Influence of KOL Cooperation on Brand Loyalty in the Short Video

Platform: A Study of the Relationship Between KOL Economy and

Brand Trust Mechanism"

Min Lin

, Ce Wang

and Kaiting Yan

3,*

Engineering Management, Nantong Institute of Technology, 226001 Jiangsu, China

Guangdong Guangya Real Estate School, 528312 Guangdong, China

Visual Arts, University of Sydney, 2006 Sydney, Australia

Keywords: Integrated Marketing, KOL Economy, Consumer Trust, Brand Collaboration.

Abstract: With the popularity of social media, Internet celebrity, also known as 'net reds', have become a mainstream

marketing strategy. The collaboration between internet celebrities and brands has greatly increased brand

exposure and conversion rates. However, as consumer behavior becomes increasingly complex and variable,

how brands can effectively collaborate with internet celebrities to enhance consumer brand trust and loyalty

remains worthy of further research and discussion. As a leading player in the short video field, this study uses

the case analysis method to find typical cases on Douyin platform and analyzes how internet celebrities can

influence brand loyalty through interactive and personal brand building. The study finds that targeted internet

celebrity relationships play a key role in enhancing brand trust and loyalty; the study emphasizes that the

consistency of internet celebrities' image with the brand identity, coupled with sincere interaction and

continuous cooperation, is crucial in transforming occasional followers into loyal brand advocates; rational

synergy not only enhances brand awareness but also solidifies consumer trust, thereby cultivating long-term

brand loyalty.

1 INTRODUCTION

The internet celebrity economy has become an

important component of marketing in today's market.

The collaboration between internet celebrities and

brands not only increases brand exposure and

conversion rates but also sparks extensive discussions

on the consumer trust mechanism (Zhu, 2024). As

consumer behavior becomes increasingly complex,

how brands can effectively collaborate with internet

celebrities to enhance consumer brand trust and

loyalty has become an important research topic

(Wang, 2024). Based on this research background,

this study uses the case analysis method to find

typical cases on the Douyin platform and conducts an

in-depth analysis to examine how internet celebrities

can play a role in brand marketing and the reasons for

the effectiveness of their role. This method is

effective in analyzing how internet celebrities can

contribute to brand marketing by starting from real-

Corresponding author

life examples, which is beneficial for the conduct of

this study. The research objective of this study is to

make up for the lack of research on the long-term

effects of the cooperation between brands and

Internet celebrities, aims to explore the interaction

between Internet celebrities and brand cooperation,

especially how they increase brand visibility and trust

by engaging fans in large numbers.

Douyin platform, as a leading player in the short

video field, has attracted a large number of users and

enterprises with its unique "5-second rule" and

creative interactive forms (Shen, 2024). Under this

background, it has become increasingly common for

brands to collaborate with influencers to achieve

effective market penetration. However, whether this

collaboration can establish long-term consumer trust

is still an issue that needs to be answered. In the

existing literature, there has been initial discussion on

the influence of influencer personal image, fan

interaction, and brand fit on brand communication

and consumer trust, but less attention has been paid to

Lin, M., Wang, C. and Yan, K.

Inﬂuence of KOL Cooperation on Brand Loyalty in the Short Video Platform: A Study of the Relationship Between KOL Economy and Brand Trust Mechanism.

DOI: 10.5220/0014074500004942

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management (APMM 2025), pages 91-96

ISBN: 978-989-758-791-7

the long-term effects of brand-influencer

collaboration (Yuan et al., 2024).

Literature shows that the influencer's personal

image plays a crucial role in brand promotion, and its

authenticity and credibility directly affect consumers'

trust in the brand. Take the cooperation between Mr.

Li, a well-known Douyin influencer, and Perfect

Diary as an example, Li Mister's professionalism and

real-life usage experience successfully reduced

consumers' suspicion of the product, thereby

enhancing brand trust (Jin, 2024). Fan interaction is

also an important aspect of building brand trust,

through frequent interaction and experience sharing,

influencers can bridge the gap between brands and

consumers, thereby influencing consumers' purchase

decisions (Jin, 2024). From the perspective of long-

term collaboration, sustained collaboration between

influencers and brands can effectively consolidate

consumers' trust in the brand and transform it into

brand loyalty. This collaboration not only enhances

brand exposure in the short term but also drives

consumers' repeated purchase behavior in the long

term. By maintaining long-term cooperation with

trusted influencers, brands can continuously increase

their market influence (Zheng, 2024). Based on the

above analysis, some scholars have proposed’ Brand

trust and loyalty model driven by Internet celebrities’

cooperation’, the model emphasizes the key role of

image fit, fan interaction and long-term cooperation

in building trust and maintaining loyalty. In this

model, the fit between online celebrities' personal

image and brand is a key factor affecting consumer

trust. Through consistent visual presentation, brands

can effectively enhance users' trust (Hua et al. 2024).

Fan interaction through frequent communication

and real experience recommendations, effectively

deepens consumers' trust in the brand. This not only

provides brands with new market insights, it also lays

a foundation for its accurate marketing strategy (Liu,

2024). Long-term cooperation gradually transforms

consumers' trust in brands into loyalty through

continuous market interaction and trust consolidation,

promoting the brand to occupy a dominant position in

the competitive market (Tarabieh et al., 2024).

Through the construction of theoretical

framework, this study provides a new perspective and

operational path for brands to cooperate with

influencers on social media, aims to promote a closer

trust relationship between brands and consumers, so

as to promote the improvement of brand loyalty. This

study not only enriches the theoretical discussion on

Internet celebrity economy and consumer behavior

mechanism, but also provides valuable guidance for

practical operation, which helps brands achieve

sustainable development in an increasingly complex

digital market.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 The Rise of Internet Celebrity

Economy on Douyin Platform

As one of the most popular short video social

platforms, Douyin platform has become a hotbed for

the development of Internet celebrity economy. Users

share their lives, show talent, exchange, and interact

in the form of short videos, which has spawned many

Internet celebrities with huge fan bases. With their

personal charm and influence, these influencers have

attracted the attention of many brands and become a

new front for brand marketing.

On Douyin platform, the rise of the influencer

economy has benefited from several aspects. Douyin

has a large user base, covering a wide age range and

diverse interest groups, providing influencers with

sufficient fan resources. Douyin's algorithmic

recommendation mechanism enables high-quality

content to quickly gain attention, helping influencers

quickly accumulate fans. The short video format on

Douyin is flexible and diverse, making it easy for

influencers to showcase their personalities and

enhance interaction with fans. Brands can collaborate

with influencers to leverage their influence and fan

base to boost brand exposure and conversion rates.

This cooperation model has become increasingly

common on Douyin platform and has become an

important means of brand marketing. Internet

celebrities promote brand information to fans through

original content, live streaming, and interactive

marketing, stimulating fans' purchasing desire.

However, the effects of influencer cooperation

with brands are not always positive. Some influencers

pursue short-term interests, ignoring the quality and

reputation of the brand, leading consumers to

question the brand. Therefore, studying how

influencer promotion content affects consumers' trust

in the brand, and whether these collaborations can

effectively enhance brand loyalty, has become an

issue that needs to be addressed. In this context, the

rise of the influencer economy on Douyin platform

has attracted widespread attention from academia and

industry. The rapid development of the influencer

economy has not only changed traditional brand

marketing models but also had a profound impact on

consumer behavior and brand trust mechanisms.

APMM 2025 - International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management

2.2 Brand Loyalty Controversy in

Brand-Influencer Collaboration

As the influencer economy on Douyin platform has

risen, brand-influencer collaboration has become an

important means to boost exposure and conversion

rates. However, whether this cooperation can

effectively establish consumer trust relationships still

remains controversial. On the one hand, influencers

can help brands quickly expand their popularity and

influence with their strong influence and fan base. On

the other hand, the authenticity of influencer

promotion content and whether there is any conflict

of interest between influencers and brands have

become the focus of consumer attention.

The authenticity of the content promoted by

influencers is a key factor affecting consumer trust. In

pursuit of business interests, some influencers may

exaggerate or falsely advertise the effects of products,

thus harming the interests of consumers. Interest

transmission between influencers and brands may

also affect the objectivity of promoted content. If

influencers simply take money to promote, instead of

really recognizing and trusting the brand, then its

promotion effect and credibility will be greatly

reduced.

The fit between influencers' personal image and

brand image is also an important factor affecting

consumer trust. If the influencer's personal image is

highly compatible with the brand image, then its

promotion will be more convincing. However, if the

image of the influencer is far from the brand image,

there are even conflicts, then its promotion effect will

be affected, and may even damage the brand image.

The long-term cooperation between influencers

and brands is also important for building consumer

trust. If influencers and brands can maintain long-

term and stable cooperative relationships, then

consumers will have a deeper sense of trust in the

brand. However, if influencers change brands

frequently, then consumers may have doubts about

the trust of the brand.

To sum up, there is great potential for brands to

work with influencers to increase exposure and

conversion, but its impact on consumer trust is still

controversial. When brands choose to work with

influencers, the personal image of Internet celebrities,

the authenticity of promoted content, and the

possibility of long-term cooperation should be fully

considered, to build consumer trust and thus enhance

brand loyalty.

3 CASE STUDY

3.1 Online Celebrity Image and Brand

Fit

In Douyin platform, the cooperation between

influencers and brands often depends on the degree of

alignment between their images. Take the case of Li,

a well-known Douyin influencer, and Perfect Diary

as an example. Li, as a well-known beauty vlogger,

has a professional, fashionable, and sincere image

that is highly aligned with Perfect Diary's brand

positioning. Li shares makeup techniques, product

reviews, and other content on Douyin, showcasing his

professionalism. His authentic and sincere image has

won the trust of his fans. Perfect Diary, as a young

and fashionable beauty brand, has a product

positioning that is highly aligned with Li's image.

This alignment not only enhances brand exposure but

also strengthens consumer recognition of the brand.

Therefore, the degree of alignment between an

influencer's image and a brand's image is a key factor

affecting the effectiveness of cooperation. Brands

should fully consider the image characteristics of

influencers when choosing partners to ensure that the

partnership can generate positive brand effects.

3.2 Fan Interaction and Trust

Mechanism Establishment

On Douyin platform, the interaction between Internet

celebrities and fans is an important link in building

brand trust. Mr. Li, a well-known Douyin Internet

celebrity, through frequent live interaction,

recommends the perfect diary product to fans and

shares their own experience of using it. This

interaction not only increased fans' trust in Mr Lee, it

also gave them a sense of trust in the Perfect Diary

product.

Mr. Li took questions from fans during the live

stream, shared makeup tips, and showed how perfect

dairy products work. This real-use experience gives

fans an intuitive understanding of the product and

reduces doubts about the product. Mr Lee's affinity

and sincerity also enhanced his fans' sense of trust in

him. Mr. Li also interacts with fans during the live

stream, such as launching raffles, gifts, and other

activities, these actions can make fans feel involved

and valued. This interaction not only increases fan

engagement but also makes them feel good about the

Perfect Diary brand. Through these interactions, Mr.

Li has built a relationship of trust with his fans, at the

same time, this trust is also transferred to the perfect

Inﬂuence of KOL Cooperation on Brand Loyalty in the Short Video Platform: A Study of the Relationship Between KOL Economy and

Brand Trust Mechanism

diary brand. Fans' trust in Mr Li translates into trust

in the perfect diary product, which increases brand

loyalty.

Fan interaction plays a key role in building brand

trust. Through sincere interaction and sharing of real

use experience, influencers give fans a sense of trust

in the brand. Through cooperation with Internet

celebrities, using fan interaction to build trust and

thus increase brand loyalty.

3.3 The Impact of Long-Term

Cooperation on Brand Loyalty

On the Douyin platform, long-term cooperation

between brands and influencers is not only a means

to increase exposure and conversion rate, but also a

key strategy to build consumer trust and loyalty. The

cooperation case between Douyin famous Internet

celebrity Mr. Li and Perfect Diary, fully demonstrates

the important role of long-term cooperation in brand

loyalty construction.

Long-term cooperation helps to deepen

consumers' brand awareness. Through continuous

cooperation, Mr. Li's image and brand positioning of

Perfect Diary has been continuously strengthened,

and that gives consumers a stable and deep

impression of the brand. This long-term brand image

output helps eliminate consumer doubts about the

product and enhances trust. The interaction between

Internet celebrities and fans in long-term cooperation

has gradually formed a community atmosphere, it

strengthens the connection between consumers and

enhances their sense of belonging to the brand. Under

the influence of this community atmosphere,

consumers are more willing to accept brand

information and emotional dependence on the brand

is generated, thus forming loyalty. Moreover, long-

term cooperation enables brands to obtain market

feedback promptly, and continuously optimize

products and services. Through the interaction with

fans, Mr. Li has collected a lot of feedback on the use

of perfect dairy products, and this information helps

brands improve their products to better meet

consumer needs. The needs of consumers are valued

and satisfied, further enhancing their loyalty to the

brand.

Long-term cooperation can also reduce the cost of

choice for consumers. With long-term promotion by

influencers, consumers develop trust in the brand,

reducing the confusion of choosing among numerous

brands and improving purchasing efficiency. This

convenience makes consumers more inclined to

repeat purchases, thereby promoting the enhancement

of brand loyalty. Long-term cooperation is also

beneficial to brands in countering the risks of

competition. Under the sustained influence of the

influencer effect, brands can establish certain market

barriers and reduce the impact of competitors. Li's

long-term cooperation with Perfect Diary has made it

difficult for other brands to break the fixed

impression they have formed in consumers' minds in

a short time. Long-term cooperation can also bring

about word-of-mouth effects. Satisfied consumers

will share their shopping experiences on social media

platforms, and this positive word-of-mouth

propaganda helps attract new consumers and

consolidate the loyalty of old consumers.

The importance of long-term cooperation in brand

loyalty building is self-evident. Brands should pay

attention to their long-term cooperation with

influencers and continuously enhance consumers'

trust and loyalty through sustained image output, fan

interaction, market feedback, and word-of-mouth

propaganda. Such strategies will provide strong

support for brands in fierce market competition.

4 INTERACTIVE ANALYSIS OF

INFLUENCER PROMOTION

AND BRAND TRUST

MECHANISM

4.1 The Impact of Influencer Image on

Consumer Trust

In the Douyin platform, the influencer's image plays

a crucial role in building consumer trust. Influencers

act as bridges between brands and consumers, and

their personal image, professionalism, and credibility

often directly affect consumers' perception and trust

in the brand.

Professionalism of Internet celebrity is a key

factor in winning consumer trust. For example, Li, a

well-known influencer on Douyin, has established a

professional and reliable image among his fans by his

expertise in cosmetics products and skilled use of

techniques. This professionalism is not only reflected

in the explanation of product functions but also lies in

the ability to understand and solve consumer needs.

When purchasing products, consumers are often

influenced by the professional image of Internet

celebrities, thus enhancing their trust in the brand.

The authenticity of influencers is also an

important factor in building trust. On social media,

influencers get closer to their fans by sharing their

personal lives and showing their true side. This

realistic display helps reduce consumers' doubts

APMM 2025 - International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management

about the product and improves their trust in the

brand. For example, Mr. Li not only shows the effect

of products in the live broadcast but also shares his

experience of using them. This authenticity makes

consumers feel friendly and trusted.

Moreover, the consistency between the personal

image and brand positioning of Internet celebrities is

also important for the construction of trust. Mr. Li's

collaboration with Perfect Diary, is precisely because

of the high degree of fit in the image of the two. Mr.

Li's youthful and fashionable image complements the

brand positioning of Perfect Diary, making it easier

for consumers to accept and trust this cooperative

promotion.

The positive image and social influence of

Internet celebrities are also a way to enhance

consumer trust. An Internet celebrity with a sense of

social responsibility can establish a good social image

through public welfare activities and other forms,

thus improving consumers' trust in the recommended

brand. The interaction between influencers and fans

also plays an important role in the construction of

trust. By responding to fans' concerns and answering

questions in a timely manner, Internet celebrities can

effectively eliminate consumers' concerns and

enhance their sense of trust. This two-way

communication mechanism helps to establish a stable

trust relationship. The word-of-mouth and reputation

of Internet celebrities in the industry are also

important factors affecting consumer trust. An

Internet celebrity with a good reputation can bring a

higher degree of trust and recognition to the brand.

The influence of Internet celebrity image on

consumer trust is multifaceted, involving

professionalism, authenticity, image consistency,

social influence, and interactivity. Brands should

fully consider these factors when selecting

cooperation influencers, so as to effectively build

trust and enhance brand loyalty.

4.2 Fan Interaction and Construction

of Brand Trust

Fan interaction plays a crucial role in the promotion

of Internet celebrities, which directly affects

consumers' trust in a brand. Through fan interaction,

influencers can narrow the distance between them and

consumers, and enhance consumers' trust in the

brand. Taking Mr. Li, a well-known Internet celebrity

on Douyin, and Perfect Diary as an example, Mr. Li

shared his real experience of using perfect dairy

products through frequent interaction with his fans.

Fan interaction can also help brands understand

consumer needs and feedback so that they can better

meet consumer needs and improve consumer

satisfaction with the brand. Therefore, fan interaction

is one of the important ways to build brand trust.

4.3 Trust Effect of Long-Term

Cooperation Between Internet

Celebrities and Brands

On Douyin platform, the long-term cooperation

between Internet celebrities and brands can not only

continuously enhance the brand's exposure and

influence, but more importantly, it can gradually

build consumers' trust in the brand, which translates

into brand loyalty. The case of cooperation between

Mr. Li, a well-known Douyin Internet celebrity, and

Perfect Diary fully demonstrates the important role of

long-term cooperation in trust construction.

Long-term cooperation helps to deepen

consumers' understanding of the relationship between

influencers' personal image and brand image. As a top

Internet celebrity in the field of beauty, Mr. Li's

professional and sincere image complements the

brand positioning of Perfect Diary. Long-term

cooperation makes this image consistency deeply

rooted in the hearts of consumers, thus improving

consumers' favorability and trust in the brand.

Frequent fan interaction in long-term cooperation

can effectively strengthen the emotional bond

between consumers and brands. Mr. Li keeps close

contact with fans through live streaming, interactive

comments, and other means, which not only enhances

the sense of participation of fans but also enables

consumers to have a deeper understanding of the

products of Perfect Diary. This continuous interaction

enables consumers to feel the care and integrity of the

brand, thus establishing a stable trust relationship.

Moreover, long-term cooperation enables brands

to continuously convey brand values and strengthen

brand stories through Internet celebrities. In the

cooperation between Mr. Li and Perfect Diary,

through a series of promotional activities, the brand

concept of Perfect Diary has been effectively

conveyed, and the resonance of this concept has

deepened consumers' sense of identity with the brand,

thus promoting the formation of brand loyalty.

Long-term cooperation also helps brands to obtain

market feedback in time and adjust product strategies.

Through Mr. Li's live feedback and fan interaction,

the perfect diary can quickly understand consumer

needs, so it can adjust the product line in time to meet

market demand. This quick response ability

undoubtedly enhances consumers' trust in the brand.

Long-term cooperation can also effectively resist

the impact of competitors. In the beauty market,

Inﬂuence of KOL Cooperation on Brand Loyalty in the Short Video Platform: A Study of the Relationship Between KOL Economy and

Brand Trust Mechanism

brand competition is fierce, and Mr. Li's long-term

cooperation with Perfect Diary has formed a stable

brand recognition, so that consumers in the face of

many choices, are more likely to choose brands they

trust.

The long-term cooperation between influencers

and brands plays a key role in building trust and

enhancing brand loyalty. Through various factors

such as image consistency, frequent fan interaction,

transmission of brand values, rapid market response,

resistance to competition, and word-of-mouth

communication, Long-term cooperation has

gradually built up consumers' trust in the brand,

which has laid a solid foundation for brand

development.

5 CONCLUSION

The research result of this study is the consistency

between the personal image and brand identity of

Internet celebrities under Internet marketing, coupled

with sincere interaction and continuous cooperation,

which is critical to turning casual followers into loyal

brand advocates. Therefore, it can be further

concluded that this synergistic effect between Internet

celebrities and brands not only improves brand

awareness, and it solidifies consumer trust, thus

cultivating long-term brand loyalty conclusions. This

study provides many valuable references for future

research in this direction, it mainly affects the future

impact of different types of influencer cooperation on

brand loyalty, and research on the direction of brand

trust change under cultural differences, meanwhile,

future research should focus more on exploring the

dynamic relationship between Internet celebrity

economy and brand loyalty, in particular, the

challenges and opportunities in the context of rapid

changes in digital marketing are deeply explored.

AUTHORS CONTRIBUTION

All the authors contributed equally and their names

were listed in alphabetical order.

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