Figure 3
The flowchart shows a box labeled “Increasing V I-fan engagement” on the left, which is subdivided into three vertical text boxes representing three stages, arranged in a vertical series on the right. From top to bottom, these stages are labeled: “1. Character appearance and culture”, “2. Platform choice”, and “3. Content quality”. In the “Character appearance and culture” stage, there are two sub-sections: 1.1 Anthropomorphism: It includes: “China: Addition of more non-human V Is” and “Global: Expansion of V I diversity (non-human and humanoid types)”. 1.2. Culture congruence: It includes: “China: Increased cultural diversity (beyond Asian cultures)” and “Global: Inclusion of more non-cultural engagement V Is”. In the “Platform choice” stage, there are two sub-sections: 2.1 Current priority: It includes: “China: Douyin right angle bracket Xiaohongshu right angle bracket Weibo”, and “Global: TikTok right angle bracket YouTube right angle bracket Instagram”. 2.2: Future advice: “China: Utilization of multiple platforms and communication channels” and “Global: Enhancement of platform-specific content quality”. In the “Content quality” stage, there are two sub-sections: 3.1: Current priority: “China: Evaluation right angle bracket Socialization right angle bracket Advocacy right angle bracket Narration” and “Global: Socialization right angle bracket Evaluation right angle bracket Narration right angle bracket Advocacy 3.2: Future advice: Narration: “Global and China: Development of diverse V I relationships (family, friendship, and romance)”. Socialization: “China: Emphasis on emotional empathy” and “Global: Implementation of free giveaways”. Advocacy: “Global and China: Avoidance of overt brand marketing in content”. Evaluation: “China: Delivery of practical advice i.e., life tips;” and “Evaluation Global: Provision of occasion-based product advice”. Subsections 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 are categorized as “Source credibility”. Subsections 3.1 and 3.2 are categorized as “Argument quality”.The roadmap of Chinese and global VIs. Source(s): Author’s own work