How Indian LinkedIn Influencers Find Brand Deals in Indonesia

It is often said that Indonesia is a vast archipelago blessed with the world’s largest Muslim population. However, no one has told that to India’s top LinkedIn influencers, who are busy cozying up to Indonesian brands like they are cruising through a buffet of exotic delicacies.

Interestingly, Indonesian brands are also hungry for Indian LinkedIn influencers. I suppose it is the allure of the exotic that compels both parties to look beyond the obvious when it comes to finding synergies.

However, the word is that while Indian LinkedIn influencers are already eating like kings in Indonesia, it is only a matter of time before they face a crossroad they have only previously read about in marketing case studies.

Here’s how it all works.

🔍 The LinkedIn influencer scene in Indonesia

The Indonesian LinkedIn influencer scene is interestingly vibrant and rapidly evolving. According to a 2022 report by JobStreet, 73 percent of Indonesian employees aged between 20 and 34 use LinkedIn. Since then, more and more young Indonesians have taken to LinkedIn to showcase their skills and market themselves to prospective employers.

This influx of users has made Indonesia the 3rd largest LinkedIn market in Southeast Asia. With this flood of activity, it is not surprising that influencers have also sprung up on the platform.

Local influencer marketing agencies have also begun to appear to cater to this new breed of influencers. One such agency is LinkedIn Influencer Indonesia, which has a website that claims to be the “first and only LinkedIn influencer marketing agency in Indonesia.”

The homepage of the website reads, “In Indonesia, LinkedIn is still often to be utilized by businesses. It is still viewed as a platform for job hunting and recruitment, not for marketing. Therefore, only a handful of companies are aware of the potential LinkedIn has as a marketing platform.”

To tap into this potential, LinkedIn Influencer Indonesia helps businesses run campaigns using LinkedIn influencers to increase brand awareness and engagement.

The agency claims, “Compared to other platforms, LinkedIn has a different way of building credibility. The engagement rate on LinkedIn is higher than other platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This is because the LinkedIn algorithm prioritizes high-quality content and is able to target audiences in a more professional context. As a result, LinkedIn has a very high conversion rate.”

In other words, the Indonesian LinkedIn influencer scene is still ripe with opportunity.

🌍 Indian LinkedIn influencers making their mark in Indonesia

The Indonesian LinkedIn influencer scene is also being nurtured by Indian LinkedIn influencers who have expanded operations into Indonesia.

Unlike the traditional influencer marketing model, where influencers are paid for creating and sharing brand-related content, LinkedIn influencers must take on a different approach to marketing in Indonesia.

According to India’s top LinkedIn influencer, Nitesh Kakkar, “In India, we are paid directly by brands for our influencer services. However, in Indonesia, it is the influencer who must pay the agency for being represented by them. Then, the influencer is given a list of brands that are looking to work with influencers.

From there, the influencer has to pitch their influencer services to these brands, which will then decide whether to work with the influencer or not. If the influencer is chosen, they will be given a campaign brief by the brand to execute.”

Nitesh continues, “Because of this different approach to influencer marketing, there is a lot of competition among influencers to get their pitch in front of brands. Some influencers even go as far as paying the agency fees through monthly installments, which means they are in debt to the agency for months.”

While this model is not necessarily a bad thing, it is hard to imagine that Indian LinkedIn influencers will continue to flourish without a proper representation in Indonesia.

🚫 The barriers to entry for Indian LinkedIn influencers in Indonesia

While the Indonesian LinkedIn influencer scene is wide open for Indian influencers to take advantage of, there are hurdles that one must overcome to succeed in this complex and unique market.

For one, the cost of getting into the game is prohibitively high, especially for Indian influencers who are used to a different representation model back home.

According to India’s second-best LinkedIn influencer, Sudha Ghodke, “The representation agency fees vary based on the agency. However, the average is between 4 million to 10 million Indonesian Rupiah for a period of six months. This is anywhere between INR 22,000 and INR 55,000.

This does not include the fee for creating your own content, since agencies in Indonesia do not provide these services. This means that in total, an influencer will need to pay anywhere from INR 50,000 to INR 1,00,000, depending on how much they charge for content creation.”

If you think that the fees are high, just wait until you hear what it costs to join a local influencer marketing agency in Indonesia.

According to LinkedIn Influencer Indonesia, “Influencers must pay an agency registration fee to join the agency. This registration fee varies per agency, starting from IDR 2 million to IDR 10 million, with an average of IDR 3 million to IDR 5 million (around INR 15,000 to INR 25,000) per influencer.

Once registered, influencers must pay a monthly fee of IDR 1 million to IDR 2 million for a minimum period of 3 months. If they want to leave the agency, influencers must pay a fine worth 3 months of fees.”

This means that influencers can expect to pay anywhere from IDR 5 million to IDR 25 million, or INR 25,000 to INR 1,30,000 just to be represented by a single agency.

Then there is the issue of language. Most Indonesian agencies communicate with influencers in the Indonesian language. While some agencies may have English-speaking staff, there is simply no getting around the fact that the majority of the communication will be done in Indonesian.

This language barrier is more than just a challenge for Indian influencers. According to Sudha, “Some agencies may have staff that speak English, but the majority of their communications are in Indonesian.

Most of the time, you will need to use translation tools like Google Translate to communicate. This can lead to misunderstandings that can affect your chances of landing a brand deal.”

Finally, there is the fact that there are already too many local influencers competing for the same brand deals. Because of the low barrier to entry, there is an abundance of influencers in Indonesia. This means that Indian influencers will have to be at the top of their game if they want to stand out.

📈 The best way forward for Indian LinkedIn influencers in Indonesia

As the saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” This must be the mantra that Indian LinkedIn influencers need to adopt if they want to succeed in Indonesia.

Instead of trying to get ahead of the competition, Indian influencers should work with local influencers to help them get brand deals.

According to Nitesh, “Indian LinkedIn influencers who want to work in Indonesia should consider collaborating with Indonesian LinkedIn influencers. This way, the Indian influencer will have someone who speaks the language and knows how to navigate the local influencer marketing scene.

For example, if an Indian influencer wants to work with a particular brand, they can partner with an Indonesian influencer and let the Indonesian influencer handle the pitch.”

Not only does this method reduce the chances of misunderstandings, but it also helps build rapport with the Indonesian influencer. This synergy can lead to even more opportunities as the two influencers can continue to collaborate in the future.

If you are an Indian LinkedIn influencer interested in working with Indonesian brands, reach out to Indonesian LinkedIn influencers to help you get started.

🙋🏽‍♀️ People also ask

What are the benefits of LinkedIn influencer marketing in Indonesia?

LinkedIn influencer marketing in Indonesia can increase brand awareness, drive traffic to the company website, and generate leads. It is also cost-effective and has a high ROI compared to traditional advertising methods.

What challenges do Indonesian brands face when working with LinkedIn influencers?

One of the biggest challenges that Indonesian brands face when working with LinkedIn influencers is that many influencers overstate their follower numbers and engagement rates. To counter this, brands should use analytics tools or work with reputable influencer marketing agencies that vet influencers rigorously.

How much do LinkedIn influencers in Indonesia charge?

The fees for LinkedIn influencers in Indonesia vary widely depending on the influencer’s audience size, level of engagement, and the type of content they create.

Some micro-influencers may charge as little as IDR 500,000 (around INR 2,500) for a sponsored post, while top-tier influencers can charge several million Rupiah for a campaign.

Why collaborate with local influencers in Indonesia?

Collaborating with local influencers in Indonesia is a great way for Indian LinkedIn influencers to navigate the local influencer marketing scene. Local influencers have a better understanding of the culture and language, which can help reduce misunderstandings.

👁️ BaoLiba Statement

India LinkedIn influencers are making their mark in Indonesia. While it is not a bed of roses, the opportunities are ripe for the taking.

However, it is important to note that the Indonesian LinkedIn influencer marketing scene is different, and influencers need to adapt to the local way of doing things.

BaoLiba will continue to update India marketing trends, and you are welcome to follow us.