Becky Li, Chinese KOL who sold 100 cars online in four minutes, on brands’ new tool to gauge influence: ‘They are cruel’
- Li advises women on fashion, cosmetics and jewellery in lengthy articles, as well as through photos and videos on WeChat and posts on Weibo, China’s Twitter
- Young Chinese women have three aims, Li believes: to make money, to become beautiful, and to love themselves
With 20 million followers on social media, Becky Li is considered a top key opinion leader, or KOL. Her income depends on the sales she can generate, and these days her influence in China is directly measurable, she says.
Luxury brands operating in China now give each KOL a different link to attach to a post or blog to calculate their influence, Li explains in a Bernstein Research report released in February.
“So, the brand is going to give me a link when I’m writing an article, and this link directs you to the brand’s website. Each KOL is going to get a different link. And then the brand can see what sales were brought by each KOL and they start a competition among the KOLs,” she says in the interview with Bernstein senior analyst Luca Solca.
“They are cruel, but this is the reality.”
Li works hard advising Chinese women on fashion, cosmetics and jewellery in lengthy articles, as well as photos and videos on WeChat and shorter posts on Weibo, China’s Twitter. She recommends purchases from a range of preferred brands, including Chanel and Dior.
