KOC (Key Opinion Consumer)

A KOC (Key Opinion Consumer) is an ordinary user who shares real experiences with products on social media, trusted by viewers because they feel “like me” rather than because they are famous. In Vietnam, KOCs usually make review videos with a shopping cart link on TikTok Shop or Shopee Video and earn a commission per order.

What is a KOC?

A KOL (Key Opinion Leader) has influence through expertise or fame. A KOC is different: they buy, use, then tell people about it. A KOC may have only a few thousand followers, but their “I’ve used this sunscreen for 3 weeks” video tends to be watched as advice from a friend, not as an ad.

KOCs sit between UGC and KOLs. UGC is made by customers on their own, and nobody pays for it. A KOC creates content on purpose, usually under some arrangement with the brand: free product, an affiliate commission, or both.

Why brands used KOCs more in 2025 and 2026

The biggest reason is advertising. TikTok Shop’s Product GMV Max (its automated campaign type for shop sales) automatically pulls authorized affiliate videos into the campaign and also credits affiliate orders to the campaign (TikTok, About Product GMV Max, September 2026). So a KOC video works as organic content and as a source of ad creative at the same time.

KOCs are not the whole picture, though. A Q&Me survey of 245 live commerce users in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi found that about 50% mainly buy from the brand’s official account, more than buy through influencers (Q&Me, Vietnam Live Commerce Market Trends and Buyer Behavior, April 2026). KOCs help buyers discover and trust a product, while the official channel is still where many people place the order.

Rules to know in Vietnam

Since January 1, 2026, Vietnam’s amended Advertising Law has used the term “advertising product conveyor” (người chuyển tải sản phẩm quảng cáo) for anyone who directly advertises, recommends or vouches for a product online. That person must follow consumer protection law, pay tax on advertising income, and is liable if the content is false. For influencers, the law adds two duties: they may not promote a product they have not used or do not understand well, and they must disclose the advertising right before and during the promotion (Official Gazette of Vietnam, Law No. 75/2025/QH15 amending the Advertising Law, issued June 2025).

KOCs who do affiliate work also fall under the 2025 E-commerce Law: before attaching a link, they must provide information so the affiliate marketing service provider can verify their identity (Official Gazette of Vietnam, Law No. 122/2025/QH15, issued December 2025).

How to work with KOCs

1. Choose by audience, not follower count. A mom KOC with 5,000 followers who match your target can be a better fit than an entertainment account with 200,000 (hypothetical example).
2. Send the product early enough for them to really use it. The video is more believable, and it is also a legal duty for influencers.
3. Keep the brief short: required information and things they must not say. Let the KOC speak in their own voice.
4. Ask for authorization to use the video in GMV Max, and require the commercial content label to be switched on.
5. Measure by orders and cost per order, not just views.

KOC vs. KOL vs. brand ambassador

FAQ

How many followers does a KOC need?

There is no standard threshold. On TikTok, videos can reach people who don’t follow the account through the For You feed and through ads, so audience fit matters more than size.

If a KOC gets only free product and no money, do they still need to label it as an ad?

They should. TikTok says to turn on the commercial content label for posts that promote a brand or product, and affiliate videos in GMV Max carry this label too.

If you need a KOC workflow tied to advertising on TikTok Shop or Shopee, Adtek’s Creative Strategy and Brand Commerce teams can work through it with you. Reach us through the contact page.