Indian YouTube Influencers Finding Brand Deals in Nepal
There was a time when Nepal was treated as a second-class citizen in the South Asian influencer’s quest for fame and fortune. Indian YouTube influencers would venture to the United Kingdom, the United States, and even the Middle East for brand deals, but not to Nepal.
Though it seemed like a matter of time before Nepali influencers would break into the Indian YouTube market, it now appears it is the Indian influencers breaking into the Nepali market.
According to a recent survey conducted by OneSpot, a social media marketing company based in India, 73% of Indian YouTube influencers are now actively seeking brand collaborations in Nepal.
📺 Crossing the Border
You might think that it is easy for Indian influencers to cross the border into Nepal for work. Other than the fact that they would have to be on their best behavior since there are numerous reports of Indian citizens causing trouble while on holiday in Nepal, it is also a logistical nightmare.
While there is no visa requirement for Indian citizens traveling to Nepal, they still have to pass through immigration at the border.
Once they crossed the border, they might find themselves sidelined by Nepali competition and have to adjust to the way things are done in Nepal.
A common tactic for Indian influencers seeking deals in Nepal is to simply try and do everything from India. As the OneSpot survey revealed, 64% of Indian YouTube influencers are trying to do their Nepali deals remotely.
🤝 The Way Things Are Done in Nepal
Nepal’s law and order and its overall culture is vastly different from India’s.
When it comes to brand collaborations involving content creators, it is expected that the needs of the influencer should be prioritized. It is the influencer who has to sell the brand to their audience. They should be allowed to dictate the terms of the collaboration and how the content should be produced.
For Indian influencers, the typical way to collaborate with a brand is to simply strike a deal and exchange money for content. The standard mode of payment being UPI or maybe PayPal.
However in Nepal, it is not brand deals that influencers do, but activities. Up and coming Nepali influencers often have to first become brand ambassadors for the brand in order to create content for them.
🎸 Activities Over Deals
While Nepali influencers do create branded content, it is an afterthought and usually part of a larger collaboration with the brand.
For example, if a cosmetics company hires an influencer, they are not simply only paying for a few minutes of content. The influencer is invited to be part of a music video shoot where they can show off their products in a scene.
In that way, the influencer has participated in something more meaningful. Instead of brand deals, they end up doing brand activities.
Nepali influencers almost have to be famous before they even begin to think of getting paid for creating content. They have to participate in events and other activities that enrich their already existing fame.
💹 Premium Pricing
Because activities in Nepal are often more meaningful than a mere brand deal, they also come with a heftier price tag.
Nepali influencers might not charge money upfront, but their involvement in an activity will require compensation.
As the OneSpot survey states, 73% of Indian YouTube influencers are now also attempting to charge more for their collaborations with Nepali brands, citing that they have higher production costs in Nepal.
They are also being told to hire Nepali agencies to organize their collaborations for them, further driving up their costs.
💸 Payment Issues
While PayPal and UPI have made transactions easier and faster across borders, they still have their difficulties.
While UPI allows real-time transactions, it is still limited to India. PayPal on the other hand may still require additional verification before funds can actually be withdrawn by the recipient.
In Nepal, the usual way to pay for work is through local bank transfer. Indian influencers not only have to foot the bill for coming to Nepal in the first place, they also have to contend with a much longer payment cycle.
❌ Emerging Consensus
Nepali brands may already have a hard time converting Indian audiences to their brand due to the cultural differences.
It is hard to see how Indian YouTube influencers can create meaningful content for Nepali brands.
Perhaps the sudden influx of Indian influencers in Nepal is just a fad that will die down over time. Just as it has been fashionable for Indian singers to record songs in the names of other countries. Countries like Trinidad and Tobago, countries that they may have no actual connections to.
🔄 Changing the Narrative
Then again, it may be that Indian influencers now seeking brand deals in Nepal may only be a reflection of the changing narrative on content creation.
While Nepali influencers typically participate in activities instead of brand deals, it is a more holistic approach to brand promotion.
It might be that Nepali influencers are now engaged in only brand deals instead of activities.
By simply shifting their focus, they may be able to retain the price of their services while at the same time making it easier for Nepali brands to communicate their needs to them.
It is also possible that they could simply engage Indian agencies to do the work for them while they sit back and collect the payments.