Cross-Platform Content Distribution Behavior: A Qualitative Analysis of YouTube Creator's Video Content on the Chinese Video Streaming Service Bilibili

This study investigates the practices of Western YouTube content creators’ cross-posting behavior, i.e., uploading their content on Bilibili—a Chinese video-sharing platform. A qualitative content analysis is employed to analyze videos of 14 popular YouTubers to compare the content of videos posted on both platforms. The findings indicate that the content differs for both platforms, possibly to accommodate Chinese viewers. The results show that Western YouTubers have made multiple changes to their original content before reuploading them to Bilibili, including the addition of Chinese subtitles, cut-out sponsorship content, shorter and translated descriptions, altered thumbnails and exclusive content for Bilibili. The results also show a less frequent uploading schedule on Bilibili than on YouTube. While existing studies have explored content creators’ cross-posting behavior within the same social media ecosystem, the study contributes to advancing our understanding of online creators’ content distribution practices across platforms in different cultural domains, especially in a Chinese-Western context.