Hua Xia Shi Bao·2025-07-24 04:34Core Viewpoint - Zhihu is transitioning from a high-quality knowledge-sharing platform to a more commercialized model, focusing on profitability while facing challenges in user engagement and content quality [2][9][14]. User Engagement - Zhihu's average monthly active users (MAU) peaked at 101.2 million in Q3 2021 but has since declined to 81.1 million in Q3 2024, indicating a significant drop in user engagement [5][4]. - The decline in MAU is attributed to a combination of optimizing advertising spend and enhancing user experience, leading to a reduction in low-engagement users while increasing high-engagement users [5][4]. Business Diversification - Since 2016, Zhihu has explored various revenue streams, including advertising, paid memberships, and knowledge services, with non-advertising revenue accounting for 61% of total revenue in 2021 [9][10]. - Paid membership revenue became the primary income source in Q2 2022, reaching 271 million yuan, a 75.1% year-on-year increase [10]. - Zhihu's foray into vocational education has shown significant growth, with revenue from this segment increasing by 457.14% year-on-year in Q3 2022 [10]. Short Video and E-commerce Ventures - Zhihu has attempted to enter the short video and e-commerce markets but has faced challenges in establishing a strong presence in these areas [11]. - Despite various attempts at diversification, paid memberships remain the most significant revenue source, contributing 57.27% of total revenue in Q1 2025 [11]. Short Drama Market Potential - The short drama market in China reached 50.5 billion yuan in 2024, surpassing the film box office for the first time, presenting a new opportunity for Zhihu's "Salted Story" initiative [14][15]. - Zhihu's "Salted Story" has produced over 100 quality IPs for the short drama industry, with successful adaptations like "The Pen" setting records on platforms like Tencent Video [3][15]. Challenges and Future Outlook - Analysts express skepticism about Zhihu's ability to capitalize on the short drama market, suggesting that platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou may dominate due to their advanced recommendation algorithms [16]. - The company is encouraged to focus on knowledge monetization and original content creation as a sustainable path forward, despite the challenges faced in the current market landscape [17].