Date: 2020/7/13
bilibili open doors to e-commerce livestreaming.
bilibili could not neglect the attraction of e-commerce livestreaming, eventuall. Recently, it is reported that bilibili is upgrading the "Reward Plan" and developing a more direct marketing mode. It currently has entered the third phase of internal test for investment attractions. Taobao links can be shown in video and live broadcast room. During the internal test, the product links can be directly displayed on the video playback page in the form of bullet screen, floating ad, icon, or in the form of "Small Shopping Bag". The UP owner can also add product links on their personal homepage. That means bilibili with 172 million monthly active users will become another video platform embracing the e-commerce after Kwai and Tiktok. Actually, this is not the first time that bilibili has tried e-commerce business. As early as November 2017, bilibili rolled out "Member Purchase" to sell ACGN(animation, comic, game, novel)-related commodities such as IP figures, models, books, animation derivatives.
Compared with other e-commerce platforms, there are not too complicated incentives for members from bilibili, and it be seen the first choice for "Buddhist" buyers. Although the "Member Purchase" is considered of high price and not too much product categories, it can be the first step to deal with towards e-commerce. In December 2018, bilibili and Taobao developed a partnership to deeply cultivate e-commerce with content. The authorized UP owners can promote product sales for Taobao merchants through videos, or by adding embedded ads to bring extra income. In 2019, a subsidiary founded to operate MCN business and began to cultivate a variety of marketing KOLs. At that time, bilibili already owns the shape of Xiaohongshu, which is only one step away from e-commerce livestreaming. According to the Q1 financial report of bilibili in 2020, the revenue of is 2.32 billion yuan, including 160 million yuan of e-commerce and other income sources, with a year-on-year growth of 64%. Thus, bilibili has made some achievements in e-commerce. The previous small-scale trial has brought considerable income for it. In addition, according to the statistic report on China's internet development, the whole market scale of the e-commerce livestreaming in 2019 is 433.8 billion yuan, and it is expected to exceed trillion yuan in 2020. To keep up with the current fast growth trend, it’s inevitable for bilibili to join in. What's more, the "qualification" of bilibili is also very favorable for the transformation to e-commerce livestreaming.
The “misinterpreted” E-commerce Platform
There existed a stereotype that only ACGN groups would choose bilibili for those who didn’t know bilibili, which determined that it’s only a niche website. In fact, over the years, bilibili has been working hard for "Circle Breaking", its goal not only target to animation communities, it’s more like a comprehensive video website like YouTube. In order to "break the circle", bilibili purchased a large number of copyrights of movies and TV dramas, and with its ad-free advantage, it attracted some users from "YouAiTeng(Youku+iQIYI +Tencent)", the proportion of animation users are consequently diluted. At the same time, a large number of celebrities have also been attracted by bilibili because of its benign atmosphere, it becomes an important platform for their publication and marketing needs. Starting this year, the "Cross-Border" party and the "Houlang" trilogy have brought bilibili into the sight of the public. A few years ago, it was hard to imagine that family members and company leaders would repost the contents from bilibili.
In addition, the content change of bilibili proves the success of breaking through their original business. According to the financial report of bilibili, the top three content played by bilibili include lifestyle (vlog), pan entertainment and games (E-sports), and the previous dominant "Anime" has dropped to the fourth. The various types of users are the mass base for Bilibili to move towards e-commerce livestreaming. As per "The report on the ACGN mobile game market in 2018" released by Gamma data, the number of Pan ACGN group in China has reached 290 million, and the number of core users has reached 100 million, which is not small number for any platform. Goods like personalized clothing, digital products, game peripherals are also more favorable to sale on bilibili. “The ACGN group knows ACGN group best" is not an empty word. And, of course, to do e-commerce livestraming, we need not only users, but also professional live streamers, which is exactly the strength of bilibili owns. In order to retain high-quality UP owners, bilibili has launched an "incentive plan". If the view counts of self-made content is higher than 1000, there will be actual earnings for UP owners. The amount of “Tips” and the number of likes are also included in their performance, besides that, they have additional gift income during livestreaming. Although bilibili are entitled to about 50% of the gift income, which is not counted too high in the whole industry.
Many talented UP masters have been brought to bilibili because of its good atmosphere and generous conditions, and they have also cultivated a large number of loyal followers. Which means that the e-commerce livestreaming from bilibili is not necessary to rely on low price to win the customers, the loyal followers are likely to become its unique plus. In a nutshell, Bilibili has chosen a right road this time. They knew what they have and what they need.
Content is still the main focus, bilibili will not have the order reversed.
To be sure, bilibili is shown active in e-commerce live streaming, but there will not be a "big war". bilibili’s tone determines that e-commerce intelligence is only a secondary means of profit. Chen Ruiceng, CEO of bilibili, once said: " bilibili will eventually be a company with cultural brand, just like Disney was a cartoon and film company in the first place, and eventually to become a cultural brand company." The goal of bilibili is very clear, that is, to be a company transformed from a content platform to a cultural brand, to achieve a complete qualitative leap. During which, the status of e-commerce livestreaming seems not that important, although it can bring some revenue, but bilibili will not make a big fortune by it. The reason why bilibili is favoured and capable of doing e-commerce is owning to their huge user group. As we have said before, e-commerce live streaming is a war to “acquire attention”.
It’s treated as a new engine because that hundreds of millions of people are watching it every day. bilibili’s main business will always be maintained that insist not to make a big step towards e-commerce. E-commerce livestreaming is only a bold attempt, and will not tilt too many resources. But even the least piece of resources can be used to support a certain number of merchants.
At present, many enterprises are trying to break through their original business to try some new elements. bilibili relies on its own traffic advantages to feed e-commerce. Many enterprises also see the huge attraction of bilibili, seeking to expand their business by using ready-made traffic resources. It, at the same time, caters to the current trend of livestreaming. Nowadays, there are lots of people turn to use its abundant resources(fitness/health/entertainment/various learning resources) to charge themselves, it’s
users are not only limited certain group. Considering bilibili’s relatively “clean” platform, good reputation, less marketing color and satisfied user experience, maybe we can try to increase another publicity channel besides our current Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Tiktok.
In addition, bilibili not only adds new revenue channels for itself, to achieve win-win situation, for both sides, but also does not ignore their construction culture brand and maintenance of
main business and core strength, which it’s what we should always adhere to.
