Virtual Gifts Research Articles

Key Factors in Virtual Gift Buying Behaviour in the Live Game Category Streaming: A Social Cognitive and Cultural Perspective

As live streaming based on a variety of content is growing globally, viewers are becoming accustomed to a model that allows them to interact with content creators in real time; as a result, commercialization businesses based on live streaming are proliferating. These commercialization businesses include live-streaming platforms offering virtual gifts that viewers can purchase to give to content creators, purchasing a streamer's fan badge to show continued support for the streamer, or purchasing merchandise from the streamer's merchandise window, among others. Among them, virtual gifts are the paying behaviour with the highest percentage of viewers. Based on this background, studying what influences consumers' decisions about virtual gifts is essential. This paper adopts a literature review approach to analyze several academic literatures as well as identify the key factors, social, cultural, and psychological, of virtual gift purchasing behaviours of consumers in the live gaming industry, and comb through the key findings of these current studies. In addition, this paper also proposes future research directions and relevant suggestions for specific practices based on the above factors, providing ideas and references for researchers and practitioners of virtual gift marketing. Due to the diverse perspectives of existing related research, the integration, analysis and recommendations in this paper will be of significance to future researchers and stakeholders in systematically understanding viewer behaviour, helping the function of virtual gift rewards on live broadcasting platforms in China, and enhancing the economic benefits as well as live broadcasting viewers' experience.

Live streaming channel recommendation based on viewers' interaction behavior: A hypergraph approach

Live streaming has become increasingly popular in recent years. Viewers of live streaming channels can interact with live streamers through various behaviors, such as sending virtual gifts and Danmaku. It is very critical to accurately model such viewers' behaviors, which reflect their interest, for recommending live streaming channels. However, existing studies on live streaming channel recommendation usually model viewers' interaction behaviors through traditional graphs where an edge only connects two nodes, which cannot capture interaction relationships between multi-viewers and multi-channels. In this study, we propose a novel approach to live streaming recommendation based on Viewers' Interaction Behavior Modeled by Hypergraphs (VIBM-Hyper). Specifically, VIBM-Hyper first constructs two hypergraphs to model viewers' interaction behaviors, including a channel-oriented behavior hypergraph and a viewer-oriented behavior hypergraph. Then, it employs a hypergraph convolution technique to learn the representations of viewers and live streaming channels, respectively, which are finally used to predict a viewer's preference for a certain live streaming channel. We analyzed viewers' multiple types of behaviors in live streaming channels and conducted empirical evaluation to investigate the effectiveness of VIBM-Hyper with two real-world datasets. The evaluation results demonstrate its superior performance in live streaming channel recommendation in comparison to the state-of-the-art methods.

Explaining the gift-giving intentions of live-streaming audiences through social presence: the perspective of interactive marketing

PurposeLive streaming has become an extremely popular form of online service and allows live audiences to give virtual gifts or money to their favorite streamers. This study aims to investigate the impact of the audience's multidimensional social presence on their attitudes toward live streamers and intentions to give money or gifts to streamers, based on the interactive marketing perspective. This study considers live audiences' gift-giving intentions by integrating the theory of multidimensional social presence, which includes awareness, cognitive social presence and affective social interaction, and the theory of reasoned action (TRA).Design/methodology/approachThis study invited audiences who had watched live streaming from several popular live-streaming platforms to respond to a web questionnaire. The unit of analysis was at the individual level. This study applied the purposive sampling technique for data collection. A sample of 258 eligible responses to the online survey was analyzed using SPSS software and the causal relationships between the measurement variables of this research model were verified through structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results indicate that the audiences' awareness of participating in live streaming enhanced their cognitive and affective social presence, which positively affected their attitudes toward live streamers. These attitudes had a further significant effect on their gift-giving intentions. Cognitive social presence and affective social presence were found to play significant mediating roles in the relationship between awareness and attitudes toward live streamers.Originality/valueThis study examines audiences' intention to give gifts to their favorite live streamers, based on the interactive marketing perspective. The interactive relationship between live streamers and online audiences is developed by audience members through the process of inner psychological transformation, which is measured through the multidimensional construct of social presence. This occurs through a mutual influence relationship in which awareness simultaneously influences cognitive social presence and affective social presence, and cognitive social presence impacts affective social presence.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes three noteworthy findings to the theory development through the integrated perspective of the TRA and the theory of social presence. (1) Exploring the influence of belief factors on internal psychological responses and intention in live streaming to expand an innovative application of the TRA. (2) Adopting the multidimensional social presence can help researchers more clearly describe various live-streaming situations and extend the research scope of the social presence theory to live-streaming interactive marketing strategies. (3) From the perspective of live-streamer marketing, this study broadens the research fields of electronic commerce and interactive marketing.Practical implicationsThis study provides four practical implications for platform managers and live streamers. (1) To induce favorable attitudes toward live streamers, live streamers initiate various interactive activities sequentially to establish a social presence with the audience. (2) Live streamers should devote themselves to forming a joyful atmosphere for their followers, as this will trigger audiences' affective social presence to generate positive attitudes and increase followers' intentions. (3) To attract and retain young followers, live streamers must devise interesting content and provide fresh services. (4) Platform managers must create useful widgets to assist live streamers in managing their channels and followers.Social implicationsBuilding friendly real-time interaction between the live streamer and the audience is an important task in live streaming and further influences the income of the live streamer and the platform. The study provides an effective approach to building friendly real-time interaction for the live streamer and manager of live-streaming electronic commerce through the interactive marketing perspective. The approach can help the live streamer manage nice communication with their audience and obtain virtual money and gift-giving from the audience.

A study on the factors influencing the consumption of virtual gifts on a live streaming platform based on virtual badges and user interaction

A study on the factors influencing the consumption of virtual gifts on a live streaming platform based on virtual badges and user interaction

Eksplorasi Interaksi Simbolik Pengemis Online di Ekosistem TikTok

Live-streaming activities on TikTok have developed into the most popular form of content creation today because it is equipped with virtual prizes so that various types of live streaming content have emerged, one of which leads to "online begging" activities. This research used qualitative research methods through symbolic interaction studies by analyzing the relationship between actors (streamers) and audiences. The results of this study show that virtual gifts on TikTok which were originally used as a means of expression & appreciation are then used as a tool to ask for sympathy and empathy. This research also shows that the motivation of gift givers also varies from sympathy to mere entertainment. There are legal and economic aspects and determining factors that support that the phenomenon of begging in live streaming can lead to economic progress, but it does not rule out the possibility of violating the law and being prosecuted according to applicable laws and regulations. This research can be a consideration in forming regulations and intervention strategies for the government and related agencies regarding this phenomenon.

The role of para-social relationship in live streaming virtual gift purchase: a two-stage SEM-neural network analysis

PurposeDespite the burgeoning popularity of virtual gifting in live streaming, research lacks an in-depth understanding of the drivers behind this behavior. Using para-social relationship (PSR), this study aims to capture viewers’ lively social feelings toward the streamer as the key factor leading to the purchase behavior of virtual gifts. It also aims to establish a theoretical link between PSR and viewers’ holistic experience in live streaming as captured by cognitive absorption and aims to investigates the role of technological features (i.e. viewer–streamer and viewer–viewer interactivity, streamer-level and viewer-level deep profiling and design aesthetics) in shaping viewers’ experience.Design/methodology/approachBased on 433 survey responses, this study employs a combination of structural equation modeling and neural networks to offer valuable insights into the relationships between the technological environment, viewer experience and viewer behavior.FindingsOur results highlight the salience of PSR in promoting the purchase of virtual gifts through cognitive absorption and the importance of the technological environment in eliciting the viewer experience. This study sheds light on the development of PSR in a technological environment and its relationship with cognitive absorption.Originality/valueBy applying PSR to conceptualize viewers’ perceived connection with the streamer, this study extends the research on purchase behavior in the non-shopping context by providing an enlightened understanding of virtual gift purchase behavior in live streaming. Moreover, by theoretically linking PSR with cognitive absorption, virtual gift purchase and technological features of live streaming, it enriches the theory of PSR and bridges the gap between the design practice of supporting the IT infrastructure of live streaming and research.

Crowding-Out in Content Monetization Under Pay What You Want: Evidence From Live Streaming

Live streaming has emerged as an innovative means for content providers (broadcasters) to monetize their content in real time under pay-what-you-want pricing. In a typical live stream, consumers (viewers) watch the content and decide whether and how much to tip the broadcaster in the form of virtual gifts that have been purchased with real money. Unlike offline contexts where payment is often nontransparent, both payment activities and sender identities are transparent or publicly observable in live streams. Hence, understanding to what extent and how tipping influences broadcasters’ emotional reactions and peer viewers’ engagement activities becomes relevant and meaningful. In this study, we examine the social impact of viewer tipping activity by running a field experiment on a popular live-streaming platform in China. We deploy synthetic viewers to both treated and control streams. These synthetic viewers send random tip amounts at random times in only the treated and not the control streams, which then exogenously alters the tips that are observed by the audience. We find that broadcasters tend to provide an emotional and reciprocal reaction in response to additional viewer tips, which is measured by the broadcasters’ level of happiness as discerned from their facial expressions. Viewers tend to tip less, chat less, and leave the current stream sooner when seeing more tips from peers, suggesting a negative crowding-out effect on viewer engagement. Nevertheless, the crowding-out effect does not apply to the number of likes, which are displayed without viewer identities in a live stream. In addition, such crowding-out effects manifest mainly in those viewers who tipped heavily before the experiment, possibly because heavy tippers care more about social status than their counterparts. These results collectively suggest that the pursuit of social status is a plausible driver of the observed crowding-out effects.

TikTok’s Revenue Dynamics: Exploring Income Streams Beyond the Surface

Social media has emerged as the predominant mode of global digital communication, captivating a vast and varied spectrum of users with its inventive and swift content. It fundamentally shapes how information is conveyed and social engagements are performed. This article thoroughly analyzes TikTok’s business model with a focus on advertising, virtual gifts, and e-commerce. TikTok’s core advertising revenues, which amount to £10 billion annually, are obtained through various channels, such as recommended videos, app opening screens, and search ads. However, virtual gifts represent a significant income source for TikTok, with users making substantial contributions through rewards. Regarding e-commerce, TikTok has excelled in cross-border trading, experiencing a growth of over 80 percent due to ongoing user experience enhancement, resulting in increased Gross Merchandise Value. The article concludes by assessing TikTok’s current issues and offering recommendations to improve its business model and enhance its long-term profitability. With its pioneering business approach and extensive global user base, TikTok has emerged as a trailblazer in the social media domain.

Gift-giving intentions in pan-entertainment live streaming: Based on social exchange theory.

Pan-entertainment live streaming combines video with two-way communication and real-time viewer participation, allowing viewers to send virtual gifts to their favorite streamers. Drawing on social exchange theory, this study investigates the factors that influence viewers' gift-giving intentions in live streaming from the perspectives of both viewers and streamers. It also explores the moderating role of streamers' deceptive self-presentation. The theoretical framework is tested using AMOS and PROCESS Macro based on survey responses collected from 331 TikTok users in China. The results suggest that streamers' attractiveness, expertise, parasocial interaction, and the viewers' deceptive self-presentation significantly affect viewers' gift-giving intention, and that streamers' deceptive self-representation moderates the relationship between attractiveness, expertise, parasocial inter-action and the viewer's consumer intention. These findings contribute to social exchange theory by highlighting the importance of streamers' deceptive self-presentation in moderating the effects of attractiveness, expertise, parasocial interaction, and the viewer's deceptive self-presentation on the viewer's gift-giving intention.

Live TikTok Library: Promosi On-Fleek untuk Pengalaman yang Semakin Seru

In the ever-evolving digital era, libraries increasingly face the challenge of remaining relevant and connected to a fast-moving society. To expand reach and increase engagement, libraries are now involving themselves in social media platforms, and one of them is TikTok. Libraries' use of the live TikTok feature is a progressive step in presenting information, promoting collections, and building communities in cyberspace. Live TikTok provides a dynamic platform for librarians to communicate in real-time with patrons. How can this development improve the library's On-Fleek Promotion concept in interacting with today's digital society? The research method used is qualitative with an observational approach. Data was collected through direct observation of library live broadcasts on TikTok, including interactions between librarians and users, the type of content presented, and user responses. Analysis is carried out by detailing the findings that emerge from these interactions. The research results show that TikTok's live feature provides an interactive platform for libraries to communicate directly with followers. Observations reveal that live TikTok is effective in building user engagement, especially through comments, likes, and virtual gifts. Librarians can actively respond to questions, provide book recommendations, and explain library services. By combining qualitative and observational research methods, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of interactions in the library's live TikTok environment. The implications of these findings provide guidance for libraries in designing more effective content strategies and enriching user experiences on these social media platforms.

Why are physicians willing to contribute knowledge? Evidence from online health communities

The sustainable development of an online health community (OHC) is inseparable from the contribution of physicians. Nevertheless, little research has systemically examined physicians' knowledge contribution behavior (KCB) in the OHC context. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study proposes an empirical model for exploring the influence of environmental factors (material incentives and non-material incentives) and cognitive factors (psychological capital) on physicians' KCB. We collected data from 270 physicians providing services in OHCs to examine the proposed theoretical relationships and model. The findings suggest that physicians' KCB is influenced by different incentive types. Specifically, extrinsic rewards and thanks letters have a positive effect on physicians' KCB, while virtual gifts negatively affect physicians' KCB. However, intrinsic rewards have no motivating effect on KCB. In addition, psychological capital plays an important role in the relationship between incentives and KCB. Accordingly, these results underscore the need to distinguish the impact of different incentives on physicians' KCB. This study therefore broadens the research scope of social cognitive theory and enriches the extant results concerning KCB in OHCs. Our findings also have effective implications for OHC practitioners.

Would you be willing to purchase virtual gifts during esports live streams? Streamer characteristics and cultural traits

China is not only the largest but also one of the fastest-growing live streaming markets globally. In comparison to Western countries, Chinese viewers have a tendency to engage with streamers by exchanging various forms of virtual gifts. This behavior pattern has resulted in substantial economic benefits for China's esports live streaming platforms. This study, grounded in the Howard-Sheth model, endeavors to investigate the driving mechanisms behind viewers' purchase of virtual gifts during esports live streaming. It takes into account both streamer characteristics and cultural traits. To achieve this, a combination of structural equation modeling, artificial neural networks, and necessity analysis is employed. Specifically, the study examines how the background environment, composed of streamer characteristics (such as expertise, trustworthiness, attraction, interactivity, and affinity) and Chinese cultural traits (such as social orientation and face consciousness), shapes viewers' social cognitions. These social cognitions encompass the sense of presence and belonging that viewers experience towards both the streamer and the viewer community. Furthermore, the study illuminates how such social cognitions foster flow experiences, emotional attachment, and ultimately influence viewers' purchase intentions. The findings of this research hold great significance for both live streaming platforms and streamers, as they can assist in formulating effective marketing strategies to encourage viewers to participate in the purchase of virtual gifts during esports live streaming sessions.

Medical practice in gamified online communities: Longitudinal effects of gamification on doctor engagement

Gamification is used to increase the engagement of doctors on online health platforms. We track 2,106 doctors from a leading online health community (Good Doctor) over one year to investigate how gamification features (i.e., how actively doctors embellish their profiles and how they perform in popularity indicators via points and virtual gifts received) affect doctors’ future health service provision. The results showed that gamification can lead to high long-term doctor engagement. Specifically, virtual gifts and points were positively associated with doctors’ instrumental and socio-emotional participation, whereas customization was positively associated with doctors’ instrumental participation.

The effect of video highlights on the intention to give free virtual gifts

As media technologies and social platforms advance, users increasingly watch online videos. This study applies the video highlight detection method and the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) to examine the influence of online video highlights on users’ intention to give free virtual gifts within social media platforms. We use “coins” placed on videos as a proxy for these gifts. Our research assesses two key pathways of influence: danmukus (real-time comments alongside video content) as a central route and post-viewing comments as a peripheral route. Analyzing seven metrics of video highlight intensity, we find that four danmuku metrics and two post-viewing comment metrics significantly and positively impact users’ intention to give coins. Additionally, our results indicate that danmukus better reflect video highlight intensity compared to post-viewing comments.

WeChat online visual language among Chinese Gen Z: virtual gift, aesthetic identity, and affection language

IntroductionAs a relatively new and innovative form of digital communication and visual image, emojis, emoticons, and stickers are appreciated, yet criticised. Young people on social media have lost the traditional social etiquette and interpersonal networking skills, which is a challenge in itself. This study provides a better understanding of how young people engage and behave in diverse interpersonal contexts while utilising digital visual language.MethodsThis study contributes to digital anthography and social media studies, by conducting this study through interviews with 10 Generation Z young people from urban China and a 2-month-long participatory observation of three WeChat group chats.ResultsBy examining how young people use WeChat visual language in relationships with their elders or superiors, equivalent peers and intimate lovers or friends, this study found that emoticons and stickers become virtual gifts, aesthetic identities and the affection language of Generation Z.DiscussionThis study contends that digital visual languages and new media do not alter human nature or ethical standards but rather provide new avenues for expression and empower human affective communication. Although the core of traditional etiquette is still being passed on and absorbed, its form has changed.

Overview of Tiktok Live Streaming Host Talent Engagement and Earning Commissions

This research aims to conduct an in-depth review of the phenomenon of engagement and earning commissions from Live Streaming TikTok talent hosts with the @dayu.na case study. The research approach used is quantitative with a causal descriptive design. The population that is the focus of the research is all TikTok users who have an account and access the Live Streaming feature, while the sample taken is host talent @dayu.na, who is actively doing Live Streaming in the period August-November 2022. The data in this study were collected through two techniques. . First, direct observation was made on Live Streaming @dayu.na to record the number of viewers, likes, comments, and virtual gifts given by the audience during the broadcast. Second, secondary data is obtained from TikTok Analytics, which includes data on commissions earned from the virtual gift feature, and other statistical data available from the TikTok application. The results of the data analysis show that there is a positive relationship between a high level of engagement and significant commission earnings. In other words, the higher the engagement obtained from the audience during Live Streaming, the greater the commission received by the host talent @dayu.na. This research provides a deeper understanding of the business potential of Live Streaming on the TikTok platform. The findings of this research can provide relevant insights for content creators and users of other social media platforms in utilizing engagement to increase revenue through Live Streaming. The implications of this research can also contribute to the development of social media as an effective business tool in this modern era.

Why viewers send paid gifts: The role of social influence on massively multiplayer online games live streaming

Virtual paid gifts from viewers are the main revenue source for the live streaming gaming industry, with massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) currently representing the most profitable game type. However, there is little understanding regarding what drives gifting behavior in the MMOG live streaming social environment. This study develops a research model for analyzing the antecedents of virtual gifts in the MMOG live streaming context, with monetary value used for quantification. This model builds on the theory of social influence and social impact literature, and it has been validated through an empirical study including 988,829 observations of real-time viewer data that were collected from the Douyu live streaming platform. Our study examines micro-, meso-, and macro-level social influences (i.e., self-presentation, parasocial relationship, and MMOG live streaming loyalty) on viewer gifting behavior and how the presence of others (i.e., social crowdedness of viewers on the live streaming channel) represents a contextual cue that moderates the effects of social influence on gifting behavior. The results reveal that self-presentation, parasocial relationships, and MMOG live streaming loyalty positively affect the monetary value of viewers’ paid gifts. Although the presence of others can strengthen the impact of parasocial relationships and MMOG live streaming loyalty on viewer gifting behavior, it negatively moderates the relationship between self-presentation and gifting behavior. This study theorizes the features of MMOG live streaming and extends the applicability of social influence theory and social impact theory to this context. Finally, we provide insights into how game practitioners facilitate viewer gifting behavior.

Overview of Tiktok Live Streaming Host Talent Engagement and Earning Commissions

This research aims to conduct an in-depth review of the phenomenon of engagement and earning commissions from Live Streaming TikTok talent hosts with the @dayu.na case study. The research approach used is quantitative with a causal descriptive design. The population that is the focus of the research is all TikTok users who have an account and access the Live Streaming feature, while the sample taken is host talent @dayu.na, who is actively doing Live Streaming in the period August-November 2022. The data in this study were collected through two techniques. . First, direct observation was made on Live Streaming @dayu.na to record the number of viewers, likes, comments, and virtual gifts given by the audience during the broadcast. Second, secondary data is obtained from TikTok Analytics, which includes data on commissions earned from the virtual gift feature, and other statistical data available from the TikTok application. The results of the data analysis show that there is a positive relationship between a high level of engagement and significant commission earnings. In other words, the higher the engagement obtained from the audience during Live Streaming, the greater the commission received by the host talent @dayu.na. This research provides a deeper understanding of the business potential of Live Streaming on the TikTok platform. The findings of this research can provide relevant insights for content creators and users of other social media platforms in utilizing engagement to increase revenue through Live Streaming. The implications of this research can also contribute to the development of social media as an effective business tool in this modern era.

Who's watching? Classifying sports viewers on social live streaming services.

The newly emergent social live streaming services (SLSSs) provide the sport consumers with a synchronised and more interactive viewing experience. In order to help the sport SLSSs firms understanding and engaging with the viewers effectively, this research aims to classify the sports SLSS viewers based on their engagement behaviour, and identify the perceived value and value contribution of each group of viewers. Firstly, 52,545 sports SLSSs viewers' viewing duration time is predicted by a feedforward neural network. Second, the predicted viewing duration time and other extracted viewer behavioural data (number of messages, number of virtual gifts, and value of virtual gifts) are analysed through two-step clustering in SPSS, and classified viewers into four types. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to understand how each type of viewer co-creates value. The results identified four groups of viewers, namely content consumers, super co-creators, co-creators, and tourists, and identified their distinct value co-creations and perceived value. This study sheds light on combining engagement behaviour and value co-creation literature to classify the sports viewers in the context of SLSSs. This understanding assists the decision-making processes of marketers and operators to promote viewers' co-creation effectively.

Influencing factors of users' shift to buying expensive virtual gifts in live streaming: Empirical evidence from China.

The market size of live streaming on the Internet, in which the streamer earns profit by prompting users to give virtual gifts through emotional labor, is getting bigger and bigger. However, most users will only buy cheap virtual gifts in live streaming, therefore exploring how to promote users to buy expensive virtual gifts is a valuable topic in live commerce research. Based on social presence theory and information overload theory, this study used the PLS-SEM method to investigate the factors influencing live streaming users to shift from buying cheap virtual gifts to buying expensive virtual gifts, and analyzed the moderating role of information overload in these relationships. The results show that immediate interaction anxiety, verbal intimacy, and virtual physical intimacy positively influence users' shift to purchasing expensive virtual gifts, and that perceived network size and perceived financial risk are negative factors in users' shift to purchasing expensive virtual gifts. Information overload has a moderating role in the relationship between immediate interaction anxiety and switch intention, and it also plays a moderating role in the relationship between perceived network size and perceived financial risk on users' switch intention.