Bigo Live's Rapid Growth and Global Strategy

• I. Introduction: The Rapid Development of Bigo Live
• II. Bigo Live's Global Strategy: Technology and Market Selection
• III. Localization Strategy: Designing Products According to Local Culture
• IV. Challenges Encountered and Future Plans
• V. Conclusion: Lessons from Bigo Live for the Industry

I. Introduction: The Rapid Development of Bigo Live

Bigo Live is a global live streaming platform. Data shows that it has over 500 million users worldwide, covering more than 150 countries. In 2022, it ranked first in revenue among social apps in the Google Play Store across 53 countries. Many are curious: how has this Chinese company succeeded in diverse cultures?

II. Bigo Live's Global Strategy: Technology and Market Selection

Step 1: Technology as the Foundation

Bigo Live's technology allows global users to access the platform easily. For example, the live streaming feature supports over 20 languages and can be accessed on both mobile and desktop. Additionally, they utilize artificial intelligence to check for content violations. In the Middle East, the system automatically blocks content that is not suitable for religious culture, followed by secondary checks from headquarters and local teams.

Step 2: Choosing Profitable Markets

Bigo Live prioritizes entering markets where users are willing to spend money. For instance, in Middle Eastern countries (such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE), users spend on average 15 times more than users in other regions. To encourage users to recharge, Bigo Live launched a "Gold Membership" service in the Middle East, allowing users to unlock exclusive gifts and leaderboard effects after recharging. In 2021, recharge amounts from Middle Eastern users accounted for 40% of the platform's total revenue.

In developed countries like the United States and Canada, user growth exceeded 47% in 2021. In these areas, Bigo Live partnered with local credit card companies to launch a "first recharge cashback" campaign, offering $3 back on the first top up of $10, attracting new users to pay.

In populous regions like India and Southeast Asia, Bigo Live attracts users with free features but also designs low-cost recharge packages. For example, Indian users can spend 10 rupees (about $0.1) to buy a virtual flower for streamers, resulting in an increase of 40 million new users over six months.

III. Localization Strategy: Designing Products According to Local Culture

Example 1: Successful Methods in the Middle Eastern Market

• Festival Activity Design: During the important Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, Bigo Live changed the background of live rooms to mosque and camel patterns, and designed gift icons in gold. Users could send "virtual lamb" to friends, which resonated well with locals. Users who recharged over $50 during the event received limited edition golden camel gifts, attracting many users to recharge.
• Family Competition System: Middle Eastern users enjoy team competitions. For example, Saudi users formed the "Desert Eagles" family to compete with Qatari users on who could give more gifts. Family members could collectively recharge to earn double points, and the top-ranked families could appear on the platform's homepage, encouraging users to spend more.

Example 2: Practices in Southeast Asia

• Songkran Festival Special Activity: During Thailand's New Year, Bigo Live launched "Water Splash Gifts," where animations of splashing water appeared on the screen when users sent gifts. They also introduced a "double gold coins for recharges" activity, resulting in a 230% increase in platform revenue over three days.
• Turning Ordinary People into Stars: An Indonesian streamer named Loui Chen, originally a wedding singer, was discovered through Bigo Live and has now become a television star. His fans often collectively recharge to support him, with monthly recharge amounts exceeding $50,000.

Example 3: Content Diversification

Bigo Live does not only focus on singing and dancing. They collaborate with gaming companies to hold competitions like King of Avalon in live rooms, where streamers play games while chatting. During competitions, users can recharge to purchase "battle packs" to boost the streamer's power, leading to a 70% increase in pack sales.

In India, they introduced voice chat features, as many users are shy about showing their faces. Voice room users can also recharge to purchase "stealth privileges," hiding their identity, which has increased recharge rates among Indian users by 18%.

Example 4: The Role of Local Teams

In Japan, Bigo Live hires local staff to manage operations. For instance, they designed a cartoon character "GO-chan" in collaboration with the company behind Hello Kitty. They also integrated the popular Japanese PayPay e-wallet for easier user recharges. However, since Japanese youth prefer virtual streamers, Bigo Live's performance still lags behind local platform 17 LIVE.

IV. Challenges Encountered and Future Plans

Challenge 1: Difficulty Entering Certain Markets

In Japan, Bigo Live struggles against 17 LIVE, which has professional variety shows and virtual idols. For example, 17 LIVE allows users to recharge for exclusive content from virtual streamers, while Bigo Live's subscription function is still not well-developed.

In India, the government sometimes restricts foreign apps, which impacts development. However, Bigo Live is collaborating with local payment companies to launch a "rupee-exclusive recharge channel" to avoid policy risks.

Challenge 2: Next Steps

• Virtual Live Streaming Function: Bigo Live is testing 3D virtual avatars, allowing users to stream with their virtual images, which is popular among young people. Future purchases of virtual clothing and props may become a new source of income.
• Environmental Activities: They plan to host a "Green Live Festival," where for every $10 recharge, the platform donates $1 to plant trees, enhancing brand image while stimulating user spending.

V. Conclusion: Lessons from Bigo Live for the Industry

Bigo Live's success teaches us that global companies must unify technology standards while respecting local cultures. For instance, using family competition and festive recharge activities in the Middle East, and low-cost packages and double gold coins in Southeast Asia. More importantly, they have simplified the recharge process—integrating credit cards, e-wallets, and even mobile billing to adapt to different payment habits.

Live streaming platforms should not only showcase performances but also help users find friends and gain a sense of achievement. The design of recharges and rewards is key to connecting users and streamers. This is the secret behind Bigo Live's success in over 150 countries.