What are Naver Influencers?

Naver Influencers are users officially recognized as the most engagement-driving users on the Korean platform Naver. They are like any other influencers, except for the fact that they use the social media platform “Naver Blog” rather than the familiar Western ones – Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. 

Difference between Naver Bloggers and Naver Influencers

The similarity between the Naver Bloggers and Influencers is the platform – Naver; also known as the Korean Google. However, it encompasses quite a variety of services – from Naver TV, to Naver cafe, to Naver blog.

If a comparison had to be drawn between Korea and the West, the bloggers are like the everyday users. Naver Bloggers are able to upload pictures, write reviews, and create posts about their experiences. However, unlike the influencers, the average users do not receive monetization on their content. In addition, their content is not boosted by the algorithm as much as the influencers’.

How Korean influencers influence the market

Koreans usually seek informative content through social media. This is the reason why blogs do so well in East Asia compared to the West. However, this does not mean that the western apps are not popular, in fact, Instagram is used by just below 50% of the population. For a more detailed explanation on the social media channels, read this article by InterAd’s marketing consultant. A core idea in their research is that more than 92% of the Korean population uses the internet.

This technological advancement of Korea has made the internet the primary source of information for a big chunk of the population. Due to this, influencers who are able to earn the trust of the people are viewed as Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) who are able to sway the public perception in just one post.

To become an “influencer” on social media is different for each and every platform. For instance, on the third most popular app in Korea – YouTube, the user needs to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in the past 12 months. However, on Naver, it is a bit more difficult, as the blogger has to consistently drive engagement over several months in order to be nominated by Naver itself as an influencer. This, alongside the lengthier nature of the blogs, is one of the reasons why many businesses seek to work with them, and why many service companies have specialized in Naver Influencer Ads. 

Benefits of working with influencers on Naver.

The diverse Naver Blog platform is ever so growing with 2.14 million new users in 2023. The increase of market share combined with the diversity of the audience incentivizes businesses to promote their products or services on the platform.

Companies who are able to create impact reap numerous benefits, such as:

• Acquiring more visibility on the Naver SERP (search engine results page). The recommended page offers up to 10 posts, whilst the organic results page offers up to 4. This means that the more the brand is talked about, the higher the chances of it being on the results page is. 
• Your business’ specific keyword trending. Naver Blog provides publicly available data on which specific words are trending for different industries. This means that you are able to use the algorithm to your advantage.

Why are the benefits so significant and the risks so minimal? Well, as previously mentioned, the Korean influencers are viewed as Key Opinion Leaders (KOL), thus, as the sponsored content on Naver receives similar attention compared to regular content, your company would be able to effectively shape the audience’s perception. In addition, the blog posts are usually lengthy, which allows the Korean influencers to provide a comprehensive overview of the product or services the business offers. This would spread information about your brand; especially helpful if your brand has not been localized to the Korean market.

If you would like to maximize the impact of this strategy, InterAd offers expert guidance. The team’s extensive network of Korean influencers enables seamless and strategic integration. With InterAd’s knowledge, your brand can build credibility and earn the trust of the local community.

Benefits of being an influencer on Naver

Being a Naver Influencer has a number of benefits, which have been divided into 3 categories.

Personal incentives: Naver Blog offers a wide variety of cultures and subcultures, making any user’s interest valid. This means that everybody is able to become an influencer despite niche likings. Moreover, Naver Blog is very customizable, as it offers up to 40 different layouts for one to choose from. 

Financial incentives: By being an influencer, one is able to monetize their content. In addition, despite the obviously sponsored content, the ads are seemingly integrated as those posts drive similar engagement compared to the users’ usual posts.

Social incentives: In order to become a Naver Influencer, the user must be recognized by the Naver platform, which has a strict criteria. In addition, they are viewed as highly credible by citizens, giving them a sense of responsibility.

How to become an influencer on Naver

Does insourcing influencers sound better than outsourcing them? Well for that, we have provided you with a simple guide on how to become an influencer 101. 

To become a Naver blogger is very simple – just create an account, and start blogging. However, you would need to have some expertise in the writing field if you would like to gain popularity fast. That is due to the fact that the posts are lengthy. Thus, more concise ones that are able to take advantage of the keyword usage are ranked much higher on the platform. InterAd is an expert at doing so, and is one of the more popular services the company offers.

To become a Naver Influencer, on the other hand, is a tougher challenge since the user has to be noticed by the Naver platform itself. Each month there is a nomination based on categories and subcategories of the best bloggers. The blogger has to be selected several times for the title in order to become a monetized user. 

If you would like to become an influencer, follow this simple guide:

1. Create an account.
2. Find your niche. Ask yourself – what do you want to share with the world?
3. Start creating content – as it is all written, be sure to do some research on which keyword to use in order to be pushed by the algorithm for the start! We suggest you read this simple guide on how to use Naver Data Lab. 
4. Regularly create content – at least 2-4 times a week. Make sure to make it engaging for your audience!
5. Don’t give up – it is hard in the beginning, but as mentioned previously, there are many benefits.

As you keep acquiring new followers and creating engaging posts, you will be able to monetize your content soon enough. 

Conclusion

After reading this article, you have now acquired insights as to what a Naver Influencer is and how much power they have on the Korean market.

And if you are a business owner, you have now gained a better understanding of the risks involved in sponsoring Naver Influencers. If you would like to have a primary stake in the process, you could instead outsource InterAd, and inquire about the Naver Blog services.