城市晚报

# "City Evening News" Toutiao Account: A Warm Companion to Urban Life

At 7:30 a.m., Li Ming a 38-year-old office worker in Chengdu, picks up his phone and opens the Toutiao app. The first thing he does is tap the "City Evening News" account—his go-to source for morning traffic updates. Today, the account has posted a short video showing a pileup the South Second Ring Road, with a text overlay: "Avoid the section between Tianfu Square and Jinjiang Road; alternative routes: take the Third Road or Metro Line 2." Li Ming quickly changes his commute plan, saving himself from a 40-minute delay.

This is just of the millions of daily interactions between "City Evening News" and its readers. As an official digital extension of a traditional evening newspaper, this Toutiao has evolved into a vital companion for urban residents, blending authority with warmth, and information with empathy. Below is a detailed breakdown of its core characteristics:---

1. Platform Type & Audience Characteristics

The "City Evening News" account is hosted on Toutiao—China’s leading content platform known for its algorithm-driven personalization and seamless integration of text, short videos, live streams, and image galleries. Toutiao’s strength lies its ability to match content to users’ interests, making it the perfect home for a local news account that aims to reach diverse urban audiences.

ience Profile

The account’s core audience consists of local residents aged 25–60, accounting for 75% of its followers Let’s dive deeper into their traits:

• Young Professionals (25–35): They follow the account for real-time traffic, market updates, and trendy local spots (e.g., hidden coffee shops, weekend markets).
• Middle-Aged Families (36–5): This group cares most about community news, school enrollment policies, medical service updates, and family-friendly activities (e.g., park festivals, parent workshops).
• Seniors (56+): They rely on the account for utility notices (water/electricity cuts), senior services (free health checks), and nostalgic stories about the city’s past.
• Non-Local Followers (10%): are ex-residents missing their hometown or tourists planning visits, drawn to the account’s cultural stories and food guides.

What unites all these groups their desire for trustworthy, relevant, and accessible local content—something the account delivers consistently.

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2. Operator Background Professional Positioning

The "City Evening News" account is operated by the digital media division of the Chengdu City Evening News Newspaper Office, a media outlet with a 40-year history. Its team comprises 15 full-time professionals:

• Journalists: 8 experienced reporters press credentials, specializing in local news, investigative stories, and cultural features.
• Content Producers: 4 experts in short video editing live stream hosting, and graphic design.
• Community Managers: 3 staff members dedicated to interacting with readers and collecting feedback.

Professionaling

The account positions itself as:

• An Authoritative Source: It adheres to strict journalistic standards—all content is fact-, and breaking news is verified with official sources (e.g., police, fire departments, government bureaus).
• A Local Companion: Unlike media, it focuses on "small but meaningful" stories (e.g., a street cleaner who helps lost kids, a neighborhood committee solving parking disputes) resonate with daily life.
• A Bridge Between Community & Government: It regularly publishes policy interpretations in plain language (e.g., "How apply for a low-income housing subsidy") and hosts live Q&As with local officials to address public concerns.

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3. Core Direction & Differentiation

The account’s content is structured around 5 pillars, each designed to meet different reader needs. What sets it apart from other accounts is its unique blend of authority, proximity, and emotional depth:

Pillar 1: Real-Time Breaking News

The team to local emergencies (traffic accidents, weather disasters, public events) within 30 minutes. For example:

• During a 202 heavy rainstorm, the account posted 12 updates in 6 hours, including flooded road maps, evacuation routes, and shelter locations. This coverage was viewed by 1.2 million users and praised by the city’s Emergency Management Bureau.

Pillar 2: Community Human Interest

The account excels at telling "ordinary people’s stories"—like the 70-year-old grandma who has been feeding stray cats in her for 10 years, or the young barista who donates free coffee to delivery workers in winter. These stories often go viral: a 024 feature on a disabled street musician received 1.8 million views and 80,000 likes, with readers donating over50,000 yuan to support his music career.

Pillar 3: Life Service Updates

This pillar is the most practical residents:

• Utility notices (water/electricity/gas cuts) with clear timelines and alternative solutions.
• Medical updates (e.g "New COVID vaccine clinics open in 5 districts").
• Public transport changes (metro line extensions, bus route adjustments).

Pillar : Cultural Heritage Series

The "City Memory" series explores the city’s hidden history—old alleyways, traditional crafts (e.g., bamboo, Sichuan opera masks), and forgotten local legends. A 2023 story about the 100-year-old "Lotus Lane received 2.3 million views, leading the city’s Cultural Heritage Bureau to list the lane as a protected historical site.

Pillar : Live Streams & Interactive Events

The account hosts 2–3 live streams weekly, including:

• Q&As with local officials (.g., "Ask the Education Director about school enrollment").
• Tour of local events (e.g., summer night markets, cherry blossom festivals).
  Charity drives (e.g., live auction of local crafts to fund poor students).

Differentiation: Unlike personal bloggers who focus on entertainment, this leverages its official status to access exclusive sources (e.g., government press conferences, behind-the-scenes of public projects) and deliver in-depth trustworthy content that no other local account can match.

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3. Core Content Direction & Differentiation

The account’s content strategy is on three key principles: localization, empathy, and innovation. Let’s compare it to other local accounts:

Content Pillar	City News	Personal Local Bloggers
Breaking News	Verified by official sources, real-time updates Second-hand info, lack of fact-checking
Community Stories	In-depth interviews with residents, long-term follow-ups	Surface-level stories,bait headlines
Policy Interpretation	Plain language, expert commentary	Copy-pasted official texts, hard to understand
Cultural Content	ations with heritage experts, historical research	Casual vlogs, no depth

What makes the account stand out is its "warm authority": doesn’t just report news—it tells stories that make readers feel connected to their city. For example, when a local primary school’s playground was in dis, the account published a series of reports that included interviews with students, parents, and school officials. Within a month, the city’s Education Bureau allocated500,000 yuan to renovate the playground—proof of the account’s impact.

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4. Fan Value More Than Just Information

The account provides tangible and intangible value to its followers:

Knowledge Value

• Policy Insights: It translates government policies into easy-to-understand guides (e.g., "How to apply for a digital ID card in 3 steps").
• C Literacy: The "City Memory" series teaches readers about the city’s history and traditions, fostering a sense of pride.

Entertainment Value

-Lighthearted Stories: Features like "Funny Neighborhood Moments" (e.g., a cat that visits a local bookstore every day) bring joy to readers.- Food & Travel Guides:** Short videos of local snacks (e.g., spicy hot pot, dragon fruit cakes) and scenic spots (e.g Dujiangyan Irrigation System) are popular among foodies and travelers.

Resource Value

• Exclusive Discounts: Partnered with businesses (supermarkets, restaurants, cinemas) to offer followers special deals (e.g., 10% off at Happy Market, free at Wanda Cinema).
• Service Access: Links to book medical appointments, register for community activities, and apply for government subsidies directly from the account

Emotional Value

• Sense of Belonging: Stories about community cooperation (e.g., neighbors helping each other during a power outage) readers feel part of a larger family.
• Empathy: The account amplifies marginalized voices (e.g., migrant workers, disabled residents and advocates for their rights.

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5. Update Frequency & Interaction Strategy

Update Frequency

The account posts 6–8 daily, with a well-planned schedule:

• 7:00 AM: Traffic & weather forecast.
• 12:0 PM: Midday news roundup (local events, policy updates).
• 3:00 PM: Life service notice (utility cuts, closures).
• 6:00 PM: Human interest story or cultural feature.
• 9:00 PM: Lighthearted contentfunny videos, weekend plans).

Interaction Strategy

The account prioritizes two-way communication:

• Comment Replies: Community managers to 90% of comments within 24 hours, especially queries about services (e.g., "Where is the nearest free health check?
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Campaigns like "Share Your Favorite Local Spot" invite readers to post photos and stories. best entries are featured in the account’s articles, with winners receiving eco-friendly gifts (e.g., reusable bags, bamboo utensils).
• Offlineups: Annual events like "Reader’s Day" allow followers to meet reporters, share feedback, and participate in community activities (e.g., tree planting book swaps).

For example, the 2023 "Reader’s Day" attracted 200 followers, and many of their (e.g., more pet-friendly content, longer live streams of festivals) were incorporated into the account’s later content.

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6 Key Data Performance

As of March 2024, the account has 720,000 followers and boasts impressive engagement metrics:

• Average views per post: 50,000.
• Average likes per post: 3,000.- Engagement rate: 4.5% (well above the industry average of 2% for official media accounts).

Top 3爆款

1. Cherry Blossom Avenue Short Video: A 1-minute video of the city’s iconic cherry blossom avenue in spring, with music and captions about "hometown memories." It received 2.3 million views, 120,000 likes, 15,000 comments (e.g., "I left the city 5 years ago, but this video makes me cry").
   . Elderly Volunteer Story: An in-depth report about a 70-year-old grandma who has been taking care of stray cats for 0 years. It got 1.8 million views, 80,000 likes, and 10,000 commentsmany readers offered to donate cat food or volunteer).
2. COVID-19 Live Q&A: A 2-hour live stream with the’s health director, answering questions about vaccine efficacy and quarantine rules. It had 3 million concurrent viewers and was shared 200,00 times, helping calm public anxiety during the outbreak.

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7. Brand Cooperation & Industry Influence

The account’s authority and reach it a sought-after partner for local businesses and government agencies:

Brand Partnerships

• Supermarket Campaign: Collaborated with "Happy Market to launch an exclusive discount: followers got 10% off by showing the account’s post. The campaign increased the supermarket’s foot traffic by 5% and the account’s engagement by 15%.
• Tourism Promotion: Worked with the city’s Tourism Bureau to promote "Summer Night Market Festival." The account posted 5 videos about the market’s food and activities, leading to a **30% increase in attendance compared to the previous year.

Industry Influence Cases

• Disaster Response: During the 2023 heavy rainstorm, the’s real-time updates on flooded areas and evacuation routes were cited by the city’s Emergency Management Bureau as a "key tool for public safety."
  -Social Advocacy:** A report on the lack of accessible toilets for disabled residents led the city’s Urban Management Bureau to install 20 new accessible toilets downtown areas within 3 months.
• Cultural Recognition: The "City Memory" series was awarded the **"Best Local Cultural Content" prize by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau, and some stories were included in the city’s official cultural promotion materials.

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. Content Direction Explanation

Every content pillar of the account is designed to address a specific need of urban residents:

• Breaking News: To readers safe and informed during emergencies.
• Community Stories: To build a sense of community and empathy.
• Life Services: To solve problems (e.g., avoiding traffic jams