KOLs: Use them well, and you hold the initiative; use them poorly, and they may take control.
Author: Esty
Translation: Deep Tide TechFlow
After collaborating with several KOLs, including well-known figures like @Flowslikeosmo, I have summarized some practical KOL marketing experiences for reference.
1. Choosing the Wrong People Can Derail Your Project
In every market cycle, there are always projects that invest heavily in KOLs, but almost every time, the results are contrary to expectations. Many project teams fall into the following misconceptions:
Believing that having KOLs will automatically bring traffic;
Thinking that once "viral spread" occurs, it is a success;
Mistaking interaction volume for actual conversion.
However, the reality is: In 95% of cases, these investments do not truly convert into project results—they merely make surface data look better.
For example, did your post receive 200,000 views and 200 bot comments? It looks impressive, but did these really drive your Token Generation Event (TGE) or Total Value Locked (TVL)?
Many project teams chase short-term "viral moments." As @madladshad said, this is a form of "short-term hype marketing." They often overlook user retention and optimization of key metrics, which are crucial for the long-term development of the project.
2. Classification of KOLs and the Issues Behind Them
KOLs may show interest in your project, but this interest often lasts only until the funding stops flowing in. After that, they may not even remember the name of your project.
Overall, KOLs can be classified into the following categories:
Speculative (90%): They chase every trend and post any content. Their goal is to extract as much profit as possible. They may inflate data using tools like Socialplug or form networks with other KOLs to fake interaction volume and deceive project teams. These KOLs typically promote and sell off project tokens quickly.
Semi-Speculative (5%): They usually have a specific area of expertise or interest and mainly discuss related content. Their followers and interaction volume are mostly genuine, and their attitudes are relatively sincere, but they may find it hard to resist temptation when faced with high-value collaborations.
Sincere (5%): These KOLs do not grow their accounts through inflated metrics but attract followers through professional content. They have in-depth knowledge in a specific field, rarely accept advertising collaborations, and even when they do, they prioritize the interests of their followers. These KOLs are the true partners who can bring market influence and conversion rates, such as core members of Kaito's circle.
It should be noted that I do not blame any type of KOL. In fact, these behaviors of KOLs merely reflect the current state of the industry. The real problem lies in the underlying capital forces—the greed and speculation of large capital, venture capital firms, and project teams are the root causes of this phenomenon.
3. Constants and Variables: The Art of Controlling the Narrative
If you do not control your narrative, the market will define it for you, and the outcome may not be what you desire.
You need to recognize that KOLs are merely amplifiers. Before considering using them, make sure to lay a solid foundation:
Create a product that truly solves real problems;
Clarify your narrative, brand positioning, and market differentiation;
Reach a consensus within the team on core principles;
Define your distribution channels and communication methods;
Determine the importance of community building for you;
Establish connections with partners who provide real value.
Unfortunately, most projects lack a clear identity, defined goals, effective solutions, ethical values, and a long-term vision.
4. Our Choices Determine Our Future
Learn to leverage the profit-seeking psychology inherent in human nature.
Once you have laid a solid foundation, how do you translate this into actual action?
Ideal Scenario: Your product has reached product-market fit (PMF), and users and KOLs spontaneously talk about it because it brings them benefits while also creating quality content that attracts more attention.
But in reality, this is a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" problem. Many people believe you need to have "influence" first to achieve PMF. This view is partially correct, but the key is that "influence" does not necessarily need to rely on KOLs; partnerships and word-of-mouth can also achieve this.
A More Realistic Path: Once you have clarified your niche market and target audience, you can start looking for suitable KOLs. You can use tools like @_kaitoai to analyze their audience reach and real follower count (if available). Building a strong network is also crucial, as referrals through connections often yield better results. Another method is to use @Tunnl_io to filter and find suitable KOLs.
Actively interact with target KOLs on Twitter. Respond thoughtfully to their content, communicate via direct messages, and offer support. You need to build relationships on a personal level rather than just a simple business transaction. While this approach is beneficial for the brand, starting from a personal account is often more effective. Do not expect immediate results within a week—long-term interaction and accumulation will yield effects, so start early and make it a core part of your marketing strategy.
As relationships develop, discussions will gradually focus on the product you are developing. At this point, you can appropriately introduce the product and demonstrate how it brings real benefits to KOLs. The goal here remains to establish long-term relationships and networks, rather than short-term exchanges of benefits.
If your product can bring real economic benefits to KOLs while aligning with their brand positioning, their likelihood of promoting you proactively will significantly increase, as your success will also bring them more benefits. Additionally, you can ask them to refer you to other KOLs, so you don't have to start from scratch. Relationships built through referrals are often more efficient and easier to succeed than cold starts.
Even if your product can make KOLs money, they will still expect additional compensation. Offering tokens may seem like a simple solution, but in the long run, this could be detrimental to the project, as many will choose to sell tokens for profit (which is not inherently wrong). Moreover, most truly influential KOLs prefer to receive direct cash payments, such as USDC. So, how should you handle this situation?
When negotiating collaborations with KOLs, prioritize long-term partnerships rather than just a one-time promotional post. Why? A single post is unlikely to cover the main audience of the KOL, while multiple posts can significantly expand reach.
When a KOL consistently posts content related to you, the audience's perception of the project will gradually shift from "purely paid promotion" to "genuine trust." Audience perception will influence their real-world judgment of the project.
At the same time, other KOLs may notice your collaboration with a particular KOL and reach out to you, giving you more leverage in future negotiations.
Additionally, do not focus solely on "large" KOLs. Collaborating with "micro KOLs" (MicroKOLs) is often more valuable because their audiences are usually more genuine, and interactions are stickier.
5. No Gods or Kings, Just an Effective Marketing Funnel
The effects of viral spread are often short-lived, while a well-designed marketing funnel can bring long-term cumulative effects. The most successful brands in the crypto space do not rely on hype cycles but instead build paths for user engagement to create genuine user loyalty.
Assuming your product is powerful, has an excellent user interface (UI/UX), and a smooth user onboarding process, here is an example of an effective marketing funnel:
Create a clear homepage on Twitter (now called X) with an attractive profile picture and banner. Users should understand the main content of the page within 3 seconds. Additionally, the concise bio should include links to landing pages and distribution channels (like Telegram or Discord).
The design style of the landing page should be consistent with the X page, keeping it simple and clear, and providing a clear call to action (CTA) to guide users to the main product.
Generate user interest through continuous X posts, AMA events, content from team members, partner promotions, direct message interactions, and comment replies.
Users click on your homepage, see a clear introduction, and further visit the landing page.
Users enter the main dApp (decentralized application) and complete the product onboarding process.
Satisfied users join the Telegram or Discord community and interact with other users.
In the community, users are warmly welcomed by the team and other members, finding reasons to continue following the project.
Users gradually become part of the community and, based on trust and belief, spontaneously promote the project.
In this way, users are not only successfully converted into loyal users of the product but may also become advocates for your brand. Compared to short-term viral spread, this approach can continuously bring value to the project.
How Do Sincere KOLs Play a Role?
KOLs can greatly enhance your reach and distribution capabilities—this is closely related to what we mentioned earlier (see point 3). Remember I mentioned that you need to prioritize long-term collaborations and filter for "suitable" candidates? Here is the process to form a complete closed loop:
KOLs continuously post content related to your project for several months, gradually covering most of their audience;
Interested audiences click on your homepage and are guided to your product due to your solid foundational work;
Your excellent UI/UX and product experience, combined with the team's enthusiastic service, successfully convert these users into loyal users;
Satisfied users spontaneously recommend your project to others;
The network of sincere KOLs from the initial collaboration notices your project and becomes interested;
More KOLs (including more influential ones) proactively contact you seeking collaboration;
In negotiations, you thus hold more initiative.
6. A Million Doors, One Will Lead to Real Value
Let me share a personal story. I write this article because I have made some mistakes during my entrepreneurial journey that led me to be deceived and waste a significant amount of marketing budget.
At that time, I was attracted by so-called "vanity metrics" and was misled by some speculators. These individuals tried to create a facade of "authenticity" by promoting each other's content. The result was that, although my X data improved within a week after the post was published, the actual effect was minimal. I felt very regretful about this and began to search for better methods.
During this process, I encountered a KOL whom I greatly admire. In my opinion, he is one of the most genuine KOLs in the industry. Why? Because he truly cares about his audience, does not casually accept collaboration proposals, is extremely selective about his partners, and his growth relies entirely on real effort, never using bots to inflate data.
I connected with him through a contact I had at the time ("network = asset"). We started chatting and gradually got to know each other, eventually meeting at the Token2049 event. We talked a lot about life, goals, visions, the crypto industry, and marketing. Over time, we became very close friends.
Now, our relationship has developed to a point where I can naturally ask him to refer other like-minded KOLs, as I trust that the people he recommends have been rigorously vetted; or consult him for opinions and exclusive information (Alpha) about other KOLs to make more informed decisions. If I am working on a project suitable for his audience, I can also propose a mutually beneficial collaboration.
I know that such situations are rare, but in an industry full of fraud, special times require special measures. I not only made a trustworthy friend but also found a lifelong business partner.
Summary
Is your marketing campaign aimed at building a real brand, or merely creating a fleeting hype?
First, refine your story, brand positioning, and core product;
Remember, KOLs are amplifiers for communication, not a panacea for all problems;
Blindly placing ads and hoping for luck is unwise—this will only waste your budget;
Build long-term and valuable relationships with KOLs, not just one-off transactional collaborations;
Prioritize the quality of collaborations over quantity; long-term partnerships are more important than short-term promotions;
Micro KOLs also have their unique value; do not overlook them;
The number of followers is not the only criterion for choosing KOLs. Instead of focusing solely on follower count, pay more attention to the quality of followers, the niche the KOL operates in, audience sentiment, and the overall quality of content;
Start targeting early, as building a successful brand requires a long time and sustained effort.
Most projects are fleeting because they fail to leave anything memorable. If you do not provide your audience with trustworthy and credible content, they will ultimately forget you.
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