scenes, compose a backing track, and generate AI art for your thumbnails — all within the same platform. No need to pay for multiple subscriptions or juggle tabs. 

With Captions, you can access the best AI models from a single dashboard. 

FAQ

Do I Have To Live in China To Use Kuaishou?

No — Kuaishou offers an international version of the app called Kwai. Currently, most Kuaishou users live in China, but Kwai is becoming increasingly popular in Brazil and Indonesia. 

If you only speak English but want to try Kwai, consider creating content in Captions and using the automatic subtitling and dubbing tools to localize your posts. Plus, if you just want to use Kuaishou’s video generation AI tool, it’s available in Captions — even if you aren’t a Kuaishou member.

Who Uses Kuaishou?

Kuaishou is a very popular short-form video app in China, with a user base approaching the size of TikTok’s. While TikTok users tend to live in larger urban areas, Kuaishou users are more rural, often living in China’s “lower-tier” cities. Users are often younger, representing diverse backgrounds that are underrepresented in mainstream media.

How Is Kuaishou Different from Douyin (TikTok)?

Kuaishou has made a conscious effort with its algorithm to promote user relationships and connections instead of trending posts. When browsing the feed, users are more likely to see other people they follow or have interacted with rather than purely viral content. 

The result is a more community-driven experience with stronger connections between creators and fans. People are drawn to Kuaishou because of its intimate atmosphere and relative lack of commercialization compared with Douyin (TikTok).

What’s Kuaishou’s Kling?

Kling is Kuaishou’s large AI model for generating high-quality videos from text prompts. This new Kuaishou technology lets creators quickly create content, and Kling is now available through Captions’ text-to-video integration.