In the midst of the internet age, people can easily become overwhelmed by the vast amount of information that flows around on social media. Whether they be restaurant ideas, travel suggestions, or even consumable goods recommendations, it is often challenging for consumers to build trust on the opinion of certain public figures, given that many celebrities post in paid partnership with businesses. On the other hand, for businesses, finding these right individuals who possess publicity and a trusted reputation becomes key to being able to market their brands in the most efficient and effective way. As a result, this need shines light on the emergence of “Key Opinion Leaders”, who are commonly referred to as KOL’s.
What is a KOL and who are they in Hong Kong?
By definition, key opinion leaders are individuals, or organizations, that hold influential power with their information and opinion. One of the most unique and common traits of a KOL is his or her image as a normal citizen. This means that putting aside this individual’s identity on social media platforms, he or she is just like anyone else who may possibly be working a full-time job and living life like an average citizen. While people may choose to pursue in these parties’ recommendations because followers genuinely have an interest in the products or places that the KOL is posting, more commonly, internet users choose to follow the ideas of KOL’s because the information which they share are often positioned from a consumer, or so called normal citizen’s standpoint. This creates an impression in followers’ mindsets that those info is in fact relatable to their own being, and that the products that are being promoted, regardless of the value, are more attainable than people may have imagined. Hence, this phenomenon not only stimulates people’s desire to test and trial key opinion leaders’ recommendations, which in turn drives brand awareness and sales, but being able to acquire what has been offered also satisfies people’s whim to live the life of a KOL.
So, who are the KOL’s in Hong Kong? Frankly, with such a wide and diverse consumer market, Hong Kong is home to a more than generous number of key influencers. Though since food and beverage, and lifestyle are our specialties, let us explore the leaders in these streams.
Food
1. @thisgirlabroad
@thisgirlabroad not only captures foods at their finest, but she also shares photos of different places and environments, allowing followers to join her on the adventure for the best tastes in Hong Kong.
2. @phoenix_k
@phoenix_k ‘s minimalistic style in her posts is guaranteed to have you mesmerized, and they are most definitely aesthetically-inspiring.
3. @instagramandrex
@instagramandrex is always on the lookout for great-tasting AND “instagrammable” food. Quite frankly, her food photography skills will make anything look mouth-watering!
Lifestyle
1. @rougecloset
@rougecloset is a fashion and lifestyle blogger who is passionate in a variety of luxury goods. Her minimalistic yet colorful post style is almost just as inspiring as the content.
2. @ctunglee
@ctunglee , with the screen name Life Enjoyer, aims to spread happiness by sharing his various perspectives on food, life, as well as his home town, Hong Kong.
3. @doppiodrea
Not only are @doppiodrea ‘s posts aesthetically pleasing, but her inclusion of bilingual captions even amplifies her audience by who knows how many times!
PR: Your key to success
As Andy Warhol once said, “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” In the rapidly growing realm of the world wide web, new key opinion leaders arise every day. Thus, what consumers are looking for in the market and who they choose to believe in can change so swiftly that even marketing campaigns with long streams of research may no longer be effective by the time they are executed. This is where public relations become key to highlighting current market trends, and why hiring experts in the field is crucial in order to be able to effectively provide tactics to these insights. Not only are PR professionals already maintaining close and sturdy relationships with many well-established KOL’s, but a true professional would also have an eye to spot any active users who appear to be KOL’s in-the-making. Furthermore, staying alert and conscious to anyone or anything that may be gaining popularity in our community are fundamental to a creative process; being able to make use of these trends amplifies a brand’s market reach and determines a PR firm’s ability to be genuinely, strategically creative. Consequently, long-term planning is necessary for businesses to strive, however, one must understand that the framework of plans must remain dynamic in order to cope with the ever-changing form of the consumer market.
Read More:
http://www.brandnow.asia/key-opinion-leaders/
http://hashtaglegend.com/post/hong-kong-top-digital-influencers-legend100hk-awards-ceremony
https://influence.co/go/location-search/top-hk-influencers/city/hong-kong
http://blog.innity.com/2017/03/key-opinion-leaders-kol-and-influencer-marketing-power-to-the-people/