{"id":4762,"date":"2021-09-14T09:51:13","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T09:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viralmango.com\/?p=4762"},"modified":"2023-10-31T12:16:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T12:16:45","slug":"key-opinion-leaders-kols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viralmango.com\/blog\/key-opinion-leaders-kols\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Opinion Leaders | KOLs: Benefits of KOL marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
Marketing Specialist 1: I\u2019m implementing KOL marketing into my marketing campaign. Key opinion leaders – KOLs – have been gaining a strong reputation among social media users, and are starting to become a key part of the marketing strategy of many businesses. As you invest in your influencer marketing strategy, incorporating work with KOLs can help you bring significantly better results. \u25cf What KOL is and what it stands for, If you know these things already, then this article is not for you. You can exit it and continue scrolling your social media pages. But if you are just starting to explore KOL marketing, you are in the right place, because we are about to do a deep dive into everything KOL-related. Let\u2019s start!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n KOL stands for key opinion leader. If put simply, these are the people you\u2019ll trust about something because you trust their expertise and knowledge on that particular topic. You can think of it as a prime example of word-of-mouth marketing: people trust something more because of who said it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n KOLs are the best way to make the most out of word-of-mouth marketing. Due to their accomplishments and experience, they are usually a trusted name in their industry. More often than not, they cover a specific niche and often have a super-targeted audience interested in that topic and waiting for the next recommendation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Quite often, key opinion leaders represent certain fields requiring specific education, experience, and qualifications. Some examples of such cases are:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Naturally, nobody would give better legal consultation than a respected lawyer working for a well-known agency that has a blog where they share their experiences and knowledge. So, if you\u2019re trying to raise awareness about a specific legal issue, the key opinion leaders in that particular niche would be the best choice to go.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Marketing Specialist 2: Wai.. wait, aren\u2019t influencers and key opinion leaders the same thing? The terms \u201cinfluencer\u201d and \u201ckey opinion leader\u201d are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. People might follow influencers for the sole fact that everyone else follows them, without looking for anything specific. Meanwhile, they follow Key opinion leaders because they trust them and their expertise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here are some of the main differences between KOLs and influencers:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Unlike influencers, key opinion leaders do not earn their living off of influencer collaborations with brands. They usually have professional careers or are retired and just share what they have learned, without looking for a financial reward.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n KOLs are highly-trained professionals with years of experience, and this knowledge and expertise are what make them credible. Their qualifications make their opinions on this or that topic relevant to their niche much more valuable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Because influencers earn a living on social media, and their audience is directly connected to their earnings, they are only as powerful as the number of followers they have. KOLs however usually have much smaller audiences, usually even fewer followers than a micro-influencer. However, their input in your campaign will hold a greater weight than that of an influencer with millions of followers who aren\u2019t qualified to give advice on that topic, because people follow them specifically for their expertise and advice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Eventually, KOLs may choose to become influencers. This happens when they decide to start promoting products to their audience. Usually, their target is a lot more targeted than that of influencers, so to make the best of the experience of KOLs, make sure to reach out only to KOLs whose content is directly related to your field, to make sure your product aligns with their views.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Marketing Specialist 2: Got it. But still, why should I go with a KOL with 4602 followers when I can have access to the hundreds of thousands of followers of an influencer? The reason why more and more brands go with KOL marketing is that it\u2019s simply more effective and yields better results. Here are a few reasons why:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Collaboration with key opinion leaders will cost you a lot less than a partnership with influencers. If you have experience working with influencers<\/a> before, you know that working with big names with large followings can cost you quite a large sum. Creators with smaller following, like KOLs and micro-influencers, are much more affordable and tend to have lots of wiggle room when it comes to pricing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Additionally, with KOLs there is often a chance for free collaboration! KOLs have a professional reputation to uphold, so they usually only promote what\u2019s best for their audience. So, if your product catches their interest and aligns with their values, they\u2019ll be more willing to promote it at a lower cost, for free, or through an affiliate, which can\u2019t always be the case with influencers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Marketing Specialist 2: Yeah, we\u2019re collaborating with famous vloggers as well.
Marketing Specialist 1: You have no idea what I\u2019m talking about, huh?
Marketing Specialist 2: What?
Marketing Specialist 1: Okay, let me explain.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
To help you understand better what KOLs are and you can benefit from them, in this article, we go over everything you need to know about how key opinion leaders can help you with your marketing. The article goes over:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u25cf The Difference between KOLs and Influencers,
\u25cf What the benefits of KOL marketing are,
\u25cf How to build a KOL marketing strategy,
\u25cf What are some of the best KOL marketing examples.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What is KOL and what does it stand for?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Marketing Specialist 1: Are all fruits apples? Let me explain.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nKOLs vs Influencers: What’s the difference?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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KOLs have a full-time job<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Key opinion leaders are professionals\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Follower count doesn\u2019t play a big role for KOLs<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
KOLs Teach, Influencers Sell<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Marketing Specialist 1: Let me quickly go over the benefits of KOL marketing.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What are the benefits of KOL marketing?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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