Charm Your Audience with the Best KOL Marketing Campaign

KOL is no longer a stranger in our digital marketing toolkit for effective campaigns. Just like wine, its charms come with age and new recipes for an impressive evolution.
This article will help you understand deeply about KOLs, their difference from influencers and their development in the digital age.
In addition, you will be provided with a list of key actions to boost the results of your KOL marketing campaign.
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KOL and Influencer Marketing Campaign: The Difference

KOL: Definition

KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) are experts with experience, qualification or recognition in a field or an industry. Opinions of KOLs are highly valued and trusted by the majority of people who share an interest in that field.

So KOL marketing is the use of key opinion leaders in marketing campaigns to promote the products or services of a business.

A typical example is using dentists as KOLs in P/S toothpaste advertisement. You trust these ads because they come from reputable figures with expertise.

Each industry has a different figure for KOLs. In F&B industry, they are the chefs who participate in cooking events at restaurants or act as judges in culinary competitions. In sports, KOLs are athletes who attend various events such as sport brand launches, review sport products or participate in TVCs (TV commercials).

Influencer: Definition

Different from KOLs, an influencer can be anyone with influence. Their main playground is on the Internet, specifically social media platforms to reach a large number of users in a very short time.
Therefore many brands choose to run an influencer campaign to create impact on buying behaviors of a much bigger audience compared to KOL.

KOL and Influencer: Two Faces of the Same Coin?

Though both a KOL and an influencer campaign have the power to influence purchasing decisions, their natures are different. Ask these three questions and you will learn their distinctions:

The content – What do you seek?

While KOL followers want to hear opinions from knowledgeable experts, influencers attract audiences with their personalities, lifestyles and interests

Each industry has a different figure for KOLs. In F&B industry, they are the chefs who participate in cooking events at restaurants or act as judges in culinary competitions. In sports, KOLs are athletes who attend various events such as sport brand launches, review sport products or participate in TVCs (TV commercials).

Different from KOLs, an influencer can be anyone with influence. Their main playground is on the Internet, specifically social media platforms to reach a large number of users in a very short time.
Therefore many brands choose to run an influencer campaign to create impact on buying behaviors of a much bigger audience compared to KOL.

Though both a KOL and an influencer campaign have the power to influence purchasing decisions, their natures are different. Ask these three questions and you will learn their distinctions:

While KOL followers want to hear opinions from knowledgeable experts, influencers attract audiences with their personalities, lifestyles and interests.

In Vietnam, Trinh Pham is a highly influential beauty influencer. She often shares skin care advice and many like her for her personality, appearance or lifestyle.

When you follow a dermatologist KOL, you want to learn expert knowledge and advice on skin care. On the contrary, most people follow influencers like beauty bloggers for entertainment purposes.

When you follow a dermatologist KOL, you want to learn expert knowledge and advice on skin care. On the contrary, most people follow influencers like beauty bloggers for entertainment purposes.

KOL campaign content

The platform – Where can you find them?

It’s virtually impossible to find an influencer without a highly active digital social profile. Popular social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok host an uncountable number of influencers. They regularly post image or video content to attract and engage with followers. The preferred format depends on the preferences of their followers.

In contrast, KOLs do not necessarily appear often on the Internet. Although they do have a digital presence, this is not their main communication channel. Compared to influencers, KOLs put less focus on interactions via social media.

KOL campaign platform

The benefit – Why should your business choose them?

If you go for KOL marketing, you only target a certain audience segment, limited by their interests and/or industries. However the audience is more likely to trust the expert advice and make the buying decision, especially when it is related to their health or high value purchases.
On the other hand, if you want to reach the highest number of online users, regardless of their ages, needs and interests, an influencer campaign is a more suitable solution.

KOL Marketing Campaign: The Evolution in the Digital Age

It’s unsurprising that Millennials and especially Generation Z are more and more immersed in the digital world. They spend more time surfing the net, interacting on social media and even make a lot of buying decisions right there.

If you go for KOL marketing, you only target a certain audience segment, limited by their interests and/or industries. However the audience is more likely to trust the expert advice and make the buying decision, especially when it is related to their health or high value purchases.

On the other hand, if you want to reach the highest number of online users, regardless of their ages, needs and interests, an influencer campaign is a more suitable solution.

It’s unsurprising that Millennials and especially Generation Z are more and more immersed in the digital world. They spend more time surfing the net, interacting on social media and even make a lot of buying decisions right there.

In Vietnam Digital 2021 report, there are more than 68 million (over 70% of the population) active online users in Vietnam. And the number of social media accounts stands at 72 million.

The report also finds that Vietnamese spend an average of 6 hours and 47 minutes on the Internet daily, with over one-third of that time on social media. This translates into a great opportunity to integrate influencer marketing’s “secret” weapon – social media – in a KOL campaign.

With new changes in Vietnamese social media usages and lifestyles, KOLs are expanding their influence. Now they don’t only appear in TVCs, newspapers or offline activities but also on social platforms. They start to post and share more branded content to increase their “fanbase” on social media.
This “shift to digital” is acutely observed during the pandemic, when all promotional offline activities are not allowed. This forces KOLs to realize the importance of online presence, making them invest more on these channels.
Social media has stopped being the playground for only influencers as KOLs are getting serious in claiming their positions on this fertile land.
Some KOLs even have their own teams to manage their social accounts, come up with new ideas, produce content and actively interact with followers. This does not limit to KOLs in showbiz, other industries are catching up quickly.
Social media has amplified the already powerful influence of KOLs. They have been highly trusted as experts and now their reach is limitless.
This brings KOL marketing to a new level: a sharpened sword for your business to reap unprecedented results.

Digital kol marketing campaign

KOL Marketing Campaign: The Checklist for Success

There are 4 key steps to ensure your KOL marketing campaign realizes its full potential. Done right and it can even provide momentum for your future campaigns.

With new changes in Vietnamese social media usages and lifestyles, KOLs are expanding their influence. Now they don’t only appear in TVCs, newspapers or offline activities but also on social platforms. They start to post and share more branded content to increase their “fanbase” on social media.

This “shift to digital” is acutely observed during the pandemic, when all promotional offline activities are not allowed. This forces KOLs to realize the importance of online presence, making them invest more on these channels.

Social media has stopped being the playground for only influencers as KOLs are getting serious in claiming their positions on this fertile land.

Some KOLs even have their own teams to manage their social accounts, come up with new ideas, produce content and actively interact with followers. This does not limit to KOLs in showbiz, other industries are catching up quickly.

Social media has amplified the already powerful influence of KOLs. They have been highly trusted as experts and now their reach is limitless.
This brings KOL marketing to a new level: a sharpened sword for your business to reap unprecedented results.

There are 4 key steps to ensure your KOL marketing campaign realizes its full potential. Done right and it can even provide momentum for your future campaigns.

KOL campaign process

Set up goals

Every effective marketing campaign needs a SMART goal, and so does KOL marketing. Answer these questions to define your goal:

The message: What do you want to say about your products?
The customer: Who do you want your campaign to reach and engage?
The timeline: When is the best time to run this campaign? How long should it last? Why?
The result: What do you expect to gain from and after this campaign? How about the ROI?

Every effective marketing campaign needs a SMART goal, and so does KOL marketing. Answer these questions to define your goal:

The message: What do you want to say about your products?
The customer: Who do you want your campaign to reach and engage?
The timeline: When is the best time to run this campaign? How long should it last? Why?
The result: What do you expect to gain from and after this campaign? How about the ROI?

Identify target customers

This step is very important in any KOL marketing campaign because each key opinion leader has a specific group of followers. Without a clear view of your target customers, you are unlikely to choose the right KOLs for the best possible results.
For example, if you own a clothing brand for young fashionistas in the age range of 20-25, you may find Chau Bui the right KOL. But if your line of clothing caters for business people, your KOLs must at least share the same demographics with your target customers.

Research, screen and select KOLs

Once you’ve clarified all goals and expectations, it’s time to build your “KOL persona”. Make this description as specific as possible. Remember, your KOLs will represent your brand image and intentions, so you can never be too careful with this.

This step is very important in any KOL marketing campaign because each key opinion leader has a specific group of followers. Without a clear view of your target customers, you are unlikely to choose the right KOLs for the best possible results.
For example, if you own a clothing brand for young fashionistas in the age range of 20-25, you may find Chau Bui the right KOL. But if your line of clothing caters for business people, your KOLs must at least share the same demographics with your target customers.

There are 4 KOL criteria to be included in your consideration:
Coverage
Think about the places your target customers are most active, both offline and online. Then try to find KOLs whose activities often take place there.
Also, the number of followers of each KOL will give you a rough idea of the campaign’s potential reach. Are you looking for a nano, micro, macro or mega KOL?
Relevance
Define key features of your products or services, then translate them into observable characteristics of your KOL persona. These include personal brands such as their lifestyles and communication, their unique features and their followers’ demographics.
Follower Reaction
This criterion evaluates the audience’s positive and negative interactions to the KOLs they follow. Of course it’s better to have a KOL with more positive than negative reception. But if you want to consider otherwise, be extra careful and find out the root cause before proceeding.

You can quickly calculate the Follower Reaction Ratio by dividing the difference between positive and negative reactions by the total amount of reactions. The result ranges from -1 to 1. The higher the value, the more positive the KOL’s image is.

Audience Engagement
This is the engagement level of followers for the content posted by KOLs. You can learn about this through the number of likes, shares and comments on social media if the KOL is active online. Otherwise, evaluate this through the programs or offline events they participated in.


Effective influencer campaign

Measure results

This is not only to evaluate how well your campaign went but also to judge the potential of continued business with your KOLs.

Audience Engagement
This is the engagement level of followers for the content posted by KOLs. You can learn about this through the number of likes, shares and comments on social media if the KOL is active online. Otherwise, evaluate this through the programs or offline events they participated in.

This is not only to evaluate how well your campaign went but also to judge the potential of continued business with your KOLs.

There are 3 aspects to examine post-campaign:
The Agreement: Agreed vs Actual Actions
To what extent did your KOLs follow with what was agreed on and written in the contract? How about your actions to support them in doing that?
How and what did they share to their followers about your products and services? Is it complete and accurate, and on certain channels just like your requests?
The Rapport: Communication and Cooperation
How did the communication between you and your KOLs go? What could have been better?
How did they react to sudden request changes from you, if any? Did both sides try their best to cooperate with each other for the highest possible results?
The Real Numbers: Analytics and Data
How are the reach, engagement, reactions, traffic, conversions, sales… post-campaign? And the ROI?
Compare the real numbers with your goals, identify the gaps and next steps to ensure your future campaigns will be flawless.

KOL marketing campaign

Conclusion

Key opinion leaders are making it much easier for us to navigate the storm of information in the digital age. As more and more consumers want to seek out professional advice from experts, KOL marketing is one of the go-to choices for businesses to increase their reach and influence.
It takes more than just ideas and resources to get your KOL marketing campaigns right from the beginning. Thorough research, profound market insight and relevant experience are key factors that make our KOL marketing services trustworthy and impeccable.

Contact On Digitals for consultancy on your specific needs and tailored solutions to win with the best KOL strategy.
nd tailored solutions to win with the best KOL strategy.