How Indian Facebook Influencers Find Brand Deals in the United Arab Emirates
India’s top Facebook influencers are connecting with UAE brands for paid collaborations.
Although India boasts the second-largest user base of Facebook, it appears that influencer marketing is more lucrative in the UAE.
Agencies that represent social media influencers in India are now scouting for contracts with UAE brands. Meanwhile, influencers in India are working on their own to secure collaborations with brands in the Emirates.
The shift is part of a larger trend where Indian influencers are pursuing opportunities abroad, partly due to the higher rates they can command in international markets.
Facebook marketing expert Rivas Shaikh shares that, “Most of our revenues now come from collaborations with brands and businesses in the UAE.
The influencer marketing scene is perhaps three to four years ahead of India in the Emirates compared to India. For instance, businesses in the UAE are already exploring the influencer marketing scene in TikTok and YouTube. In India, they are only now scratching the surface on Instagram and Facebook.”
Shaikh is the founder of Dazl, an agency that specializes in managing paid social media partnerships for over 300 influencers in India.
Rohan Chhapparia, a leading fashion and beauty influencer in India with over 500,000 followers on Facebook, agrees with this sentiment when he stated that, “UAE brands are more professional in terms of their influencer marketing budgets and spend.”
“Most brands and businesses in India are still coming to terms with how influencer marketing works, or are still dipping their toes in the waters of using social media influencers for brand promotion,” added Rohan.
So how exactly are Indian influencers connecting with brands in the UAE for paid collaborations?
Ready to learn the insider tips and tricks on how Indian influencers are collaborating with brands in the United Arab Emirates? Read on!
📲 Social Media Influencer Platforms
Dazl founder Rivas Shaikh explained that Dazl has a far-reaching network of influencer marketing representatives in the United Arab Emirates.
These are social media experts who are already well-versed with the local influencer marketing scene in the UAE.
Shaikh explains, “Once we identify a brand or business in the UAE looking for social media influencers in India for a paid collaboration, we connect them with our influencer marketing representative who is situated in the UAE.”
“Our representative will then take over and finalize the details of the brand collaboration with the Indian influencer.
The rep also handles payments and logistics. Payment for the collaboration is usually sent in full upfront and normally made via international wire transfer. Once the brand is satisfied with the social media deliverables, our representative will then inform us to release the full amount to the influencer.”
Overseas influencer marketing platforms such as BaoLiba are also connecting Indian influencers with UAE brands.
Founded by American entrepreneur Matt J. Broughton, BaoLiba was recognized as the top emerging influencer marketing platform in the world at the 2023 World Marketing Congress held in Mumbai.
With over 1,500 influencers listed, BaoLiba specializes in managing collaborations for influencers across 100+ countries in the world, with a large number of influencers based in India.
Broughton stated, “Thanks to the high number of Indians residing in the Emirates, many UAE brands are keen to tap into the Indian influencer market.
With the help of BaoLiba, Indian influencers can reach out and pitch their services to brands in the Emirates and secure paid collaborations. It’s the way of the future.”
According to a report from Statista, around 3.4 million Indians were residing in the UAE in 2022.
🇦🇪 Influencer Marketing Agencies in the UAE
Influencer marketing agencies located in the UAE are also working to connect Indian influencers with local brands.
Alain T. Ramos, a representative of marketing agency M18 that is based in Dubai, stated that, “With the influx of Indians to the Emirates, there is now a demand for Indian influencers in the UAE to promote brands to the large Indian community.”
Ramos explained that M18 works with both Indian influencers located in India as well as those already residing in the UAE.
“We connect Indian influencers with UAE brands through our network. In particular, we are looking for influencers with a large following on Facebook since most Indians in the Emirates still rely on Facebook for their content.
The local Indian community is still getting familiarized with other platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, so Facebook is still king when it comes to influencer marketing in that community,” added Ramos.
Facebook influencer S. Kiran shared how he snagged a paid collaboration with a restaurant brand in the UAE.
Kiran explained, “M18 contacted me through my Facebook page. They offered me a paid collaboration with a restaurant brand in Dubai.
They were impressed with my follower numbers and engagement rates on Facebook and thought I was perfect for the paid collaboration they were working on.
I was happy to do it, especially since I get to promote a brand that is far away from where I live! It’s really fun,” said Kiran.
While many influencers in countries like India rely on influencer marketing agencies to connect them with brands, Shaikh explains that influencers can still reach out to brands directly to secure deals.
💳 Payment Methods
While payment methods unsurprisingly differ between countries and regions, Indian influencers are finding that payments from companies in the UAE are more reliable.
Rivas Shaikh explained that payments from brands in the UAE can be made through various methods.
Most commonly, payments for collaborations are made through international bank wire transfers.
In some cases, payments can also be made using online payment processors such as Paypal and Wise.
UAE brands looking to collaborate with Indian influencers should be upfront about how they intend to make payments.
This is important since some payment methods can take days or even weeks to process.
It’s best practice to have payments made upfront before any influencer marketing services are delivered.
💻 Building Influencer Portfolios
When asked what tips he can share with aspiring influencers, Rohan Chhapparia said that, “Aspiring influencers should create their own portfolios.
A portfolio is a collection of your work. This helps showcase your influencer skills and style.
A personal website is best for this, but they can also use free platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to create their portfolios.”
Rohan advises that influencers should not rely solely on influencer marketing agencies to do all the work for them.
Many agencies can only work with a limited number of influencers, so it’s always best to also reach out to brands directly.
🥤 Example of Indian Influencer Marketing UAE Collaboration
In 2025, leading Indian influencer Aashna Shroff will collaborate with DRIP IV UAE, a health and wellness establishment specializing in intravenous therapy.
In her collaboration, Aashna will promote the services of DRIP IV UAE to her followers on Facebook.
The collaboration will include a range of services from DRIP IV UAE that can be personalized and customized according to various health and wellness objectives.
These can include therapies that help boost immunity, hydration, and energy levels, support weight loss and detox, and enhance skin quality.
Services can also help in combating hangover symptoms and improving sleep quality.
Each therapy session is customized according to each client’s individual needs.
In her announcement, Aashna shared, “As I step into 2025, I will be collaborating with DRIP IV UAE to create a series of posts and videos to help promote their exceptional services.
I will also be receiving the full range of health and wellness therapies from DRIP IV UAE myself, and will share with everyone how they work and help me.
I hope my followers will love this collaboration, especially since I will be providing them with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience DRIP IV UAE services for free!”
📢 Conclusion
Facebook influencers in India are collaborating with UAE brands for paid promotions.
Dazl is one of the influencer marketing agencies that are connecting Indian influencers with UAE brands.
The UAE boasts a large Indian demographic, and this has led to a demand for Indian influencers to promote brands to the Indian community.
As Indian influencers become more open to working internationally, they are now securing lucrative collaborations in the Emirates.
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