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Just as China sets the world pace in e-commerce, it’s doing the same for live streaming.More than 100 million viewers watch a live online video event every month, according to digital brand researcher L2.As an e-commerce tool, the typical live streaming format involves a celebrity demonstrating a product and answering questions from a digital audience.It takes place in real-time and usually on a smartphone,which accounts for some 95% of e-commerce activity in China.Live streaming has indeed become a powerful tool,with Deloitte1德勤，全球四大會計師事務所之一，另外三家分別是普華永道（PwC）、畢馬威（KPMG）和安永（EY）。estimating that China’s live streaming revenue will hit $4.4 billion this year, up 32% from 2017.

[2]China is replete with2be replete with 全是，到處都是。live streaming webcasts, much of it non-commercial, such as young people discussing their lives, offering diet tips or demon-strating dance moves—similar to the role YouTube might play in the U.S.But live streaming has also become one of the most cost-effective tools for e-commerce in China, similar to what QVC3美國最大的電視購物公司，采用24小時直播的營銷模式。QVC系Quality（質量）、Value（價值）和Convenience（便利）三個單詞的首字母縮寫。produces, but with even greater variety and impact.Although there are multiple platforms and service providers, Alibaba’s Tmall marketplace has the largest market share, according to L2.Sina Weibo operates a short video streaming app called Miaopai, while the biggest independent service provider is Yizhibo.

[3]Why are consumers and brands both embracing this medium?

[4]First, there’s a functional advantage to live streaming.It allows experts to show the product being used, to talk through techniques and permutations4permutation排列。,to demonstrate various techniques, and to point out the results.The audience can ask questions in anonymity, but the experience is interactive and immersive.

[5]There’s also a feeling of authenticity that comes from live streaming.Reviews and reactions of fellow consumers already weigh heavily on Chinese buyers’ purchasing decisions, and live streaming allows them to witness those reactions in real time.O.K., it is all a bit rehearsed, and celebrities are not exactly everyday people, but nothing beats live TV for surprises and emotional impact.Live streaming bridges the gap between advertising and a reality TV show.

[6]Consumers feel vicariously that they are actually handling the product themselves.They’re no longer picking a product off a shelf, they are now part of the process, shaping the outcome from the convenience of the living room sofa.The fact that it is real-time means the purchase can take place in real-time as well.The use of someone with public stature validates the results.The best live streaming allows room for spontaneity5spontaneity自發(fā)性；自然。, be it side chatter, a joke, or even a small mistake.After all, this is how friends talk with one another.

[7]What is absent in live streaming is the hard-sell shouting about the product that might occur in other settings.As consumers grow in sophistication and taste, they would rather participate in a chat.Live streaming invites the brand into the home in much the same way you would invite a friend.

[8]Consumers often times feel a sense of empowerment.The brand must be responsive to viewers in real time because consumers have the power to hold them accountable6hold somebody accountable 使某人負起責任。through questions and probes.Live streaming is closer to a job interview than to a product demo, with the audience conducting the interview.If it is a reality TV show,the consumer is the judge.

[9]Most importantly, live streaming allows brands to be introduced to consumers through a richer experience.Demonstrations allow for a dialogue that can cover more complex subject matter.It’s no wonder automakers have been using live streaming to launch new models.Perhaps the biggest group to adopt the practice is the beauty industry.A study by consumer research group L2 showed that two-thirds of beauty brands in China held live streaming events on Tmall, and many other platforms are being used as well.Indeed this same study showed that 14% of brands used at least four different platforms.

[10]Live streaming can also be particularly potent for niche and new-tomarket brands who do not have the ability to generate a buzz7generate a buzz 制造人氣，產生轟動效應。.Live streaming provides assurance the product is used,accepted and loved.

[11]In that same vein8in that/the same vein 以類似風格（說話、寫作）。, live streaming can generate word of mouth9word of mouth 口口相傳，口碑營銷。.If you can explain it, you have internalized the brand’s value proposition.Every product demo is like a wine tasting.Once the sommelier explains the wine to you, you can play that back in your head and repeat it to others.Now you have become the expert.■

中國在電子商務領域引領世界潮流，在視頻直播行業(yè)也是如此。據數(shù)字品牌調查機構L2反映，有超過1億人每個月都要看一場網絡視頻直播。作為電商營銷工具，典型的網絡直播是由某位名人展示某個產品并回答線上提問。直播一般通過智能手機實時進行，而智能手機承包了中國約95%的電商活動。視頻直播儼然已成為一件利器，德勤預計中國今年的直播收入將達到44億美元，較2017年增長32%。

[2]中國有大量的互聯(lián)網視頻直播節(jié)目，其中很多與商業(yè)無關，例如年輕人討論生活問題，提供飲食建議或者展示舞蹈才藝——和YouTube在美國扮演的角色相似。但在中國，直播還成了一條性價比頗高的電商營銷渠道，有點像美國的QVC，但內容更豐富，影響也更大。據L2消息，雖然直播平臺和服務提供商林立，但阿里巴巴旗下的“天貓商城”擁有最大的市場份額。新浪微博運營著短視頻應用“秒拍”，而“一直播”則是最大的直播服務獨立提供商。

[3]為什么消費者和品牌都接納了這一媒介呢？

[4]首先，視頻直播有其實用優(yōu)勢。專家可在直播中展示產品，詳細介紹功能和使用方法，演示各種功能，總結產品的效用。觀眾可匿名提問，整個體驗充滿互動和浸入感。

[5]視頻直播還給人以真實感。中國消費者的購物決定在很大程度上會受其他買家的評論和反饋影響，而視頻直播使他們能實時地看到這些反饋。當然了，直播也是有臺本的，名人亦不同于尋常百姓，但因為出人意料和富于情感沖擊，直播節(jié)目具有無法匹敵的優(yōu)勢。視頻直播拉近了廣告和電視真人秀的距離。

[6]通過觀看直播，消費者有了自己親身使用商品的代入感。他們不再是從貨架上挑選商品，而是參與其中，坐在客廳沙發(fā)上舒舒服服地施加著影響力。視頻直播的實時性意味著購買也可以實時進行。公眾人物使用該商品使結果更有說服力。好的視頻直播還會給臨場自發(fā)行為留出余地，比如閑聊、說笑，甚至小失誤。畢竟，朋友之間講話就是這樣子的。

[7]其他營銷環(huán)境中可能出現(xiàn)強行推銷產品的情況，但這在視頻直播里是不存在的。隨著消費者愈加成熟及自身品位提升，他們更愿意參與到一場聊天中來。視頻直播引入品牌的方式，和你邀請朋友做客很相似。

[8]消費者時常會覺得自己被賦予了權力。品牌必須對直播觀眾做出實時回應，因為消費者有權通過提問和詳查來追責。視頻直播與其說是一次產品展示，倒不如說更像是一場由觀眾擔當考官的求職面試。如果要比作電視真人秀，那么觀眾就是評委。

[9]最重要的是，視頻直播給消費者推薦品牌時提供了豐富的體驗。展示過程可以進行對話，從而談及更復雜的話題。汽車制造商使用視頻直播發(fā)布新車型已經不足為奇，但采用視頻直播的最大群體是美妝行業(yè)。L2的研究報告反映，中國有三分之二的美妝品牌在天貓上舉辦過視頻直播，另外還有很多平臺也涉及美妝直播。該報告還披露，事實上有14%的品牌使用過至少4家不同的直播平臺。

[10]對于無力制造人氣的小眾和新晉品牌，視頻直播更是一件利器。視頻直播可以保證產品被使用、接納和喜愛。

[11]同理，視頻直播可以實現(xiàn)口碑營銷。畢竟，如果你能推介一款產品，肯定是已經接納了一個品牌的價值主張。每一次產品展示就像一場葡萄酒品鑒會，品酒專家向你介紹了這酒，你可以在自己腦海里過一遍，然后向他人推介?，F(xiàn)在你也成專家了?！?/p>

（譯者曾獲第三屆“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽優(yōu)秀獎）