The KOL

Surely we have all heard about the already coveted influencers, they seem the most effective weapon that brands have at this time. But there is a small group unknown and often ignored by the big brands, the so-called KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) or micro-influencers.

Like the big influencers, the KOLs move and specialize in a very specific area of interest, in addition to having a high degree of confidence by their followers. But what differentiates the two groups is that the KOLs usually have a much more direct, close and loyal relationship with their audience, which, although smaller, has proven to be most effective.

“People influence people. Nothing Influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trust referral influence people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.”

Mark Zuckerberg

Identifying these micro-influencers is not always an easy task, let alone knowing which is the most appropriate for the public and the interests that the brand has. For this reason, there are some steps that we must follow, and with the reinforcement of some pages that can help streamline the process, we can choose the KOL that best suits our interests.

Steps to choose the KOL

Identification:

First of all, we must make a list of words related to the topic that interests us. But not all serve. We should look for words highlighted in conversations that have taken place on that topic.

Then, we must make a list in KOLs ranking format, paying attention to the incoming responses, ‘likes’, mentions, ‘tweets’ and ‘retweets’ (in the case of the social network Twitter), without forgetting the number of followers and the geographical area they cover (local, regional, national or international).

In this first step, maps are usually provided where you can see graphically the relationship of all the elements discussed.

Recruitment:

In this part, all the contact procedures, the negotiations, and the rules are agreed.

Engagement:

The KOL must be committed to the actions carried out by the company and that has been agreed, from events, product promotion, to providing information about the brand.

Evaluation:

In any marketing and public relations process, it is necessary to evaluate the achievements and aspects to be improved. To do this, maps will usually be used to see the effect that KOL has had on its public.

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