paragraph50The second Statistical Report on the Development of Internet in China shows that as of2022year6In the month, the scale of Internet users in China was10.511000 million, among which, the scale of online live streaming users reached7.16Yi, accounting for the total number of netizens68.1%. Changes are quietly taking place. From the fitness routines live-streamed by Liu Xianghong, known as the 'fitness guru,' who went viral online and gained nearly ten million followers in a day; to Oriental selection, which became popular due to the 'knowledge-driven e-commerce' halo of anchors like Dong Yuhui; to the rise of virtual live-streaming augmented by the metaverse and digital humans. Watching dramas, performances, learning knowledge, buying houses, and finding jobs in live streaming rooms are becoming the 'new way of consuming' for young people.
How do you view the overall development of the live streaming ecosystem over the past year? Have there been any new changes in live streaming content?” "Live Streaming+"The live streaming ecosystem is becoming increasingly rich under the model. Does this mean the emergence of new live streaming business forms? Compared to the past, more people who made a name for themselves through live streaming were e-commerce experts such as Dong Yuhui and Liu Xianhong. Does this mean live streaming is becoming more professional? How do you view the new form of virtual live streaming? What new changes and impacts will it bring to the live streaming content ecosystem and brand marketing in the future?" Frost & SullivanFrost & SullivanZhang Xiaojing, Executive Director of Frost & Sullivan Greater China, was interviewed by 'Economic Daily' to discuss the new changes in live consumption.
Daily Economic News
Q
How do you view the overall development of the live streaming ecosystem over the past year? Have there been any new changes in live streaming content?
2022The year was a difficult one for the internet industry. The once-thriving 'metaverse' concept has continued to 'subside', with Facebook's parentMeta CEOMark Zuckerberg has repeatedly stated that he will “All inMetaverse", but2022The year was marred by a significant wave of layoffs; digital collectibles were once extremely popular in China but quickly fell into the vortex of speculation... Looking back on the past year, the internet industry, overshadowed by the shadow of cost reduction and efficiency improvement, seemed to have little to offer. However, this did not apply to the live streaming industry. Among all live streaming industries, live e-commerce has been particularly dynamic.2022The year can be considered the inaugural year for the development of live e-commerce.
From the user perspective, as of2022year6In the month, the scale of Internet users in China was10.511000 million, Internet penetration rate74.4%Among them, the scale of online live streaming users has reached7.16hundreds of millions, relatively2021year12Monthly growth1290Ten thousand, accounting for the overall number of internet users68.1%The scale of e-commerce live streaming users in our country has reached4.69100 million, accounting for approximately [missing number] percent of the total number of internet users in China44.6%Although the growth rate of live streaming user scale is very rapid, there is still potential to be tapped. From the enterprise perspective, there are already live streaming-related companies in China78.9Ten thousand families, only2022In the first half of the year, new live streaming-related enterprises were registered18.1Ten thousand, with a year-on-year growth rate of195%In terms of market scale, it is expected2022Annual live e-commerceGMVapproximate3.5trillion yuan, with an annual growth rate of53%.
In terms of live streaming formats, they can mainly be divided into traditional performances, game live streaming, interactive live streaming, virtual live streaming, etc., with diverse forms. In terms of live streaming content, the live streaming ecosystem is even more colorful and varied. According to the '2022The 'Kuaishou Live Streaming Ecosystem Report' shows that live streaming content has undergone significant exploration and expansion. From inheriting intangible cultural heritage to supporting agriculture and benefiting the public, from science education to daily life demonstrations, the small live streaming rooms carry the uniqueness of anchors and the diversity of the live streaming ecosystem. This has further deepened users' understanding and recognition of the live streaming content ecosystem.
Q
Currently, “live streaming+"The live streaming ecosystem is becoming richer in modes, no longer limited to e-commerce. For example, live streaming."+Knowledge, live streaming+The increase in intangible cultural heritage and other content, does it mean the emergence of new live streaming formats? What other new trends are there?
In fact, looking at the entire live streaming industry, the upgrade of live content is already evident—besides traditional performance live streaming, there has been a gradual increase in content such as traditional culture live streaming, celebrity broadcasts, and online concerts, with diverse high-quality content flourishing. For example, Douyin live streaming has collaborated with the Central National Orchestra, leveraging the influence of the 'National Music Conference' event to attract over a hundred artists to broadcast regularly, contributing to the development of musical instrument live streaming content. Another example is in live e-commerce; 'Oriental Selection' is like a lotus that emerges from the mud yet remains unstained. With its gentle live streaming style, it sells products while explaining knowledge. The sales method of 'Oriental Selection' has surprised consumers and shaken the entire industry, revealing that live streaming sales can be done in this way.
It is evident that the entire live streaming industry has become more standardized, with a healthier and more robust ecosystem. Anchors now have more and richer features, and the industry has higher demands for high-quality content. Under this trend, the live streaming industry has actually put forward higher requirements for content and professionalism.
In the future, the polarization of live streaming will intensify.
Firstly, there will be an increasing number of business models deploying live streaming ecosystems, and more outstanding talents will flock into the live streaming industry. Whether they are grassroots individuals, domestic or international celebrities, or even some professional institutions such as academies, orchestras, media, etc., all have the opportunity to join the live streaming industry.
Secondly, as more entrants join the market, there will inevitably be an emergence of excellent live streaming and products. In this process, the strong become stronger, while the weak are eliminated. The professionalization level of platform anchors will continue to improve, providing users with more high-quality live streaming content.
Finally, competition in the entire industry will become increasingly fierce. However, platforms' strong support for high-quality content, continuous exploration of top hosts, and emphasis on enhancing guild operational capabilities provide more fertile ground for high-quality content, offer greater room for top hosts to rise, and give guilds with stronger operational capabilities, who persist in investment and refined operations, more opportunities to break through.
Q
2022In [year], Dong Yuhui and Liu Kehong from New Oriental became popular, attracting significant attention. Compared to previous times, more people became known for their live streaming activities through e-commerce. Have Dong Yuhui and Liu Kehong become more professional in live streaming? How do you view this change?
The profession of anchor, from its inception to development, has been inseparable from a process of professionalization.2012After a year, due to the continuous popularization of smartphones, live streaming platforms both domestically and internationally have also begun to explode in a burst mode. At this time, the live streaming industry has shifted from a seller's market to a buyer's market. In the long run, anchors can only meet the needs of audiences with their talents or specific expertise in certain fields. This is not only true for ordinary anchors but also applies to phenomenon-level figures during certain periods.
The popularity of Dong Yuhui and Liu Genghong represents an iteration in live streaming formats and content, enriching the live streaming ecosystem with more diversity. However, although the live streaming industry is booming today, for long-term development within this sector, anchors still need to have a systematic understanding of live streaming. The live streaming industry itself has accompanied professional development. Anchors should not only have their own characteristics and features that hit the audience's pain points but also understand the 'techniques' of live streaming, grasp the laws of communication, and ensure that their good works are fully exposed and displayed. Although live streaming content is transmitted from top down by anchors, whether it can be received by the audience and form a 'symbiotic' relationship with them, benefiting both parties, is also of utmost importance in the live streaming industry. It is difficult for an ordinary person or grassroots individual to achieve this alone.
In summary, live streaming requires professionalism, professional ethics, respect for and awe of the audience. Only when anchors and their teams possess certain professional qualities can they establish a more solid foundation in the industry, and thus the entire industry can be more stable.
Q
With the boom of the metaverse and virtual technology, virtual live streaming has rejuvenated online consumption scenarios and become a new weapon for brand marketing. How do you view this new form of virtual live streaming? What new changes and impacts will it bring to the live streaming content ecosystem and brand marketing in the future?
fromWeb2.0reachWeb3.0From the internet to the metaverse, with the advancement of digitization, the connection between virtual space and real space has increasingly become an explicit reality, undoubtedly setting the stage for a broad future for the development of digital virtual industries.
Currently, virtual live streaming involves a relatively wide range of industries. The first is the e-commerce industry. For the entire live streaming e-commerce sector, with the continuous development of technology, more and more merchants are starting to be dissatisfied with real-person anchors. After all, as long as it's 'human,' they will be tired, emotional, physically uncomfortable, and may not be in the best working state. However, if it's a virtual image, there are no restrictions on the working hours or fluctuations in performance for virtual anchors.
In addition to the most common e-commerce, virtual idolsIP addressAfter transformation, entering the commercial endorsement field is also one of the most conventional paths. Take 'Liu Yexi' as an example. Although 'Liu Yexi' currently mainly produces videos, judging from its popularity, a relatively mature 'Liu Yexi'IP addressImaging enters live streaming, enhancing itIP addressBusiness value remains an expectation.
However, from another perspective, the extension of digital virtuality into the real world also implies the collapse and reconstruction of the original real order. In terms of digital virtual live streaming, the popularity of virtual idols and virtual anchors signifies a huge development potential within the industry. But at the same time, the derivatives of the virtual live streaming industry's developmentIP addressProblems such as the relationship between the ongoing virtual idol 'Zhongzhi Ren' and virtual humans still require further observation and prudence in handling.
In live e-commerce, the role played by anchors is of utmost importance. Their responsibilities are not limited to simply selling products, promoting products, answering questions in the live room, or carrying out a series of templated tasks. Instead, they need to string together the relational chain of 'people, goods, and venues' found in traditional e-commerce. Although virtual live streaming is an inevitable trend in live e-commerce scenarios, at present, behind virtual anchors often lies an entire team, with divisions of labor involving design, technology, content, and operations. The completeness of this team is no less than that of creating a real-life anchor.
Q
What potential issues exist with current live streaming?
From the perspective of consumers, what they care most about is whether there are clear and favorable mechanisms behind the live streaming industry, as well as the protection of consumer rights. For example, last year, L'Oréal Group claimed to offer products at the lowest prices across China in Li Ka Shing's live streaming room. However, consumers found that this was actually false advertising, which caused dissatisfaction among them. The user and consumer rights protection mechanisms will be an important part of the live streaming ecosystem and need further standardization and strengthening.
For live streaming platforms, although the threshold for becoming an anchor is relatively low, as the industry matures, platform-level requirements for online celebrities and anchors should continue to rise, and platform screening standards should be established and improved. In addition, if negative issues arise within the platform, the platform itself should actively promote self-inspection and governance, taking on the responsibility of 'A villain who 'locks people up'.PKProminent issues such as vulgar speculation and live streaming black industries should be targeted for special crackdowns to ensure a healthy live streaming environment.
Currently, relevant policies have also been issued at the national level to standardize the live streaming industry. The 'Code of Conduct for Online Streamers' jointly released by the National Radio and Television Administration and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism includes18Item “Specifications” and31The category prohibits behaviors such as counterfeit products, provocative language, violence, and flaunting wealth, helping the entire live streaming industry achieve standardization and professionalism across the entire industry.
*This interview was published in "Daily Economic News".APPReporter for Wen Menghua Original title is "The 3·15Consumer vitality & New live streaming | Breaking content boundaries and revitalizing the industry ecosystem Learn knowledge, buy a house, find a job - all done with one click >> (Click "Read Full Article" at the end of the text to read the complete report).
