Big and small creators: how to use them together
Short answer: Split by job, not by follower count. Big creators (KOLs) suit setting the direction and making people remember a product in a short time. Small creators (KOCs) suit producing many videos, to test which angle sells and to build a stock of videos for ads. If the jobs aren't defined, the plan turns into buying headcount, which tells you nothing about what works.
Thailand's creator market is huge. TikTok Shop Thailand says it has more than 5 million affiliate creators (Marketeer). The problem isn't finding people; it's choosing the right people for the job.
Each group's job
| Big creators (KOL) | Small creators (KOC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Make people remember the name and pack; set an angle others can follow | Produce videos in several angles, show real daily use, test which angle sells |
| How many | Few | Many |
| Measured by | Recall, searches for the product name, comments mentioning the name | Click rate to the product page, orders, cost per order when boosted |
| Risk | Large single payments; a wrong brief costs a lot | If everyone says the same thing, many videos give little information |
An order that works for new products
- Test the product first to see which points Thai shoppers care about, before deciding who says what.
- Use small creators to test several angles, with several videos per angle so you don't judge from one.
- Select the videos that perform well early for the group boosted with ads.
- Use big creators on the angle that has already won, to reach more people, rather than having them try out new angles with a large budget.
When the Flowup team plans TikTok Shop work, we use both groups in this order, and review the small creators' first batch before releasing the larger batch. This article describes the method, not results.
When to start with big creators
- The product has a clear selling point already tested in other channels
- You need people to know it within a set window, such as a launch timed with in-store listing
- There's ad budget to extend big creators' videos, not a single post and done
What both groups' briefs must include
- One name for the product, and the pack image that must appear
- One sentence saying what the product is
- Claims that must not be made
- If the goal includes in-store sales, where it can be bought
Limits
- The creator count comes from figures TikTok Shop disclosed through the media; it doesn't say how many are active in any category
- There's no fixed line between big and small creators; decide by the role you need
- This order is a planning method and doesn't guarantee sales
FAQ
What ratio of big to small creators? There's no ratio that's right for every product. Start from the jobs you need, then use round-one results to adjust the next round.
Can very small creators with few followers work? Yes, if the videos look like real use and the viewers are the right audience. Those videos can also be reused as ad material.
We hired a big creator and sales didn't rise. Whose fault is it? First check whether the shop was ready, whether the brief was clear and whether there was ad support, before concluding the creator was a poor fit.
Sources
- Marketeer, TikTok Shop and its more than 5 million affiliate creators (Thai): https://marketeeronline.co/archives/444802
Related guide: Guides
Next step: Not sure where your product should start? Send the Flowup team your product and where it sells today, on LINE or by email.
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