In this article, we delve into the features of Youdao, exploring its user base, how it works, and methods for optimization.

What is Youdao?

Youdao, launched by NetEase in 2007, is an online multi-platform catering to various needs, including translation, search, dictionary services, and educational resources.

Services offered by Youdao. Image from Youdao IPO Prospectus

Youdao has an estimated monthly active users (MAU) of more than 100 million. It stands as one of China's leading language technology companies, offering innovative solutions for individuals and businesses alike.

Who uses Youdao?

Youdao's user base is broad and includes students, professionals, educators, and businesses attracted to its search engine base and strong translation capabilities.

Data from iResearch, more than half of Youdao’s users are 24 or younger. Image from Digital Crew

A closer examination of its user base reveals that in addition to its young user base, Youdao attracts individuals with higher levels of education and income compared to the general Chinese Internet population. The majority of its users reside in developed provinces along the east coast of China.

Typically, Youdao’s users possess at least a Bachelor’s degree and earn over 5,000 Yuan (US$718) monthly. This contrasts with the average monthly income of around 3,200 Yuan (US$460) for Chinese urban residents in 2018.

Essentially, the user base of Youdao consists primarily of well-educated college students and affluent white-collar professionals. Both demographics are recognized for their substantial purchasing power and their willingness to invest in personal growth, contributing to the app's recognition as having the highest commercial value in 2018.

What are the features of Youdao?

Youdao offers a comprehensive range of features including:

Search and Translation Services

Youdao's search engine delivers relevant search results encompassing web pages, images, news and videos. Additionally, Users can access extensive dictionaries and vocabulary tools which can translate between more than 100 different languages, including Chinese, Japanese, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, French, Portuguese, and many more.

Educational Resources

Youdao Premium Courses

Youdao offers a variety of educational resources, including study materials, interactive learning platforms, and more than a hundred online courses, from over 60 universities and colleges, empowering users to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Enterprise Solutions

Youdao provides tailored services for governments, companies, and developers which encompass a range of offerings such as translation services, language learning platforms, educational resources, AI capabilities, and productivity tools designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and efficiency within corporate environments.

Getting started: How to use Youdao?

Using Youdao Search Engine is straightforward and user-friendly:

Launch your web browser and navigate to youdao.com.

type in a search term in the dictionary section.

Explore the results which include the definition, other meanings, and example sentences.

How do you optimise your website for Youdao?

Provide Multilingual Support

Optimise your content to appeal to diverse language-speaking audiences. This includes translating your content, incorporating relevant keywords and phrases in multiple languages to improve the discoverability of your content in Youdao's search results.

Resolve Compatibility Issues

Common resources found on international websites, like Facebook and YouTube, may be inaccessible in China.

Addressing this unique challenge is a specialized tool for web optimisation in China - Chinafy.

Chinafy is the only China web compatibility solution that identifies, modifies, and replaces incompatible resources to ensure they load quickly and completely in China. Used in conjunction with fully managed Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), the platform also identifies slow resources and accelerates them as needed.

Note: Chinafy does not grant access to officially blocked websites. Instead, its focus lies in optimising technically inaccessible websites, ensuring they adhere to best practices for visitors in China.

Ready to optimise your website for China? Click Get Started to evaluate your website with Chinafy