BIGO’s Likee makes regional case for short-form videos

Likee, a global short video creation platform from Singapore-based BIGO Technology, has strengthened its focus on the Middle East and North Africa region, in response to a significant rise in user numbers. Offering short-form videos — recorded and live-streamed — Likee is backed by the advanced artificial AI-driven content curation and quality control technology from BIGO.
Mike Ong, vice president, BIGO Technology, said: “Our continued expansion and refinement of content has enabled us to achieve a 208.3 percent increase of MAUs on a yearly basis and 15.1 percent on a sequential basis. The MENA region is a key focus for us as a company, and our platforms are well-received among the youthful, tech-savvy, and globally connected regional community. We are at the forefront of a revolution in content creation and consumption, and we are proud to bring our users a way to express their individuality and talents, showcase their unique cultures, and engage with a like-minded global network.”
Likee’s growing popularity can be tied to the rise in preference for short-form video as a way to consume content and interact with a diverse, dispersed network.
“We believe that the high smartphone and Internet penetration in the MENA region is dramatically altering how digital natives and adopters use video as a communications tool. Likee is also breaking new grounds in digital innovation, including being used for education. Our #LikeeDreams campaign has highlighted the potential for Likee to drive socio-economic progress within communities and nations, and we look forward to being a part of the digital transformation narrative of the MENA region,” Ong added.
Launched in 2017, Likee has grown dramatically. In fact, according to the recently launched earnings report by parent company JOYY, Likee’s total monthly average users (MAUs) has swelled to 115.3 million. In addition, in 2019 Likee was also recognized as being the seventh most downloaded application in the world, and ranked first in the “Top 10 Breakout Apps” list, according to App Annie, an app industry watcher. This growth has continued into 2020, with industry analyst Sensor Tower ranking Likee as the fourth most popular application in the world in January 2020.