How Rural Content Captivates Audiences — Lessons from China’s Countryside

This session explores the impact and potential of rural content in driving social media growth, using the YouTube channel Little Chinese Everywhere as a case study. Yan, the channel’s protagonist, along with her second hand Flo, will share their journey of building a successful platform through stories from rural China. Together, they will break down three key pillars of their approach—Local Connection, Authenticity, and Uniqueness—and demonstrate how these elements contribute to sustainable growth on YouTube. The session will also offer practical insights into how AI tools can support content optimization and enhance video performance over time. Takeaways:

• local connection: Yan as Chinese creates a barrier-free connection to locals
• authenticity: - Real human stories matter esp. post pandemic - Feeling of authentic documentary, unbaised (esp. In a world where people trust less media) - Low barrier for relatability: content feels close and not out of reach and creates emotional connection (unlike luxury travel)
• uniqueness: - Visual Beauty and Escapism: Nice nature that people don’t know about (including drone shots) - Cultural Curiosity: Long lasting traditions in corners of the world that are never shown - Educational but also emotional content