Written by the HOJA team · Updated 09/23/2026
Collaboration help
What is a KOC? How KOCs differ from KOLs and how to start working with brands
What is a KOC?
A KOC (Key Opinion Consumer) is a consumer who uses a product for real and shares the experience through review videos, posts, unboxings or livestreams. Viewers trust KOCs because they speak as ordinary users.
KOC content is valuable when the experience is genuine; content made for a brand should be clearly disclosed as a collaboration.
How is a KOC different from a KOL?
A KOL is influential through expertise or fame, usually has a large following and suits awareness campaigns. A KOC builds trust through relatable experience, usually has a smaller community and suits review and conversion content.
The line is not a fixed follower count; brands choose based on how well the content fits the campaign.
How does a brand collaboration work?
On HOJA a collaboration goes through: connecting public channels, reviewing the invitation and conditions, confirming the proposal (format, fee, production scope), submitting a draft for review, then publishing and submitting the final link.
Receiving an invitation does not mean you have been selected; terms and contracts are confirmed separately by both parties.
What do you need to start as a KOC?
Pick a content niche, keep your channel profile public (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Threads), prepare a few representative posts and create a creator account.
HOJA sets no minimum follower count to sign up; each campaign may have its own conditions set by the brand.
How to spot a fake collaboration invitation
Check the sender's email domain on the Authorized sender page and only trust collaboration terms shown inside your HOJA account.
Collaborations on HOJA never ask you to pay a fee or share your channel password.