How Indian WhatsApp Influencers Find Brand Deals in Malaysia

In Malaysia, WhatsApp influencers from India are reaping the rewards of lucrative brand deals.

With the rise of the WhatsApp influencer marketing market in Malaysia, brands are now pairing with Indian influencers who specialize in social media marketing on the popular messaging platform.

In a market where WhatsApp is the leading social media app, Indian influencers are leveraging their expertise to connect brands with their target demographic.

Using their command of the platform, and a profound understanding of the local culture and language, they are tapping into Malaysia’s booming market.

📊 The Rise of WhatsApp Influencer Marketing in Malaysia

WhatsApp is the leading social media platform in Malaysia, with an impressive 85% of the population using the app.

In contrast, only 57% of Malaysians use Facebook and a mere 23% use Instagram.

Because of this, brands have shifted their advertising budget toward WhatsApp influencer marketing to engage with their target audience.

With the WhatsApp influencer marketing market projected to reach 1.5 billion dollars in Malaysia by 2025, brands are eager to establish connections with local influencers.

However, with many Indian companies expanding their operations to Malaysia, the need for Indian influencers who can resonate with both local and Indian audiences has increased.

💡 Indian Influencers in Malaysia

Taking advantage of the growing Indian community in Malaysia, Indian WhatsApp influencers are securing brand deals with both local and Indian companies.

Utilizing their command of the Indian languages spoken in Malaysia such as Tamil and Hindi, they create culturally relevant content that appeals to their intended audience.

They leverage their understanding of Malaysian culture and language to produce relatable content that resonates with local audiences. This dual cultural fluency makes them an invaluable asset for brands operating in the country.

In fact, in 2023, an Indian WhatsApp influencer executed a 50,000-ringgit campaign for Petronas, Malaysia’s largest oil and gas company.

❗ Payment

WhatsApp influencers in Malaysia are charging their Indian clients between 3,000 and 5,000 Indian Rupees for every 10 minutes of promotional content.

In contrast, local WhatsApp influencers typically charge 5,000 to 10,000 Malaysian Ringgit for the same amount of time.

The disparity in charges comes down to the fact that most Malaysian brands are targeting Malaysian consumers, while Indian brands are primarily targeting local Indian communities.

📢 WhatsApp Influencer Marketing in India

Despite WhatsApp influencer marketing being relatively new to Malaysia, it has been a hit in India.

WhatsApp is India’s leading social media platform, boasting over 487 million users.

According to a 2022 report by the India Digital Report, the app has a penetration rate of 37.5%, meaning that 37.5% of the population uses the app.

With the strong presence of WhatsApp in India, it is no wonder that Indian influencers have capitalized on the platform.

Using their skills in social media marketing, they have made a lucrative career out of promoting brands on WhatsApp.

In fact, a 2022 report by MSME found that 12% of Indian influencers utilize WhatsApp for brand promotions.

This percentage is expected to double in 2023, as many influencers have begun utilizing WhatsApp Business accounts.

By utilizing WhatsApp Business accounts, influencers can create and distribute promotional content to multiple users at once using broadcast lists, as well as utilize automated replies and chat tags.

These features increase the efficiency of their marketing efforts, allowing them to manage their campaigns more effectively.

📰 WhatsApp Influencer Campaigns

WhatsApp influencer marketing campaigns can be carried out in a variety of ways.

However, the primary method is through broadcast lists, which allow influencers to send messages to multiple contacts at once without them knowing who else received the message.

This creates a more personalized experience for each recipient.

Influencers can also utilize features such as voice messages, videos, images, and links to enhance their promotional content.

Additionally, they can provide their contact numbers to allow customers to reach out to them directly.

Direct conversations with consumers increase engagement rates, as customers have the chance to ask questions and interact with the influencer.

They can also utilize WhatsApp groups for brand promotion.

By creating a group with their followers, influencers can generate conversations about the brand.

Brands can also send in their representatives to answer questions and provide additional information.

When done correctly, WhatsApp groups can result in high conversion rates.

📰 The Power of WhatsApp Influencers

As WhatsApp influencers continue to grow in popularity, brands are beginning to realize the power they possess.

Influencers on WhatsApp can create a buzz around a brand’s product or service, leading to increased sales and conversions.

This is because their direct and personal approach helps build trust and credibility with their audience.

Furthermore, WhatsApp influencers tend to have higher engagement rates compared to influencers on other social media platforms.

According to a 2022 study by the GlobalWebIndex, WhatsApp influencers achieve a staggering 53% engagement rate.

This is over 10% higher than the engagement rate of Facebook influencers, which sits at 31%.

Similarly, WhatsApp influencers boast an engagement rate of 30% higher than Instagram influencers, who typically only achieve a 25% engagement rate.

📊 ROI of WhatsApp Influencer Marketing

Not only do WhatsApp influencers achieve higher engagement rates, but they also yield a higher return on investment.

A 2022 survey by SendPulse found that 61% of brands reported a positive ROI from their WhatsApp influencer marketing campaigns.

This is due to the fact that 75% of consumers who receive messages from brands find them helpful, and 89% of consumers prefer to communicate with brands via WhatsApp rather than through traditional methods.

Additionally, WhatsApp has a high conversion rate of 30%, meaning that 30% of leads generated through WhatsApp are converted into sales.

This is significantly higher than the conversion rates of other social media platforms, which average around 0.5% to 5%.

The high conversion rates of WhatsApp influencers, coupled with low costs, make them a cost-effective marketing solution.

🤳 The Future of WhatsApp Influencer Marketing

As the demand for WhatsApp influencer marketing continues to grow, it is anticipated that WhatsApp will become saturated with influencers.

A saturated market will lead to increased competition among influencers as they vie for brand deals.

To stand out in this saturated space, influencers must adopt new techniques and strategies to remain relevant.

This was the case in India, where WhatsApp influencers became saturated with influencers promoting tupperware.

The influencers promoting this product were attempting to compete with each other, which resulted in a drop in engagement rates and conversions.

In response, many of these influencers transitioned to promoting other products that aligned with their audience’s interests.

This allowed them to differentiate themselves from their competitors and regain their relevance.

The same is expected to happen in Malaysia as the market continues to grow.

❗ How Brands Can Stay Relevant

Brands need to ensure that they are working with the right WhatsApp influencers that align with their values and messaging.

For example, a health food brand may want to avoid influencers that promote fast food, as this would send conflicting messages to their audience.

Additionally, brands should avoid working with influencers that promote competing products.

This is because working with multiple influencers promoting the same product can dilute a brand’s messaging and result in consumers becoming disinterested.

By carefully selecting the right influencers and ensuring that they align with their brand’s values and messaging, brands can maintain their relevance and stand out in the crowded WhatsApp influencer marketing space.

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