Google dominates the web browser market worldwide. In Vietnam, there are 25 million Vietnamese people and foreigners learning the local language using Coc Coc (Cốc Cốc) monthly.
Download Cốc Cốc browser on:
- Windows.
- MAC OS.
- iOS.
- Android.
By visiting Cốc Cốc’s website homepage.
Cốc Cốc Browser: The Vietnamese Google
Launched in 2013, Cốc Cốc is a free Vietnamese web browser available on desktop & mobile devices. Its original 2012 name was Cờ Rôm+ (Vietnamese pronunciation of “Chrome Plus”). However, it quickly changed to Cốc Cốc (meaning “Knock Knock”).
Like Microsoft Edge or Opera, Cốc Cốc uses the Chromium open-source code technology. Its search engine, available in both English & Vietnamese languages, competes with Google in the local market. It is the second most popular browser in Vietnam with an 18% browser market share.
The primary objective of Cốc Cốc was to introduce local built-in functions that would satisfy Vietnamese expectations. Here is a list of Cốc Cốc browser-specific features:
- Minimalist interface.
- Fast content download.
- Cross-device file transfer.
- Powerful ad blocker.
- Automatic spell checker.
- Currency converter.
- Reliable Vietnamese translator.
We will detail below the main functionalities of this Vietnamese browser.
Cốc Cốc Development & Growth
Back in 2013, Cốc Cốc’s interface was looked close to that of Google Chrome. Cốc Cốc differentiates thanks to the multiple streams’ files download function and the storage of media content. In a matter of months, it got more users than other popular browsers like Safari & Internet Explorer.
Since its release, Cốc Cốc bypasses all blocked websites functions thanks to its reverse domain name resolution. However, it faced compatibility issues with Google services & its website network’s access.
For example, Cốc Cốc users could not log in to their Gmail accounts. Google was sending messages like “Change your browser to Chrome” or “Please update your browser.”
To solve those problems, Cốc Cốc announced in September 2021 a complete switch to Google chrome’s User Agent (UA) on desktop & mobile platforms. From then, Google recognized the Cốc Cốc browser because the UA string information became correct.
Cốc Cốc integrated the ad blockers directly on its browser. There is no need to install third-party software or utilities. This saves battery & space, allowing better performance.
In 2020, Cốc Cốc partnered with the creator of AdBlockPlus to implement an ad, malware, and tracker filtering feature.
Besides, Cốc Cốc cooperates with Yandex, the top Russian browser. Together, they developed Newtab 4.0. It is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) that automatically suggests content based on the browsing behavior & past interactions of the user.
Newtab 4.0 ensures people always look at a suitable newsfeed of articles, videos, and images. Cốc Cốc reports that this technology increases the time spent on the browser by +10%.
Cốc Cốc User Profile
The majority of Cốc Cốc users are Vietnamese citizens. As Vietnam’s median age is around 31 years old, the browser’s users are young.
According to Cốc Cốc, the user age ratio on their digital product is:
- 7% of 0-17 years old
- 21% of 18-24 years old
- 35% of 25-34 years old
- 16% of 35-44 years old
- 8% of 45-54 years old
- 13% of 55+ years old
Most of them live in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, where they are around x10 times more numerous than anywhere else. Moreover, Cốc Cốc users spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on desktop, and 1.5 hours on mobile.
Cốc Cốc vs Google Chrome
Cốc Cốc’s team built their browser as a Vietnamese version of Google Chrome. Many locals proudly claim that “Cốc Cốc is 95% similar to Google’s product.” In reality, many features differentiate them. We list the most important functions below.
Around 70% of internet users use Google. The Google Chrome web browser benefits from:
- A simple & intuitive interface.
- High-loading speed.
- Constant browser updates & free plugins.
- Cross-devices synchronization.
- Lots of valuable & free digital tools.
On the downside, Google Chrome suffers from high CPU usage which sometimes makes devices slow down or freeze on small configurations. Besides, this browser is not as optimized for the Vietnamese market as its local competitor.
On the other hand, Cốc Cốc integrates most of Google Chrome’s basic features. Since this web browser is dedicated to Vietnamese people, it emphasizes suitable functions for the local market. Here is a detailed list of Cốc Cốc browser features:
- English-Vietnamese Dictionary & integrated punctuation.
- Optimized search function for locals.
- Built-in proxy to log in on Facebook.
- Local Domain Name System.
- Media download & resume without software support.
Cốc Cốc answers the desires & habits of the Vietnamese people. For example, locals love to have videos on their mobile devices. Cốc Cốc is more convenient than Google Chrome to download a full movie quickly.
Cốc Cốc works better than Google Chrome on low-end devices, which is extremely convenient for the local population. Overall, the Vietnamese browser remains slightly slower than Google Chrome.
Both got involved in various disputes regarding the use of personal information. Cốc Cốc has a reputation for disclosing them and we recommend never sharing any private content through this browser.
Cốc Cốc Ads
Advertisers with experience running campaigns on Google Ads won’t be lost with Cốc Cốc Ads. The settings are similar. As for the browser features, the main difference is that Cốc Cốc ads focus more precisely on local markets.
Cốc Cốc ads cover the top & bottom of the sales funnel. Here are the best Cốc Cốc ad formats depending on the funnel level:
- Top (brand awareness): browser skin, center banner, sidebar icons.
- Middle (consideration): search text ads, and search banners.
- Bottom (sales): dynamic search, shopping ads.
To make proper Key Performance Indicator (KPI) & metrics estimations, advertisers should expect the following Click-Through Rates (CTRs) for each Cốc Cốc ad format:
- Browser skin: 0.8 to 1.2%.
- Custom skin: 1 to 1.5%.
- Masthead: 0.3 to 1%.
- Center banner: 0.3 to 1%.
- Video banner: 0.3 to 1%.
- Dynamic search: 0.7 to 1.5%.
- Shopping: 5 to 8%.
- Search text: 3 to 6%.
- In-search banner: 0.05 to 0.12%.
Note that the Masthead top banner ad format has a fixed Cost Per Mille (CPM) of 27,500 VND, and the minimum order is 1,000.
Cốc Cốc also offers native ad text & banners that tend to look less “aggressive” than classic ads. They are more likely to catch online users’ attention when browsing on the Cốc Cốc platform.
Cốc Cốc Against Google
Cốc Cốc’s browser is a product dedicated to the Vietnamese audience. Like Zalo is the Vietnamese version of Facebook, Cốc Cốc is a local copy of Google Chrome which is more suitable to the population thanks to its specific features.
Vietnamese people are extremely patriotic & prefer national products. Therefore, Cốc Cốc is successful in this country.
People love Cốc Cốc because it is the best English-Vietnamese translator available in the market. It is much more accurate than Google Translate as it includes Vietnamese slang.
The targeting options on Cốc Cốc ads are also more precise than on any other digital advertising tool. Businesses can even reach their audiences in the countryside.
The Vietnamese browser is the first choice to download online content, music, documents, and especially large files like videos. Besides, it is easy to transfer them from computer to smartphone.
Google remains dominant but no one can contest Cốc Cốc’s growth in Vietnam. Now, the question remains open: will it face issues later regarding video downloads & copyright matters?
