In-depth analysis from 0 to 1: What is KOL operation?

What I talk about most with friends recently is KOL operations . Many people think that KOL operation is to find endorsements from big names, but in fact it is not that simple. Today, I will talk to you in detail, what is KOL operation?

1. What is KOL

KOL, Key Opinion Leader. It is generally considered to be someone who has more and more accurate product information, is accepted or trusted by the relevant group, and has a greater influence on the purchasing behavior of the group.

Simply put, it is a person who has a certain influence in a certain field. From big names like Luo Yonghao of Smartisan Technology and Lei Jun of Xiaomi to small ones like the moderator of a forum or the leader of a reading group...all of them can be called KOLs.

The two biggest features of KOL are: having a fan base and being able to influence fan behavior!

So how to operate KOL? Don’t be impatient. Before that, let’s talk about why we should do KOL operations?

2. Benefits of KOL Operation

All operational methods are aimed at improving user indicators, and KOL operation is one of the more efficient methods, such as using celebrities to attract fans, using big-name sharing to promote activity, and so on.

Here, we introduce several common KOL operation scenarios according to paid and free models:

Spending money:

• Weibo and Tik Tok used celebrities to attract new users in the early days;
• League of Legends holds LPL competitions every year, using players to promote activities;
• Get and other knowledge-based paid products, use the influence of KOLs to promote your payment;
• …

Free of charge:

• Community forums such as Tianya and Maopu use KOLs to promote activities;
• Baidu Tieba is managed by the bar owner and sub-bar owners.
• Game companies produce game guides through top players;
• …

Compared with some conventional operation strategies, KOL operation done well can often achieve twice the result with half the effort. So, what kind of operational logic should we adopt throughout the entire life cycle of KOLs, from introduction to loss?

We take community products as an example to conduct an in-depth analysis.

3. Introduction of KOL

3.1 Introducing rhythm control

Products in different periods and with different user bases need to control the pace of introduction based on their own demand levels.

• Too many KOLs were introduced in the early stage, resulting in oversupply and a lack of sufficient fan interaction. KOLs will lose the incentive to create and this will lead to loss.
• In the early stage, too few KOLs were introduced, and the supply was insufficient to meet the demand. Users could not see the content they liked, which led to churn.

Of course, not all KOLs at the top of the pyramid are good, nor are KOLs at the bottom of the pyramid not worth spending time on. What matters most is suitability.

3.2 Control of KOL Types

The temperament matches! The temperament matches! The temperament matches!

A KOL with a large number of fans may not be suitable for you. A small KOL in a vertical field may be more valuable to you.

• For Weibo, my purpose is entertainment, so my KOL must be interesting and fun;
• For Dedao, I am engaged in knowledge payment, so my KOL must have good content;
• For KEEP, my KOLs are fitness experts rather than those beauty gurus;
• …

Whether you are introducing or cultivating, you must pay attention that the KOL must fit your product. Imagine that when Douyin is full of KOLs about exam training, and the government also strongly supports it... the picture is too beautiful, I can't imagine it anymore.

3.3 Introduction method

The introduction of KOLs can be divided into external introduction and internal discovery.

Internally cultivated KOLs have high loyalty and less turnover, while externally introduced KOLs require more time to integrate with the product. Therefore, we prefer internal exploration, and when we don’t have the required KOLs internally, we will introduce them from outside.

Next, let’s talk about how to do these two methods respectively:

(1) External introduction

Introduction process: clarify the purpose of introducing KOLs - make a list of candidate KOLs - prepare corresponding cooperation plans - find contact information - discuss cooperation introduction.

Clarify the purpose: What is the purpose of introducing KOLs, to attract new customers, to promote activation or to convert customers to payment? What do you hope KOLs will do after they are introduced? Only after clarifying your purpose can you list the KOLs you want. For example: If you want to quickly acquire a group of new users, you would prefer to find one with a large number of fans. And if what you need is conversion, then what you need is higher fan loyalty.

Make a list of candidates: After clarifying the goal, we need to make a list of candidates. At this time, you need to collect the candidates' information, including but not limited to personal information, fan quality information (PS: It is important to note whether the fans are still there if the KOL leaves the existing platform), candidate preferences and other information.

Selection of cooperation plan: In the cooperation plan, you need to clearly tell the KOL what he needs to do and what he can get.

You must pay attention to the other party's demands. Many KOLs nowadays can no longer be impressed simply by money. Everyone has limited time and energy. If the current situation is going well, but switching platforms requires starting over and the gain is only money, why bother?

Therefore, many times when we cooperate with KOLs, we not only consider the issue of money, but also need to consider other demands of KOLs, such as personal brand, platform support, etc.

Be persistent in attracting KOLs: When we have prepared everything and start to attract KOLs, you will find that you will run into obstacles many times.

Maybe the proposal you sent fell on deaf ears, and the private message on Weibo remains unread. But we cannot give up. If we can’t find anyone on Weibo or WeChat, we can look for them in vertical communities, groups, etc.

The most important thing in the whole process is persistence. If you can’t find the solution once, try another one. If one plan doesn’t work, try another one. Of course, if you have high time requirements and sufficient budget, you can also find the KOL you want directly through a professional agent.

Internal mining: Usually we look for users who have a certain influence and high content output.

It doesn’t matter what he is like now; what matters is what kind of KOL you can make him into. To give a simple example, a user may be very active at present, but the quality of the content he produces is not high. As for the other user who has high content output but low activity, we are more inclined to cultivate the latter. You can improve the activity, but you can only help improve the content quality to a small extent. Of course, it also depends on the actual situation of the user.

When digging internally, you need to find its highlights, and this highlight can be packaged and amplified in your own way.

So far, we have successfully introduced a group of KOLs. So, how do we maintain these KOLs and help them grow better?

4. KOL Retention

Currently, the most common ways to maintain KOLs are through communities or single-point contacts.

If KOLs are to be communicated through social networks, it is best to establish communities based on the types of KOLs to facilitate smoother communication between KOLs of the same type. If you have a large number of KOL users, it would be best to provide them with some special channels on your product. For example, there are usually VIP-only sections in games, or backstages for big sellers on e-commerce platforms.

After establishing the information communication channel, we need to create a KOL profile.

(1) KOL Profile

The operation of KOL must be refined, and refined operation requires you to know KOL very well. At this time, we need a KOL file.

Why do we need to create a profile for KOL? Just like when you want to pursue a girl, you will care about what she likes, which star she likes, what she likes to eat, etc., and then cater to her preferences. This way, your chances of successfully pursuing the girl will be higher.

The same principle applies to KOL operations. Usually it is not just a matter of interest, but about making the KOL feel that you really care about him and help him achieve the content he wants. At the same time, KOL files are a huge asset for the company. A good set of KOL files, in addition to helping us connect our work more efficiently, will also be of great help in optimizing the daily KOL introduction work.

A KOL profile usually contains the following:

Personal information: name, phone number, WeChat, contact address, personal profile, etc.

Business information: What type of KOL is this type of KOL, how many fans does this type of KOL have, how influential is this type of KOL, and in which areas is this type of KOL more influential?

For example: if you look for user A on Zhihu to be a KOL, then you may add that user A has written a book, is the founder of XX company, and has a certain influence in products and operations. At the same time, I am more proficient in aspects such as operation rhythm and content operation. With this information, we can organize some targeted activities, such as organizing a special sharing session by content operation experts, and then find user A to do these things.

KOL information on the platform: The KOL file needs to record the KOL’s situation on its own products for subsequent operational decisions.

For example, although user A is influential in products and operations, no one seeks him out on Zhihu. Then we need to consider whether to remove user A from our KOL list and no longer give him any privileges.

Information about KOLs on other channels: Usually some KOLs will not cooperate on only one platform, so we also need to understand the performance of our KOLs on other platforms.

In the same example, user A rarely answers questions on Zhihu, but is very active in answering questions on Wukong Q&A. Then we need to make a comparison to adjust the operation strategy for user A, whether to increase material incentives or promote his output through spiritual incentives.

Of course, there are some other content that can also be added to the profile, such as the KOL’s recent dynamics, personal character, etc. It is mainly to facilitate more refined operations in the future. If user A is going to have a baby soon, can we give user A a stroller as a small gift?

In the archives, users need to be classified and divided into different levels and stages. What is the current level of user influence or value? What stage are they in? How do we empower these users? For KOLs at different levels, the resources called upon and the means used are also different. We need to record all this information in the archives.

To put it simply, KOL operation is to first give KOL what they want, and then let KOL produce the content we want. As for what to give to KOL, you need to constantly understand KOL’s needs, communicate with them and conduct analysis. This is a long-term job that tests your patience.

(2) Establish rules

After creating the file, another very important step is to establish and communicate the rules.

The purpose of establishing rules is to avoid unexpected events that may affect users or cause KOL loss. Generally, this specification will be stated at the beginning of the cooperation, but it is better to formulate additional specifications for the interaction between KOL and the product.

For example: If KOL encounters a problem, they can find our operation staff in time and are not allowed to make remarks that damage the product image. If there is a conflict between KOL and users, please communicate with the operation staff in time, otherwise the relevant privileges and benefits will be cancelled.

Another point that needs special mention is that when setting up punitive content, the platform must not establish a privilege mechanism for KOLs to avoid losing its own users.

When setting the rules, we have one purpose in mind: we introduce KOLs to better serve our ordinary users together with our products, rather than to serve KOLs.

5. KOL initial operation: empowering growth and forming influence

For KOLs introduced for the first time, in order to better exert their influence, we will package and empower them in the early stages. Design the positive image in advance before the launch.

Packaging: Usually when we discover some KOLs internally, we will dig out the highlights of this small number of KOLs and package them.

For example, on Gudong, the hot mom who gave birth insisted on exercising. This point alone cannot create a KOL effect, so we can package a few points, such as: inspirational, sad drama and other content, so as to better impress users and create a certain influence. The original Mop.com also had many packaged users like this, such as Chopstick Brothers, Xiao Yueyue, etc.

KOL empowerment: As an operator, you must have a very good understanding of your own products, and KOLs must have a very good understanding of the content in their own fields. Only in this way can your combination exert the greatest power.

You need to explain to the KOL how he can gain enough influence on your platform, including but not limited to coaching on some professional skills, implementing some product functions on the platform, and even opening up some data to allow the KOL to produce better results.

For example, when Douyin introduced some KOLs, it did not just say: you shoot a video and I will give you traffic and that’s it. How to shoot the video, how to match the clothes, who your target audience is, what videos they prefer, etc., all these will be given to the corresponding KOL by Douyin’s operations.

As a KOL operator, what you need to do is not only to introduce them, but more importantly, to grow with them.

Resource allocation: When everything is ready, you need to allocate resources to these KOLs so that they can truly have influence on their own platforms.

In addition to diverting traffic, they even constantly create hot topics about KOLs. Just like when Li Jian first joined The Voice of China, The Voice of China gave him more screen time in the first and second episodes, while also constantly creating topics about Li Jian's "academic nerd" attributes and his ability to tell jokes.

Only when KOL has established influence on the product can you influence your own users through KOL operations.

6. KOL mid-term operation: deepening cooperation-value realization

1. Exclusive Constraints

When KOL has already formed influence, we need to establish exclusive constraints. We have invested resources and other emotional things. At this time, we need to require our KOL users to set an exclusive standard in words and writing. If the KOL is distracted, it is definitely not advisable and we should stop the loss in time and terminate the cooperation.

With exclusive constraints in place, we can rest assured to carry out better and more in-depth cooperation and invest more resources.

1. KOL incentives and strategy adjustments

After KOL has formed influence, we need to give KOL incentives, including material incentives, spiritual incentives, etc. At the same time, you also need to constantly adjust some of your strategies for cooperation with KOLs. For example: In the early stage, you set a sad story for the hot mom, but later found that the KOL himself did not like it, then try to adjust it to an inspirational direction to test the fans' reaction.

At the same time, your entire incentive also needs to be set with different content according to the different KOLs. For example: for the initial KOL, you only need to give spiritual incentives, and for those with a certain influence in the middle term, you need to give certain material incentives. When a very large influence is formed, you need to give more benefits, including building IP, fan operations, etc. At this time, your strategy also needs to be adjusted, from the earliest giving to the final benefit bundling.

Like many paid knowledge products, I can adopt a buyout method or a profit-sharing method. What you need to do is to give different incentives to KOLs at different stages and with different influences to make them more active.

KOL value manifestation:

• When our KOL has a great influence, this is the time to get a return on our early investment;
• If we want to attract new customers, we can use KOL to initiate a friend invitation contest;
• If we want the community to be active, we can use KOLs to drive topics.
• If we want users to pay, we can ask KOLs to endorse and promote.
• …

Here you need to pay attention to the overall operation rhythm. Don’t monetize immediately after you gain influence. This is likely to destroy the KOL you have worked so hard to cultivate and will also cause your users to gradually leave.

Of course, only when the KOL brings you value and gives you what you want, you can be considered to have taken a small step towards operational success, but many times this return is delayed.

7. Late stage of KOL operation: retain your achievements

In the later stage of KOL operation, we pay more attention to the retention of KOL. We should retain the KOLs that we have cultivated with great effort as much as possible to produce greater benefits.

However, there is one thing we need to be open-minded about: KOLs will eventually leave, and what we can do is just to make these KOLs stay on our products longer and get more returns.

Usually we have two methods: interest bundling and emotional maintenance.

(1) Emotional maintenance

We established a KOL file when we first introduced KOLs. This file runs through the entire KOL operation and is therefore very important.

In the later stage of KOL operation, you need to use the previously established files to understand the current situation of the KOL, and then cater to their preferences, send small gifts, greet them on important days, etc. The most important thing here is to make the KOL feel that you are attentive.

The most important thing in maintaining emotional connections is to do it sincerely, not just for the sake of KPI. When people communicate with each other, they can feel whether they are sincere and attentive, and your understanding of his details will make him feel that you are attentive.

(2) Interest bundling

When cooperating with KOLs, consider the possible loss of KOLs in advance and avoid it in the cooperation plan. For example, using a profit-sharing method instead of a buyout method, using a continuous active method instead of a one-time burst method, etc.

Of course, it would be best to allow KOL to participate in the operation of the platform and let him leave more things on the platform, such as his fans. Let him rely on the platform, and these influences will disappear when he leaves the platform, which will allow the KOL to stay longer.

8. Conclusion

Many times, KOL operations are very similar to our real-life love life. You have to understand her, make her happy, give her benefits, set rules, and grow together through difficulties. It’s just that in our KOL operation, it’s one person who is in love with multiple people. Of course, this tests the operator’s ability even more. And in this process, what you need to do is meticulous, meticulous, and meticulous again.

KOL operations require higher standards than regular refined operations, and if you want to be an excellent KOL operator, you need to be more meticulous than others.

In the actual operation process, you may encounter many problems, some of which you can solve easily, and some are not so easy to solve, but you can remember one principle: the ultimate goal of introducing KOLs is to serve our ordinary users together, rather than for us to serve KOL users together.

I hope that on the road of KOL operation, you can turn yourself into a KOL in the industry!

Source: Liu Changlin