Li Ziqi's 'comeback' is a shot in the arm

The continuous downfall of well-known influencers like Crazy Little Yangge and Northeast Rain Sister has made the once-thriving profession of being an influencer seem like a high-risk job.

The future direction of influencer hosts and the kind of influencer hosts the market truly needs have also been brought to the table for discussion.

Some believe that the ongoing downfall of influencers is the result of the joint effects of platforms and influencers seeking quick success and instant benefits.

Others argue that the continuous downfall of influencers stems from the conflict between their lack of self-discipline and their aggressive commercialization.

In any case, the ongoing reshuffling of the influencer industry, represented by short video live streaming, is expected to be the main theme for the foreseeable future.

Unlike the influencer hosts in live-streaming e-commerce, who are like "flowing soldiers"—constantly being eliminated while new ones rush in—short video influencers seem slightly more resilient, maintaining the last vestiges of dignity in the influencer industry like an "iron camp."

One

Li Ziqi, who has been absent from the public eye for a long time, has "returned to business," which is a direct manifestation of this phenomenon.

Recently, Li Ziqi appeared in a promotional video for the Strong Nation Panda Week, making a public appearance after nearly a year of silence.

Her reappearance has undoubtedly injected a shot of adrenaline into the short video live-streaming influencer industry, which has been mired in controversy.

She has shown the world that influencers are not just fleeting phenomena but can also have enduring vitality.

While one influencer after another gets caught up in various controversies and debates due to live-streaming e-commerce, Li Ziqi has demonstrated through her actions that being an influencer is not limited to live-streaming e-commerce. Adhering to a long-term mindset and avoiding the quick-profit mentality of live-streaming e-commerce may be the right path for sustainable development.

In fact, before her disappearance, Li Ziqi also faced a series of brand disputes, which sparked much criticism and debate.

Her brand conflict with Hangzhou Weinian also caused significant discussion and impact.

Although these issues were eventually resolved, they still dealt a blow to Li Ziqi's personal brand.

Despite the challenges, one thing is certain: Li Ziqi, who rose to fame in the era of short videos, did not choose the quick-money path of live-streaming e-commerce like Crazy Little Yangge but continued to focus on refining her craft in short videos.

This is Li Ziqi's resilience and what sets her apart from ordinary influencers.

During her year-long hiatus, media reports revealed that Li Ziqi had shifted her focus to intangible cultural heritage (ICH) work.

Whether it was Shu embroidery or learning movable type printing, these activities directly reflected this shift.

While we cannot yet confirm whether her future work will involve promoting ICH, one thing is certain: Li Ziqi will continue to delve deeper into the short video field rather than venture into live-streaming e-commerce like Crazy Little Yangge or Northeast Rain Sister.

Two

When live-streaming e-commerce is seen as the inevitable path for almost all influencers, Li Ziqi, as a top-tier influencer, has shown through her actions that being an influencer is not limited to live-streaming e-commerce.

Finding connections beyond live-streaming e-commerce and leveraging one's influence to do things within one's control may be far more sustainable than merely acting as a traffic harvester.

From this perspective, Li Ziqi's reappearance, especially at a time when influencer hosts—particularly those in live-streaming e-commerce—are constantly embroiled in controversy, has undoubtedly injected a much-needed boost into the heavily criticized influencer industry.

Similarly, she has also pointed out a new direction for the short video live-streaming industry, which has been stuck in a period of confusion.

Ultimately, for influencers who started with short videos, the focus should remain on their core work—creating content that resonates with users—rather than merely harvesting traffic and making quick money through live-streaming e-commerce.

In fact, even at the peak of live-streaming e-commerce, we have seen many influencers, such as Li Ziqi and Bai Bing, staying true to their original fields.

They did not follow the crowd but continued to focus on their familiar paths.

Their persistence reminds us that the reason short video influencers became popular in the first place is because their content resonated with audiences.

At this point, what they need to do is create more high-quality short video content rather than chasing quick money through live-streaming e-commerce like Crazy Little Yangge or Northeast Rain Sister.

Three

Li Ziqi's reappearance has vividly demonstrated that short video influencers are not limited to live-streaming e-commerce. Creating excellent content, integrating it with fields like ICH and agriculture, and continuously empowering these industries may be far more sustainable and meaningful than live-streaming e-commerce.

Of course, we cannot deny the contributions of live-streaming e-commerce in meeting the diverse needs of users and consumers, breaking down information barriers between industries and consumers, and reducing production and marketing costs for businesses.

Even though we have seen the downfall of influencers like Crazy Little Yangge and Northeast Rain Sister, we still see others, such as Oriental Selection, Jiaoge Pengyou, Li Jiaqi, and Xinba, continuing to provide quality products to users and consumers.

Ultimately, whether it's short video influencers like Li Ziqi or live-streaming e-commerce influencers like Li Jiaqi, the key is to adhere to a quality-focused approach, embrace long-termism and patience, and avoid becoming mere tools for traffic harvesting.

Li Ziqi's reappearance has shown us a far more sustainable direction than the paths taken by Crazy Little Yangge or Northeast Rain Sister.

It lacks the extravagance and recklessness of live-streaming e-commerce, instead showcasing a new direction—one that involves deep cultivation in short videos, genuine integration of content with reality, and a vision painted with long-term dedication and patience.

This, without a doubt, is a shot of adrenaline.

For short video influencers like Li Ziqi and live-streaming e-commerce influencers like Li Jiaqi, only by truly embracing this new direction—focusing on content and products rather than merely harvesting traffic—can they achieve long-term success.

For the short video live-streaming industry, which is in a transitional phase, the market is calling for more influencers like Li Ziqi and Li Jiaqi.

Their emergence is not about treating users as traffic to be harvested but about deeply integrating themselves with industries.

Conclusion

The news of Li Ziqi's "return to business" trending on social media reflects the market and users' demand for high-quality influencers.

For the short video live-streaming e-commerce industry, which is mired in controversy, this undoubtedly points the way forward.

This could mark the beginning of a new era for the short video live-streaming industry—one that moves away from reckless growth and toward meticulous cultivation.

A new era of short video live-streaming e-commerce is dawning—one that no longer obsesses over traffic or harvesting but truly treats users and consumers as people.

Li Ziqi may continue to thrive.

The reason is simple: she continuously resonates with industries like ICH and agriculture, producing quality content for users without succumbing to the temptation of quick profits.