You Watch, You Give, and You Engage

TLDR

Live streaming is popular in China but has not yet achieved comparable popularity in North America, where it significantly influences users’ social behaviors. The study aims to better understand the socio‑technological phenomenon of live streaming in China. The authors surveyed 527 live‑streaming users and interviewed 14 active users to examine broadcasting and viewing practices, motivations, and engagement experiences. The study identified distinct content categories and found that reward systems and fan group‑chat engage users, while both viewers and streamers seek deeper interaction mechanisms beyond current commenting, gifting, and fan groups.

Abstract

Despite gaining traction in North America, live streaming has not reached the popularity it has in China, where live- streaming has a tremendous impact on the social behaviors of users. To better understand this socio-technological phenomenon, we conducted a mixed methods study of live streaming practices in China. We present the results of an online survey of 527 live streaming users, focusing on their broadcasting or viewing practices and the experiences they find most engaging. We also interviewed 14 active users to explore their motivations and experiences. Our data revealed the different categories of content that was broadcasted and how varying aspects of this content engaged viewers. We also gained insight into the role reward systems and fan group-chat play in engaging users, while also finding evidence that both viewers and streamers desire deeper channels and mechanisms for interaction in addition to the commenting, gifting, and fan groups that are available today.