Douyin to outsource KOL management to multi-channel networks

Bytedance’s short video app Douyin (抖音) will establish an official program for multi-channel networks (MCNs) to manage key opinion leaders (KOLs) on its platform, according to a report.

MCNs are agencies that work with multiple channels or content creators to gain success on video platforms. Previously Douyin was against these companies, which approached KOLs privately. MCNs would use Douyin to gain KOLs and fans and then move them across to a competitor, thereby reducing traffic.

Additionally, Douyin initially recruited and paid KOLs from other social networks in order to accelerate its growth. “Douyin was one of the first social networks in China to have really leveraged the influence and content of KOLs in this way,” Elijah Whaley, chief marketing officer of Parklu, told TechNode.

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