Influencer marketing isn’t just an American marketing tactic, it’s growing in other parts of the world, too, like India. Research shows that 70% of Indians believe influencers impact them, which signals just how imperative this type of marketing could be for companies that target Indian consumers. To help, we’ll explore the power and potential of influencer marketing in this South Asian country.
Who are the top digital influencers in India?
With thousands of India-based influencers, narrowing the field to a handful of creators is hard. However, some influencers have carved out a niche on social media and have years of experience connecting with followers and brands. Here’s a quick look at five of the top influencers in India:
- Bhuvan Bam: Comedian
- Masoom Minawala Mehta: Entrepreneur
- Juhi Godambe Jain: Fashion influencer
- Orhan Awatramani: Travel influencer
- Mumbiker Nikhil: Lifestyle vlogger
The benefits of influencer marketing in India
Influencer marketing gives brands and creators a chance to connect with real people. Influencers work hard to build a community that genuinely wants to engage with their niche content. Brands can leverage this relationship by collaborating with an influencer to promote a product or service authentically.
Additional benefits of influencer marketing in India include:
Increased brand awareness
Influencer marketing is often used to drive brand awareness. With the help of an influencer touting your product, you introduce your brand to a fresh group of potential customers. Each follower’s interaction with the content makes them more aware of your product and how it can fit into their daily life. If you represent a global brand or one expanding to India, influencer marketing can help you gain name recognition in new-to-your-brand areas.
Targeted audience reach
Influencer selection is important. Your brand must pick a creator who shares the same target audience. Why? You want your product in front of people who are not only interested in it but are most likely to buy it.
Improved brand trust and credibility
Followers trust influencers, and as a result, they trust the brands that influencers work with. Our Trust in Influencer Marketing report found that half of respondents have made a purchase after seeing a product used by an influencer.
When a follower sees their favorite influencer endorse a product, they take note. Followers engage with influencers organically, so when an influencer promotes a product, it doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. It feels more like a trusted recommendation from a friend.
Why is influencer marketing effective in India?
Influencer marketing is quickly taking root in India. While several factors are driving this marketing technique, here’s a look at some of the biggest reasons influencer marketing works in India:
- Smartphone adoption and internet penetration continue to grow, giving more people access to influencer content.
- The younger generation sees social media as an integral part of their daily life, allowing brands to connect with young consumers on channels they already use.
- Indian consumers are swayed by trust and authenticity, two things that influencer marketing excels at.
Challenges of influencer marketing in India
While influencer marketing is growing and offering vast marketing potential for brands, it’s not without its challenges. If you’re interested in collaborating with an Indian influencer, you may face these difficulties:
Cultural and language barriers
India is a diverse country with various cultures, languages and religions. Your brand might have trouble communicating with an influencer (and need a translator) or be unaware of cultural norms.
Finding the right influencer
Finding influencers can be a challenge, even more so if you’re unfamiliar with the marketing landscape in India. Searching for an “Indian fashion influencer” might point you in the right direction, but you must refine your search. If you have local teams or office in India to help, you can rely on an influencer marketing platform or team with access to creators in India. They can filter your results by geographical area, industry niche, follower count, and engagement rate.
Balancing authenticity and brand messaging
When you collaborate with an influencer, you want to ensure your brand’s message and tone come through, but you also want it to have an authentic feel. As a brand, you’ll offer guidance to influencers but ultimately give them creative reins, an act that’s tough for many brands.
Understanding local advertising laws
In August 2023, India’s Department of Consumer Affairs issued guidelines for health and wellness influencers. In a press release, the agency stated that certified medical practitioners and health and fitness experts holding certifications from recognized institutions “when sharing information, promoting products or services or making any health-related claims must disclose that they are certified health/fitness expert and medical practitioner.”
It also added that “Celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers presenting themselves as health experts or medical practitioners, when sharing information, promoting products or services or making any health-related claims, must provide clear disclaimer.”
Best practices for successful influencer marketing in India
Choosing the right influencer
Searching for influencers by reviewing social media profiles is a time-consuming and tedious task. Instead, consider using the best influencer marketing platform or team with reach in India. While there are many to choose from, IZEA has a global reach and experience working in this market.
Start your search on IZEA’a Marketplace, where you can look for and vet creators from India. If you’d prefer, you can also post an ad, known as a Casting Call, asking for Indian influencers to pitch ideas to you.
Establish authentic partnerships
Plan to work with influencers who align with your brand’s mission, values and audience. The influencer you work with becomes an extension of your brand, so he or she should be someone who’s a natural fit.
Research social media channels first
Before you plan a campaign on a specific platform, make sure it exists in India. TikTok, for example, is banned in India.
Furthermore, what’s popular in the U.S. might not be popular in India. Statistics show that Facebook and Instagram are the most popular channels there, which is important to know as you plan a campaign.
Partner with IZEA
As mentioned, influencer marketing in India is growing, but there are challenges, especially for companies based outside the country. If your brand wants to break into this market, you could search for an influencer marketing agency in India to help, or you could turn to IZEA. Our global database of influencers and a multi-tiered suite of tools give your brand the chance to customize support and a campaign. For help managing a campaign from concept to completion, contact IZEA Managed Services.
Influencers:
Looking to partner with industry-leading brands? Create your free profile today.
Marketers:
The world’s biggest brands trust IZEA’s influencer marketing software and managed solutions. Find out which solution is right for you.
