SHANGHAI, CHINA — Ebiquity plc, a world leader in media investment analysis, announced the release of its latest report, “How to maximize your return on Influencer Marketing in China.” Advertisers who want their brands to succeed in China should consider key opinion leaders (KOLs) as a key plank of their country-wide marketing strategy.
As the largest social media market in the world, China has a penetration rate of 66%, representing 28% of the global social media population. China’s social media market has evolved quickly over the past few years, propelled in part by the stratospheric rise of key opinion leaders (KOLs) and live streaming, which has permanently altered the social landscape.
“KOL marketing and live streaming is set to become a dominant platform and ecosystem in China going forward,” said Stewart Li, Managing Director, Ebiquity China. “Marketers need to hone their craft in this new integrated channel to boost sales and future-proof their brand’s relevance with the next generation of consumers.”
Today, social commerce is heavily reliant on live-streaming sales, which means advertisers who want their brands to succeed in China should consider KOL live streaming. Having conducted dozens of KOL performance audits and benchmarking projects over the years, Ebiquity’s China team has identified best practices, risks, and attention areas that advertisers should look out for when considering KOL live-streaming.
This report covers seven steps that can help advertisers successfully leverage the power of KOLs. These include developing a KPI framework; deploying 3rd party tracking and fraud verification; breaking down KOL quotations; setting guidelines; agreeing to a systematic evolution and agency remuneration model; and finally, ensuring that the right contract is in place. And most importantly, work with the right local partners.
“Influencer marketing in China is extraordinary. Our research finds the top 15% of all KOLs in China generate return on investment (ROI) six times more than the average ROI”, said James Gong, Vice-President of Datastory. “We suggest advertisers take a closer look at the effectiveness of their campaigns. And seek ROI maximization opportunities from KOL selection and content optimization.”
