SSRScientific and Social Research2661-43322981-9946Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/ssr.v8i9.15765ArticleCommunication Strategies of Virtual Streamers on Douyin: A Comparative Analysis of 15 Cases from the Zaomengshe Guildhttps://artdesignp.com/journal/SSR/8/9/10.26689/ssr.v8i9.15765HuRuiying,WeiZilan,YueJiayi2026892026-10-21This study examines communication strategies among virtual streamers on Douyin. From the top 30 streamers in the Zaomengshe Guild’s 2025 annual ranking, 15 active accounts were selected through stratified sampling. Recent data on streaming frequency, trending content, fan-generated content, cross-account collaboration, and average likes were analyzed through multi-case comparison and inductive identification of driving factors, drawing on configurational thinking and grounded-theory coding logic. Communication performance is jointly shaped by fan secondary creation, high-frequency streaming, and cross-account collaboration, but their importance varies by tier. Growth-stage streamers rely more on public exposure, mid-tier streamers on fan production, and top-tier streamers on coordinated use of multiple mechanisms. The findings provide a practical framework for virtual-streamer communication on algorithm-driven short-video platforms.Douyin, Virtual streamer, Communication strategy, Driving factors, Multi-case comparison

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