Chapter 129: Differentiation
Date: 2025-03-12
Author: Xian Ge
“Five hundred thousand!”
Cai Quan, seeing Tang Yao’s calm demeanor, couldn’t help repeating himself, voice brimming with excitement. “You have to understand, mainstream video platforms from our era have DAUs in the mere millions! For a site serving anime fans to hit this level—it’s incredible! I never dreamed our DAU would break 500,000! It’s unreal! Absolutely unreal!”
“…”
Tang Yao didn’t doubt his claim.
In this world, video platforms mirrored a phase from her past life—a three-way slugfest akin to iQiyi, Tencent, and Youku Tudou battling it out.
The algorithm revolution hadn’t hit yet.
Heck, the entire audiovisual industry was still climbing.
Video sites here had just shifted from chasing user uploads to waging copyright wars.
So, Cai Quan’s point about mainstream platforms having only a few million DAUs held water. Without a BAT-like tech giant dominating, platforms were more fragmented, splitting the user base.
And while copyright wars were heating up, they weren’t as cutthroat as her past life’s frenzy—shows like Empresses in the Palace fetching 15 million per episode or Ruyi’s Royal Love costing 1.3 billion for joint acquisition, all in a reckless burn-money-for-market-share race.
Here, money burned too, but with more players, the landscape differed.
Still, hints of her past life’s trends were emerging. Platforms were leaning into exclusive broadcasts to hook users, driving copyright prices skyward.
Add in monetization woes, and it was no wonder venture managers like Lin Shuang were bearish on video platforms. Without deep pockets, you couldn’t play.
But trends were just that—trends. No platform had hit a billion DAUs, or even 10 million.
Cai Quan’s excitement made sense. In his eyes, 500,000 for his scrappy site was phenomenal.
Here’s where experience kicked in.
“It’s not that big a deal,” Tang Yao said, shaking her head coolly. “Most of these users are here for the game, not the site itself. And just 500,000…”
“Just?” Cai Quan stared, floored by her nonchalance.
Tang Yao smiled. “Don’t forget the goal I laid out. This volume can’t sustain the game yet. The site’s potential is way bigger. Don’t let a milestone cloud your judgment. We’re nowhere near five million—then you can get excited.”
“F-five… million?” Cai Quan gaped, stunned.
Tang Yao sighed, explaining patiently. “Remember how we planned to funnel traffic? What’s the strategy?”
Cai Quan replied instinctively, “The ‘FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest’? Plus limited events, video tie-ins…”
“Exactly. The FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest is key. The prize money isn’t just for show—it’s laying groundwork for the site’s future.”
“Groundwork?”
“Let me ask you,” Tang Yao said. “Mainstream video platforms are all chasing movies and dramas, banking on copyrights. So, where did the users who built those platforms’ ecosystems—the ones uploading videos—go? Did they vanish?”
In her past life’s grassroots era, UGC (user-generated content) was the heart of video sites, like Youku Tudou.
Tudou’s slogan, “Everyone is the director of their own life,” still resonated.
Ironically, Tudou faded, and Youku, after absorbing it, ditched the ethos, joining iQiyi and Tencent in a money-burning spree.
The one truly embodying that slogan? Douyin.
“Vanish? No way,” Cai Quan said. “But with platforms prioritizing copyrighted content, traffic’s not flowing to them. They’re struggling…” He paused, eyes widening as it clicked.
“Exactly,” Tang Yao said with a light laugh. “The FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest leverages the game’s hype and the site’s revamp to tell UGC creators: they’ve got a new home!”
“That’s why you set such high prizes,” Cai Quan murmured, piecing it together. “That’s why the contest… But what about external UGC creators who aren’t game fans? Even with the fan creation label, will they make FGO content?”
Tang Yao shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. They can create whatever they want, especially anime and gaming-related vloggers.”
“Huh?” Cai Quan looked puzzled.
Tang Yao glanced at her screen. “The big picture won’t shift just for us. Mainstream platforms will keep chasing copyrighted content—their strategy’s locked in. UGC budgets will shrink. That alone might not drive top creators away, but when they see ANF thriving, they won’t mind cross-posting or submitting here.
“As long as they see the site’s future.
“This contest is that future.
“Get it? They don’t need to be FGO fans or make fan content. Our goal is to show them ANF’s potential. Keep differentiating—nail the core community vibe, creator ecosystem, and user stickiness.
“In an era where platforms lean on copyright deals, self-produced content, and minimal UGC, creators will gravitate to ANF.
“Then, with game sections pulling in casual anime fans… 500,000 DAU?” Tang Yao’s face lit up with a radiant smile. “That’s just the start!”
“…” Cai Quan stared at her flawless, jade-like face beaming, momentarily dazed.
Other creators seeing the future? Maybe. He sure did.
It clicked—so that’s the plan.
And it made sense!
If Tang Yao’s vision panned out, this FGO contest could spark a creator migration.
ANF could…
Cai Quan’s excitement surged.
“Get to work. Monitor the site’s status and stick to the plan,” Tang Yao said, seeing his reaction. Her pitch had steadied him—no more overreactions. She shooed him off.
She had no time for celebrations.
And who’d celebrate with him when Li Xue was an option?
“Got it!” Cai Quan nodded eagerly, turning to leave.
Halfway, he spun back. “Oh, about the plan… Boss, there’s a video you haven’t uploaded, right? The tie-in one? How’s that getting promoted?”
“…” Tang Yao froze, cheeks flushing. “I’ll upload it soon—just finished polishing. I’ll let you know the promo plan.”
“What’s the video about? Can you share? So I’m prepared,” Cai Quan asked, curious. “Like the pitch said, voice actors playing FGO?”
“No… Rin Tohsaka playing FGO.”
“Rin Tohsaka? Not a voice actor?”
“…The game character, Rin Tohsaka!”
“Game… huh? Rin!?” Cai Quan’s eyes widened. “What? A game character playing the game?”
What the heck?
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 130: Seen
Date: 2025-03-12
Author: Xian Ge
The day after ANF’s revamp, pre-launch events ramped up.
A tie-in novel featuring the site’s mascot dropped.
In the past, tossing it online would’ve barely made a ripple.
But post-revamp, ANF leaned hard into community-building, and with a flood of FGO players, the content gained traction—at least on-site.
ANF already had a strong community vibe. The revamp supercharged it, setting ANF apart from other video platforms, as Tang Yao intended. Its style was distinct.
Users on other platforms might just pay for dramas.
But at ANF, in this UGC-driven, sticky cultural hub, users loved engaging in comments and the Dynamic Space.
Even newcomers, unfamiliar with ANF, could dive into lively discussions under novels, manga, or game content.
This environment not only boosted tie-in hype but also turned users into creators without prompting—writing fanfiction in columns or sharing game stage strategies.
Post a creation, and others would respond. This intense interaction was unique.
Strong engagement, thriving fan creation culture.
Under this backdrop, users were both consumers and creators.
The trend peaked on day three when the FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest page launched.
Users went wild.
“Holy crap! 300,000 for the top video by overall metrics? For real? That much for fan content? And even single videos or posts hitting 10,000 views or reads split 200,000? What!?”
“When did ANF get this rich!? Oh, I get it—how much did you all whale on the game!? [doge]”
“Animation, hand-drawn, MAD, meme edits, game guides, illustrations, manga, fanfiction… even cosplay counts? Can I join? I’m a guy but wanna cosplay Marie Antoinette.”
“Upstairs, no! Don’t ruin my eyes! No male lolis!”
“Wow… I was gonna write fanfiction but hesitated. Now I’m in!”
“This event’s awesome! No more creating for love alone!”
“Calling the montage master! @ShengSheng, work’s here!”
“…”
Comments under the contest page skyrocketed.
Countless ANF creators were raring to go.
And it wasn’t just ANF’s creators.
External ones, too.
The FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest wasn’t the only event. A FGO New Version Countdown ran alongside, unlocking daily tie-in manga and novels. Sharing the event page on social media earned FGO gift packs and five-star Servant draws.
User enthusiasm was already high—shares were plentiful.
This boosted the game’s buzz and indirectly marketed ANF.
Creators outside ANF’s orbit might not have noticed the site’s rise yet.
But gaming or anime vloggers, even non-FGO players, caught wind of ANF.
He Xianfeng was one.
A creator on a mainstream video platform, he focused on console gaming.
He hadn’t played FGO but heard of it in his anime group chats. Not a core fan, he still enjoyed anime art, making him a casual enthusiast.
He learned of ANF when a goofy group member shared the FGO countdown page, raving about ANF’s changes.
Curious, as a creator, He Xianfeng revisited ANF.
Opening the site, he saw the group wasn’t exaggerating.
“What a transformation!” he said, browsing the clean, sleek homepage, impressed.
ANF wasn’t like this before. But… it was great.
He poked around, clicked a video, and found old issues fixed. It ran smoothly, and the user base seemed bigger—barrage comments poured in.
When did ANF get this popular?
Seeing the homepage’s banner ad, he wondered: the game?
He clicked into the FGO section.
As Zhu Mao predicted, even non-players like He Xianfeng were drawn by the stunning artwork.
Before he knew it, half an hour vanished.
“Interesting… The game’s studio has vision. This promo fits ANF’s vibe perfectly.”
But as a mature adult, he snapped out of it. No fangirling for him.
Sighing, he scrolled and spotted a FGO × ANF Fan Creation Contest link at the page’s bottom. He clicked.
The contest page loaded.
“Holy sh*t!” He Xianfeng, who’d just sworn off overreacting, shouted at the prize pool. “How much? 300,000!?”
His head buzzed.
Tang Yao’s pitch to Cai Quan wasn’t all hype. Mainstream platforms’ shift to traditional media left creators like He Xianfeng with less support.
Forget events—traffic barely flowed to them.
Take it or leave it, they got ad revenue scraps.
So, seeing a platform champion UGC with a massive contest prize?
He was floored.
“No way, it’s that good?”
Leaning forward, he read closely.
And got more shocked.
It wasn’t just the prizes.
The event was thoughtful—top works would join an official fan creation library, with homepage boosts and revenue sharing.
To casual users, that might mean nothing.
To creators like him? Music to his ears.
Huge prizes and traffic support?
ANF was UGC-focused, but would FGO’s studio stick with it? Mainstream platforms had pivoted. Was this for the game, or a long-term vibe?
If they stayed UGC-centric, for creators like him…
He Xianfeng’s heart raced. He got serious.
He didn’t play FGO, but platforms evolve. His current site, now buying million-yuan episodes, wasn’t always like that.
No one saw it coming.
He returned to the homepage, ready to study ANF.
Soon, he found a video by a cosplayer—Marie Antoinette, cute thumbnail.
He wasn’t perving—pure research.
The video’s views were sky-high.
Post-watch, he checked the comments.
“So pretty~”
“Reminds me of the game’s description—a dreamy noblewoman (loli).”
“The outfit’s off, especially the socks. Doesn’t match the game.”
“Normal, game’s new. Can’t expect 100% accuracy, haha. Looks good.”
“Aaah, don’t hate! Couldn’t buy a cosplay outfit, so I made it…”
“Handmade? UP, you’re amazing. But white stockings might look better.”
“…”
Comments piled up.
Even the UP replied, bantering with viewers, debating which white stockings worked best.
He Xianfeng scrolled pages, stunned.
This site’s creator-user interaction was this strong?
He checked non-spicy videos—same deal. UPs and fans co-created, a two-way bond.
He browsed for an hour, returned to the contest page, and concluded:
ANF was a UGC-driven platform with intense interaction, a vibrant community, and users as both consumers and creators.
A creator’s paradise.
Unlike other platforms’ one-way content dump.
With ANF’s support…
Why not post here?
Staring at the contest page, the idea hit, growing stronger.
Tonight—no, now—he’d port his old videos!
(End of Chapter)
Translation Notes
Names:
Transliterated using Pinyin for consistency: Tang Yao (唐瑶), Cai Quan (蔡全), Lin Shuang (林霜), He Xianfeng (何先锋). These retain Mandarin phonetics for accessibility.
Fate terms (Fate/Grand Order, Marie Antoinette, Mash) use established English equivalents for fan clarity.
“Avalon Studio” (理想乡) and “ANF” (AnimationFan) are kept as proper nouns, reflecting their narrative roles.
Social media handles like “@ShengSheng” (声声) are transliterated to preserve authenticity.
Cultural Nuances:
Anime Culture: The FGO × ANF contest and community vibe reflect China’s anime fandom, translated with universal themes of fan engagement and creator empowerment.
Platform Dynamics: ANF’s UGC focus vs. mainstream platforms’ copyright shift mirrors Chinese video site trends, rendered with relatable industry stakes.
Creator Mindset: He Xianfeng’s shift from skepticism to enthusiasm captures digital creator struggles, translated with authentic ambition.
Technical Terms:
Business Terminology: “日活跃用户” (DAU/daily active users), “版权大战” (copyright wars), and “流量倾斜” (traffic allocation) align with tech and media contexts.
Marketing Terms: “二创” (fan creation), “联动” (tie-in), “动态空间” (Dynamic Space), and “弹幕” (barrage comments) fit digital and anime marketing.
Content Terms: “UGC” (用户生成内容/user-generated content), “MAD” (music anime douga), “鬼畜” (meme edits), and “COSPLAY” (cosplay) align with creator culture.
Adjustments:
Emotional Tone: Tang Yao’s vision, Cai Quan’s awe, and He Xianfeng’s excitement are tuned for natural English flow, preserving emotional depth.
Strategic Clarity: Tang Yao’s UGC strategy and ANF’s differentiation are streamlined to highlight her foresight.
Dialogue Flow: User comments and He Xianfeng’s monologue add humor and energy, balancing technicality with fan passion.
Character Dynamics:
Tang Yao’s Vision: Her strategic brilliance shines, rendered with confidence and charm.
Cai Quan’s Growth: His shift from shock to alignment sets up ANF’s rise, translated with relatable enthusiasm.
He Xianfeng’s Arc: His journey from curiosity to conviction reflects creator ambition, translated with vivid passion.
This translation balances fidelity to the original Mandarin with a polished, engaging English narrative, ensuring the plot’s progression, character dynamics, and cultural context resonate with readers. Every effort has been made to avoid defects, delivering a professional and mature reflection of the author’s intent.
Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar