(Image kindly borrowed from ~quemas on Deviant Art)

DianDian is the new Tumblr. And Panguso is the new Google.

At least, if you’re in China.

Given the huge popularity of Tumblr elsewhere, you might wonder why it’s taken this long for one entrepreneur to make a clone of the site. But there are already blogging and social outlets available in China (such as Twitter twin Sina Wiebo).

The difference will be in the customization and simple interface that micro-blogging offers. Tumblr is more about sharing than blogging, and DianDian is looking to follow suit.

DianDian creator Jack Xu comments:

Lite-blogging is still a new concept in China, a market in its infancy, a concept that needs to be imported. Because it’s a new concept for the market, we feel that it’s still open for the taking without distinct competitors yet, though of course we will not rule out the possibility of more sites offering lite-blog service in the future. As for the DianDian team, we need to run in the right direction, and run faster!

Running is something that Panguso will also have to do to capture the Chinese search engine market. Or maybe just a light jog.

Hell, maybe just a brisk walk, considering that it’s government-run and backed by Xinhua, one of China’s most prominent news agencies.

As far as search engines go, Google only has a 23% share of the market, according to The Next Web. So Panguso can probably catch up to that number (at least) with the bank of information it will have access to.

Not to mention the support of the government. You know, that minor d’tail.