Live Streaming Donations as a Promotional Medium for Micro-Enterprises: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Marapthon The Last Tale on YouTube Beatriz B Tanasale (a), Vitalona C Paays (b)
Pattimura University
Abstract
Live streaming has become an important space for digital interaction, entertainment, and commercial communication. In the context of Marapthon The Last Tale on YouTube, donation features were not only used by viewers to support the streamer, but also by micro-enterprises to promote their products and services at a relatively low cost. This study aims to analyze how micro-enterprises construct promotional messages through live streaming donation alerts. The study focuses on promotional messages that appeared on screen during the streaming event and examines their message structure, communication style, call to action, and attention-seeking strategies. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with qualitative content analysis. The unit of analysis is donation messages that contain business promotion elements, such as brand names, product descriptions, social media accounts, purchase invitations, discounts, or service offers. Data are collected through digital observation, documentation, and coding of promotional donation messages. The analysis is guided by digital marketing communication and attention economy perspectives. This study is expected to show that donation alerts can function as an alternative promotional channel for micro-enterprises in the digital creator economy. The findings may contribute to communication studies by explaining how participatory live streaming features create new forms of low-cost, audience-centered, and platform-mediated promotional practices.
Keywords: live streaming, donation alert, micro-enterprises, digital marketing communication, promotional message, attention economy, YouTube
Topic: Strategic Communication in the Digital Sphere: Cultivating Civic Trust through Data-Driven Approaches (Digital Communication- Public Communication Strategy- Civic Trust)
