Short video applications by key opinion leaders as online marketing on social media

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate how Chinese key opinion leaders influence and impact the marketing in social media platforms in China. In particular, with regards to customers’ trust towards KOLs and customers’ purchase motivation. The Chinese short video application industry is a burgeoning and valuable market with more than 820 million monthly active users and 22 hours monthly usage time per capita, which offers marketing managers a powerful tool with which to reach their target customer (QuestMobile, 2019). Tik Tok and Kuai Shou, the two most dominant Chinese short video Platforms, account for more than 70% of monthly active users (QuestMobile, 2019). Their operational models are totally different, Tik Tok is more centralized as the platform bases most of its recommendation resources on KOLs. On the contrary, Kuai Shou is highly decentralized, which means that any user has almost the same chances to get exposure as long as the video is approved. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The primary data is collected by an online survey with over 253 respondents. Regarding the result of this study, product comparison, product effect display, and professional product data are the contents that have a positive influence on the trust towards KOLs of Chinese generation z and close relationships with KOLs, good previous purchase experiences, adorable brand, and good reputation of KOLs are regarded as factors that stimulate his or her purchase desire by Chinese generation z. The results of this study may help KOLs to produce high-quality content in the future and may help companies to locate and reach the appropriate KOLs more efficiently and more effectively.