A look at the PGC strategy of video websites from an alternative reality show

On July 27, Sohu released its unaudited financial report for the second quarter ending June 30, 2015. In response to analysts' questions, Zhang Chaoyang, chairman and CEO of Sohu, said, "Sohu Video's overall strategy is to spend money on really good content and focus on purchasing or producing high-quality TV series, while developing PGC (professional partner content) and user paid subscription models. We hope that the development of the latter two can bring the online video industry into profitability."

As a believer in PGC, Sohu Video has begun to focus on promoting the growth of PGC business after acquiring 56 to make up for the shortcomings of UGC (user-generated content). Today, a reality show called "Ultimate Transformation" focusing on Cosplay culture announced that it will land on Sohu Video in early August.

Unlike the popular reality shows, neither the producers nor the actors of "Ultimate Transformation" are well-known, and even the "two-dimensional" theme of the show belongs to niche culture. The person in charge of the producer Red Dragon Entertainment said that they hope to cooperate with Sohu to jointly create the first platform for the development of Cosplay videos.

Sohu's head also said, "The post-90s generation has gradually grown up, and we need to provide more space for young people to show their talents. This program is also in line with Sohu's strategy of vigorously developing PGC business."

At this stage, video websites have turned to PGC, gradually shifting their focus from the crude mode of burning money to compete for copyrights to self-made programs or third-party production teams. High-quality program content, high exposure, and repeated broadcasts in the form of seasonal broadcasts can easily create new popular IPs and make users sticky, and finally realize monetization. At the same time, it can also create a good business system for music producers and video producers, allowing talented people to produce and share high-quality content.

It is observed that the "Ultimate Transformation" program launched this time is still a low-cost production, and its target user group is also animation and Cosplay enthusiasts. This theme is rare in the domestic video field. This reflects that online self-made content can solve the problem of video content homogeneity. Industry insiders believe that low-cost online self-made content is valuable because it has little financial pressure and flexible advertising. Video websites can make profits while building brands.

Judging from the current situation, PGC can indeed help video websites get rid of expensive copyright competition and bring about a differentiated development path. As for those unknown and low-cost self-made contents, video websites also bear the responsibility of cultivating and promoting them to a certain extent. After all, diversified content is a magic weapon for online videos to attract users.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.