Digital Cultural Communicators in Tiktok Live Commerce: Implications for the Microeconomic Sustainability

Abstract

This study analyzes the role of digital communicators in live commerce on the social media platform TikTok, which has become an innovative sales method. In the context of a digital commerce landscape,  individuals act as active subjects in marketing. TikTok, as one of the largest social media platforms, has created an ecosystem where interactions between sellers and buyers take place in a virtual space driven by cultural and social capital. The main focus of this research is the importance of interaction between sellers and consumers in creating an engaging shopping experience, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The objective is to understand the communication techniques employed by sellers and their effects on audience engagement. The method used in this research is the observation of the TikTok account @louissescarlettfamily live shopping sessions. The account, which offers various products, was awarded the TikTok Awards as Top Education Creator in 2021. It has 4.8 million followers and a track record of high sales performance, achieving almost 1000 million per hour. The results indicate that the interactive atmosphere built during live commerce can capture consumers' attention and strengthen the emotional connection between the host and the audience. Sellers who successfully create enjoyable interactions have a greater chance of achieving sales success. The conclusion of this study emphasizes the importance of a communicator's ability to adapt to digital platform dynamics and understand the audience, which is crucial in today's MSMEs sales in digital context.