How broadcasters enhance rapport with viewers in live streaming commerce: A genre-based discourse analysis

Xingsong Shi and Huanqin Dou
University of International Business and Economics

Abstract

Despite the increasing research interest, the existing literature on live streaming commerce as a new e-commerce mode is still in its infancy. Based on 100 live streaming commerce videos from the top two broadcasters on Taobao Live in China, this study conducted a genre-based discourse analysis to investigate the move pattern in this new genre. The study draws on rapport management theory to scrutinize the linguistic functions of the moves, to explore how the broadcasters managed to enhance broadcaster-viewer relationship. Our findings may further our understanding of live streaming commerce as a new form of digital genre, and shed light on how successful broadcasters may strategically manage their relationship with viewers through well-organized discourse forms. Theoretically, the present research may contribute to the literature of employing rapport management theory in the discourse domain by extending it into a new digital genre analysis. Practically, our findings may provide implications for relevant practitioners.

Keywords:
Publication history

Date received: 7 February 2022

Date accepted: 12 July 2022

Published online: 1 December 2022

Table of contents

Live streaming commerce, as a newly emergent e-commerce mode has been exerting enormous socio-economic impacts. Among all the live streaming platforms, Taobao Live in China is an example in point. Since its availability in 2016, Taobao Live has witnessed unprecedented development and entered into an era of national streaming, where everything can be streamed. According to Alibaba Group (home to Taobao Live) news, the Gross Merchandise Volume in Taobao Live has been rising by 150% in three consecutive years, reaching 400 billion RMB by December 31, 2020 and the number of broadcasters has been increasing year by year with the annual growth rate in 2020 as 661%. Considering its huge influence, live streaming commerce broadcasters have been officially recognized as a new digital profession called ‘live streaming salespersons’ in China since July 2020.

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