KOL Marketing: Top Mistakes to Avoid in China

Last Updated on June 11, 2024

Collaborating with top Chinese KOLs is a proven strategy to promote brands in China, but you should know that your marketing plans won’t last long without a well-thought-out approach. Unfortunately, many marketers tend to overlook this problem when executing their campaigns.

Regardless if you’re working with the most famous Chinese influencers, numerous factors, ranging from inadequate market knowledge to unclear brand expectations, can derail a KOL marketing campaign completely.

In this article, we’ll touch base on some common mistakes to avoid when planning your KOL marketing strategy and help your brand avoid the pitfalls that can turn a campaign into a complete failure.

 

What does KOL stand for?

KOL stands for Key Opinion Leader. In marketing, a KOL is an individual who has established credibility and influence within a specific industry or niche. If you look at today’s social media platforms, top Chinese KOLs have a significant following and can shape consumer opinions and purchasing decisions through their expertise, authenticity, and engaging content.

 

Who are key opinion leaders in China?

Key Opinion Leaders or Chinese influencers have expertise in various fields and many followers on social media apps. They can be celebrities, industry experts, bloggers, or even ordinary individuals who have gained popularity by sharing their knowledge, experiences, and opinions online. These individuals sway public opinion and considerably impact consumer behavior in the local market.

Industry experts and professionals leverage their specialized knowledge and experience to establish themselves as trusted authorities within their respective fields. These KOLs are sought for their insightful content, product recommendations, and thought leadership.

Even an ordinary individual can be a Chinese KOL in travel, fashion, beauty, technology, food, finance, and health. With the rise of user-generated content and live-streaming platforms, it has created opportunities for individuals to showcase their talents, share personal experiences, or provide entertainment to a wide audience.

 

What Is KOL Marketing?

 

 

KOL Marketing is a strategic approach brands use to collaborate with influential individuals, known as KOLs, to promote their products or services. This marketing concept refers to a highly credible, trusted group or person within a particular field possessing relevant information that is great enough to influence the behavior of another group of people.

KOL Marketing capitalizes on the trust and authenticity that the influencers have established within the local market. Their recommendations and endorsements carry significant weight, often considered more genuine and relatable than traditional advertising methods.

The effectiveness of KOL Marketing lies in the ability of KOLs to create engaging content that resonates with their audience. Through product reviews, tutorials, live-streaming sessions, or personal testimonials, KOLs can showcase the benefits and features of a brand’s offerings authentically and compellingly.

 

Top KOL Marketing Mistakes To Avoid In China

1.    No Clear Campaign Goal

When initiating a KOL campaign, it’s crucial to establish a firm understanding of the primary goal and set realistic Key Performance Indicator (KPI) expectations. Since every campaign only covers the specific marketing needs of the brand, marketers need to develop a thoughtful approach to determine its primary focus.

Even if you work with the most famous Chinese influencers, your campaign will only succeed with proper goal-setting and brand awareness. This process involves building visibility, recognition, and familiarity with the target audience. Key KPIs for brand awareness campaigns include the number of brand interactions, social media impressions, reach, and the acquisition of new followers.

 

 

Brands with an established presence in China should redirect their campaigns to specific services or products. The KPIs you can list for these plans include the number of mentions or social media discussions related to the product, the volume of product inquiries or purchases, and the total revenue generated.

However, it’s worth noting that you must set realistic campaign goals, even if you’re working with KOLs with over a million followers on Weibo or other platforms. Setting overly ambitious targets without considering the brand’s current market position or campaign resources can lead to disappointment and ineffective evaluation.

By setting the right campaign goal and tailoring KPIs accordingly, brands can measure the success of their KOL campaigns more accurately. It’ll also enable data-driven evaluation, optimization, and strategic decision-making for future campaigns.

 

2.    Campaign Brief Miscommunication

Admit it or not, many KOL marketing campaign problems stem from a poorly constructed collaboration brief. Because of this, it’s highly recommended to have clear and regular communication between the two parties.

Since China has a unique social media landscape and cultural nuances, these elements are a cornerstone to the success of your brand’s campaign. To mitigate potential challenges, brands should provide a comprehensive and detailed campaign strategy that outlines their content requirements and objectives.

Besides campaign goals, the campaign brief must inform your chosen KOLs about your target audience demographics, key messaging, and preferred content formats. It should also outline the desired tone and style of content and any specific guidelines or brand restrictions. Through this, the KOLs will clearly understand the brand’s expectations and can align their content creation accordingly.

 

 

Brands engaging with a digital agency for their KOL needs should also consider providing a comprehensive brief to avoid mishaps in the long run. Remember that the more involved parties there are, the more likely the information will get lost or miscommunicated. Most agencies will thoroughly review the brief before passing it on to the influencer to prevent this dilemma.

On top of that, brands should maintain open lines of communication with KOLs to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions that may arise. This proactive approach fosters a collaborative environment and enables a smoother execution of the campaign.

 

3.    Choosing the Wrong Chinese Influencer

Like brands, Key Opinion Leaders belong to different categories. It can be confusing for marketers unfamiliar with the Chinese digital ecosystem, especially because there are currently 10.1 million KOLs and KOCs in the country. While these influencers hold immense potential for brands, not all are suitable for your brand. Because of this, we highly discourage picking the first option you can find.  Failing to conduct thorough research on influencers before entering into partnerships can jeopardize the success and integrity of the entire campaign.

Influencers span a spectrum that includes micro, macro, and celebrity status, each with their unique niche and style of engaging with their audience. For example, a brand promoting food products can’t collaborate with top beauty influencers in China because they have over a million followers on Weibo. If they want a successful campaign, they must find trusted KOLs in the food and beverage industry.

 

 

To ensure a fruitful collaboration, brands must gain some background knowledge about KOL’s audience demographics, preferences, and engagement patterns. Understanding the influencer’s image, values, and content style is equally important to ensure alignment with the brand’s message and target audience.

By analyzing these factors, brands can gauge the level of influence, trust, and authenticity that the influencer holds within their community. This evaluation should also extend beyond follower count to consider engagement quality, such as comments, likes, shares, and the influencer’s ability to drive meaningful conversations.

It is also essential to consider the potential risks and pitfalls of partnering with specific influencers. For this, conducting a comprehensive review of their past behavior, controversies, and public perception helps mitigate any negative associations or backlash from the collaboration.

 

Always remember that building a positive brand image relies on working with influencers who align with the brand’s values and have a positive reputation.

 

4.    Lack of KOL Trust

Above anything else, brands must allow creative expression from the KOL while providing sufficient guidance to align with the brand’s objectives. They should avoid being overly prescriptive, which can stifle KOL’s creativity and authenticity. By granting creative freedom within the campaign framework, brands can tap into the unique storytelling abilities of KOLs, resulting in more engaging and relatable content that resonates with the audience.

Part of the essence of collaborating with a KOL lies in building trust. Brands must trust the KOL’s expertise and allow them creative freedom to create content that engages their audience. By counting on KOLs to deliver content in its authentic style, brands can tap into the power of organic reach and foster a genuine connection with the target audience.

 

 

True collaborations, where brands allow KOLs to exercise their creativity, often yield the most successful campaigns.

 

Marketers must recognize that collaborating with KOLs goes beyond mere distribution channels. It’s a partnership based on mutual trust, respect, and understanding. Chinese consumers’ high regard for authentic content underscores the importance of allowing KOLs to maintain their genuine voice and creative expression.

 

5.    Lack of Campaign Planning

Besides seeking the right KOL for your campaign, creating consumer-centered content is a crucial consideration you can’t skip as a brand entering the Chinese market. To prevent your customers from perceiving your content as irrelevant and unhelpful, you must gain a deep understanding of your target audience in China.

You must conduct market research, analyze demographics, and identify their interests, preferences, and needs. Through this insight, you can create a more profound content brief to discuss and collaborate with the KOL of your choice.

 

 

You should also remember that culture and language play a significant role in Chinese KOL marketing. Because of this, your digital marketing strategy should resonate with the Chinese audience. Consider integrating language translations, adapting cultural references, and incorporating elements specific to the market within your campaign.

 

6.    Unaware of Platform Regulations

In the dynamic landscape of Chinese social media, staying informed about platform regulations is essential if a brand wants to navigate the country’s digital ecosystem successfully. The problem is that it’s not easy to remain unaware of the new rules, and even influencers may not stay current with the latest developments.

Chinese social media apps like Weibo undergo frequent changes and implement new restrictions to maintain a secure and controlled digital ecosystem. Brands must proactively stay up-to-date with platform guidelines and adapt their marketing strategies accordingly. Failure to do so can result in content removal, account suspensions, or reputational damage.

 

 

To ensure compliance with platform regulations, brands should implement several key practices:

• Regular Monitoring: Regularly check for updates from social media platforms and official resources to stay informed about policy changes and new guidelines. Dedicate resources to actively monitoring platform news and updates relevant to your brand’s social media presence in China.
• Engagement with Platform Representatives: Establish direct lines of communication with representatives from the social media apps you utilize. It can help in seeking clarification on regulations, understanding new policies, and obtaining guidance on compliance procedures.
• Partner with Local Experts: Collaborate with local digital marketing agencies or experts with in-depth knowledge of Chinese social media platforms. They can provide insights, guidance, and updates on regulatory changes, ensuring your brand complies with the latest rules.

 

7.    No Clear Plans After Campaign

Collaborating with one of the top KOLs in your industry with a well-thought-out marketing strategy has a high chance of yielding an influx of sales. Failure to accommodate the boost in demand to ensure customer satisfaction may affect your brand image negatively.

In today’s fast-paced digital space, consumers often have high expectations regarding delivery speed. You should also know that Chinese consumers anticipate immediate customer support accessible through in-platform chat interfaces on e-commerce platforms.

 

 

When executing a large-scale KOL promotion, you must ensure that your brand can deliver the service and support expected by most Chinese consumers. You must meet these expectations to maintain the efforts put into the campaign and potentially damage your brand’s reputation.

 

Where can you find the right Chinese KOLs for your brand?

Social Media Platforms

These platforms host many content creators and influencers who have established themselves as trusted voices in various niches. You can use search functions and hashtags to explore trending content to identify KOLs relevant to your brand.

 

Here are some examples you can consider:

 

1. WeChat: Known as China’s super-app, WeChat became one of the top sources of Chinese influencers in the digital space. Typically, it’s a platform where KOLs share articles, videos, and other forms of content. You can search for relevant keywords, explore popular accounts, and follow industry-specific channels to identify influential KOLs.

 

2. Weibo: As an app often referred to as China’s equivalent of Twitter, you can expect to find different types of influencers on Weibo, from beauty personalities to food and beverage KOL. This micro-blogging app is where influencers share real-time updates, photos, and videos and engage with their followers.

 

3. Douyin (TikTok): Most influencers on the top of the China KOL ranking are from this short-form video-sharing app. It has a massive user base, particularly among younger demographics. You can utilize the search function and hashtags relevant to your industry to discover KOLs active on Douyin and have a strong following.

 

4. Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu): This platform should be one of your choices if you’re looking for a reliable KOL in beauty industry. Its main focus is providing an e-commerce space for products related to lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel. Since it also features user-generated tips and recommendations, brands can find a reputable travel KOL in China within this platform.

 

 

Who are the biggest KOLs in China?

1. Angelababy (Yang Ying)

 

Angelababy is a versatile celebrity who gained fame as an actress, model, and brand ambassador, with a strong social media presence. Dubbed the “Weibo Goddess,” her followers reached over 100 million on Sina Weibo. Given the nature of her profession, brands approach the actress as a reliable beauty KOL in China.

Unlike other Chinese influencers, Angelababy’s influence goes beyond the beauty industry in China and social media apps. Because of this, it’s natural that many bigger brands are collaborating with her.

 

2. Zhang and Liang

 

If you’re planning to enter the travel industry in China, you can leverage Zhang and Liang’s highly engaged followers of around 9.47 million on Douyin. They became popular travel KOLs in China mainly because of sharing their unfiltered experiences traveling the world.

This couple is an excellent example of a Chinese influencer in the travel industry, as they have already attracted reputable brands like Mercedes Benz as their show’s sponsor.

 

3. MoMo (张沫凡MOMO on Weibo)

 

Besides having a massive following of 13.4 million on SinaWeibo, Momo owns Mo Amour Essential Oil shop and is a high-ranking KOL in the industry. As a veteran influencer in China, collaborating with KOLs like her will increase your brand’s reach and enhance its authenticity and reputation.

Her influence spans various platforms and accolades. She’s part of the Baidu MCC Hall of Fame, SinaWeibo celebrity, renren.com beauty personalities, and CJ showgirls.

 

4. Amelie (阿 米 朽)

 

With a following of as many as 13.3 million on SinaWeibo, it’s an understatement to say that Amelie is a reliable food and beverage KOL in China. Her content and authentic content collaboration with brands are great examples of marketing campaigns done right that other marketers must follow when it comes to KOL marketing in today’s era.

 

5. JJYOGA瑜伽

 

This Round Yoga theory creator is known as a high-ranking Chinese KOL in sport business, not only because of his 15-year teaching experience but also due to his follower count of 9.7 million on Douyin. Being a yoga sport KOL in China is a particular niche, so the brands collaborating with him intend to reach a highly targeted audience.

 

6. Mi Zijun (密子君)

 

Mi Zijun is a well-known blogger and top Chinese KOL (Key Opinion Leader) with a following of 19.1 million on SinaWeibo. Her impressive food feats led to the launching of an online snack store on Taobao called “大胃王密子君零食店” (The King of Big Stomachs – Mi Zijun’s Snack Shop).

As a top KOL in food, brands have eagerly sought to collaborate with Mi Zijun in KOL marketing campaigns, recognizing her vast reach among her audience.

 

7. 可其少女 

 

甜咪少女, also known as “Sweetie Girl,” is a prominent figure in the Chinese Food and Beverage Industry and holds the impressive position of being a trusted Chinese KOL in food. With a staggering follower count of 18.3 million on SinaWeibo, she has captivated a massive audience with her delightful videos showcasing delectable homemade desserts.

 

8. Little Bag’s Mom

 

She is also known as 小小包麻麻, and she holds the prestigious title of being a Parenting KOL in China. With a substantial following of 1.2 million on Weibo, she has established herself as a trusted authority in parenting.

Little Bag’s Mom is deeply committed to ensuring the quality of maternal and baby products. Every year, she travels worldwide to participate in maternal and baby exhibitions to share cost-effective and trendy products with mothers.

 

9. 干饭少女阿笼

 

干饭少女阿笼, also known as “Rice Girl Along,” holds a high-rank position as a Food and Beverage KOL in China. With a massive following of 17.6 million on SinaWeibo, she has garnered a dedicated fan base through her captivating cooking tutorials and videos.

Her ability to seamlessly incorporate products into her content provides a valuable opportunity for brands to showcase their offerings to a large and receptive audience. With her vast influence, 干饭少女阿笼 has the potential to drive significant sales and create a direct impact on brand recognition and growth.

 

10. Echo

 

桃小小 (Tao Xiaoxiao) holds a notable position as Beauty KOL in China. With an impressive following of 11.9 million on SinaWeibo, she has emerged as a key influencer in the Korean-style movement, setting trends and introducing new looks through her makeup expertise.

 

Advantages of KOL Marketing for Your Brand

KOL marketing offers numerous advantages for brands seeking to enhance their presence and engage with their target audience.

By collaborating with influential KOLs, brands can leverage their reach, credibility, and expertise to achieve their marketing goals. Here are some key advantages of KOL marketing:

• KOLs have a dedicated following, and their endorsement can significantly amplify brand visibility and reach.
• Their followers perceive your brand as a genuine endorsement when KOLs promote it.
• You can engage with a highly relevant and receptive audience to drive conversions and customer loyalty.
• Partnering with KOLs allows you to tap into their creativity and leverage their expertise in crafting compelling content.
• It serves as social proof, encouraging their followers to consider and purchase.

 

Should You Indicate Your Business Location to run a KOL Campaign?

Another common mistake in KOL marketing is disregarding the importance of indicating your business location when running a campaign.

Even if you collaborate with top Chinese KOLs, failing to communicate your business location can result in missed opportunities and ineffective targeting.  Here are some reasons why indicating your business location is crucial:

• You can tailor your KOL campaign to target audiences in specific geographic areas by indicating your business location.
• It helps ensure that your KOL campaign aligns with the cultural context of the target audience.
• It enables you to optimize local search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.
• It opens up opportunities for local partnerships and collaborations.

 

Can KOL Marketing Help Your Business Flourish?

When executed strategically and avoiding common mistakes, KOL marketing can help your business flourish in the Chinese market.

By leveraging the influence and credibility of KOLs, you can count on brands to reach their target audience more effectively, increase brand awareness, and drive engagement and conversions. However, it is crucial to be mindful of potential pitfalls and avoid common mistakes in KOL marketing.

 

Your Trusted KOL Marketing Partner In The Chinese Market!

Chinese consumers dance to a different beat regarding KOL marketing campaigns. To truly captivate their interest, you must know how to tailor your approach to avoid mistakes affecting your campaign’s outcome.

Keep the complexities of the Chinese market from holding you back! Our team is here to guide you through every twist and turn, transforming your brand’s potential into a resounding success.

 

 

Whether it’s crafting compelling marketing campaigns, harnessing the power of SEO and social media, or making waves with PR, we have the digital solutions you need. Contact us today, and let the world witness your brand’s remarkable growth in China’s thriving business landscape. The possibilities are endless – let’s make them a reality!