For anyone working in the Chinese marketing industry, or anyone looking to enter the market, the term KOL (Key Opinion Leader) will pop up in virtually every other conversation. More commonly known as ‘influencers’ internationally, KOLs are individuals who command sizeable followings on social media and can use those followings to help brands gain exposure, or directly sell products.

According to E-marketer, spending on China’s shopping apps reached 1.53 trillion US Dollars!

So in 2025, it’s not just Weibo and WeChat influencers who have much work to do – it’s also influencers from mobile apps such as Douyin (Chinese Tiktok), Weitao (Blogging site of Taobao), and Red (Xiaohongshu) who may not have a Weibo or WeChat account, who will be greatly involved in the promotional campaigns of brands.

However, the world of Chinese influencers can often seem opaque and difficult to navigate, both for newcomers and the already initiated. That’s why we’ve come up with our list of top Chinese KOLs for 2024.

How Can Chinese KOLs Help Your Business in 2025?

Influencer marketing all around the world is booming, but the scale of KOL marketing in China, and the diversity of consumer engagement options available, is unique. The Influenceur economy has reached more than 100 billion yuans in 2023.  China’s influencer marketing is booming, shifting from text and photos to live streaming, social commerce, and short videos. Moreover, trust in KOLs remains higher in China than in other Asian markets.

In China, livestreams are incredibly popular, with KOLs either filming in studios or livestreaming their ‘daily lives’ to instantaneously interact with their fans. Short videos and vlogs allow KOLs to inject their own creativity into a brand’s marketing.

Whereas traditional ads are usually disruptive – placed before or between content – KOL endorsement allows the ad to be a part of the content.

“From the consumer perspective, KOL marketing has become the most preferred marketing channel.” – from Statista.

Research from Rakuten suggests almost 4 in 5 online shoppers aged between 35 and 44 made a purchase directly because of KOL endorsement. And in 2022, 67% of consumers admitted to buying products endorsed by KOLs in order to copy their lifestyle.

More recently, Statista and Rakuten Insights came together to create this statistic in May 2023 about the major reasons for purchasing a product endorsed by influencers in China.

• 47% bought the product because they were convinced by the promotion from the influencer.
• 39% because they like and trust the influencer, and thus would purchase whatever the KOLs promote.
• And 12% declared they would have bought the product anyway, regardless of who was promoting it.

This shows that for 86% of the people, KOLs/Influencers are the reason the sale happened!

CAREFUL: As big as this industry is, there are some scams and fraudulent activities. According to Statista, in 2023 around 45% of what is called “Invalid KOLs followers” were detected among some of the most popular social media platforms in China. Influencer fraud can include fake followers, pretending to have more engagement than they do, posting fake sponsored content, and running fake giveaways. These tricks can end up costing companies a lot of money.

Different Types of Chinese KOLs Tiers and Their Results

With over 10 million KOLs and Influencers in China, they have been categorized into groups to better understand and find the right one for your brand.

They are classified based on follower counts, so the size of their audience, and then into industries (see our recommendations of platforms by industries and of Top KOLs by industries below).

In terms of audience reach, there are 5 categories:

• MEGA KOLs

They are the kings and queens of social media with over 10 million followers. Often they get to this point because their popularity already exists for something else than influence alone (for example celebrities, actors, and singers fall into this category). This allows them to have a very large audience and reach lots of people quickly. But, based on the product or partnership you are looking for they aren’t always the best choice. They do offer a high visibility but popularity doesn’t always mean influence.

Indeed, they are not into any particular niche audience, their followers aren’t there for their particular expertise in product recommendations. These would be more interesting for brand awareness than for conversion and purchase.

• TOP-tier KOLs

Holding between 1 to 10 million followers, they are the number #1 target for their industries. Top-tier influencers are experts in specific industries with a very broad niche audience. Their reputation for expertise and trustworthiness means that brands often turn to them for partnerships that drive both credibility and sales.

These influencers are more than just popular figures; they set trends and can influence consumer behavior on a large scale. However, due to their extensive reach and the strong connection with their audience, the cost of collaborating with these influencers can be very high for smaller companies.

• MID-tier KOLs

Going down the pyramid we find Mid-tiers KOLS, from 500,000 to 1 million followers maximum, allowing them to have an even more targeted niche audience. They also share deeper connections with their fanbase and understand them greatly.

Their audience and content are more specific, which means that a Mid-tier influencer being a fit for your product will lead to more sales across their overall followers. You can directly target a relevant customer base, increasing the percentage of conversions and purchases.

• MICRO KOLs

Finally, a Micro Key Opinion Leader typically has between 100,000 and 500,000 followers. Similar to mid-tier KOLs, they command a devoted and engaged fan base, often within very specialized niches.

Their more intimate follower count allows them to build strong trust and credibility thanks to a personalized and relatable approach!

• NANO KOLs

But KOLs aren’t the only influencers that can help your business… In a world where e-commerce is more powerful than ever, we’ve seen a new branch of influencers popping up, more authentically: Nano KOLS or KOCs…

See more below

What is the difference between KOLs and KOCs in China?

KOCs are the influencers with a follower count ranging from 20,000 to 50,000. They aren’t really influencers but more trusted fellow consumers. That’s why they are called Key Opinion Consumers.

They are relatable and authentic people sharing some of their life and tips. They aren’t doing it for popularity or to make it their profession and thus they easily gain the trust of their followers. Their audience base sees them as peers and not as celebrities.

They don’t put much effort into the quality of their content because it is often “on the spot” reviews or recommendations for products they use themselves. They will share if products are worth buying or not, and what the outcomes they got from using them are, most honestly and directly possible.

“KOCs are the digital age’s version of good old word-of-mouth marketing. They’re not selling a dream; they’re sharing their reality.” – WPIC

For brands, KOCs are a cost-effective channel to stay connected with the audience, it’s a direct and honest way to stay in touch and listen to their audience’s needs.

Read more about KOCs and how they are taking over

As you understand it, KOCs are different from KOLs and their multiple levels. Each has its good points based on what you are trying to achieve. But you don’t have to choose necessarily, for a complete Influence Marketing Campaign: USE BOTH.

CASE STUDY: Perfect use of both Chinese KOLs and KOCs

Have you heard of VersaGripps ?

It’s a top brand in functional fitness accessories. When entering the highly competitive Chinese fitness market, they had to differentiate themselves from the many other fitness brands fighting for attention. The company needed a strategy that would not only capture the interest of fitness enthusiasts but also encourage product adoption and build lasting brand loyalty.

Their strategy combined the best of both worlds.

Versa Gripps teamed up with professional trainers and fitness KOLs to demonstrate how their products could improve customized workout routines. These fitness influencers, with their strong online presence and impressive physical appearance, effectively drew attention and excitement around the brand.

Then they also collaborated with Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs), who shared their personal experiences and user-generated content. These everyday fitness enthusiasts played a crucial role in building community engagement and trust. By sharing authentic stories, they helped Versa Gripps feel more like a supportive community than just a brand.

The result was a well-rounded marketing strategy. The KOLs generated interest and enthusiasm, attracting a wide audience, while the KOCs provided the credibility and personal connection needed to turn that buzz into real sales.

Strategies: Best practices with Chinese KOLs

Influencer marketing is a great way for brands to connect with their audience and increase engagement. Here are the most popular strategies and HI-COM Agency Tips for greater results!

#1 Paid collaborations with influencers

This involves paying influencers to create content that promotes your brand or products. This can be an article, video or story in which the influencer talks about or uses your product. As influencers already have a trusted audience, this strategy can help your brand reach more people, build trust, and drive sales. Many brands find this approach to be the most effective.

As we’ve explained previously, this will mostly concern KOLs as you pay them to promote the product you want and how you want it.

#2 Send free products to influencers

This strategy involves offering free products to influencers and letting them share their thoughts and experiences with their followers. This approach works well because it feels natural and authentic. When influencers like and recommend your products, their followers are more likely to have a positive attitude towards your brand.

This strategy fits perfectly KOCs, they get to decide if and how they promote it to their audience.

#3 Organize contests

Contests are a fun way to build excitement around your brand. You team up with influencers to offer their followers a chance to win your products. This not only generates buzz but also encourages more people to follow both the influencer and your brand. It’s a simple way to increase visibility and engagement.

HI-COM TIPS: Indicate Your Business Location when running a KOL Campaign

If what you are promoting is a place then you need to make sure the campaign followers reach your destination.

With this in mind, the campaign of the influencer better includes the exact location of the promoted destination, the best ways to reach it, and the best features of the destination that will bring value to the audience’s life (special experiences, great deals, new products or services).

Apps like Douyin and RED allow KOLs to pin down the location they talk about. When a follower clicks on that link, more information could be available about the spot.

Most of the information could be described in the KOL post, but it is best not to overdo the business side as it could make a post very commercial and not too attractive.

Top Chinese Apps for KOL Marketing in Different Industries

In 2024, the TOP Industries that work the best with KOLs, meaning that recommendation-based marketing is the most effective in those product categories, are Food (54.7%), Apparel Shoes & Bags (48.5%), and Tourist attractions/Travel (37.8%).

Most Popular Platforms and Apps for Chinese KOL /Influencer Marketing :

WeChat

WeChat is more than just a messaging app; it’s a key player in China’s digital world. It has a penetration rate of KOLs among active internet users of 69% (according to Statista in March 2024). Influencers use it to create official accounts and share content directly with their followers. Brands and influencers often collaborate through WeChat Moments, enabling them to reach a vast audience.

Douyin (TikTok in China)

Douyin, known for its short video format, is a mecca for influencer marketing. It’s right behind WeChat in terms of the penetration rate of influencers on its platforms with 55% (Statista, March 2024). Brands partner with influencers to create engaging videos that capture the attention of Douyin’s young, active users.

Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu)

This app is popular among millennials and Generation Z in China, as it combines social media with e-commerce. Little Red Book influencers share product reviews, fashion tips, and lifestyle content while allowing users to easily purchase featured items. Being the closest to Instagram in the West, it is the “go-to platform” for Lifestyle influence.

Weibo

Weibo is China’s version of Twitter, where trends and discussions take place in real-time. It’s an ideal platform for brands wishing to collaborate with influencers, enabling them to penetrate the Chinese market and increase their visibility by joining the ongoing conversations. KOLs’ penetration rate among the platform is 35.4%.

Taobao Live

Taobao Live combines live broadcasting and online shopping. As it’s happening on the same platform the purchase is made, it’s easier to redirect the viewer! Influencers showcase products in real time, interact with viewers, and encourage immediate purchases, offering a new and interactive shopping experience.

Platforms Recommendations by Industry for KOL Marketing in China:

• FMCGG or Lifestyle/Everyday goods

Definitely Xiaohongshu aka Little Red Book for all the inspiration, and E-commerce platforms such as Taobao Live that shows you a very large amount of everyday life products, reviews and use.

• Beauty

Xiaohongshu dominates, with mainly young, female users. Weibo is good for sharing beauty-lifestyle content, and Bilibili is sought out for tutorials.

• Food & Beverage

Douyin is hugely popular for sharing recipes and food challenges. Weibo and Bilibili go more in-depth.

• Sport

Bilibili is actively investing in increasing its sports credentials, while Douyin and Keep maintain user-driven popularity.

• Education

WeChat is popular for its long-form content, while Weibo and Xiaohongshu are more about sharing tips as part of a community.

• Parenting

Xiaohongshu is more product-centric, showing parents products that might help them raise their children, while Weibo is more lifestyle and community-centric.

• Travel

Xiaohongshu, Weibo, and Dianping give on-the-fly recommendations to people based on location.

But to go further: it is important to understand the social media landscape of the traveling industry in China. Unlike the west, Chinese tourists have dozens of sources to rely on when traveling.

Xiaohongshu (RED/Little Red Book): before traveling

This app is mostly used by Millennials and Gen Z women from top-tier cities in China. Red’s main purpose is review and recommendations. Started as cosmetics and skin care cross-border app, today Red is one of the top apps for all kinds of advice giving including travel.

Brands use Red to cooperate with Chinese KOL on a “organic” level, where the advertising is not too obvious. Red provides a “brand station” type of account where brands do not sell anything, but have a brand information page with latest updates and videos.

Qunar Blog: While traveling

When people are on a go at the destination, and want a little extra advice, they go to 2 main platforms: Qunar and Dianping.

Qunar is one of the very first Chinese travel ticket booking engine and travel blog. One of the differentiating points of Qunar are the running comments lines on featured image of the post. Qunar is easy to use, and popular among

TIPS to find the right Chinese KOL for you

How to choose a Chinese KOL/ Influencer

1. Know your audience: Make sure the trusted rep’s following matches your target market.
2. Set clear goals: Decide what you want to achieve, such as brand awareness or sales, and choose key informants who can help you reach those goals.
3. Then research the KOLs :
   1. Focus on authenticity: Choose expert consultants who create authentic content that web users trust.
   2. Check engagement: Look at likes, comments and shares to find KOLs with active, engaged audiences.
   3. Examine content quality: Make sure KOL content is visually appealing and well-crafted.
   4. Align with your brand: Choose consultants whose values and image match your brand message.
   5. Consider multi-platform reach: Look for consultants who are active on multiple platforms to benefit from greater visibility.
4. Communicate clearly: Agree on the terms of the collaboration, including content, timing and payment.
5. Choose the right partnership duration: Decide whether you need a short-term boost or a long-term partnership for ongoing impact.

Avoid these common mistakes

Set Clear Goals and Communicate them Clearly to avoid any confusion.

Choose the Right Influencer: It is determining that the KOL’s audience and values match well with your brand.

Give Creative Freedom: Let KOLs be creative while guiding them to ensure the content stays true to your brand.

Plan Thoughtfully a connection with your target audience that fits the cultural context.

Keep up with the latest platform regulations to avoid any hiccups during your campaign.

Be Ready for the Aftermath: Prepare to handle the increased attention and customer service needs once your campaign wraps up.

Measuring the success of your Campaign

To measure the success of your KOL campaign, start by monitoring its reach, focusing on how many people see your sponsored posts compared to regular content and whether this leads to an increase in brand followers. Next, track engagement by analyzing likes, comments, shares, and other interactions to gauge audience interest. Finally, assess conversions by measuring the sales generated from the campaign, using platform tools like those on Douyin and XiaoHongShu to track sales within their ecosystems.

How much does a Chinese KOL / Influencer Campaign cost?

The cost of a KOL or influencer campaign in China can vary considerably depending on several factors.

These include the type and price of the product you’re promoting, the size and objectives of your campaign, the audience you’re targeting, and your overall budget. The cost can also be influenced by whether you’re focusing on a specific city, the type of content you want (such as videos or blog posts), and, of course, the influencer’s level of influence, number of followers, engagement rate, and relevance to your industry.

TOP KOLs for FMCGG or Lifestyle/Everyday goods

#1 – Chinese KOL Everyday Vlogs – 林怡伦

Name: 林怡伦

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 3.86 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – Influencer Lifestyle – 王七叶

Name: 王七叶

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.86 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#3 – Chinese KOL Xiaohongshu – Papi酱

Name: Papi酱

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 5.4 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

TOP KOLs for Travel

#1 – Chinese Travel KOL Winnie文

Name: Winnie文

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 6.33 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – Travel with 氧化菊

Name: 氧化菊

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 4.08 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#3 – Chinese KOL 房琪kiki

Name: 房琪kiki

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 3.31 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

TOP KOLs for Beauty

#1 – Chinese Beauty KOL 易梦玲 yimoney

Name: 易梦玲 yimoney

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 4.47 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – Beauty KOL 李佳琦Austin

Name: 李佳琦Austin

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 11.1 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

#3 – Chinese KOL 垫底辣孩

Name: 垫底辣孩

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.32 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

TOP KOLs for Food & Beverage

#1 – -肥猪猪的日常

Name: 肥猪猪的日常

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.47 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – Foreign KOL in China 铁蛋儿Tyler

Name:铁蛋儿Tyler

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.22 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

#3 – Chinese KOL: 培根日记

Name: 培根日记

Platform: Douyin (Tiktok For China)

Followers: 63.4 million followers 

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

TOP KOLs for Sport

#1 – 帕梅拉Pamela Reif

Name: Pamela Reif

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 11.7 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – Chinese KOL 刘耕宏

Name: 刘耕宏

Platform: Douyin (Tiktok For China)

Followers: 64.5 million followers 

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

#3 – 欧阳春晓Aurora

Name: Aurora

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.79 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

TOP KOLs for Education

#1 – Chinese Education KOL 老爸评测

Name: 老爸评测

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 7.99 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of his account

#2 – 丁郑美子

Name: 丁郑美子

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 6.55 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#3 – Chinese KOL 英语雪梨老师

Name: 英语雪梨老师

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.282 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

TOP Chinese KOLs for Parenting

#1 – 小麦

Name: 小麦

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 5.6 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#2 – 我是机灵姐

Name: 我是机灵姐

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 6.32 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

#3 – 开心好奇妈

Name: 开心好奇妈

Platform: Xiaohongshu also called Little Red Book or RED.

Followers: 2.97 million followers

Link to her profile: here.

Sneak peek of her account

Need help with your first Chinese KOL campaign? Drop us a line!

About HI-COM:

As the Chinese internet has matured, netizens have already grown wary of click ads. KOL marketing represents a type of digital advertisement users can resonate with, as it is brought to them by someone they enjoy following. Today in China, KOL marketing has become a highly effective tool in any brand’s digital marketing arsenal, regardless of industry. For overseas brands entering the Chinese market, KOL marketing cannot be overlooked.

All You Need to Know Before Starting a KOL Campaign

China’s internet population is the largest in the world. At 939.9 million internet users in January 2021, China’s internet population is almost three times the US’s total population and makes up just over a fifth of the world’s total internet users. This massive environment has seen KOL marketing rise up as one of the most effective digital marketing tools in China.

What numbers can we expect with KOL marketing? As a result of the massive scale of the Chinese internet, top-tier KOLs in China usually have upwards of one million followers. In June of 2021, one post from KOLs in the top tier generates an average of 1.2 million impressions on short video app Douyin. The impressive exposure afforded by KOL marketing can help new brands generate the buzz and name recognition to reach new audiences.

KOLs Types According to Their Follower Size

According to Quest Mobile, KOLs in China can be ranked in five main groups according to their follower size.

• Mega KOLs: over 10 million followers. These are usually celebrities and highly successful personalities, working only with larger established brands. They appeal to not only the general Chinese public but international audiences, and their followers do not fall into any one category of consumer.
• High-tier KOLs: 1 million to 10 million followers. These KOLs are usually the most prominent influence leaders in the industries they work within and are able to set trends within China. Their rates reflect their influence. It’s also important to note that some platforms like WeChat do not show statistics higher than a certain number, limiting the ability to track campaign performance accurately for larger KOLs.
• Mid-tier: KOLs: 500 000 to 1 million followersKOLs in this tier usually have dedicated followings and generally have strong influence over a specific segment of the industry they work in. Their followings are therefore also a more specific demographic with tastes that more closely match the KOLs themselves.
• Micro KOLs: 100,000 – 500,000 followers. Like mid-tier KOLs, this tier of KOL has strong influence over a specific demographic within an industry and have more grassroots appeal. With lower rates than mid-tier KOLs, it makes sense to work with multiple micro KOLs to thoroughly reach your target audience.
• Nano KOLs: 20,00 – 50,000 followers.This tier of KOLs can also be considered KOCs, or key opinion consumers. They may have a dedicated following from a specific niche in the broader industry who trust their highly personalized product recommendations. This makes nano KOLs perfect for product seeding campaigns.
  

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Best Platforms for KOL Marketing in China

Before we start reading about the best platforms for your next KOL campaign you might want to see some interesting and helpful data. We hope this info will help you design or adjust a better KOL campaign.

Douyin

The dominant short-video platform in China, Douyin is a popular platform for KOL marketing, attracting a balanced mix of KOLs from each tier. The largest portion comes from mega KOLs, at 36.5%, and each tier of KOLs comprise at least 10% of Douyin’s KOLs.

This makes it easy to find the right KOL for your budget and goals. With a KOL penetration rate of 98.1% on the platform, it’s one of the best platforms for effective KOL marketing. Douyin’s demographics skew younger and 24% come from tier-one cities, making it perfect for brands looking to appeal to trendy urban youth.

Kuaishou

One of the most popular livestreaming platforms in China, Kuaishou KOLs predominantly come from the highest tiers, with 37.7% being mega KOLs and 39.8% being high-tier KOLs.

Only 10% of Kuaishou users come from tier-one cities in China, compared to Douyin, giving it more geographical coverage across the Chinese market, albeit with a userbase possessing lower purchasing power. Another difference setting it apart from Douyin is its recommendation algorithm, which recommends more content from accounts users already follow.

With a KOL penetration rate of 97.6%, it’s a highly effective KOL marketing platform for brands looking to expand outside of tier one city markets.

Weibo

As China’s answer to Twitter, Weibo is a microblogging platform known for its strong user communities. As such, the majority of KOLs on Weibo fall into the nano KOL tier, at 72.5%, with mid-tier and higher KOLs only making up less than 5% of the platform’s KOLs.

Its median user profile is a millennial middle-class woman living in a tier-one city, making it a platform with one of the most educated, highest-earning demographics. As such, Weibo’s userbase prioritizes in depth discussion around products.

It has a KOL penetration rate of 79.7%, making it a platform more suited to product seeding, brand outreach, and community building.

WeChat

The most ubiquitous platform in China, WeChat is a whole ecosystem in one app. As the only Chinese platform with over one billion users, it has the highest user adoption of any other platform in China.

However, WeChat only shows content from friends and official accounts users follow, making KOL penetration on WeChat the lowest out of all platforms at 31.6%. The platform infrastructure creates a KOL distribution very similar to Weibo, with 72.9% of WeChat KOLs belonging to the nano KOL tier, while mid-tier and higher KOLs only make up around 5%.

KOL marketing on WeChat is still necessary, considering its near-universal adoption in China and its massive ecosystem perfect for conversion tracking. Considering its fragmented nature, the best WeChat KOL strategy involves working with multiple lower-tier KOLs to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Bilibili

Another great app for KOL marketing in China. With a KOL penetration rate of 80.4% and a balanced gender ratio (52% male and 48% female), Bilibili is definitely worth attention.

For those new to the platform, they should know that its users are still very much tied in with its fandom history, however, step by step other industries becoming popular on the app as well.

Xiaohongshu

When thinking of KOL marketing, Xiaohongshu probably the first platform that comes to mind for most marketers in China. As a social recommendation platform, it was built with product recommendations as its defining feature.

While mega KOLs only make up 0.7% of Xiaohongshu KOLs, the remaining tiers are very evenly distributed. It’s KOL penetration rate is also high, at 94%. Like Douyin, this makes finding the perfect KOL for your marketing strategy and budget a simple process and KOL marketing highly effective.

Xiaohongshu’s demographics skew highly female, with women making up 90% of the userbase. They predominantly come from tier-one cities and are highly educated with expendable income. As a platform, Xiaohongshu’s algorithms prioritize in-depth high-engagement content, lending itself well for high-quality KOL marketing that thoroughly presents a product or brand.

What Type of Cooperation Should You Propose or Consider when Working with Chinese Influencers?

Brand Advocacy

One of the best ways to make Chinese influencers advocate for your brand is to make him/her the face of that brand.

The price of such cooperation will be lower than if you worked with small-mid size celebrities, and the coverage you get might just be what you were looking for! While lots of different types of agreements can be made, brand advocacy is one of the most profitable and effective ways to spread the word in Chinese market.

Direct Purchase

Direct purchase – as in “please post this product review on that platform” type of cooperation. This is one of the most simple and easy ways to cooperate with Chinese Influencers. But remember, if you only use a one time post on one influencer’s account no matter how big (excluding huge celebrities of course), it might not bring you the result you were hoping for.

Co-branding

This is the one type of cooperation that Influencers love the most.

Of course, not every influencer is fit for such project, as the he/she must have a very high commercial audience profile (with an audience that is constantly purchasing the endorsed products). But this type will not suit new or lesser known brands, as it could be too difficult to convince the KOL of the value of such a cooperation.

The brand must be careful when choosing who to approach. Naturally, the brand’s reputation will be tightly connected to a co-branding KOL’s profile, and any scandal around that persona might affect the brand as well.

Collaborations and Omni-channel Approach

Collaborating with Chinese influencers in order to create multiple campaigns and run them on multiple channels is one of the most effective ways to gain some tangible results.

Keep in mind that to cover the whole of China might not be an easily achievable goal if you only plan to run one omni-channel campaign. The strategy here could be to start with a few larger influencers, who will influence their “smaller” colleagues, as well as the audience they talk to. Then you can continue to a higher number of mid-tier and micro-KOLs.

This way you will create a “buzz” and no matter where your potential client looks, they will see your product. This will instantly create interest and a “must have” feeling.

Regarding numbers, to cover, let’s say, the cosmetics market, we recommend working with top-tier and second-tier cities, and doing monthly campaigns for at least one year, with a total of around 50 – 100 influencers per month and at least 3 platforms.

Product Seeding

Many brands are convinced that KOLs will talk about the brand for as little as a free gift.

Whilst this might work in the West, in China it’s all about cash. Of course, if an influencer receives a special edition luxury brand product packed in a way that flatters his/her ego (name on a box, special appreciation note), this may have the desired effect.

But it is highly unlikely that an influencer will “do his job for free” for an unknown (in China) brand.

KOL Marketing in China: How Much Does it Cost?

Depending on the type of cooperation, your niche, the market reach, and your goal, your budget will vary.

Another factor you should keep in mind is that the reach of an influencer does not mean engagement. Most influencers in the same reach or audience size have different levels of engagement.

Some have “sticky” fans, some have non-interactive accounts, some have high commercial profiles and some are buying their fans. If your goal is to engage with the audience and have more coverage by “shares” and re-posts, you might want to know how much you will pay per engaged person, and this information is listed here.

You could work with lots of different KOLs depending on the objectives and budget available. Some KOLs would work with low budgets – 300-500 USD, some even 100 USD, but don’t forget that you get what you pay for. You would immediately notice the difference in preparation, image, style, quality of content and amount of impressions/leads you get from it ones you work with more experiences bloggers.

In terms of  targeting and covering “a market” on average, to cover 1 top-tier city, you should work with a budget of 200,000 to 300,000 CNY or up to 45,000 USD per month. To cover “the country”, you should run monthly campaign in 15-20 cities. Major players like L’Oreal, Apple, or Unilever spend 1 to 2 million CNY (150 – 300 k USD) per campaign per platform (Tmall/RED/Douyin) on new product launches, major digital holidays and general promotion.

When it comes to simple calculation, you can take as reference the following rates:

Chinese Social Media traffic average cost:  CPM 50 CNY ( apx. 8 USD), CPF 7-10 CNY (1-1.5 USD).

How to Start KOL Campaign in 2023

Ready to include KOL marketing in your digital marketing campaign? Below we’ll walk through key tips and strategies to ensure your KOL campaign is a success.

Step 1. Define Your Target Audience

As with any form of marketing, identifying and defining your brand’s target audience is the cornerstone of any campaign. Understanding their habits and aspirations lets you craft an effective campaign that will resonate with your target demographic. Having narrowed down the type of people you wish to reach, you then can more easily identify the KOLs who have the most influence on them.

Step 2. Match Your Product and Platform

If you run a swimwear brand, you probably wouldn’t buy billboard ad space at a ski resort. For online digital marketing, it’s no different. Choosing the right platforms for marketing your product is crucial.

Each digital platform attracts different demographics, resulting in different industries thriving on different platforms. It’s important to research which platforms your target audience is more active on and what the leading industries are on each platform.

Below, we’ve listed a few industries and the platforms where they are most successful on:

Beauty/Fashion

– Xiaohongshu, where 90% of the userbase is female, is the prime platform for cosmetics and fashion

– Weibo for general lifestyle content

– Bilibili for makeup tutorials

Education

– WeChat. As the education industry has a stronger emphasis on longer persuasive essays, WeChat is the most preferred platform, thanks to the platform’s emphasis on articles.

F&B

– Dazhong Dianping. For restaurants and cafes, having a presence on Dianping, China’s go-to review website, is a necessity.

– Douyin. For brands selling food and drink products, visual platforms such as Douyin provide large communities for recipe sharing and food challenges.

– Xiaohongshu. The same applies to this app.

Parenting

– Weibo and WeChat, with a userbase that skews older, are the best for marketing parenting-related content.

– Xiaohongshu, as a more visual platform for product reviews, is also great for marketing parenting products.

Entertainment

– Dianping/Xiaohongshu/Weibo. These platforms provide real-time location-specific recommendations for users for popular sights and attractions.

– WeChat. For events, people in China check WeChat for events happening in their social circles.

Step 3. Match Your Product and KOL

Finding the right KOL for your brand in a foreign market can be a daunting task. Brands need to keep in mind the three R’s of influencer marketing when choosing a KOL: relevance, reach, and resonance. Make sure the KOL you find is relevant to your industry, has strong reach paired with healthy audience engagement, and resonates with your brand identity.

Below, we have listed a few resources to help you start your search for potential KOLs for your campaign:

• Newrank
• Weibo Rank

Also, you can check these articles:

• Top 34 KOLs KOLs in different industries
• KOLs that sell out all kids of products under 5 minutes
• Top mid-tier KOLs on Different social media platforms 

While these users may be KOLs on one platform, that doesn’t mean they aren’t KOLs on other platforms. With many KOLs being cross-platform, it is important to cross-reference different platforms to see where your KOL has the highest followings. Look for KOLs that match your brand identity with strong followings on platforms that suit your industry.

Step 4. Contacting KOLs

A successful KOL marketing campaign is the result of a KOL fully grasping your brand identity and putting their personal touch on it to achieve your stated campaign goals. This requires effective communication.

However, working cross-culturally presents some obstacles. Most Chinese KOLs don’t speak English with enough proficiency to fully understand the nuances of your brand message. Furthermore, cultural differences between KOLs and brands contribute to misunderstandings.

In China, people often do not tell you directly if they don’t understand what you want and will just agree so as to not “lose face”. This results in time wasted in determining what the KOL didn’t understand.

On the flip side, oftentimes Western brands come in confident that their tested-and-true content approach from outside the China market will work in China, only for it to fall flat. A KOL worth their rate will tell you what works and why – it’s their home court after all.

That’s why for overseas brands working with Chinese KOLs, it’s helpful to go through an agency like HI-COM to ensure nothing gets lost in translation.

How to Measure Your KOL Campaign in 3 Simple Steps

Now that you’ve launched your KOL campaign, it’s time to crunch some numbers to gauge its effectiveness. This is one of the most important steps, as it helps you calibrate your campaign strategy towards what works.

Data shows KOL marketing works best as a long-term strategy. This requires adjusting focus to different KPIs along the sales pipeline at different stages:

Step 1. Defining Reach

Reach is a metric that should be considered before, during, and after your KOL campaign.

Before the campaign, choosing a KOL often revolves around follower count. However, more important is how many of their followers are from your target demographic and how many of their followers actually engage with their posts.

During the campaign, success can be determined by how many more impressions the campaign nets than regular posts.

After the campaign, it’s important to measure the lasting effects of the campaign. How much higher is rate of follower and impression growth compared to before the campaign?

Step 2. Measuring Engagements

Impressions are the first step in the pipeline towards your campaign’s ultimate goal: sales. Engagement is the second step.

Engagement varies across platforms, but key metrics include likes, shares, comments, tags, and hashtags, all of which are easily accessible via every platform’s analytics. All of these figures allow brands to calculate the earned media value of their campaign.

Step 3. Tracking Conversions

Now let’s measure the bottom-line effectiveness of your KOL marketing campaign – conversions. Where Chinese internet infrastructure differs from that in the West is the walled garden nature of most platforms, with most platforms restricting third party links.

For example, Douyin and Xiaohongshu do not allow third party links. WeChat, as a Tencent platform, does not allow links to ecommerce platforms of competitor Alibaba.

However, conversions can be tracked if sales are made within each platform’s own ecosystem.

HI-COM is a digital marketing agency dedicated to providing China-specific strategy, social media communication and e-commerce marketing services to businesses around the world. Working with more than 100 brands, HI-COM is the go-to partner of companies that want to enter China market!  Contact us for your free consultation today!

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