How to Find the Right Xiaohongshu KOL for My China Marketing Campaign?
Ready to level up your business in China with an epic Xiaohongshu KOL campaign?
But wait, feeling a bit lost on where to start?
No worries — I’ve got your back! 🤠
Today, I’m sharing a step-by-step guide to helping you find the right Xiaohongshu KOL for your China marketing campaign.
Before we start, let’s make sure we are on the same page.
First of all, you might be wondering, what is a KOL? 👀
Well, KOL stands for ‘Key Opinion Leader.’ These are the trendsetters who have a serious influence on social media.
Second, why Xiaohongshu KOL marketing is the real deal in China?
On the one hand, Xiaohongshu is a platform where people search for product reviews and shopping tips. On the other hand, these KOLs hold significant power, and their words can strongly influence trends and decisions.
Last, nailing the right KOLs is the golden ticket to a campaign that slays. These influencers can make or break your message.
Okay, get ready for a deep dive into Xiaohongshu KOL marketing.
I’m here to unlock the secrets like how to find KOLs, check their authenticity, build strong relationships and more.
Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Right Xiaohongshu KOL
Step 1: Understanding Your Target Audience
Before you jump into the KOL research, you must have a clear picture of your target audience.
Sure, you already have a general sense of your brand’s audience — like gender, age, interests, shopping habits, and income.
But the real gold lies in refining your target for the Xiaohongshu platform and this campaign specifically.
How do you do that? Research!
What keywords resonate on this platform? Who’s talking about these topics? What’s the character?
Once you’ve done your research, integrate your findings into your campaign brief. ✍️
This comprehensive campaign brief should encompass your brand introduction, your audience on Xiaohongshu, and the core message you aim to deliver.
It not only grounds your campaign but also shows your potential KOL partners how to collaborate effectively.
Step 2: Identifying KOL Niches
Your brand has its unique identity — make sure your KOL niche resonates with it.
Whether it’s fashion, travel, tech, or even chic, minimalist, or edgy, identify a niche that effortlessly matches your brand’s vibe.
Also, the different campaign objectives need the different niche type of KOL supporting your mission.
For example, if your goal is to enhance brand awareness, you should focus on general KOLs who excel in spreading the word via vlog/blog.
On the other hand, if your objective is to drive sales, direct your attention towards KOLs known for showcasing products. 👩🔬
So, make sure your campaign objective is clear.
Step 3: Different methods for Xiaohongshu KOL research
- Search directly on the Xiaohongshu APP.
Using your industry keywords or brand-related terms to search on Xiaohongshu
For example, if you’re a Jewelry brand, consider searching for terms like “Women’s Jewelry,” “Quality Jewelry,” or niche down further with “Gold Necklace.” 💅
Then, you will have a lot of KOLs who posted related content with a massive impression on the feed.
2. Visit the official KOL partnership platform.
Apply for a business (pro) account and visit the official KOL partnership platform PuGongYing: https://pgy.xiaohongshu.com
Here, you’ll discover all the profiles of KOLs in your industry niche.
Xiaohongshu now categorizes industries such as Beauty, Fashion, Food, Education, Travel, Music, Technology, Business Finance, Health and Wellness and more…
In addition, the platform offers other filters such as KOL characteristics (e.g. mom, pet owner, overseas Chinese, business owner, model), providing advanced options.
You can even select KOLs based on demographics in China and countries like the USA, Australia, Japan, Canada, the UK, Singapore, France, and more…
If you want to create a business account, refer to my other article about Pro Account Guide, or contact me directly to get one.
3. Beyond the official KOL partnership platform, third-party platforms provide comprehensive data and assist in KOL selection, such as:
- NewRank（ 新红）: https://xh.newrank.cn
- ChanXiaoHong（蝉小红）：https://www.chanxiaohong.com
- QianGua（千瓜）：http://www.qian-gua.com
On these platforms, you can not only select KOLs but also explore KOL campaigns of other brands, including your competitors.
You can analyze factors such as the number of posts other brands created for KOL campaigns, the results they’ve achieved, and the types of KOLs they’ve collaborated with.
This insight can help you track your competitors’ performance, enabling you to define and refine your own strategy.
Step 4: Evaluating KOL Authenticity and Quality
Now, let’s step into the critical process of evaluating KOL authenticity.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Examine Engagement Rates: A high engagement rate typically indicates authenticity.
The most important metric on Xiaohongshu is like+saves. This number is on everyone’s profile, indicating the account’s polarity.
Usually, like+save/followers≥1.5 consider a quality account.
2. Assess Content Quality: Review the KOL’s content thoroughly. Ensure consistency in content quality and style.
3. Review Recent 90-Day Posts: Take a closer look at the KOL’s posts from the past 90 days.
Check if the post engagement rate is consistent or if there are any viral posts. Viral content indicates that the KOL has the potential to make a genuine impact on your campaign.
Great job! 👍
After verifying the quality KOLs in your niche, who sharing the same target audience and aligning with your campaign goal, you’ve found the perfect KOL for your brand.
What’s next? 🧐
You might be thinking about how to pitch KOL? Negotiate? And what’s the process of collaboration?
Don’t worry, I’ve got more info coming your way in future articles.
Make sure to subscribe to my blog and stay tuned.
And hey, if you feel like this is a lot to handle, don’t stress. I’m here to help. I can assist you with:
- Picking the right KOLs for your goals.
- Managing your campaign from negotiation, communication, content proofreading, and data tracking to reporting.
- Making things easier and saving you time.
Whether your brand is new to starting from scratch in China or you’re outsourcing to an experienced agency to meet your growing marketing needs, I’ve got your back.
Reach out anytime! I’m Zoe, a social media expert with over 6 years of experience, I’m passionate about helping international brands succeed in China.
- My website: https://www.chinamarketingzl.com/
- Email: zoe@chinamarketingzl.com
- Follow me on Instagram: @chinamarketingzl
- Check out my YouTube HERE for more tips
