In this guide
1. KOL vs KOC, clear definitions
- KOL is a Key Opinion Leader. Professional creator with a defined niche and large reach. Good for reach, credibility, and lead volume spikes.
- KOC is a Key Opinion Consumer. Real user or micro creator with smaller following. Good for trust, reviews, and steady conversion.
2. When to use KOLs and when to use KOCs
- Launch and awareness favors KOLs. You want a fast audience introduction and social proof.
- Consideration and conversion often favors KOCs. You want relatable demos and real life usage.
- Retention and community benefits from a mix. Occasional KOL moments combined with ongoing KOC reviews.
3. How to select creators
- Audience fit, review comments and shares to see who engages and why.
- Content quality, consistent lighting, audio, and storytelling that matches your category.
- Past performance, ask for anonymized case summaries or links to top posts.
- Platform footprint, WeChat presence is key, other channels help only if they push back to your account or Mini Program.
4. Briefs that creators like
- One clear angle, a single promise with one action.
- Key facts, 3 proof points and two examples. No long decks.
- Creative freedom, guardrails for claims and compliance, but let them speak in their voice.
- Assets, product, screenshots, and a working demo if relevant.
- CTA, follow the account, save the article, tap the menu, claim coupon, or open Mini Program.
5. Formats that work on WeChat
- Short video + Article, a teaser video that drives to a fuller WeChat article with links and menu actions.
- Live stream, planned with a simple schedule and coupon code. Promote in advance through your account and the creator’s channels.
- Mini Program demo, show the flow to claim a sample, book a slot, or buy a bundle. Keep the path short.
- Group buying, time bound and transparent about the threshold. Works best with everyday products and clear savings.
- Giveaway with save-and-share, users save the article and share a screenshot to enter. Keep it simple.
6. What to measure
- Direct, follows, saves, menu clicks, QR scans, Mini Program opens, orders, and redemptions.
- Assisted, comment quality, customer service mentions, branded search inside WeChat.
- Cost lens, cost per engaged view, cost per follower, cost per order for commerce pushes.
7. Contracts, usage, and compliance
- Deliverables, number of posts, video length, live duration, and deadlines.
- Usage rights, where you can repost and for how long. Agree on paid boosting if needed.
- Claims, provide approved claims and required disclosures. Health or finance content needs extra care.
- Tracking, dedicated QR or parameterized links for each creator.
- Payment terms, split by milestones, send products on time, and define make-good rules for underperformance.
8. Common pitfalls
- Picking reach over fit. A smaller but right audience often wins.
- Bloated briefs. Creators need focus to make content that feels natural.
- No destination. If there is no article, coupon, or Mini Program, interest fades.
- Underestimating pre-promo. Warm up your own account before the creator posts.
- No measurement plan. You cannot improve what you do not track.
9. Suggested timeline
- Week 1, pick angle, shortlist creators, prepare assets, build tracking.
- Week 2, confirm deliverables, ship product, approve outline.
- Week 3, creator produces content, your account warms up with a related post.
- Week 4, publish, live support, report on direct and assisted actions.
10. What to do next
- Define your one sentence campaign promise.
- List three creator candidates for KOL and five for KOC.
- Draft a one page brief with assets and a single CTA.
- Set up a simple dashboard with follows, saves, clicks, and orders.
Want help planning a creator push
I can shortlist creators, build the brief, set up tracking, and manage publishing and reporting.
Start a project