In the digital age, the preservation and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) face both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. Recent research sheds new light on how heritage institutions can navigate the multifaceted landscape of social media platforms, such as Douyin, to augment their visibility and impact without compromising the authenticity that defines their cultural value. Building upon evolving theoretical frameworks of heritage preservation and digital communication, this study employs a configurational approach to unravel the nuanced interactions between institutional authority, content strategies, and user engagement dynamics.
Central to the investigation is the intricate tension between maintaining the cultural integrity of heritage and adapting to the engagement-driven imperatives of contemporary digital platforms. Previous scholarship often emphasized democratization barriers within digital heritage spaces, highlighting how institutional voices struggled against a flood of decentralized narratives. By contrast, the new findings reveal a more sophisticated role played by official ICH institutions in balancing authentic representation with the demands of platform algorithms and audience attention. This duality points towards an emergent form of authorized heritage discourse, where state-backed entities strategically shape online heritage narratives to remain culturally grounded yet digitally resonant.
The research advances extant models by integrating institutional features, content characteristics, and user participation patterns into a comprehensive evaluative framework. Unlike earlier studies that isolated variables or focused singularly on user engagement metrics, this work uncovers multiple configurations that lead to successful heritage dissemination. These configurations illustrate that there is no one-size-fits-all formula; rather, effective communication hinges on how institutions leverage platform-specific affordances to orchestrate a dynamic interplay among their credibility, the thematic and stylistic elements of their content, and audience responsiveness.
Of particular note is the application of fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), a methodological approach that transcends linear cause-effect paradigms by allowing for the identification of complex causal pathways. By mapping out these diverse pathways, the study provides empirical grounding for the adaptability of heritage institutions within the fast-evolving social media ecosystem. This is especially crucial for institutions operating on platforms like Douyin, where short-form video content and algorithm-driven visibility dominate, demanding a recalibration of traditional preservation mandates to contemporary digital logic.
The implications of these findings extend beyond theoretical enrichment to offer actionable insights for digital heritage managers. Emerging accounts with limited operational histories, for instance, must prioritize consistency and quality of content production to capitalize on the platform’s algorithmic tendencies. This strategic focus on high-engagement content generates valuable momentum, facilitating initial visibility and growth within competitive digital landscapes. Conversely, well-established institutions can harness their recognized authority to sustain engagement by tailoring their content and interactions to align closely with the evolving engagement patterns characteristic of the platform.
Moreover, the research underscores the imperative of balancing platform engagement with cultural integrity—an equilibrium that requires nuanced content creation strategies aimed at respecting heritage authenticity while exploiting platform affordances for visibility. This dual focus helps institutions avoid the pitfalls of cultural dilution or commodification, which may arise from a disproportionate emphasis on virality or mass appeal. The study thus contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable digitalization, highlighting how heritage organizations can remain custodians of authentic narratives even as they innovate digitally.
The operational challenges faced by provincial ICH protection centres are illuminated, illustrating the need for integrative policy frameworks that foster the synergy between heritage preservation goals and the technical demands of digital platforms. Policies that emphasize capacity building emerge as critical, equipping institutions with the skills needed to produce engaging short-video content that resonates within the logic of contemporary digital consumption, while safeguarding cultural authenticity. These frameworks advocate for tailored approaches that reflect diverse institutional contexts, acknowledging that pathways to digital success vary significantly depending on organizational scale, history, and resources.
Evaluation metrics similarly warrant recalibration to balance the dual objectives of platform engagement and preservation authenticity. The study calls for the development of nuanced assessment tools that enable heritage institutions to monitor not just quantitative indicators such as views and shares, but also qualitative measures reflective of cultural fidelity. This balanced evaluation is vital to guiding strategic decisions and justifying sustained investments in digital heritage communication initiatives.
At the institutional level, policy recommendations underscore the importance of differentiated approaches that respond to the unique operational realities of various heritage actors. Recognizing that communication success is co-constituted by institutional traits and platform affordances invites a move away from prescriptive, blanket frameworks towards more flexible, context-sensitive strategies. Incentivizing innovation through supportive mechanisms can encourage experimentation and adaptation, fostering multiple pathways to successful heritage dissemination rather than a singular prescriptive model.
Inter-institutional networks represent another crucial dimension of the emerging digital heritage ecosystem. Facilitating the sharing of best practices and collaborative innovation enhances the collective capacity of heritage actors, enabling them to navigate platform challenges more effectively. This networked approach aligns with broader trends in heritage management that emphasize cooperation, resource sharing, and community engagement as foundational pillars for sustainable cultural preservation.
Theoretically, the study consolidates and extends Harrison’s concept of heritage practices within digital contexts, presenting empirical evidence of how heritage institutions operationalize their mandates through mediated affordances. This moves beyond abstract theorization towards a grounded understanding of practice, where cultural authenticity and platform dynamics are not adversarial but rather interact in shaped and shaping ways. This symbiotic relationship offers a pathway for institutions to reimagine their roles as active agents within digital heritage landscapes rather than passive custodians.
The broader scholarly contribution situates itself at the intersection of authorized heritage discourse, digital media studies, and cultural policy, advancing multidisciplinary dialogues about how cultural heritage is produced, circulated, and consumed in the networked age. By revealing the configurational complexity inherent in effective digital heritage communication, the research invites reconsideration of linear models of heritage dissemination and challenges simplistic assumptions about digital engagement as inherently democratizing or disruptive to institutional authority.
From a practical standpoint, the emphasis on content quality and alignment with platform-specific logics exemplifies a critical shift in heritage communication strategies. It signals recognition of social media sites such as Douyin not only as channels of transmission but as active shaping environments where cultural meaning is co-constructed. Institutions that embrace this co-constructive role can enhance public engagement with intangible cultural heritage, thereby promoting cultural continuity and innovation simultaneously.
In sum, this research offers a timely and comprehensive examination of how heritage institutions can thrive within the digital era’s changing landscape. By providing a robust theoretical framework augmented with empirical analyses, it advances understanding of the delicate recalibrations necessary to sustain cultural authenticity amidst the pressures of platform-driven engagement. As digital media become increasingly central to heritage preservation and transmission, these insights will be invaluable to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers tasked with stewarding cultural legacies for future generations.
Subject of Research:
The study investigates factors influencing the effective dissemination of intangible cultural heritage on social media platforms, particularly focusing on Douyin.
Article Title:
Configuring factors for effective dissemination of intangible cultural heritage on Douyin: an fsQCA approach.
Article References:
Wang, S., Yang, Y. & Shi, W. Configuring factors for effective dissemination of intangible cultural heritage on Douyin: an fsQCA approach.
Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 979 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05414-6
Image Credits: AI Generated
