2025 Chinese-Speaking KOL Marketing Practical Guide: Comparison of Collaboration Methods and Comprehensive Conversion Strategies

In 2024, the number of crypto users in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia has surpassed 10 million, with over 60% active on mainstream international platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and YouTube. According to Messari data, in Q1 2025, approximately 18% of high-engagement content on X originated from Chinese-speaking creators, surpassing Spanish-speaking (14%) and Arabic-speaking (9%) regions, second only to the English-speaking community.


Meanwhile, a group of content-focused Chinese-speaking crypto KOLs is quietly emerging: from graphic bloggers with 300,000 followers specializing in market education, to professional commentators focused on DeFi and new public chains, to Telegram community leaders blending memes, education, and community incentives. These KOLs not only deliver project information promptly but also excel at “speaking the same language” as Chinese-speaking users, amplifying trust and engagement.


Driven by evolving market dynamics and marketing logic, projects aiming to penetrate the Chinese-speaking market can no longer rely solely on “translating whitepapers.” Instead, they must build a multidimensional KOL communication network that collaborates with these influencers. Otherwise, even the best products or biggest topics risk being drowned in the information flood, missing out on traffic dividends.


The question is: faced with the complex Chinese KOL ecosystem, how can projects choose the right path, save budgets, mitigate risks, and establish long-term collaboration mechanisms? This article will break it down for you.



Common Pain Points and Challenges in Chinese KOL Collaboration


📌 01. Budget Spent, but No Data Feedback Loop


Many projects engage a dozen Chinese KOLs for posts during the pre-launch phase, expecting to ignite community buzz, but the results are often lackluster: minimal retweets, limited Telegram group growth, and unclear user sources. The most common issue is the lack of predefined tracking parameters, poor campaign timing design, and undefined conversion KPIs. View the Free KOL Collaboration Pitfall Guide


📌 02. Difficulty Judging KOL Quality, Leading to “Paying Tuition”


“This influencer quoted $300 but has 100,000 followers—great value, right?” Many make comparisons but fall into the trap of a mismatch between follower count and real influence. In the Chinese-speaking region, some influencers engage in interaction inflation, proxy promotions, or even fabricated data, and projects often lack the time or channels to verify.


📌 03. Lengthy Campaign Processes, Low Efficiency, and Collaboration Challenges


Finding influencers one by one, negotiating quotes, issuing briefs, and waiting for content to go live often stretches a pre-launch campaign’s execution cycle to over two weeks. Issues like “KOLs dropping out last minute” or “content style mismatches” can further delay the promotion rhythm.


These issues reflect a deeper problem: KOL marketing lacks streamlined processes, platformization, and strategic synergy. As a result, more projects are seeking systematic solutions.



Mainstream Chinese KOL Collaboration Paths: Suitability and Advantages


✅ Partnering with Professional Agencies (e.g., ChainPeak)


For medium-to-large projects with clear market goals, partnering with agencies specializing in the Chinese-speaking market, like ChainPeak, is highly recommended. Having served over 500 Web3 projects and covering 500+ Chinese KOLs, 200+ Chinese communities, and media outlets, ChainPeak tailors strategies, manages content, and tracks execution based on project stages, delivering a full-cycle service from KOL selection and content coordination to KPI achievement. Want to learn more details and customized solutions? Schedule an online meeting with us!

This approach suits:

  • Early-stage projects aiming to quickly boost brand awareness
  • Pre-launch phases requiring multiple rounds of content exposure and task coordination
  • Activities like airdrops, staking, or presales needing community guidance
  • Integrated campaigns combining Telegram blasts, AMAs, and media releases


✅ Using Platform Tools (e.g., Kaito, Cookie3)


These tools offer multilingual KOL screening, data analysis, and ranking, ideal for preliminary research or small-scale testing. However, some platforms may still have data inaccuracies, and interaction authenticity requires further scrutiny.

Suitable stages:

  • Early market research to validate audience preferences for different content directions
  • Small-to-medium budget projects exploring pay-per-post trials

Want to explore a detailed comparison study of Cookie/Kaito marketing vs. traditional KOL agencies? Get it for free now!



✅ Community Proxy Groups and Telegram Channels


Some Chinese KOLs form “proxy groups” behind the scenes, offering rapid, low-cost, bundled post execution. However, risks include low transparency and unpredictable results, making it unsuitable for core promotion phases.

Suitable stages:

  • Meme dissemination, community tasks, and boosting engagement
  • Projects with budget control mechanisms willing to take trial-and-error risks


✅ Self-Expansion and Long-Term Cultivation

For projects with Chinese teams or resources, building a KOL database and relationship network has long-term value. Sustained tracking of campaign data and reusable mechanisms can achieve cost control and brand consistency over time.

Suitable stages:

  • Stable, ongoing projects with resources to deeply engage the Chinese-speaking market
  • Brands needing a fixed content/KOL collaboration hub


Practical Tips for Building Effective Chinese KOL Collaborations


To create a deep, sticky Chinese KOL network, projects need more than resources—they require methodology, coordination mechanisms, and content rhythm control.



✅ Define Stage Goals and Follow a “Rhythmic Approach” Instead of “One-Off Campaigns”


Many projects launch a “wave of posts” during the pre-launch phase and then let the campaign run its course, missing the golden window for rhythmic amplification. The correct approach is:

  • Phase 1 (Warm-Up): Use 5–10 small-to-medium graphic KOLs to generate buzz and build initial impressions
  • Phase 2 (Core Amplification): Align major events (listing, staking, airdrops) with mid-to-large KOLs for key information release + community livestream support
  • Phase 3 (Extended Engagement): Add AMAs, Telegram user acquisition, and community tasks to extend attention and user retention

Set a 7–10-day content cycle, executed in three waves. Unsure how to boost ROI efficiently? View detailed content for free



✅ Match Content Style by Layer, Don’t Blindly Chase “Max Followers”


KOL effectiveness is highly tied to content style alignment. ChainPeak categorizes influencers as follows, allowing projects to choose based on needs:

  • Educational KOLs: Ideal for onboarding new users and explaining complex logic, suitable for high-barrier products like DeFi/L2
  • Interactive KOLs: Focus on trends, commentary, and topic creation, ideal for memes, airdrops, or event promotion
  • In-Depth Content Creators: Such as YouTube explainers or Telegram long-form writers, suited for long-term education, nurturing, and activation
  • Community Leaders: Manage Telegram groups or Spaces, ideal for AMAs and task-based activities

By aligning content scenarios > user types > KOL fit, rather than simply “choosing the most popular,” results are more compounding.



✅ Establish a KPI Tracking System for Quantifiable Results


To avoid “no idea what the campaign achieved,” projects should agree on baseline KPIs with KOLs in advance:

  • X Posts: Engagement (retweets, comments) + link click-through rates
  • Telegram AMAs: Group join numbers + retention rates + AMA participation
  • Video Collaborations: Views + average watch time + hashtag interactions
  • Overall Reach: Secondary content spread (e.g., citations, reposts, community forwards)


✅ Create a Brand Content Kit for Unified Messaging and Efficiency


A structured content kit significantly reduces brand fragmentation due to KOL content variations. The kit should include:

  • One-sentence project intro + core selling points in bullet format
  • Visual assets (logo, key visuals, simplified graphics)
  • X & Telegram links, event pages, official documentation links
  • Prohibited/sensitive terms (e.g., avoiding “guaranteed profits” or “no loss” for compliance)


✅ Diversify Incentive Mechanisms to Boost Long-Term Collaboration


Beyond one-time payments, consider these combined strategies:

  • Base Fee + Bonus: Offer additional incentives based on clicks or retweets after basic exposure
  • Series Collaboration Packages: Sign one-month/three-week continuous posting deals for discounted rates
  • Interactive Synergy Tasks: Set tasks like “post with hashtag + AMA linkage” or “video content + X short post amplification”
  • Referral Rewards: Encourage KOLs to recommend other creators for campaigns

Long-term incentives not only control budgets but also lock in core resources, building a moat for brand communication.



✅ Build a KOL Database for Internal Content Assets


After each collaboration, record the following in a database:

  • KOL name / platform / follower count / content style
  • Collaboration date / content links / performance data (retweets, clicks)
  • Attitude rating / quote range / recommendation for reinvestment

This becomes a valuable internal asset for future selection, reinvestment, and campaign planning. ChainPeak builds private KOL archives for projects, continuously updated to form a data-driven marketing loop.



Summary


True Chinese KOL marketing isn’t just “post and done” but about building a resonant, mobilizable, and synergistic communication network. If projects start from scratch with every KOL campaign, they waste time and miss opportunities to accumulate assets. Conversely, building a stable, dynamic, reusable collaboration network enables rapid activation of the content ecosystem for product launches, feature updates, or market shifts, securing first-mover narrative advantage. As a specialized agency in the Chinese-speaking market, ChainPeak is the key facilitator in transitioning projects from “finding influencers to post” to “building a brand communication network.” While others are still screening influencers and waiting for replies, you’ve already completed an efficient campaign loop and are ready for the next activation rhythm.



FAQs


Q1: I have a limited budget—any room to maneuver?

A: Absolutely. ChainPeak can tailor combinations based on budget, such as “multiple mid-tier KOL packages,” AMA task coordination, or language-specific campaigns, ensuring precision and scale even with small budgets.


Q2: Should KOLs be used alongside task platforms?

A: Combining them is recommended. KOL content drives buzz and exposure, while task platforms guide participation and registrations. ChainPeak can help craft synergistic strategies for both.


Q3: Can I focus on just one platform, like X?

A: Possible, but multi-platform synergy is better. For example, X for topic creation, Telegram for user acquisition and retention, and YouTube for education, forming a complete conversion funnel.


Q4: What are the advantages of collaborating with KOLs through ChainPeak?

A: As an agency, we have bulk negotiation capabilities, offering prices far lower than direct project collaborations. Our vetted influencers are not AI accounts. Long-term partnerships enjoy customized packages and annual discounts, saving over 30% in costs.


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