Sohu
Pioneering Chinese internet portal providing digital media coverage, online video, and gaming.
Sohu at a glance
Sohu is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #10 in the country. It was founded in 1996 by Charles Zhang and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Today Sohu is owned by Sohu.com Limited. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 210 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through online gaming (changyou), video display advertising. Its closest rivals include sina.com.cn, qq.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 197 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 204 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 210 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 223 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in China, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- China86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 63 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- China
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| sohu | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the China web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in China
Company information
- Website
- sohu.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Sohu.com Limited
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- Charles Zhang
- Founded
- 1996
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Employees
- 4,500+
- Ownership
- Sohu.com Limited controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Sohu operates a news and media publisher focused on China. Pioneering Chinese internet portal providing digital media coverage, online video, and gaming. Revenue comes mainly from online gaming (changyou), supported by the other lines listed below.
- Online Gaming (Changyou)
- Video Display Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #10 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in China
- Global rank
- 95
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| sina.com.cn | ≈ 126 million / month | #11 class competitor | — |
| qq.com | ≈ 94.5 million / month | #12 class competitor | — |
What is Sohu?
Sohu (sohu.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in China. Pioneering Chinese internet portal providing digital media coverage, online video, and gaming. It ranks #10 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Sohu?
The site is operated by Sohu.com Limited, founded by Charles Zhang. The company was established in 1996 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. It employs around 4,500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Sohu at roughly 210 million visits per month, about 7 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Sohu makes money
Revenue comes primarily from online gaming (changyou), alongside video display advertising.
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include sina.com.cn, qq.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1996
Sohu is founded in Beijing, China.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #10 among the most visited websites in China.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Sohu?
Sohu is operated by Sohu.com Limited. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Sohu headquartered?
Sohu is headquartered in Beijing, China.
When was Sohu founded?
Sohu was founded in 1996 by Charles Zhang.
How many employees does Sohu have?
Sohu employs approximately 4,500+ people.
What is Sohu's revenue?
Sohu's revenue: ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Sohu's competitors?
Main competitors in China include sina.com.cn, qq.com.
How does Sohu make money?
Mainly online gaming (changyou), video display advertising.
Is Sohu publicly traded?
Sohu's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Sohu get?
Third-party estimates place Sohu at roughly 210 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Sohu safe?
Sohu is an established news & media site founded in 1996 and ranked #10 in China; use the official domain sohu.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementssohu.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageChina and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos