How Indian WhatsApp Influencers Find Brand Deals in Vietnam
The tech-savvy Indians have set their sights on Vietnam based on nothing less than a hunch. Coming to Vietnam has become the trendiest thing to do among Indian influencers at the moment.
It is a fact that Southeast Asia is a magnet for Indian influencers. The allure of beaches, paradise islands, and pristine tropical forests has led several influencers to venture into the region with spontaneous zeal. However, none have been as daring or as precocious as the WhatsApp influencers who not only have taken the plunge into the tropical, island-laden seas of Vietnam but have abruptly made it their second home.
Why is Vietnam the Emerging Hub for Indian Influencers?
The emergence of Vietnam as the go-to nation for Indian influencers is baffling. With beaches lining the shores of India, the Maldives being a short and predictable flight away, and nations like Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia being on the average Indianโs bucket list, not to mention that they are all part of Asia, the Vietnamese love for Indian influencers comes across as perplexing.
In fact, many Indian influencers remain puzzled as to why Vietnam has suddenly become the preferred getaway for their contemporaries.
The Indian influencers who have recently amassed a sizeable fanbase in Vietnam and coveted brand deals all over the country, have been accused of being presumptuous. Indian influencers typically have a specific audience demographic that clamors for content that is unique and exclusive while at the same time being relatable.
In the case of Indian influencers, this audience group typically comprises Indian men and women who reside in urban parts of the country and who possess a disposable income.
It is this demographic that the Indian influencers seek to cater to and it is this demographic that has spurred their travel to Vietnam.
๐ฒ Indian Influencers Are Finding Success on WhatsApp
WhatsApp influencers are official influencers who primarily use WhatsApp to connect with their audience and engage and promote brands through the platform.
Indian WhatsApp influencers have been exceptionally resourceful in discovering opportunities to engage with their audience and establish unique personas that separate them from generic influencers.
This ingenuity has resulted in several Indian WhatsApp influencers discovering a treasure trove of success in Vietnam.
The success of Indian WhatsApp influencers in Vietnam is not down to coincidence; it is not even down to luck. Indian WhatsApp influencers have taken time to identify the Vietnam market and scour it so as to ascertain the gaps that are present in the influencer landscape.
They have discovered that the Vietnam market is home to fashion and travel brands that are firmly rooted in traditional marketing. As such, the recent rise of Vietnamese influencers and V influencers has not spurred fashion and travel brands to associate with them.
In fact, many brands are hesitant to work with Vietnamese influencers, particularly if they are the more generic social media influencers. They have always preferred traditional marketing methods such as relying on word-of-mouth marketing or using their own PR and marketing specialists to promote their brands.
๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ An Overly Competitive Social Media Environment
To understand the reservations that Vietnamese companies have with using the services of influencers, an Indian influencer would have to look yet again at the context of Vietnam.
Vietnam is a country that is relatively new to the phenomenon of influencer marketing. With the majority of the population aged below 35, there tends to be a significant congestion on social media platforms.
For instance, everyone is competing to be heard on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, and Twitter.
The major Vietnamese influencers are also very media-savvy individuals who take their work very seriously. They are gritty thrill-seekers who willingly undertake hair-raising stunts just to lure the likes and the interaction of their audience.
This punishing and often unsustainable way of working makes it quite the unfriendly and unwelcoming environment for someone such as an Indian influencer whose major selling point is that they are outspoken and exude a spitfire attitude.
๐ช The Vienamese Door is Open for WhatsApp Influencers
As a result of this challenging environment, it was only a matter of time before Vietnamese brands succumbed to the prevailing reality of the situation.
They began realizing that they could not go against the tide and insist on doing business their way. Achieving greater brand awareness and visibility was hampered by trying to reinvent the wheel.
They soon came to realize that they needed to tap into the influencer phenomenon. They needed to transition into digitally-friendly organizations that embrace the brave new world that is marketing in the 21st century.
Consequently, they established ties with companies that could help them with influencer marketing.
๐ต Indian WhatsApp Influencers Are Offering Cheap Rates
Keen on optimizing their investments, Vietnamese brands turned to Indian WhatsApp influencers. Indian WhatsApp influencers were keen to break into the Vietnamese influencer market and they offered their services at competitive rates.
While generic social media influencers typically charge millions of rupees to engage with a brand, Indian WhatsApp influencers have no qualms about charging even $100 for the same service.
This naturally made them a more palatable option for Vietnamese brands.
โ Vietnamese Brands are Doing it Right
While Vietnamese brands are availing of the services of Indian WhatsApp influencers, they are being shrewd about it.
Vietnamese brands have partnered with Indian WhatsApp influencers in more ways than just advertising their products and services.
๐ค Tipping the Scale for Indian WhatsApp Influencers
Increasingly so, Indian WhatsApp influencers who have successfully made a name for themselves in Vietnam are establishing their own influencer agencies or consulting firms.
They are hosting seminars, workshops, and meet-and-gree events all around Vietnam to educate brands and influencers alike about the benefits of influencer marketing.
In return, the brands are paying them hefty sums of money, accommodating their travel and lodging expenditures, and even treating them to luxurious dinners and outings.
๐ Indian WhatsApp Influencers are Traveling All Over Vietnam!
They are traveling to major cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh.
They are also visiting and showcasing several tourist attractions in Vietnam such as Hแปi An, Nha Trang, and Ha Long Bay.
Each location they visit is a new chapter of influencer marketing that they reveal to the world.
Through it all, they remain grounded by their roots and regularly encourage their audiences back home to travel to Vietnam as much as possible.
๐ Vietnamese Influencer Market is a Gold Mine
The Vietnamese influencer market is a virtual gold mine.
It is estimated that it has been growing by double digits year-on-year for the last five years.
It is expected to reach USD 300 million by 2025 according to a report by Marketing in Asia.
It has also been reported that influencer marketing in Vietnam could grow several times greater than the traditional advertising market by 2027.
๐ช The Door is Open for Indian WhatsApp Influencers
Consequently, Indian WhatsApp influencers are only getting started in the country.
The past and current successes they have achieved have just been the tip of the iceberg.
They have only begun to scratch the surface of the untold riches that are available in the Vietnamese influencer landscape.
๐ฌ WhatsApp is the Favorite Medium to Connect with Influencers
WhatsApp has emerged as the most popular way for brands to communicate with influencers and the most preferred by influencers to engage with brands.
According to a survey that was conducted by the influencer marketing platform โ Influence.co, worldwide 70% of brands use WhatsApp to communicate with influencers.
It is also the preferred medium for 90% of influencers.
Given the figures, the fact that Indian WhatsApp influencers are currently the talk of the influencer marketing scene in Vietnam is a wonderful feat.
The success of Indian WhatsApp influencers in Vietnam shows the power that Indian influencers possess in general.
๐ Vietnam is Not the Only Key Market for Indian WhatsApp Influencers
The Thai, Malaysian, and Singaporean influencer markets have also opened their doors to Indian WhatsApp influencers.
Just like brands in Vietnam, brands in these countries have realized that Indian WhatsApp influencers are unique talents.
They can help achieve marketing goals that traditional advertising methods cannot.
The major difference between how Indian WhatsApp influencers approach the influencer markets in these countries and how they approach the Vietnamese influencer market is that for the others, they are a tad bit bit more nationalistic.
While they tell their audiences to travel to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, they do not overtly encourage them to migrate there like they do with Vietnam.
โ๏ธ Why is Vietnam Different?
The primary reason for this, as outlined by many Indian WhatsApp influencers themselves, is that they have found a home away from home in Vietnam.
While they have been met with hostility and suspicion in Thailand and elsewhere, they have been welcomed with open arms by the Vietnamese people.
They have found that the culture is very hospitable, the food delicious, the architecture and scenery breathtaking, and that the Vietnamese people exude a kindness that is refreshing.
๐ Vietnam is a Second Home for Indian WhatsApp Influencers
Many Indian WhatsApp influencers have returned to India to prepare for their next trip to Vietnam.
The trip will not only be for work; it will be for pleasure too.
Vietnam is more than just a country with a burgeoning influencer market; it is a destination where they will be able to recharge their spirits and revitalize their souls.
The escapism that Indian WhatsApp influencers enjoy in Vietnam is unprecedented.
They are free to be who they want to be without the crushing anxiety of what will be said about them back home.
They do not have to worry about trolls or haters even though they have their share of enemies.
In Vietnam, everyone is focused on the positive.
๐ป๐ณ The Vietnam Friendly Facade is Not Appearing to be a Hoax
It is worth noting that the Vietnam friendly facade is not appearing to be a hoax.
Over the past few months, reports have emerged about several Indian WhatsApp influencers being caught in scandals that see them chastised about their inappropriate behavior while they were in Vietnam.
In fact, many Indian WhatsApp influencers have made headlines in India as a result of public backlash over their inappropriate behavior while they were in Vietnam.
๐จ Scandals Involving Indian WhatsApp Influencers are Not Denting Their Popularity
Despite the backlash, their popularity seems to be on the rise.
Indian WhatsApp influencers are as popular as they have ever been.
The most interesting part about the scandals is that not only do Indian WhatsApp influencers revel in the backlash, but many Indians continue to support them.
They insist that the Indonesian โfriendlinessโ is just that โ friendliness.
They insist that the overly-civilized and often uptight urban Indians must just chill and let loose like the cool, urban Indians they truly are.
๐ฅ The Imminent Appearance of Vietnamese Influencers in India is Coming
While Indian WhatsApp influencers are having many successes in Vietnam, there are some concerns about the potential future of the Vietnamese influencer market.
The potential influx of Vietnamese influencers into India has raised eyebrows about the emerging potential of an Indian market for Vietnamese influencers.
It has been hinted that many Vietnamese influencers, especially those who dabble in the V influencer space are preparing to visit India to leverage the Indian influencer market.
They are already making waves on social media about how they are coming to India to not only break into the Indian influencer market but also enjoy the many phenomenal experiences that India has to offer.
If Vietnamese influencers do enter the Indian influencer market, it will certainly be a boon for them as they will be extremely popular.
However, Indian influencers, especially Indian WhatsApp influencers should take solace in the fact that while their contemporaries in Vietnam may share a similar offering, they would not be comparable.
Indian WhatsApp influencers are unique in their own right and they have undoubtedly carved a niche for themselves.