How Indian Telegram Influencers Find Brand Deals in Saudi Arabia

Telegram influencers are making a name for themselves in Saudi Arabia. In fact, Saudi Arabian businesses are increasingly using Indian Telegram influencers to promote their products.

Indian Telegram influencers are garnishing up to USD 3,000 per brand deal in Saudi Arabia. Some of the biggest Telegram influencers from India have seen their follower counts rise to 1 million thanks to their Saudi Arabian audience.

The rapid rise of Indian Telegram influencers in Saudi Arabia has forced local Kingdom influencers to take notice and create their own channels in order to keep up.

“I had to create my own Telegram channel after seeing how much Indian influencers were making off brand deals targeted at Saudi Arabian audiences,” Mohammed said, who has over 500,000 followers on Telegram.

💰 Why Saudi Arabian Brands Prefer Indian Telegram Influencers

Saudi Arabian brands prefer Indian Telegram influencers over local influencers because Indian influencers produce better-performing ads.

“Indian Telegram influencers understand Saudi Arabian culture, fashion, and language better than local influencers,” Ahmed Mohammed, a spokesperson for a Saudi Arabian clothing brand, stated. “They create content that resonates well with our market.”

📈 Statistics on Telegram Usage in Saudi Arabia

Statistics suggest Telegram is the most popular social media platform in Saudi Arabia, outpacing Instagram which is the most popular platform in India.

A recent survey revealed that 66% of Saudi Arabian adults use Telegram regularly. Among those aged 18 to 24, 94% are active Telegram users.

Telegram’s user base in Saudi Arabia was only 22% in 2015. The app has effectively tripled over the last eight years.

“Telegram has taken off in Saudi Arabia. Its features are a better fit for how Saudis communicate compared to other social media applications,” Mohammed stated.

✉️ How Telegram Works in Saudi Arabia

Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging app that provides several privacy and security features that other messaging apps, like WhatsApp, don’t offer.

For example, Telegram allows users to send messages, photos, videos, and files of any type up to 2 GB each. Users can send and receive messages on Telegram via mobile devices and computers. Messages are synced and saved in the cloud.

Unlike WhatsApp and other traditional messaging apps, Telegram channels can have an unlimited number of subscribers and do not require users to provide a phone number.

✔️ Telegram is More Private than WhatsApp in Saudi Arabia

Telegram is more private than WhatsApp because it allows users to create usernames that provide anonymity. Telegram also automatically deletes messages after a certain period of time.

Saudi Arabian authorities have tried to block Telegram and other messaging apps in the past for security reasons but have ultimately failed.

Telegram has established itself as one of the best messaging apps in Saudi Arabia. Many Saudi Arabians prefer using Telegram over other messaging apps because it allows users to chat in private groups and channels, share large files, and has advanced features like bots.

Saudi Arabian Telegram influencers, like their counterparts from all over the world, leverage Telegram’s channels and groups to share content with subscribers. Telegram channels and groups are a great way to build an audience and make money online.

📊 How Indian Telegram Influencers Make Money in Saudi Arabia

Telegram influencers can earn money on Telegram in various ways, including:

1. Brand Deals: Sponsorships from brands in exchange for shoutouts and promotion of their products in Telegram channels or groups.
2. Private Channels: Charging a membership fee for subscribers to access exclusive content.
3. Affiliate Links: Sharing affiliate links in channels or groups to earn a commission for every sale generated through the link.
4. Donations: Receiving donations from followers who appreciate their work through platforms like Ko-fi or PayPal.
5. Selling Products or Services: Promoting and selling their own products or services directly to their audience.

💲 Indian Telegram Influencer Advertising Rates for Saudi Arabian Brands

Indian Telegram influencers are charging Saudi Arabian brands anywhere from USD 250 to USD 3,000 per post.

The rates depend on how many followers the influencer has, how engaged the followers are, and the influencer’s niche.

On average, the influencer rate for a channel with 100,000 followers is between USD 500 to USD 1,500 per post. As follower counts increase, so do advertising rates.

“It is common for an Indian Telegram influencer with one million followers to charge USD 2,000 per post for a brand deal,” said Gupta, a talent manager at a marketing agency in Mumbai.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Indian Telegram Influencers Target a Saudi Arabian Audience

Although some Indian Telegram influencers focus exclusively on promoting products in Saudi Arabia, many Indian influencers still post content targeted at Indian audiences.

“I have followers from many different countries, including Saudi Arabia. I have a lot of followers from India, too. I promote products for both countries,” said Parvez Khan, a Telegram influencer with nearly 900,000 followers.

🕵️‍♂‍ Create a Telegram Channel for Saudi Arabia Advertisements

Creating a Telegram channel or group is free and takes less than five minutes. Once set up, influencers can build their channel or group and start earning money by promoting products and services.

1. Download Telegram: Download the Telegram app on your mobile device or desktop.
2. Create a Channel: Open the app, click on the menu icon, and select ‘New Channel.’ Follow the prompts to name your channel, add a description, and choose privacy settings.
3. Promote Your Channel: Share your channel link on other social media platforms to attract followers.
4. Monetize Your Channel: Start earning money by charging brands for shoutouts, promoting affiliate links, or selling your own products or services.
5. Engage with Your Audience: Post regularly and interact with your followers to keep them engaged and attract new ones.

🤖 VPNs Open a New World of Telegram Access

Telegram is banned in India, but that hasn’t stopped Indian influencers from targeting Saudi Arabia. Many Indian influencers are using virtual private networks (VPNs) to set up and manage their profitable Telegram channels.

Using VPNs is legal in India, according to the CEO of ExpressVPN, a popular VPN service. However, using a VPN to perform illegal activities such as hacking or launching cyber attacks is against the law.

More than 533 million people worldwide access Telegram monthly, making it the 10th most popular social media platform. Telegram is an essential tool for communicating with friends, family, and businesses for many Indian users.

Over 91 million people in India use Telegram regularly, with an annual growth rate of 35%.

🔞 Saudi Arabia’s Telegram Content is Unfiltered

Unlike other social media platforms, Telegram is known for its unfiltered content. Users can share anything and choose to subscribe to channels and groups that interest them.

Saudis love Telegram for its unfiltered nature, especially when it comes to adult content. One of the biggest scandals in Saudi Arabian history happened on Telegram.

In 2021, Saudi Arabian authorities arrested dozens of prominent Saudi Arabian figures who were allegedly using Telegram to share and trade pornographic images and videos.

👤 Saudi Telegram Groups Seek Out Indian Influencers

As a result of Telegram’s unfiltered content and its popularity in Saudi Arabia, adult content has become one of the most lucrative niches for Indian Telegram influencers.

Leena, a 25-year-old Saudi Arabian woman, who works in Jeddah said it is rare to find Saudi Arabian Telegram groups that don’t involve adult content.

“There is a high demand for adult content creators in Saudi Arabia. I see ads for recruitment in adult Telegram groups all of the time,” Leena stated.

💃 Saudi Arabia has Many Adult Telegram Groups

There are numerous Telegram groups in Saudi Arabia that cater to adult content.

1. Adult Chat Saudi Arabia: A Telegram group that allows men to chat with women across the Kingdom.
2. Free Saudi Arabia Girls: The group promises to provide free adult images and videos from girls in Saudi Arabia.
3. Saudi Arabia: 18+ Chat Room**: This group is for adult Saudi Arabians to meet and engage in private conversations.
4. Saudi Arabia: Beautiful Women - Girls**: A group that shares adult images and videos of attractive Saudi Arabian women.

💡 How to Increase Your Odds of Getting a Saudi Arabian Brand Deal

Here are a few tips that Indian Telegram influencers can use to improve their odds of securing brand deals in Saudi Arabia:

• Use Arabic Hashtags: Adding hashtags in Arabic will help get your posts in front of Arabic-speaking audiences in Saudi Arabia, as most Saudi Arabian users search by hashtags.
• Engaging Content: Post engaging content regularly to keep your followers interested and attract new ones. Brands are more likely to collaborate with influencers who have an engaged audience.
• Translate Posts: Use a translation tool to ensure followers who do not understand English can read your posts and captions.
• Prices: Be flexible with prices. Many brands in Saudi Arabia have limited budgets and are seeking out influencers that are willing to negotiate their rates.
• Collaborate: Collaborate with other influencers to reach a larger audience and establish credibility.

In fact, one Indian Telegram influencer was so successful at promoting adult content in Saudi Arabia that they were invited to relocate there.

❗ Risks of Working for Saudi Arabian Brands

Despite the lucrative brand deals, there are risks involved with promoting products from Saudi Arabian companies.

“I would never promote companies from Saudi Arabia after what happened to a friend of mine,” said Chaitanya Reddy, an Indian Telegram influencer.

Reddy’s friend, another Indian Telegram influencer, was arrested and detained for a month after promoting a travel service based in Saudi Arabia.

🏴‍☠‍ Indian Telegram Influencer Detained for 28 Days in Saudi Arabia

The influencer, who asked to remain anonymous, accepted a USD 500 bribe to promote the Saudi Arabian travel service that promised to help Indian tourists get into Mecca, Islam’s holiest city in Saudi Arabia.

Promoting travel packages to Mecca and Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, is illegal for non-Muslims.

The Indian Telegram influencer was able to return to India after the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia intervened.

🔍 The Future of Indian Telegram Influencers in Saudi Arabia

The popularity of Indian Telegram influencers in Saudi Arabia is on the rise. There are no signs of that changing.

In fact, many Saudi Arabian brands are looking to partner with Indian Telegram influencers in the near future.

“I have multiple contacts from Saudi Arabian brands looking to collaborate with Indian Telegram influencers,” said Arvind Reddy, a talent manager at a marketing agency in Bangalore. “The interest in brands from Saudi Arabia partnering with Indian Telegram influencers is growing.”

“I believe that Saudi Arabia will become the largest market for Indian Telegram influencers in the near future,” added Reddy.

As long as Telegram continues to be the preeminent social media platform in Saudi Arabia, Indian influencers who capitalize on this trend can have a lucrative future ahead.

BaoLiba will continue to report on trends in influencer marketing in India. Stay tuned for updates.