There is a little mud in the water when it comes to defining Key Opinion leaders (KOL). Some people confuse key opinion leaders with influencers. Influencers usually operate online. Opinion leaders don’t always operate online. Opinion leaders help build market awareness. And that helps sell products and services on and offline. They are the people or companies that have expertise in a particular field of endeavor.
The Pandemic Increase The Need For Key Opinion Leaders
Going to a brick-and-mortar store during the pandemic is not the first option these days for consumers who help drive more than 70% of Gross Domestic Product growth every year. The consumer market is huge, and it gets bigger every day despite the pandemic. The pandemic changed the face of retail.
Consumers rely on people who have a history of telling it like it is when it comes to purchasing products and services. Key Opinion Leaders have the ability to shape the retail market in a way that changes how and why people buy merchandise and services. Names like Lori Greiner, Seth Godin, Arianna Huffington, and other recognizable opinion leaders. Some opinion leaders like former Google VP of Brand Solutions Dan Cobley specialize in branding.
Consumers Relied On Just Advertising In The Old Retail Days
Consumers relied on advertising in the old retail days, according to NetBase Quid. Printed and word-of-mouth advertising was the flavor of the day before the Internet became a consumer-driven giant. Back in the old retail days, buying a product or service was a shot in the dark.
There was no concrete evidence from experts available that protected consumers from paying for products that didn’t stand up to advertising claims. The birth of Key Opinion Leaders changed all that, according to NetBase Quid. NetBase Quid is a consumer marketing and intelligence platform.
KOLs Influence Consumers Using All Kinds Of Marketing Strategies
NetBase Quid is the combination of two tech-savvy companies that put their tech tools together. NetBase and Quid wanted to make it easier to market products and services on and off the net using a high-tech platform. Identifying the KOL or KOLs that work for various sectors of the economy is just one of the company’s services.
NetBase Quid developed hi-tech marketing tools that increase brand perception and track consumer behavior in different markets. Finding the right KOL is part of the initial strategy brands used to make consumers aware of new trends and changes in buying habits.
The pandemic created a major change in buying habits. Before the pandemic, spending money on printed marketing campaigns was important. But now that companies know KOLs help revive the energy the brand projected before the virus. And then track the results of KOL participation.
KOLs Like To Use The Press To Help Market Products
Key Opinion leaders use the press to market products. And the press uses KOLs when they need credible information about current issues. KOLs are weather experts, political strategists, college professors, and Hollywood stars.
These high-profile leaders have credibility in a chosen field of endeavor, and they have a reputation for being honest. Finding the right KOL takes research using up-to-date tech marketing and an information stream that runs through different segments of the economy.
