In the West, an influencer gets you noticed. In China, they close the sale.
On Instagram, the creator sits at the top of the funnel. In China, discovery, research and checkout happen on one screen, in the same minute. The KOL is not your awareness layer. They are standing at the register. So we pick creators on data, we brief them properly, and what we get paid is tied to what actually sold.
Why China is a different game
Most brands show up with the Western playbook and lose money for a quarter before they work out why. Three things it gets wrong.
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The funnel is one screen, not five steps.
Chinese shoppers don’t leave the app to decide. They scroll, search, watch a livestream and buy, all in the same place. Treat the influencer as a billboard and the budget is gone before the first post goes up.
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The numbers are bigger than people expect.
Livestream commerce alone runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars a year, and the channel keeps growing at a double-digit rate.
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And brands still underspend it.
Influencer investment in Asia trails the US by an order of magnitude, even though the channel does more of the selling. The opportunity is sitting right there.
China’s livestreaming e-commerce market reached roughly $807 billion in 2024, and is projected to grow at around 18 percent a year through 2026.
Across Asia, influencer spend is just 0.75 percent of social commerce GMV, against 6.8 percent in the US.
One last shift. The era of renting a single giant name is fading. Brand-led and store-led livestreams now drive most of Douyin’s commerce, and top KOLs take a 40 to 50 percent cut. When a shopper looks you up, you want a dozen honest mentions. Not one paid celebrity post.
So here is how we run it
One operator across casting, briefing, production and reporting. The plan that goes into the deck is the one that runs on the platform on Monday.
Find the right people
We start with your goal and your margin, not a name on a list. Then we read the data: who is watching, and what they go on to buy. We keep our own database of KOCs we have used and trust.
Write a brief that travels
The brief is the whole game. We agree the message and the must-haves with you, then leave the execution to the creator. The ones who sound scripted are the ones nobody watches.
Run it end to end
Contracts, content, posting schedule, livestream coordination. You approve the plan. We move budget the moment something underperforms, not weeks later in a post-mortem.
Connect content to commerce
A post you can’t buy from is half a campaign. We link content straight to your store on Douyin, Tmall or JD and track what each creator drove. On Xiaohongshu the sale often lands elsewhere, so we follow it across platforms.
A million followers means nothing if half of them will never buy your category. We read audience composition before we read follower count. Every time.
What is an MCN, and why it matters
An MCN (multi-channel network) is an agency that signs creators and runs everything for them: content, contracts, brand deals, livestream operations.
In China, MCNs run the creator economy. Most working KOLs and KOCs are signed to one. So when you book a creator, you are negotiating with their MCN, not the person, and the MCN works for the creator, not for you.
We deal with MCNs every day, and we work around them when that serves you better. You want someone on your side of the table.
What you actually get
Direct access, data-led selection, and reporting that links every yuan of spend back to a sale you can name.
Direct relationships, better rates.
We work with KOLs and MCNs we know personally, not a marketplace. Priority access to in-demand creators, at rates below open-market.
A KOC network built over years.
Our own database, more than 10,000 creators deep. It puts your product in front of the right niche communities at a scale a brand cannot reach alone.
Selection backed by data, not a gut call.
Every creator on a shortlist is screened first: audience composition, real engagement, fake-follower checks.
Reporting that ties spend to sales.
Creator by creator, across platforms. You know which ones sold while the campaign is still live, while it can still be fixed.
Platforms we run
Seven platforms covered end to end. We pick the two or three that fit your category, not all of them at once.
Xiaohongshu
小红书Where research and purchase happen in the same scroll. A strong note sends shoppers straight to your store. Our own KOC and KOL database lives here.
Douyin
抖音Short video and livestream commerce, run on an interest algorithm. We are an official Douyin marketing partner.
Articles, private traffic, long-form trust and CRM. More than ten years on the platform.
Reach and conversation. Still strong for launches and buzz.
Bilibili
Long-form, younger, deeply engaged. Underused by foreign brands.
Kuaishou
快手Livestream commerce with real pull in lower-tier cities.
Tmall & JD
天猫 / 京东The platforms where the sale closes. We connect KOL content straight to your store and run influencer campaigns inside both.
Eighty notable KOLs in China
A sample across eight verticals, sourced in Chinese from the Chinese web. Names, niches, follower bands, and brands they have run with on record. Not a complete map of the China KOL landscape, and not our roster. A starting point for a conversation.
美妆
Beauty
Skincare, color cosmetics, beauty livestream
10 KOLs
李佳琦
Li Jiaqi / Austin Li
Followers. Douyin 35M+ ; Weibo 7M+
Lipstick King; livestream beauty commerce, color cosmetics
Notable collaborations
- L'Oreal
- YSL Beauty
- Estee Lauder
- +1 more
豆豆_Babe
Doudou Babe
Followers. Douyin 12.5M ; XHS 4M
Cross-cultural makeup parodies, transformation looks
Notable collaborations
- Lancome
- Charlotte Tilbury
- YSL
- +2 more
骆王宇
Luo Wangyu
Followers. Douyin 17M+
Skincare reviews, foundation analysis; former Tom Ford artist
Notable collaborations
- Tom Ford
- Helena Rubinstein
- Estee Lauder
原来是西门大嫂
Ximen Dasao
Followers. All-network 22M+
Premium/luxury beauty seeding, skincare + fashion editorial
Notable collaborations
- YSL Beauty
- Estee Lauder
- Burberry Beauty
- +1 more
深夜徐老师
Midnight Teacher Xu
Followers. All-network ~10M ; Douyin 10M
Approachable everyday makeup, dupes, mass-market beauty
Notable collaborations
- Estee Lauder
- Tom Ford
- Guerlain
- +2 more
潘雨润
Pan Yurun
Followers. Douyin 8.2M
#4 Douyin beauty livestream GMV (~620M RMB/year peak)
Notable collaborations
- Proya (珀莱雅)
- Winona (薇诺娜)
- 韩束
大嘴博士 郝宇
Dr. Big Mouth / Hao Yu
Followers. Douyin 3.5M ; Weibo 1.7M
Science-based skincare; HKU PhD chemistry; ingredient analysis
Notable collaborations
- Winona
- 华熙生物
- L'Oreal science content
机智的党妹
Jizhi de Dangmei
Followers. Bilibili 6.8M peak
Cosplay/Hanfu transformation, Lolita, SFX makeup
Notable collaborations
- Perfect Diary (完美日记)
- Florasis (花西子)
Benny董子初
Benny Dong Zichu
Followers. Bilibili 1.2M ; all-network 5M+
Sharp/critical color cosmetics reviews; men's beauty perspective
Notable collaborations
- Maybelline
- NARS (historical)
- indie color cosmetics
PONY 朴惠敏
PONY (Park Hye-min)
Followers. XHS 4.56M
K-beauty makeup tutorials, beauty entrepreneur (PONY EFFECT)
Notable collaborations
- PONY EFFECT (own brand)
- Memebox
- Etude House
奢侈品
Luxury
Handbags, watches, jewelry, fashion week
10 KOLs
包先生 Mr. Bags
Tao Liang
Followers. Weibo 3.5M ; all 7M+
Luxury handbag expert; Hermes / Chanel / Dior reviews
Notable collaborations
- Givenchy capsule (1.2M RMB / 12min)
- Tod's
- Fendi
- +2 more
gogoboi
Thomas Ye / 叶嗣
Followers. Weibo 7.2M
Red-carpet critique, runway commentary, luxury fashion
Notable collaborations
- Givenchy
- Burberry
- Gucci
- +1 more
黎贝卡 Becky Li
Fang Yimin
Followers. WeChat 3M+ ; Weibo 5.3M
Luxury handbags, ready-to-wear, accessible-luxury rec
Notable collaborations
- MINI Cooper LE
- Rebecca Minkoff co-bag
- Chanel
- +2 more
深夜徐老师 (luxury)
Xu Yan
Followers. Douyin 10M+
Luxury brand-ambassador interviews (Dior, Chanel, Cartier)
Notable collaborations
- Dior
- Chanel
- YSL ambassador interviews; Cartier
章小蕙 Brenda Chang
Cheung Siu-Wai
Followers. XHS 1M+
Luxury lifestyle, high-end skincare & fashion curation
Notable collaborations
- Bvlgari
- Loewe seeding; own 玫瑰是玫瑰 label
大能 Da Neng
Zhao He
Followers. Douyin 10M+
Luxury watches , Rolex, Patek, AP, Omega expert reviews
Notable collaborations
- Geneva Watch Days
- Rolex / Omega / Patek content series
碳酸饮料拜拜
Tansuanyinliao Baibai
Followers. XHS 1M+
Gen-Z luxury street style; #1 booked luxury KOL 2024
Notable collaborations
- Louis Vuitton PFW campaign
- Miu Miu
- Chanel
- +1 more
Anny Fan
Fan Nana
Followers. Weibo ~600K
First-gen Chinese fashion blogger; luxury RTW
Notable collaborations
- Louis Vuitton
- Gucci
- Valentino
- +1 more
Savi (SavisLook)
Guo Xinqi
Followers. Weibo ~400K ; B站 mid
Vlog-style luxury hauls, designer-bag try-ons, fashion week vlogs
Notable collaborations
- Levi's 'the savi jean'
- Net-A-Porter feature
- Coachella sponsors
万宝宝 Wendy Bao Bao Wan
Wan Baobao
Followers. Weibo ~700K
High jewelry; founder Bao Bao Wan Fine Jewellery
Notable collaborations
- Cartier
- Dior Joaillerie
- Hermes
- +1 more
酒店
Hospitality
Luxury hotels, resorts, boutique B&Bs
10 KOLs
房琪 kiki
Fang Qi Kiki
Followers. Douyin 23.7M ; XHS 1M+
Lyrical travel storytelling, boutique stays, luxury resorts
Notable collaborations
- Xiamen Tourism Board
- resort/destination campaigns
小小莎老师
Xiao Xiao Sha Lao Shi
Followers. Douyin 6.5M ; Weibo 2.6M ; XHS 903K
Hotel test-sleeper (试睡员); luxury hotel reviews
Notable collaborations
- Peninsula Hong Kong
- Marriott
- Hilton
- +1 more
猫力Molly
Mao Li Molly / Wang Zichuan
Followers. Weibo 7M+ ; IG 694K
Global travel + boutique/luxury hotels, design-forward resorts
Notable collaborations
- OPPO 'Enjoy Freedom'; partner of Marriott
- Hilton via 懒猫旅行
羽晗
Yu Han
Followers. Weibo 4.5M
Food & travel; hotel experience specialist (酒店体验专家)
Notable collaborations
- 5-star international chains press stays
白凌小豪
Bai Ling Xiao Hao
Followers. Bilibili 1M+
In-depth video hotel reviews; luxury vs budget comparisons; 野奢
Notable collaborations
- Niccolo Chongqing
- Hong Kong Peninsula
- wilderness resorts
杨二小姐游天下
Yang Er Xiaojie
Followers. XHS ~200K+
Hotel & B&B guides; sea-view rooms; regional luxury value
Notable collaborations
- Dali boutique hotels
- regional resort partners
民宿小红叔
Minsu Xiao Hong Shu
Followers. XHS ~300K+
B&B (民宿) expert; Jiangsu/Zhejiang/Shanghai region
Notable collaborations
- 冶园民宿
- 苏州西山民宿
- 江浙沪 B&B brands
宿优品
Su You Pin
Followers. XHS ~500K (matrix)
Yangtze Delta B&B recommendations; XHS official B&B partner
Notable collaborations
- 200+ B&B brands via XHS direct-connect booking
恩恩妈咪
En En Ma Mi
Followers. XHS 100K-500K
Family/parent-child hotels & resorts; 宝妈主理人 persona
Notable collaborations
- Sanya Tianyu
- Chengdu Intercontinental family resort stays
醉时光旅游
Zui Shi Guang Lvyou
Followers. XHS ~200-400K
Hotel & B&B guides; professional review-format content
Notable collaborations
- Domestic resort brand partnerships
美食
Food
Cooking, 探店 restaurant reviews, regional cuisine
10 KOLs
李子柒
Li Ziqi
Followers. Douyin 61M ; Weibo 27.9M ; Bilibili 10M ; Kuaishou 10.3M
Rural cooking, traditional Chinese cuisine, 非遗 heritage
Notable collaborations
- Li Ziqi brand 螺蛳粉 (Tmall flagship)
- CCTV Spring Gala 2025
麻辣德子
Ma La De Zi
Followers. Douyin 34.6M ; 390M likes
Quick home-style Chinese cooking; Northeast cuisine
Notable collaborations
- Suning livestream (10.5M RMB GMV / 3hr)
- Supor (苏泊尔)
密子君
Mi Zi Jun
Followers. Douyin 14.8M ; Weibo 18M
Restaurant 探店 + food reviews (pivoted from mukbang post-2021)
Notable collaborations
- Want Want (旺旺)
- Master Kong (康师傅)
美食作家王刚
Wang Gang
Followers. Bilibili 6.85M ; Toutiao 9.47M ; Douyin 4.93M
Authentic Sichuan restaurant-style cooking; pro chef techniques
Notable collaborations
- Shi Ba Zi Zuo (十八子作) knives
- Luhua (鲁花) cooking oil
绵羊料理
Mian Yang Liao Li
Followers. Bilibili 11.9M
High-difficulty historical/lost recipes; ancient royal cuisine
Notable collaborations
- Vivo X series
- Haidilao (海底捞)
- Bilibili branded
盗月社食遇记
Dao Yue She
Followers. Bilibili 8.21M
Late-night street food 探店; regional food + human-interest
Notable collaborations
- Meituan
- Ele.me
- Mengniu (蒙牛) night-snack
真探高文麒
Gao Wenqi
Followers. All-network ~4M
High-end restaurant 探店; documentary-style food journalism
Notable collaborations
- Zwilling (双立人) , declines paid 探店
食贫道
Shi Pin Dao
Followers. Bilibili 9M+
International food exploration; geo-political food documentaries
Notable collaborations
- Bilibili Originals
- Trip.com (携程)
- Huawei (华为)
Amanda的小厨房
Amanda's Kitchen
Followers. 500K-800K each
Home cooking: baking, Japanese, Chinese home-style
Notable collaborations
- KitchenAid (凯膳怡)
- Anchor (安佳) dairy
日食记 姜老刀
Ri Shi Ji / Jiang Lao Dao
Followers. Aggregate 50M+
Healing-style (治愈系) cinematic cooking; cat mascot Sue 酥饼
Notable collaborations
- Lipton (立顿)
- Want Want (旺旺); own DTC 日食记严选
宠物
Pet
Cats, dogs, exotic pets, pet care
10 KOLs
会说话的刘二豆
Hui Shuo Hua De Liu Er Dou
Followers. Douyin 30M+
Cat content: comedic dubbing of British Shorthairs 二豆 + 瓜子
Notable collaborations
- Royal Canin (皇家)
- 麦富迪 (Myfoodie) ~520K RMB / video
潘宏爱玩狗
Pan Hong Ai Wan Gou
Followers. Douyin 16.6M (pre-suspension)
Dog training/behavior rehab; runs 潘宏乐园 facility
Notable collaborations
- 美伊天祺 (own)
- 麦富迪 , 250K-500K RMB / video
回忆专用小马甲
Hui Yi Zhuan Yong Xiao Ma Jia
Followers. Weibo 36.4M
Cat+dog lifestyle photography (Samoyed 妞妞 + Scottish Fold 端午)
Notable collaborations
- Royal Canin
- Nestle Purina (雀巢冠能)
- 麦富迪
王泡芙
Wang Pao Fu
Followers. XHS 5M+ ; cross-platform 50M+
Cat content (British Shorthair 泡芙); lifestyle, livestreaming
Notable collaborations
- Petio
- 麦富迪; cross-vertical (jewelry
- home
- +1 more
花花与三猫CatLive
Hua Hua Yu San Mao
Followers. Bilibili 2.6M ; cross-platform 10M+
Cat content + cat care education; long-form videos
Notable collaborations
- Royal Canin
- 卫仕 (Vetreska)
- 蓝氏 (Lanshi)
轮胎粑粑
Lun Tai Ba Ba
Followers. Kuaishou 20M
Dog content: Golden Retriever 轮胎 doing tricks; livestream e-com
Notable collaborations
- 麦富迪
- 顽皮 (Wanpy); livestream cross-vertical 6M RMB/session
馒头他爹
Man Tou Ta Die
Followers. Douyin 3.1M
Cat content (Silver Tabby British Shorthair 馒头); daily life
Notable collaborations
- 蓝氏 (Lanshi)
- Petio
芬头儿是猫不是猪
Fen Tou Er
Followers. Douyin 3.1M
Cat content (Silver tabby 邪恶银渐层); comedic + livestream
Notable collaborations
- 蓝氏
- Petio , livestream GMV 5-7.5M RMB / session
小帅家的大狼狗们
Xiao Shuai Jia
Followers. XHS 3M+
Large dogs (Malamutes/Huskies); lifestyle/home integration
Notable collaborations
- Dyson V12 (20.4M views Aug 2023)
- 麦富迪
将蝶
Jiang Die
Followers. XHS 300-500K
Exotic pets (异宠) , scientific hamster care; 仓鼠专家
Notable collaborations
- Carno
- Jolly Pets
- cage/bedding brands
医疗健康
Healthcare
Doctors and medical science 科普
10 KOLs
Brand-deal disclaimer. Healthcare KOLs are restricted from commercial brand deals under Chinese medical advertising rules. Notable fields list institutional roles instead of brands.
张文宏
Zhang Wenhong
Followers. Douyin/Toutiao 2.4M ; Weibo multi-M
Infectious disease; Director, Huashan Hospital ID Dept; CPPCC member
Notable collaborations
- Public-health spokesperson (no commercial deals , regulatory)
医路向前巍子
Yilu Xiangqian Weizi / Gao Wei
Followers. Douyin 24-25M ; all 40M
Emergency medicine first-aid education; PKU First Hospital Miyun
Notable collaborations
- Douyin 2024 Healthcare 人气先锋; Red Cross-style campaigns
崔玉涛
Cui Yutao
Followers. Weibo 7M+
Pediatrics, parenting, infant nutrition; founder 育学园
Notable collaborations
- Author 崔玉涛育儿百科; China Nutrition Society committee
丁香医生 DXY Doctor
DXY Doctor
Followers. Weibo 6M ; matrix 35M+
General medical science popularization (multi-disciplinary)
Notable collaborations
- Owns 丁香妈妈
- 丁香生活研究所; exposed Quanjian scam
薄世宁
Bo Shining
Followers. Cross-platform 4M+
Critical care medicine, medical philosophy; PKU Third Hospital ICU
Notable collaborations
- Author 薄世宁医学通识讲义; Dedao (得到) lecturer
皮肤科刘姨
Dermatology Auntie Liu
Followers. XHS 2.11M
Dermatology, sensitive-skin care; 40-yr dermatologist Soochow Univ
Notable collaborations
- #1 XHS Top 100 医美医生 list Jan 2026
段涛
Duan Tao
Followers. Weibo 1M+
OB/GYN; former Pres. Shanghai 1st Maternity & Infant Hospital
Notable collaborations
- Douyin 2024 科普创作领航先锋; obstetrics policy advocate
谭先杰
Tan Xianjie
Followers. Weibo 1.3M ; Douyin 480K+
Gynecologic oncology; Deputy Director OB/GYN PUMCH (协和)
Notable collaborations
- Author 话说生命之宫; 2024 Beijing Role Model
陶勇
Tao Yong
Followers. Weibo 1M+
Ophthalmology; Director, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital
Notable collaborations
- Co-founded Rainbow Volunteer w/ Beijing Red Cross; AI screening
三甲医生妈妈贺勤
He Qin
Followers. XHS 904K
Pediatric dermatology, mom-doctor crossover positioning
Notable collaborations
- XHS Top 100 医美医生 list Jan 2026
健康养生
Wellness
Fitness, yoga, 中医养生, meditation
10 KOLs
刘畊宏
Will Liu
Followers. Douyin 60.8M
Live HIIT/aerobic dance (本草纲目 jumping jacks)
Notable collaborations
- Own VIVICYCLE activewear; FENDI
- Anta (historical)
帕梅拉 Pamela Reif
Pamela Reif
Followers. Douyin 18.4M ; cross-platform 50M+
No-equipment HIIT; silent follow-along workouts
Notable collaborations
- Puma (global)
- Maia Active (CN)
- Keep
- +1 more
周六野 Zoey
Zhou Liuye
Followers. Bilibili 7.84M ; XHS 1.3M
Beginner-friendly fat-loss & body-shaping (5-15 min sessions)
Notable collaborations
- Maia Active
- Adidas
- Keep
- +1 more
李维刚
Li Weigang
Followers. Douyin 11M+
Hardcore strength training; competition-level bodybuilding & nutrition
Notable collaborations
- Myprotein
- 西王食品
- Anta strength
- +1 more
欧阳春晓 Aurora
Ouyang Chunxiao
Followers. Bilibili 4M+
5-10 min beginner home fitness; ballet-inspired sculpting
Notable collaborations
- Lululemon
- Maia Active
- SK-II
- +1 more
Nikko大宁
Nikko Da Ning
Followers. XHS 1.9M
ACE-CPT trainer; women's strength + nutrition + healthy cooking
Notable collaborations
- Myprotein
- Li-Ning (李宁)
- Adidas
- +1 more
韩小四 AprilHan
Han Xiao Si
Followers. Bilibili 800K ; Weibo 500K
Short follow-along leg-slimming & arm-toning
Notable collaborations
- Maia Active
- Particle Fever
- Decathlon (迪卡侬)
欧阳会食养
Ouyang Hui
Followers. XHS 500K+
TCM 中医养生 dietary therapy; qi/blood replenishment
Notable collaborations
- Own brand 禾未养生 (40M RMB/yr); 同仁堂
- 东阿阿胶
满世界冥想的SU
SU (Meditation)
Followers. XHS 126K+
Meditation / mindfulness; paid retreats & online courses
Notable collaborations
- lululemon meditation events
- Now app
- 潮汐 (Tide app)
的欢 gladys
De Huan Gladys
Followers. XHS 1.7M
Healthy eating (减脂餐) + women's home strength training
Notable collaborations
- Maia Active
- MUJI
- Keep
- +2 more
旅游
Travel
Domestic, outbound, adventure, photography
10 KOLs
房琪kiki
Fang Qi Kiki
Followers. Douyin 23.6M ; XHS 2.15M
Domestic travel; female solo; lyrical scenic storytelling
Notable collaborations
- 100+ partnerships via Xingtu; 13M+ RMB cumulative ad revenue
湖远行
Hu Yuan Xing / Ma Zhuang
Followers. Douyin 21.4M
Solo cycling 31 countries Asia/Europe/Africa, 75K+ km
Notable collaborations
- Giant (捷安特)
- GoPro
- outdoor gear
- +1 more
厦门阿波
Xiamen Abo / Xu Shunbo
Followers. Douyin 16-20M
Xiamen-focused tour guide turned national travel KOL
Notable collaborations
- Xiamen 文旅局
- Fujian tourism
- Mafengwo
- +1 more
冒险雷探长
Adventurer Lei / Chen Lei
Followers. All-platform 12M+
Adventure/extreme outbound; Afghanistan, catacombs, Amazon
Notable collaborations
- Tencent Video docs
- Naturehike
- Land Rover
itsRae
itsRae
Followers. Douyin 9.6M peak
Outbound vlog; photography-focused; NYU-educated solo female
Notable collaborations
- OPPO
- Estee Lauder travel campaign
- Trip.com (携程)
杜克环游世界
Du Ke
Followers. Douyin 4M+ (gained 3.36M in 30 days)
Outbound travel; humanitarian/cultural storytelling (Bangladesh)
Notable collaborations
- Douyin platform creator program; Bangladesh tourism content
姜时一
Jiang Shi Yi
Followers. Douyin 2.2M ; B站 1.3M ; XHS 1.04M
Photography; cinematic landscape/风光 with poetic captions
Notable collaborations
- Wei Long (卫龙) seaside sunrise video (2.5M likes)
- Sony
- OPPO
徐云流浪中国
Xu Yun
Followers. Bilibili 1.8M
Budget adventure; cycled around China 2.5yr on 30K RMB (raw authentic)
Notable collaborations
- Decathlon (迪卡侬)
- Naturehike (挪客)
- B站 incentive
侣行夫妇 270
Zhang Xinyu & Liang Hong
Followers. B站 370K ; Weibo 5M+ combined
Extreme adventure couple; war zones, Arctic, Antarctica
Notable collaborations
- Land Rover
- Mercedes-Benz
- Tencent Video docs
- +1 more
大头小头去旅行
Da Tou Xiao Tou
Followers. Douyin 2.81M
Couple outbound budget travel; long-form cultural (Bangladesh Kaka)
Notable collaborations
- Mafengwo
- Bangladesh tourism
- Xtep (特步)
- +1 more
Methodology and sources
Tier definitions. Top: 1M+ followers on primary platform. Mid: 100K–1M followers on primary platform. Rising: Crossing the 1M threshold; positioned as mid-tier by brands but climbing.
Counts are late-2024 / 2025 estimates and shift monthly. Treat as directional.
Sources. Baidu Baike · Weibo verified profiles · Xinhua · The Paper (澎湃新闻) · 36Kr · Tencent News · Sina Finance · Newrank (新榜) · Jiemian (界面) · CBNData · Xiguaji (西瓜数据) · HI-COM · Digitaling · Launchmetrics 2024 · Miaozhen 秒针.
Research conducted in Chinese on Chinese-language sources. Prepared for BeyondBorderGroup.
Questions brands actually ask us
Twenty questions we hear on the first call. Filter by topic.
Strategy How is this different from influencer marketing back home?
In the West, influencers mostly create awareness and the purchase happens later, somewhere else. In China it all happens on the same app, often in the same session. Creators are tied directly to sales, not just reach. And because brands here still underspend the channel relative to the US, it is more of an open door than a crowded room.
Creators How do I find the right influencer?
Start with your audience, not the influencer. Work out who you need to reach, then check that against a creator’s real follower base, not their headline number. Douyin runs on an interest algorithm, so content fit usually beats follower count. An agency with real data and direct relationships makes this faster and cheaper than guessing your way through it.
Cost How much does a KOL actually cost?
It ranges a lot. On Xiaohongshu, a nano KOC post can run a few hundred RMB; a mid-tier KOL post sits in the low tens of thousands; a top-tier name can pass 100,000 RMB for a single post. Douyin video tends to come in 20 to 30 percent lower for comparable reach. And top livestream KOLs take a sales commission on top, often 40 to 50 percent. Whatever number you get quoted, treat it as a starting point, not a rate card.
Cost What budget do I need to run something real?
To genuinely test a platform, plan for 100,000 to 300,000 RMB over two to three months. That covers a KOC seeding base, a few mid-tier KOLs, content production and some paid amplification. You can run a seeding pilot below 50,000 RMB, but you will not get a clean read on whether the channel sells for you.
Creators KOL or KOC?
Usually both. KOLs give you reach and a credibility signal. KOCs, the everyday creators with small, trusted followings, build the search traction that matters when a shopper looks your product up. Find a dozen honest mentions and they buy. Find one paid post and they keep scrolling. We size the mix to your goal and your budget, and that mix is rarely the same twice.
Strategy Which platform is best?
The one where your buyers already are. Xiaohongshu suits considered purchases in beauty, lifestyle and wellness. Douyin is built for video and livestream selling at scale. Weibo still works for launches. WeChat is for depth and retention. Most brands need two or three, not one, and definitely not all of them at once.
Working with us How do I get a KOL to actually sell, not just rack up views?
Build the product into the content so it does not read as an ad, then make it buyable on the spot. Livestreams, honest reviews, unboxings, follower-only discount codes. And the link from post to product page has to be there. A campaign with no path to purchase is just awareness with a bigger invoice.
Operations Do I need a China-registered entity?
For the official collaboration systems, usually yes. Xiaohongshu’s Pugongying and Weibo’s official tools generally want a registered business in China. You can still run campaigns through an agency that holds the relationships, which is how most foreign brands start before their own entity is set up.
Operations How long until we are live?
Brief to first posts, three to five weeks. Shortlisting and negotiation take one to two weeks, contracting a few days, content and review another one to two. Livestream slots with in-demand hosts often need booking further out. Rushing the brief is where campaigns quietly lose their quality.
Creators How do I know an influencer’s followers are real?
Look past the count at the shape of the engagement. Comment quality, save and share rates, whether the audience’s city and age profile matches the content. Sudden follower spikes, generic one-word comments, engagement that does not track with views, those are the red flags. We screen for this before anyone reaches a shortlist, because inflated accounts are common.
Operations What should the contract spell out?
Be specific. Number and type of posts, platform, posting window, whether the content stays up and for how long, usage rights if you want to repurpose it, KPIs, and the commission structure where it applies. Vague contracts are where the disputes start. And get proof of performance before final payment written in.
Cost Can I reuse the content in my own ads?
Only if the contract grants usage rights, and that usually costs extra. Plenty of brands forget to negotiate it, then find they cannot legally boost a post that did well. Decide upfront whether you want amplification rights. Bolting them on later is slower and more expensive.
Strategy What results can I realistically expect?
Depends on category, budget and platform, so be wary of anyone who promises a fixed number. A healthy seeding campaign builds search visibility and a base of genuine mentions. A livestream drives sales in a window. Match the KPI to the format: reach and saves for seeding, conversion and GMV for livestream. And judge the program over a quarter, not off one post.
Strategy How do you measure ROI when the sale happens somewhere else?
This is the Xiaohongshu problem. A note builds intent, then the shopper buys on Tmall or JD a few days later. We track it through branded search lift, traffic and add-to-cart movement on your store, and discount codes unique to each creator. Intent shows up first, sales after. So we measure across platforms, not inside one.
Operations What if a campaign is underperforming halfway through?
We move budget. If a creator isn’t converting, spend shifts to the ones that are. Or we adjust the angle. Or change the format entirely. None of that works without live reporting, which is exactly why we set it up that way from day one. The flexibility has to be in the plan, and in the contracts, before you need it.
Creators Is livestreaming worth it for us?
Depends on your category and your margin. Livestream drives the highest engagement and the most direct conversion, but top hosts take that 40 to 50 percent commission, and the format rewards products that demo well. For a lot of brands, a store-led livestream beats renting a celebrity, you keep control of the message and the margin. If it does not fit, we will say so.
Operations How do I keep it from looking like an obvious ad?
Brief the creator on the message and the must-haves, then leave the execution alone. The scripted ones are the ones nobody watches, and on Xiaohongshu hard-selling backfires fast. Native, experience-based content that names the product honestly beats a polished ad read almost every time.
Operations What compliance risks should I know about?
China’s advertising law is strict on superlatives and unverified claims. "Best," "number one," unproven health or efficacy statements, those can trigger real penalties. And influencer collaborations increasingly have to run through official platforms for disclosure. We brief creators on what they cannot say, and we review content before it goes live.
Strategy Can a small brand succeed here, or is this just for the big names?
A small brand can absolutely work here, and often does better through KOCs than KOLs. Because Douyin and Xiaohongshu reward content fit over follower count, a relevant product with good content can build traction without a celebrity budget. Start with a focused KOC seeding base, prove the product lands, then scale.
Working with us Should I work with creators directly, through an MCN, or through an agency?
Direct works if you have the China team, the language, the contracts and the time to vet accounts. An MCN gives you its roster, but remember it represents its creators, not you. An agency works for your side of the table. It selects across the whole market against your goals, handles the contracts and the compliance, and ties the reporting back to your sales. That last part is the job we do.
One thing before you go
The brands that win in China are not the ones with the biggest influencer budget. They are the ones that started while the channel was still underpriced. That window is open right now. It will not stay open forever. We consult, and we run what we recommend. If you want a KOL and KOC program built on data and judged on sales, get in touch.