How Indian Facebook Influencers Find Brand Deals in Saudi Arabia

2025-05-01 2019 words 10 minutes

Contents

Indian influencers have always longed for international fame and recognition. Rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, sitting courtside at NBA games, and getting backstage passes at international music festivals are just a few of the glamorous luxuries they crave.

In a new trend, Indian influencers are targeting Saudi Arabia for brand deals. They are often wooed by Arab royalty and are being flown to the nation to promote an array of products and services.

Saudi Arabia has become a hotbed for Indian influencers targeting the nation. Local brands are looking to tap into the massive Indian market by recruiting Indian influencers who are already quite popular in their homeland. The promotion of these Saudi brands and services to Indian audiences through Indian influencers is a calculated move to entice Indian consumers to try these products and services and ultimately visit Saudi Arabia when they make travel plans.

📈 Saudi Arabia Loves Indians

Saudi Arabia has developed a long-term love affair with Indian nationals who’ve become popular in the kingdom for their hospitality and hard work.

It is estimated that there are nearly 3 million Indians living in Saudi Arabia, making them the largest expatriate group in the country. According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics, about 38% of the country’s labor force is foreign. Many of these foreign-born workers are Indian, and they play an essential role in the Saudi economy.

According to a report by the Zawya, over 500,000 Indian nationals entered Saudi Arabia in 2022.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia announced its plan to boost its economy and the nation’s appeal to international tourists through its Vision 2030 initiative. The plan is to attract around 100 million tourists per year by 2030.

This vision includes the completion of mega-projects such as the Red Sea Project and NEOM, a smart city that will span 26,500 square kilometers (about the size of Albania) and will be home to nine million residents.

India is expected to be one of the top markets for tourists to Saudi Arabia, and this is why Saudi brands are tapping Indian influencers to promote their products and services.

✈️ Royal Treatment

In the quest to attract Indian tourists, Saudi Arabia has spared no expense in wooing Indian influencers.

According to reports, prominent Indian influencers are being treated like royalty when they arrive in the nation for brand deals. They are often given private jets, luxury vehicles, and lavish accommodations.

The aerial team of TikTok influencers from India, known as the Flying Beast Crew, were treated to the full royal treatment when they signed a lucrative brand deal with Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia).

The group of five was flown on a private jet to Saudi Arabia, where they were put up in five-star accommodations and taken on a tour of the nation. The influencers promoted Saudia as the best airline for Indians traveling to Saudi Arabia, and the trip was aired on their popular YouTube channel.

The royal treatment of Indian influencers has also attracted the attention of many Saudi and Gulf broadcasters.

Salman Khan, a popular Bollywood actor, who boasts more than 56 million followers on Facebook and 46 million followers on Instagram, was recently flown to Saudi Arabia for a brand deal.

Like many Indian influencers, Khan has a massive following among the Arab populace, with many Saudis and Indians living in the kingdom being ardent fans of Bollywood. Khan was flown to Saudi Arabia to perform in the Eid-al-Fitr festival in Jeddah, where he was joined by other Bollywood stars.

Khan’s trip to Saudi Arabia received extensive media coverage by Saudi and Gulf news outlets.

💰 Lucrative Saudi Brand Deals

A brand deal for a prominent Indian influencer can be worth millions of rupees.

According to industry experts, the minimum fee for an Indian influencer to promote a brand on their social media channels is about ₹15,000 (USD $180).

Booking an influencer with more than 1 million followers can cost anywhere from ₹50,000 (USD $600) to ₹3 lakhs (USD $3,600), depending on the influencer’s status and popularity.

Such fees are often charged per post, story, or video, which means influencers can easily make millions of rupees from just one brand deal.

In a report by the Economic Times, the minimum fee for an Indian influencer traveling to Saudi Arabia for a brand deal is about ₹1 lakh (USD $1,200) a day. This means that even small brand deals can be worth millions of rupees for Indian influencers.

A travel and tourism brand deal worth ₹10 crores (USD $1.2 million) was recently signed by an Indian family of influencers who go by the name of the Triplets On Board. The deal will see the family promoting various travel destinations and attractions in Saudi Arabia on their popular social media channels.

In 2022, the total revenue of India’s influencer marketing industry was estimated to be around ₹1,100 crores (USD $132 million). Experts predict that the industry will reach a whopping ₹2,200 crores (USD $264 million) by 2025.

In just three years, India’s influencer marketing industry will double in size, and experts attribute much of this growth to the rapid increase of brand deals targeting Saudi Arabia.

🌟 Popular Indian Influencers in Saudi Arabia

A growing number of Indian influencers are becoming popular in Saudi Arabia. Some are even based in the nation while others travel frequently to the kingdom.

Abdul Rahman is a Saudi-based influencer from India known for his comedic videos. With over 35 million followers on Facebook and over 2 million followers on Instagram, Abdul Rahman is one of the top influencers from India in Saudi Arabia.

Another popular influencer is Heena Sid, a beauty and lifestyle influencer who frequently travels to Saudi Arabia. Sid is followed by 1.7 million people on Instagram and over 10 million people on Facebook.

Based in Riyadh, Faizan Shaikh is known as the King of Comedy in Saudi Arabia and has 7 million followers on Facebook. Shaikh is another top influencer from India in Saudi Arabia.

Also based in Riyadh, Arshi Khan has made a name for herself as the Queen of Bollywood in Saudi Arabia. With nearly 5 million followers on Instagram, Khan is known for her glamorous style and high-profile celebrity lifestyle.

🌎 Why Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi government’s Vision 2030 initiative has prompted a massive transformation of the kingdom into a world-class tourism destination.

In a bid to diversify the economy away from oil, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in mega-projects, entertainment, hospitality, and tourism. The country will soon play host to many sporting and entertainment events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, World Wrestling Entertainment events, and music festivals.

Saudi Arabia has also relaxed many of its conservative rules and customs, allowing for more freedoms, especially for women.

Saudi Arabia is no longer a dry country and is now allowing restaurants, hotels, and other venues to serve alcohol. Dress codes have also been relaxed, and women are no longer required to wear garments that cover their faces.

These changes have made Saudi Arabia a much more attractive place to visit, and this increased interest in the kingdom has prompted Saudi brands to recruit Indian influencers to promote their products and services back home.

💡 How Do Indian Influencers Find Saudi Brand Deals?

Indian influencers can find lucrative brand deals in Saudi Arabia through several different methods.

Social media, influencer marketing platforms, and agencies are all popular options used to find brand deals.

Influencer Marketing Platforms

Influencer marketing platforms are one of the best and most reliable ways for Indian influencers to find brand deals in Saudi Arabia.

These platforms connect brands with influencers and facilitate the booking process. Many of them also provide payment solutions, which allow influencers to receive payments in their local currency.

Globally renowned influencer marketing platforms such as BaoLiba and HypeAuditor have been successful in connecting Indian influencers with brands in Saudi Arabia.

Based in Dubai, the influencer marketing platform OneInfluence has also been successful in connecting Indian influencers with brands in Saudi Arabia.

Agencies

Agencies are another viable option for Indian influencers trying to find brand deals in Saudi Arabia.

Many agencies specialize in influencer marketing and can help influencers land lucrative brand deals.

Agencies such as T8, 5th Avenue Global, and The Marketing Lab are three agencies that have been successful in connecting Indian influencers with brands in Saudi Arabia.

Social media is a great way for Indian influencers to find brand deals in Saudi Arabia.

Popular social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube allow influencers to showcase their talents and reach a large audience.

Many brands in Saudi Arabia actively search for influencers on social media and reach out to them directly for brand deals.

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is another effective method for Indian influencers to find brand deals in Saudi Arabia.

Many Indian influencers are already established in Saudi Arabia and frequently travel there for brand deals.

These influencers often share tips and advice with their peers on how to land brand deals in Saudi Arabia, which can be very helpful for newcomers trying to break into the local market.

❗ Fraud Warning

While the prospect of landing lucrative brand deals in Saudi Arabia is appealing, Indian influencers must also be aware of the many scammers looking to take advantage of them.

Fake brand deals are common in the influencer marketing industry.

Scammers often impersonate reputable brands and reach out to influencers for brand deals. They then ask the influencer to pay a deposit or fee, promising to repay them later. Once the influencer pays the fee, the scammer disappears, and the influencer is left with nothing.

How to Spot a Fake Brand Deal

Here are some warning signs of fake brand deals:

Bad spelling and grammar: Many scammers operate overseas and have a poor command of the English language. If the initial correspondence is poorly written, it may be a scam.
Unprofessional correspondence: Many legitimate brands will have an official email address that matches their website domain. Scammers often use generic email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail.
Unrealistic offers: If the brand deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often make wild offers to get influencers to bite.
Requests for money: Many scams require the influencer to pay a small fee for the brand deal. Legitimate brands do not ask for payment from influencers.
Too much pressure: If the brand representative is too pushy or aggressive, it could be a scam. Scammers will often pressure influencers to pay the fee quickly to secure the brand deal.

How to Protect Yourself

Here are some tips to help protect Indian influencers from scams:

Do your research: Check the brand’s website and social media pages. If the brand appears to be legitimate, it may not be a scam.
Ask for references: Request that the brand provide references from other influencers they have worked with. A legitimate brand should be able to provide this information.
Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. If the brand deal seems too good to be true, walk away.
Get everything in writing: Ensure all the details of the brand deal are in writing, including payment terms. This will protect the influencer if something goes wrong.
Use reputable influencer marketing platforms: Using reputable influencer marketing platforms can help protect influencers from scams. These platforms have systems in place to verify brands and provide payment solutions.

📢 Conclusion

Indian influencers are increasingly targeting Saudi Arabia for brand deals. The nation is home to millions of Indian nationals who work there, and Saudi Arabia has become a popular destination for Indian tourists.

This lucrative win-win situation has many Indian influencers traveling to Saudi Arabia for brand deals.

The prospect of landing brand deals in Saudi Arabia is appealing, but Indian influencers must also be aware of the many scams looking to take advantage of them. By following the tips and advice in this article, influencers can protect themselves and land lucrative brand deals in Saudi Arabia.

BaoLiba will continue to update on India influencer marketing trends. Stay tuned!