2020 New Marketing Trend Is Moving From KOL To KOC

In the world of marketing, there are two main types of "people": brands and consumers (users). Just like definition of marketing, which is the brand to pass the right information to the right consumers through the right channels.

What is KOL?

As social media becomes one of the most popular channels to promote brands and reach the target audience, the third type of "people" stands out. They are KOL (Key Opinion Leader). 

KOL, Key Opinion Leader,  are experts in a certain field, and they have their own fans, so many brands love to cooperate with KOL to promote new products and reach more target audience. 

For example, one of my favorite makeup  KOL on social media is Deepica Mutyala. She has 226k followers. Her makeup tutorials are very popular and fun to watch. 

Therefore,  many cosmetics brands cooperate with her to promote the new makeup products. For example, Deepica always teach how to use lipstick to make beautiful and shining eye shadow. In the video, she likes to show the product first, so her fans can see the product brand and detail look. And many fans love to ask the related product information in the comments. 

Therefore, Deepica is a very successful KOL in the makeup world. She connects brands with fans (potential consumers) in a natural way. Instead of pushing products to consumers, Deepica's posts and video make consumers interested in the products and ask for the product directly. It also helps brands to build relationship with target audience effectively. 

What is KOC?

In China, a new type of "people" , KOC (Key Opinion Consumer), become more and more popular in the marketing, especially on Wechat, Douyin and Little Red Book App.

KOC, Key Opinion Consumer, are consumers like you and me, and they love to share their true product review on popular social media platform. Even thought most of KOC don't have many fan base, they are the key to let consumers make buying decision.

KOL has become an indispensable part of the brand communication chain, but the value of KOC seems to be ignored by many brands.

For example, Little Red Book App is a very hot platform to share product reviews in China. When I want to buy different skin products, I always open this App and search for the related information and reviews first. 

Image from online

According to iResearch, by 2019, Red Book App has a total 120 million users to share the real consumption experience and product reviews. It becomes the most powerful "word of mouth" app to influence consumers shopping behavior. Those KOC are the core secret to make people buy the products immediately.

KOL V.S. KOC

• KOL is our expert, but KOC is our friend

Although KOL is very well-known and has large fan base, they look too cool to reach. When they share their products, the main consumer concerns are "it must be expensive", "it is not suitable for me" and "Too much Photoshop". And when fans make comment under the post, KOL are usually ignore them. 

However, KOC are not as well-known as KOL, they are consumers themselves. The content they share is mostly their own experience. And they pay more attention to the interaction with fans. It makes fan feel truthful and closer. 

One of the characteristics of KOC is "reality". They are closer to consumers because they are also the real consumers. Although the content they share is not as fancy as KOL, but they are real, so they are close to the consumers.

The second of characteristic of KOC is "trustful". They highly focus on interaction with fans. As a result, KOC and fans form a more trusting relationship. Fans feel more emotional connection to engage with KOC than to engage with KOL.

• KOL is leading to the traffic, but KOC is leading to the sale

Brands and KOLs can get more traffic and brand exposure on the public platforms, but they are hard to convert those traffic into sales. KOL's content is professional, but the communication with the fans is one-way, so fans feel "cold". As a result, it won't simulate fans to buy the products. 

KOC conception is a real expression. Their content and copywriting are not refined, and sometimes they are very rough, but because of the truth and the high interaction,  it achieves high engagement and conversion.  

Overall

KOC has become a certain marketing trend. It turns from the "product" to the "people" as the center. From KOL to KOC, it also turns from focusing on "content" to focusing on "people". Selling ads and traffics are not good enough to bring consumer's interests. Sharing real consumption experience and product reviews make consumers pay more attention and get more emotional connection. It is the key to motivate consumers to take buying action. 

References:

https://www.sohu.com/a/335188602_570245?scm=1002.44003c.fe0165017c.PC_ARTICLE_REC&spm=smpc.content.fd-d.36.1557532800023oXoZw5N

https://www.jishuwen.com/d/2DMW/zh-tw