Online video platforms such as YouTube feature visual cues on progress bars to spotlight standout segments of videos. These cues, designed to steer users toward intriguing content moments, raise questions about their overarching impact on video consumption patterns. In this study, we delve into in-consumption information cues (ICICs), indicators that depict fluctuating video quality in real time. Drawing from a natural experiment on a live streaming platform, we evaluate the effects of engagement graphs. These are visual timelines that emphasize moments favored by prior viewers in video-on-demand (VOD) content, which represent full replays of live stream sessions. Notably, these graphs are only accessible to iOS users, leaving Android users without access. Our results show that ICICs enhance the viewership of VODs and live streams. Moreover, viewers tend to spend more time immersed in live broadcasts, suggesting heightened content appeal. Yet, these engagement graphs do not prompt users to donate more virtual gifts, a vital income stream for streamers. Even with the introduction of ICICs, while there is a rise in video production, the inherent structure of live streams remained largely unchanged. We conclude by discussing the academic and managerial implications of these findings.

中文翻译：

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消费信息线索与在线视频消费


YouTube 等在线视频平台在进度条上提供视觉提示，以突出视频中的精彩片段。这些线索旨在引导用户关注有趣的内容时刻，但也引发了人们对它们对视频消费模式的总体影响的质疑。在这项研究中，我们深入研究了消费信息线索（ICIC），即实时描述波动视频质量的指标。根据直播平台上的自然实验，我们评估了参与度图的效果。这些视觉时间线强调先前观看者在视频点播 (VOD) 内容中喜欢的时刻，代表直播流会话的完整重播。值得注意的是，这些图表仅适用于 iOS 用户，而 Android 用户则无法访问。我们的结果表明，ICIC 提高了 VOD 和直播的收视率。此外，观众往往会花更多的时间沉浸在直播中，这表明内容的吸引力更高。然而，这些参与度图表并没有促使用户捐赠更多的虚拟礼物，而虚拟礼物是主播的重要收入来源。即使引入了 ICIC，虽然视频制作有所增加，但直播流的内在结构基本保持不变。最后，我们讨论了这些发现的学术和管理意义。