KOL: Should Brands Join The Bandwagon?




"Modern problems call for modern solutions,”

Given social media’s rising prominence in our society, brands and marketers go head-to-head on the battlefield that’s the internet. Revenues are counted not only in currencies; but also in engagement rates. Billboards have shrunk into the palm of our hands. Eyes are glued as we are scrolling through Miley Cyrus’ feed hoping to find a glimpse of her fitness secrets—hold on, detox slimming tea? That should be it. Okay, add to cart.

That doesn’t always happen, indeed—but as far as effectiveness is concerned, it’s natural for humans to feel some sense of belonging and entitlement towards anything that crosses their sight. Especially when they’re worn by celebrities they’ve sworn to dedicate their lives to. Hence, chances are those likes and retweets will eventually end up in a sales boost.

As for its usefulness, it falls under your responsibility at the end of the day, such as whether or not you have fully utilised your KOLs to their fullest potential—this might come off as a shocker, but it isn’t as simple as just reaping the ones with the most Instagram followers.

One of the ways to maximise your KOL potential is to know your audience, and know who’s telling the story. If you’re a fashion company, naturally you wouldn’t want somebody who doesn’t dress up. Other than that, make sure you’ve calculated their engagement rate—no number of followers will justify engagement rate. But the most important aspect of KOL marketing (that’s often overlooked) is taking into account what your audience would love to see—a KOL’s ‘relatability’ should play a massive role in whether they’re an effective KOL, for instance. If a KOL puts out posts wearing endorsed cheap handbags despite being known individuals with incalculable wealth, would the audience believe they’re actually consumers of the brand? Would Kylie Jenner voluntarily rock Indonesian-made Nike-lookalikes on a daily basis?

All in all, is KOL actually beneficial for brands and businesses? Yes, as long as you’re in the right path.


Deandra Anjani Aurellia H
1806240706

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