Key Opinion Leaders: Your Guide to Leading Influencers

A key opinion leader (KOL) is a trusted expert in a certain subject or industry. KOLs have the respect of consumers and others in the KOL’s industry, community or field. KOLs earn this title by becoming thought leaders, taking on challenges in their fields, and taking action that earns them respect and trust.

Key opinion leaders can be social media influencers, particularly those who connect with consumers, but this isn’t always the case. Some KOLs may not be active online but are still highly recognized and respected. Both individuals and organizations can serve as KOLs.

Working with a KOL shouldn’t come across as a hard sell but should give the audience something that entertains, helps and/or educates them.

The benefits of using a KOL in your marketing strategy

When you use a KOL in your marketing strategy, it can give your brand a variety of advantages, including:

Reaching the correct target audiences: Working with a KOL who is an expert in your business-related field helps you reach your target audience.
Providing product and marketing feedback: Besides gaining attention for your brand, KOLs can provide feedback on products and services to help your business tailor your marketing strategies and campaigns.
Creating trust in your brand and enhancing your brand image: A trusted KOL creates trust in your brand through their authenticity and expertise, giving you a leg up on the competition.
Growing leads, engagement and conversions: Working with a KOL can spark interest in your brand, which translates into leads, engagement and conversions.
Growing market share: As using a KOL grows sales for your brand, it can also grow market share and improve valuable sources of revenue.
Maximizing the marketing campaign: If working with a KOL includes permission to repurpose KOL content, you can maximize the marketing campaign to grow awareness, engagement and traffic. For example, you can repurpose content created for your website for social media.

Finding a KOL

There are several ways to find a KOL. One is to monitor media like industry news and opinion pieces, press releases and social media. Another is to try networking and attending industry events or checking out the editorial boards of leading industry publications. You can also search LinkedIn.

The first step is identifying the KOLs who might be right for your brand and marketing campaign. Assess whether you’re looking for KOLs on a local, regional, national or international level.

Examples of KOLs in different fields

KOLs’ valuable expertise can help you improve your marketing campaigns and strategies. Here is a quick look at what KOLs’ presence looks like in different fields and lines of work:

The tech industry: Neil Patel is an example of a KOL in the tech industry because he founded his own digital marketing agency. Neil shares his knowledge of SEO practices and social media.

The Beauty Industry: The beauty industry has a strong list of empowering KOLs like Huda Beauty. Many of these KOLs began as influencers in the beauty industry and capitalized on their positions by creating their own lines of products.

Multiple industries: Entrepreneur and engineer Elon Musk is a valued KOL in several industries, including space, technology, social media and more. Another example of a KOL in multiple industries is Selena Gomez, who is an activist, actress, singer, model and now a valued part of the beauty industry with her brand Rare Beauty.

The restaurant industry: KOLs in the restaurant industry often look like celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsey and Bobby Flay. These two iconic chefs have built incredible careers and have starred in TV shows. Food and wine journalists like Ruth Reichl and Helen Rosner are also KOLs in this field.

The pharmaceutical industry: The top physicians, researchers and other medical experts often become KOLs due to their expert advice and knowledge of medicine. Pharmaceutical companies use KOLs for training, speaker bureaus, advisory boards, clinical trials, research and development, and more.

The travel industry: Travel KOLs are often those who have traveled for years and have built credible reputations by sharing their experiences with others. Louis Cole is one of the original travel YouTubers who has gained more than 1M followers by taking his followers on his adventures and providing his recommendations for traveling abroad. The Bucket List Family joins him with 3M followers on Instagram and a popular blog, on which they share family-friendly travel recommendations as well. Travel journalists also are KOLs.

Influencers vs. KOLs

While influencers and KOLs share similarities and can often be used interchangeably, they have important differences.

KOLs are not content creators

While many KOLs have taken their voices to social media to continue sharing their credible expert advice and opinions, they are not specifically classified as content creators. They often share content related to their professional careers and opinions, setting them apart from influencers.

Influencers may be motivated by financial compensation

While influencers can be prompted to work with brands that compensate them financially or with gifted products, KOLs differ in this sense. KOLs use their social platforms as thought leaders and for the pure satisfaction of sharing their expertise with others. They also seek to elevate the brands and companies they own or work for.

KOLs bring expertise and leadership to the table, providing brands the opportunity to tap into the trust and authentic relationships with their audiences.