What is influencer marketing? How do you find the right influencers? This article explains KOL collaboration models and influencer marketing strategies, shares 4 successful influencer case studies, and answers common questions about influencer marketing. At the end, we also recommend an influencer marketing agency so you can get started easily and maximize your results.

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Table of Contents

1. What is influencer marketing? What benefits can it bring to your brand?

(1) Why is everyone doing influencer collabs? Understand what influencer marketing actually does

(2) Not just popularity but performance: 5 key benefits of influencer marketing

2. What influencer marketing formats are there? A breakdown of 8 common KOL collaboration models

(1) Brand sponsorship + content creation

(2) Product placement

(3) Group-buy campaigns

(4) Discount codes

(5) Live commerce

(6) Event participation

(7) PR product seeding

(8) Brand ambassador / endorsement

3.How do you plan an influencer marketing strategy? Just 5 key steps from goal-setting to execution

Influencer marketing Step 1: Define your audience and marketing goals

Influencer marketing Step 2: Evaluate budget and collaboration model

Influencer marketing Step 3: Find influencers based on clear criteria

Influencer marketing Step 4: Influencer planning and content production

Influencer marketing Step 5: Track results and optimize

4.Where can you find influencers? 8 social channels for discovering creators at a glance

✨ Instagram & Threads influencers (posts, Reels, Stories, live Stories)

✨ Facebook influencers (posts, live streams, groups)

✨ YouTube influencers (long-form videos, Shorts, live streams)

✨ TikTok / Douyin influencers (short videos, live streams)

✨ Podcast influencers (audio shows)

✨ Twitch influencers (game streaming, live streams)

✨ Bloggers (articles)

✨ Xiaohongshu influencers (image posts, short videos)

5. Is influencer marketing really effective? 4 influencer marketing case studies

Case 1｜VAGO: The world’s most compact mini vacuum compressor

Case 2｜FLH: SwitchBot Air Purifier – smart air purifier for pet owners

Case 3｜ALLEZ Olivia: The suitcase that understands you best

Case 4｜Nothing Tech Headphone: Take full control

6. How much does influencer marketing cost? Are there risks? Revealing common questions about influencer marketing

Q1: How are influencer marketing fees calculated?

Q2: What are the drawbacks or risks of influencer marketing?

7. Don’t worry about finding good influencers! Recommended influencer marketing agency: GIV

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What is influencer marketing? What benefits can it bring to your brand?

In an era where everyone is glued to their phone, traditional advertising alone is no longer enough for a brand to get noticed. Influencer marketing is favored because it helps narrow the distance between brands and consumers. In this section, we start with core concepts, influencer types, and the differences between KOLs, KOCs, and influencers to help you quickly grasp what influencer marketing really is.

(1) Why is everyone doing influencer collabs? Understand what influencer marketing actually does

Influencer marketing refers to brands partnering with people who have influence online, and using their social platforms to recommend products or services. Internationally, these people are often called “influencers”, while in Taiwan people commonly call them “internet celebrities” or “creators”.

The value of influencers is not just about traffic; it comes from the high level of trust their followers place in them. That trust makes their recommendations more persuasive than traditional advertising.

Influencer tiers‍

Based on follower count, influencers can generally be classified into the following levels:

Nano-influencers: 1,000–10,000 followers
Micro-influencers: 10,000–50,000 followers
Mid-tier influencers: 50,000–500,000 followers
Macro-influencers: 500,000–1,000,000 followers
Mega-influencers: more than 1,000,000 followers

Different tiers come with different engagement rates, collaboration costs, and overall influence.

Differences between KOLs, KOCs, and influencers

Although internet personalities such as Instagram stars, YouTubers, TikTokers, and bloggers are common sources of “influencers”, the scope of “influencer” is actually broader and can be roughly divided into three categories:

Influencers: They may not have a professional background, but rely on personality, creativity, or viral content to attract large attention and traffic.
KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders): People with professional knowledge and strong influence in a specific field, such as dermatologists, makeup instructors, or fitness coaches. Their professional authority gives them a big impact on consumers’ purchase decisions.
KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers): Often everyday consumers who share real product experiences. Even though they may have fewer followers, their authentic, down-to-earth content often delivers strong conversion rates.

Which type you should work with depends on your product and marketing goals. Bigger influencers do not always perform better. Sometimes, small KOLs or KOCs achieve higher conversion at lower cost and therefore better overall ROI.

(2) Not just popularity but performance: 5 key benefits of influencer marketing

Working with influencers isn’t just about “nice-looking” traffic numbers. It’s powerful because it can quickly drive product exposure, build word-of-mouth, reach the right audience, and even increase conversion rates.

1. Increase product exposure

By tapping into an influencer’s existing fan base and social influence, brands can quickly reach large numbers of potential customers. Whether through Instagram Stories, YouTube unboxing videos, or TikTok shorts, your product information can be pushed to tens or hundreds of thousands of screens in a short time, which is far more efficient than slowly building your own traffic.

2.Boost brand credibility

When fans have a strong liking and trust for an influencer, they are more willing to believe that influencer’s reviews and experiences. This naturally builds a positive impression of your product and helps establish strong brand reputation.

3.High social engagement

Influencer content is not just a one-way ad; it can spark conversations and interactions. Followers can comment, ask questions, like, and share, allowing the product to continue spreading on social media and helping brands collect first-hand market feedback.

4.Precisely target your audience

Different influencers attract different audience profiles—for example, beauty YouTubers are often followed by young women, while parenting bloggers are followed mainly by families. Brands can choose influencers whose audience overlaps with their target customers to maximize return on investment.

5.Diverse channels and formats

Influencer marketing is no longer limited to a single platform or traditional ads. From short videos, live streams, unboxing reviews, and image posts to Stories and cross-platform campaigns, you can combine formats flexibly to fit different campaign needs.

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What influencer marketing formats are there? A breakdown of 8 common KOL collaboration models

Influencer marketing is not a single fixed approach. Brands can choose the best collaboration model based on budget, goals, and audience. Below are 8 common KOL collaboration formats to give you direction when planning.

(1) Brand sponsorship + content creation

The brand sponsors the campaign and the influencer produces dedicated content for the product or event, such as eye-catching short videos, themed videos, hero images, or posts. This strengthens brand image within the content and uses the influencer’s popularity and image to endorse the brand.

(2) Product placement

The product is naturally integrated into the influencer’s everyday content, such as lifestyle vlogs, unboxing reviews, or makeup tutorials, aligning the product closely with real-life scenarios. This feels more natural and less like a hard-sell ad.

(3) Group-buy campaigns

As audiences become more sensitive to traditional sponsored posts, many brands now work with KOLs through group-buy campaigns. Limited-time discounts or exclusive gifts create urgency and drive immediate sales. For brands, this not only boosts revenue quickly but also uses the KOL’s influence to build long-term trust.

For influencers, group buys bring commission income, and strong performance can lead to recurring group-buy campaigns or even long-term partnerships, creating a win–win–win situation for consumers, KOLs, and brands.

(4) Discount codes

The brand provides unique discount codes for the influencer to share. This creates a purchase incentive and makes it easy to track results and calculate commission. It’s a good fit for long-term promotion and ongoing sales tracking.

(5) Live commerce

The influencer showcases, demonstrates, and sells products in a live stream. Viewers can ask questions and place orders in real time. The strong sense of presence and interaction makes live commerce ideal for highly demonstrable products or those that benefit from real-time explanation, such as fashion, small appliances, and beauty products.

(6) Event participation

The brand invites influencers to attend online or offline events, such as product launch events or pop-up stores. On-site content and social posts help generate media buzz and multi-channel exposure for the brand.

(7) PR product seeding

The brand sends free products (PR samples) to influencers for them to try, in exchange for content coverage and brand mentions. This is often paired with other collaboration formats—for example, sending PR samples first for trial and then moving into paid collaborations later.

(8) Brand ambassador / endorsement

If the brand is focused on long-term image building or is planning collaborations with large celebrities, it can adopt a brand ambassador model. The brand sponsors specific events, campaigns, or content, and the influencer naturally integrates brand elements into their creations over an extended period.

How do you plan an influencer marketing strategy? Just 5 key steps from goal-setting to execution

To make influencer marketing effective, you can’t just pick creators at random—you need a structured planning process. From targeting your audience to tracking results, every step affects your final ROI. This section breaks influencer marketing into 5 key steps to help you spend your budget where it counts.

Influencer marketing Step 1: Define your audience and marketing goals

First, clarify who your product is for—for example, your target audience’s age, gender, interests, and consumption habits.

You also need clear marketing goals: do you want to increase sales by 20%? Or reach 500,000 people with brand messaging? Setting clear goals upfront allows you to track results effectively later on.‍

Influencer marketing Step 2: Evaluate budget and collaboration model

Next, align your influencer plan with your brand positioning and marketing budget, and choose the most suitable KOL collaboration model from the ones introduced above. When choosing, consider your brand tone and your audience’s content preferences, as well as whether you’ll run a one-off campaign or multi-wave campaigns.

Influencer marketing Step 3: Find influencers based on clear criteria

Identify influencers whose style matches your brand and whose audience overlaps highly with your target customers. Evaluate not only follower count but also engagement rate, credibility, and content quality. Look closely at comments and past collaborations to assess authenticity and prior performance.

Influencer marketing Step 4: Influencer planning and content production

Once you’ve confirmed your collaborator, you’ll usually sign a contract that defines deliverables, timelines, usage rights, number of revisions, and other details to protect both sides. The brand then provides the necessary product information and assets, and the influencer goes into content creation. Maintaining communication during this process helps ensure the final content reflects key brand messages while preserving the influencer’s unique style.

Influencer marketing Step 5: Track results and optimize

After the campaign ends, use analytics tools to review performance, including reach, views, engagement rate, clicks, and conversions. Compare these metrics with your initial goals to determine whether the campaign met expectations.

If results are below expectations, analyze the reasons and adjust the next wave of collaboration—for example, by switching creators, changing content formats, or reallocating budget—to improve efficiency.

Where can you find influencers? 8 social channels for discovering creators at a glance

Finding the right influencer is like finding a shortcut directly to your target customers. Different platforms have different content styles, user habits, and interaction patterns, so the most suitable collaboration approach will vary. This section summarizes 8 mainstream influencer channels in Taiwan to help you quickly lock in the best options.

✨ Instagram & Threads influencers (posts, Reels, Stories, live Stories)

Instagram is built around visuals and is ideal for beauty, fashion, food, travel, and other categories where aesthetics matter. For example, a beauty brand might work with a makeup influencer to create unboxing Stories that generate buzz for new products, plus permanent feed posts that show swatches and styling tips.

Threads, also under Meta, has quickly become popular among younger audiences in Taiwan. It focuses on short text-and-image posts and works well for lifestyle brands, trending topics, and rapid interactive campaigns. For example, a fashion brand can launch an “OOTD outfit sharing” campaign on Threads, inviting both influencers and followers to join and increase discussion and exposure.

By combining Instagram and Threads, brands can build both strong visual branding and ongoing conversation, maximizing conversions.

✨ Facebook influencers (posts, live streams, groups)

Facebook has a wide age range of users, with a relatively high proportion of older and middle-aged users. It is suitable for informational content and products related to parenting, travel, and food. For example, a baby bottle sterilizer brand might launch a group-buy in a parenting group, with the group owner live streaming how to use the product and sharing a limited-time offer link in the post.

✨ YouTube influencers (long-form videos, Shorts, live streams)

YouTube is ideal for products that need detailed explanations and demonstrations, such as tech products and home appliances, and is also well suited to vlogs, beauty content, and travel videos. For example, a homemaking YouTuber can post an unboxing video showing a vacuum cleaner’s features and sharing personal impressions, with purchase links and discount codes in the description.

✨ TikTok / Douyin influencers (short videos, live streams)‍

TikTok content is fast-paced and highly entertaining, making it perfect for trendy products targeting younger audiences. For example, a bubble tea brand might launch a TikTok challenge, inviting influencers to shoot creative short videos using a specific hashtag to heat up discussion during the launch week.

✨ Podcast influencers (audio shows)

Podcasts are ideal for brand storytelling, expert knowledge sharing, and in-depth interviews. Because podcast listeners usually have higher engagement and loyalty, this format works well for long-term knowledge-building and thought leadership. For example, a supplement brand might sponsor a health-focused podcast, where the host shares personal wellness routines and product experiences, naturally introducing key product features.

✨ Twitch influencers (game streaming, live streams)

Twitch is centered on game streaming and has very loyal fan communities. It suits brands in esports, tech products, and related accessories, and can create buzz through sponsorship and interaction with streamers. For example, a gaming accessories brand might sponsor a top streamer who uses the brand’s headset during live streams and introduces key features while interacting with viewers.

✨ Bloggers (articles)

Blogs are ideal for products that benefit from long-form content, SEO, and sustained search traffic, such as home appliances, health supplements, and travel services. For example, a home appliance brand can work with a tech blogger to publish an “annual robot vacuum review”, comparing different models in detail and including purchase links to build long-term organic traffic.

✨ Xiaohongshu influencers (image posts, short videos)

Xiaohongshu focuses on lifestyle sharing, product reviews, and shopping notes. Its main audience is women aged 18–30. For example, a skincare brand can collaborate with beauty creators to publish “my experience” posts, and leverage in-app keywords and recommendation algorithms to keep building brand awareness.

Finding influencers doesn’t have to be a game of luck—let GIV match you with the right creators in one go!
Act now.

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Is influencer marketing really effective? 4 influencer marketing case studies

Numbers tell the story, and case studies make it real. Below are 4 carefully selected influencer marketing cases where strategy, execution, and measurement were tightly aligned. Let’s see how influencer marketing can transform brand messaging into real business results.

Case 1｜VAGO: The world’s most compact mini vacuum compressor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNTeMU2cLX8&t=538s

Creator partner｜Ashley

Objective
Use a group-buy strategy as the core, combined with a high-impact creator’s influence, to effectively drive orders and boost sales.

Strategy
GIV first screened creators whose audience profiles matched the brand’s image and product positioning. It then evaluated past conversion data, content style, and audience stickiness to ensure a strong match between creator traffic and conversion capability. Before launch, GIV worked closely with the creator on scripting and clear KPIs, and designed content around travel scenarios to highlight VAGO’s advantages for luggage packing.

Results

More than 1,000,000 impressions
YouTube view completion rate up to 85%
Over NT$1,000,000 in revenue generated in just 7 days

Case 2｜FLH: SwitchBot Air Purifier – smart air purifier for pet owners

https://www.instagram.com/p/DG4k0p6h8Wi/‍

Creator partner｜Chris

Objective
Focus on “new product exposure” and “brand awareness”, communicating a product that blends technology and lifestyle aesthetics, and targeting consumers who care about health and stylish home environments.

Strategy
GIV selected lifestyle creators whose style closely matched the brand tone, and positioned the marketing focus as “creating a relaxing, ritual-filled home space”. Through real-life usage scenarios, the content showcased features like essential oil diffusion and ambient lighting, emphasizing that even busy office workers can enjoy small moments of healing at home. The warm and soothing content style increased audience affinity and trust toward the brand.

Results

Organic reach rate of 20.2%, 68% higher than average
Engagement rate of 4%, 80% higher than average
Save rate of 34% relative to reach, indicating strong long-term reference value and conversion potential

Case 3｜ALLEZ Olivia: The suitcase that understands you best

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNNeRy0S5c5/

Creator example｜Mandy | Styling green looks with ALLEZ Olivia

Objective
Collaborate with KOLs whose image and philosophy align with the brand, naturally highlighting product features in real-life scenarios and conveying ALLEZ’s core value as a suitcase that combines stylish design and travel functionality. The campaign also leveraged paid ads to further amplify video exposure and drive conversions.

Strategy
GIV worked with multiple female creators with diverse styles. Through different themes and upbeat short videos, they used lifestyle scenarios to naturally bring out product features. For example, creator Mandy used the theme “Styling green looks with ALLEZ Olivia” and demonstrated slope-friendly wheels, waterproof compartments, and YKK zippers, while pairing a green raincoat with the suitcase color. This highlighted ALLEZ’s thoughtful design and practicality and generated impressive viewership and brand buzz.

Results

Organic view rate of 62%, 3.6 times the industry average
Organic reach rate of 35%, 2.3 times the industry average
Engagement rate of 6.8%

Case 4｜Nothing Tech Headphone: Take full control

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNVeJxdzuCZ/

Creator partner｜SSS

Objective
Nothing Tech is a UK-based emerging smartphone and headphone brand known for its minimalist and stylish design, and is actively expanding globally. This campaign targeted Generation Z, focusing on “music, trends, and creativity”, and partnered with trending musicians, DJs, and dancer KOLs to showcase the brand’s minimalist tech style and quality product design, boosting awareness and sales of the new Nothing Headphone (1) in Taiwan.

Strategy
GIV helped Nothing collaborate with several of Taiwan’s hottest young artists and dancers to co-create high-quality short-form content. Collaborators included Warner singer-songwriter Dena, dancer SSS, and well-known rapper and songwriter SOWUT. Their unique music styles aligned strongly with the brand’s tone and resonated with the target audience, generating over one million views and a view-through rate as high as 933%.

Results

Nearly 1,300,000 views, demonstrating strong content appeal
View-through rate of 933%, 37 times higher than the original baseline
Organic reach rate of 439%, extending reach to about 4.4 times the original audience

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How much does influencer marketing cost? Are there risks? Revealing common questions about influencer marketing

When planning influencer marketing, brands usually care about three things: how fees are calculated, what risks there are, and how to evaluate performance. This section answers these three key questions with practical insights so you can be well prepared and avoid stepping on landmines.

Q1: How are influencer marketing fees calculated?

‍There is no single standard price for influencer collaborations. Fees vary depending on follower count, influence, platform type, and collaboration format.

Common pricing models include:

Per post / per deliverable: A fixed fee for each post, video, or live stream. This is the most common model.
Sales-based commission: Commission is calculated based on actual sales revenue or units sold.
Unpaid collaborations (PR product seeding): The brand provides free products in exchange for content.
Brand ambassador programs: Long-term discounts or free product usage in exchange for ongoing exposure.

Tip: Before collaborating, always clarify the pricing model, deliverables, and payment terms to avoid disputes later.

Q2: What are the drawbacks or risks of influencer marketing?

Although influencer marketing can deliver high exposure and precise targeting, there are still some risks to watch for:

Highly variable pricing: Influencer rates can be very inconsistent. Without understanding the market, brands may overspend without achieving the expected results.
High communication costs: Each influencer is an independent creator with their own schedule and preferences, requiring individual communication and coordination. This can consume significant time and manpower.
Content may not match expectations: Content creation is an art. If communication is not clear, the final result may differ from what the brand expected.
Difficult-to-measure long-term impact: Beyond easily tracked metrics like reach, engagement, and direct sales, an influencer’s biggest value is often in long-term brand endorsement and trust-building. This “trust” is hard to quantify but plays a crucial role in purchase decisions.

Don’t worry about finding good influencers! Recommended influencer marketing agency: GIV

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Many brands want to try influencer marketing but run into two main challenges: they can’t find truly suitable influencers, and they worry about mismatched content or high communication costs.

In fact, with a professional team like Good Impact Ventures (GIV) to handle matching and communication, you can greatly reduce risks and focus on marketing results.

✨ Why we recommend GIV
GIV is made up of creative marketing consultants with more than 10 years of experience and connects with over 650,000 creators across the Asia-Pacific region, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan. They strictly control content quality and use AI to track performance accurately. GIV is the most reliable bridge between brands and creators, ensuring every collaboration is authentic and effective, helping brands precisely reach their target audience and create maximum value.

Tailor-made creative campaigns: Develop warm, differentiated short-form video content based on brand tone and product features.
AI-powered matching: Use AI to select creators whose style and audience are highly aligned with the brand, preventing off-brand content and letting true brand ambassadors speak for your products.
End-to-end communication and execution support: GIV’s professional team coordinates with multiple KOLs throughout the process, reducing back-and-forth communication and, through professional contract management, significantly lowering risk.
‍Performance tracking: Fully data-driven campaign management with reach, engagement, view, and conversion metrics to help you review ROI and refine your strategy.

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With GIV overseeing influencer campaign quality and performance, brands can save huge amounts of time on creator sourcing and communication. Whether it’s your first time trying influencer marketing or you’re looking to scale up, GIV can be your most reliable partner.

Want to make influencer marketing twice as effective with half the effort? GIV can handle everything from start to finish—act now!

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