Pricing Standards for Chinese Toutiao Influencers: India Edition
A cultural phenomenon emerging from China, Toutiao has transcended the boundaries of its nation, rapidly gaining traction among Indian audiences. This surge in popularity invites Indian marketing professionals to consider this platform and its influencers for their promotional endeavors. However, while the emergence of this platform opens up vast opportunities, it also comes with a myriad of concerns.
One of the most pressing concerns for Indian advertisers looking to invest in Toutiao influencers is the unpredictable pricing structure. In order to address this concern, this article delves into the intricate pricing dynamics of Chinese influencers on Toutiao.
📈 Pricing Structure of Toutiao Influencers
Unlike mainstream influencers, whose pricing is dictated by their popularity or follower count, the pricing structure of Toutiao influencers, much like the platform itself, is steeped in uniqueness. It is crucial for marketers to comprehend this structure in order to allocate their budgets effectively.
A popular Chinese influencer on Toutiao essentially serves as a combination of an influencer and a blogger. Much like influencers, they promote brands, while much like bloggers, they create informative content centered around those brands. Therefore, when it comes to pricing, they charge primarily based on two considerations: the scale of promotion and the associated content creation.
🏷️ Pricing Based on Promotional Scale
The first consideration that contributes to the pricing of influencers on Toutiao is the scale of promotion. From our research, we can determine that this scale ranges from a minimum of three posts to a maximum of ten posts—cumulatively known as a promotion pack.
Here is a pricing breakdown for the promotional scale of Toutiao influencers:
| Promotion Scale | Cost (in CNY) | Cost (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Three Posts | 600-800 | 7,000-9,000 |
| Five Posts | 1,000-1,500 | 11,000-17,000 |
| Ten Posts | 2,000-3,000 | 23,000-35,000 |
It is evident that the pricing varies based on the promotion scale. However, this pricing structure is subject to negotiation, as many factors influence the final price.
📜 Factors Influencing the Final Price
Factors that influencers consider when determining the final price include the number of brands promoted, the nature of the brand, and the duration of the promotion.
Number of brands promoted: Toutiao influencers tend to keep their promotional content more organic. They prefer promoting a single brand per post, which enriches the content and provides better engagement opportunities. However, some influencers may agree to promote multiple brands in a single post. This shift toward multiple promotions results in an increased final price.
Nature of the brand: While Toutiao influencers cover a wide range of niches in their content, certain niches command higher pricing. For example, lifestyle influencers may charge higher prices for promoting luxury brands, while influencers in consumer-focused niches may charge more for promoting tech gadgets.
Duration of the promotion: The duration of the promotion also influences the final price. Longer promotions, typically spanning multiple posts, allow influencers to generate more content and engage more audiences. As a result, this extended engagement usually comes at a higher cost.
🖥️ Content Creation
The second consideration influencing the pricing of Toutiao influencers is the associated content creation. Creating content, especially when aiming for viral patterns, is a meticulous endeavor. Toutiao influencers typically utilize text, images, and videos in their content, requiring significant time and resources.
- Text: Both tone and content depth must be optimized for the target audience. These elements require time to ensure presentability.
- Images: While influencers may opt for stock images, they can also choose to hire photographers to create original images. Higher-quality images come at a higher cost, affecting the overall pricing.
- Video: Video content, which is the most time-consuming to create, carries the most weight in pricing. Not only must influencers consider the time and equipment necessary to shoot a video, but they also must account for the time spent on editing, all of which demands a higher price.
🌐 Payment Methods for Toutiao Influencers
While advertisers may comprehend the pricing structure and factors influencing the final price, they may remain uncertain about the payment methods available on the platform. Today, Toutiao primarily serves the Chinese audience, restricting local payment methods for advertisers outside China.
Due to this limitation, advertisers may have to resort to third-party applications, such as Alipay, QQ Wallet, or WeChat, in order to make payments to influencers. However, these applications, which require a Chinese bank account for setup, also pose challenges for advertisers outside China.
Alipay: Although Alipay has emerged as a frontrunner in mobile payments within China, it remains inaccessible to advertisers outside the country due to the need for a Chinese bank account. This restriction presents a significant hurdle for advertisers seeking to collaborate with influencers on the platform.
QQ Wallet: QQ Wallet, another popular Chinese payment application, is also entrenched in the same restrictions as Alipay. Therefore, advertisers looking to utilize this method face a similar dilemma.
WeChat: WeChat, known as China’s social media equivalent to WhatsApp, contains a payment feature akin to its competitors. While the WeChat payment feature has gained traction outside of China, it still requires a Chinese bank account, making it ineffective for advertisers looking to promote their brands on Toutiao.
🌎 Cross-Border Payment Solutions
While traditional Chinese payment applications may not be viable options for advertisers outside China, alternative solutions do exist. Solutions such as Payoneer or Wise enable cross-border payments, allowing advertisers to bypass the need for a Chinese bank account.
Despite the existence of these solutions, advertisers must ensure that influencers agree to the chosen payment method. Typically speaking, however, the majority of Toutiao influencers will accommodate any reasonable request from advertisers.
🔒 Legal Considerations for Toutiao Influencer Marketing
Before rushing to collaborate with influencers on Toutiao, Indian advertisers must ensure that they understand the legal considerations and agreements surrounding influencer marketing in China.
Disclosure of endorsements: Chinese law mandates a clear disclosure of endorsements. Influencers are required to disclose their promotional relationship with brands in order to maintain transparency with their audiences.
Advertising law compliance: Influencers must comply with the Advertising Law of the People’s Republic of China. For example, influencers cannot make false claims about a product or service or promote certain prohibited products, such as tobacco or adult products.
Intellectual property rights: In order to leverage the content created by influencers, advertisers must secure the necessary intellectual property rights. This includes obtaining permission to use the influencer’s images or videos beyond the agreed-upon promotional scope.
Contractual agreements: Advertisers must establish clear contractual agreements with influencers, outlining each party’s rights and responsibilities. These agreements should cover aspects such as payment terms, content requirements, timelines, and dispute resolution processes.
Compliance with Indian laws: Finally, advertisers in India must also ensure compliance with local laws and regulations regarding advertising and influencer marketing. While collaborating with Chinese influencers on Toutiao, Indian advertisers must adhere to both Chinese and Indian legal frameworks to mitigate any legal risk.
🏁 Conclusion
Chinese influencers on Toutiao offer a unique marketing avenue for Indian brands looking to tap into a vast and rapidly growing market. However, understanding their pricing structure, payment methods, and legal considerations is crucial for successful collaborations.
By grasping the nuances of influencer pricing and leveraging appropriate payment solutions, Indian advertisers can effectively promote their brands on Toutiao while adhering to legal requirements.
As the popularity of Toutiao continues to rise, the potential for Indian brands to connect with Chinese audiences through influencer marketing is immense. With the right strategies in place, brands can seize this opportunity and navigate the intricacies of Toutiao influencer collaborations.
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