Chinese Weibo Influencers Payment Guide for US Brands
While Instagram and TikTok influencers’ rates are constantly rising for American brands, the Weibo influencers in China also charge super high on their platforms. According to Baoliba data, Chinese Weibo influencers charge around $770 for product placements. However, the pricing depends on various factors. Before you start working with Weibo influencers, it’s essential to take a look at their pricing guide.
๐ค Who are Weibo Influencers?
Weibo, or Sina Weibo, is China’s largest and most influential social media platform with over 578 million monthly active users. Founded in 2009, Weibo is often referred to as the ‘Chinese Twitter’ or ‘China’s Facebook’ due to its unique hybrid model, combining the microblogging features of Twitter with the social networking functions of Facebook.
Think of Weibo as a vital news source where citizens, officials, celebrities, KOLs, and the general public interact. In comparison, the US has multiple platforms with different functions, while Weibo integrates them all.
Weibo is one of three official Chinese gateway social media platforms, along with Toutiao and Douyin. With its interconnectedness, Weibo retains the highest user stickiness, meaning its users tend to spend the most time on the platform compared to its competitors.
Weibo has a high engagement rate, with approximately 78% of its daily active users creating and sharing content on the platform. It also serves as a primary tool for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to disseminate information and communicate with the public.
In just two years, 30% of total internet users in China used Weibo daily, while 55% visited the site weekly.
Due to the extensive user base of Weibo, the platform has become a popular avenue for KOLs and brands to engage with the Chinese generation, especially the young one.
Over 734 million brand mentions occurred on Weibo in 2020, a massive increase of 321% from the previous year. Weibo is the most effective channel for brands in China to engage with the young generation.
๐ฐ How Much Do Weibo Influencers Charge?
According to Baoliba’s recent report, the average charging fee for a product placement by a Weibo influencer is around $770.
The overall median price for Weibo influencers is slightly higher than Instagram influencers, who charge an average of $635 for the same type of post. However, the average price is significantly lower than TikTok influencers, who charge about $1800 per promotional video.
Many Weibo influencers set their pricing automatically based on their follower count or level. For example, Level C influencers with between 10,000 and 50,000 followers charge between $300 and $600 for a sponsored post.
In comparison, Level B influencers with up to 250,000 followers charge between $300 and $1,300, while Level A influencers with followers up to 1 million charge between $1,000 and $5,000.
It may seem like a low price for US advertisers to work with Chinese influencers, but according to Baoliba data, many KOLs charge more for their promotional posts.
For example, self-proclaimed digital marketing expert and KOL ๅผ ๅฐๅง (Ms. Zhang) charges $55,000 for a sponsored post on Weibo. Likewise, influencer ๅดๅฝฌ (Yan Bin) charges 60,000 yuan, or about $8,200 per post. And influencer ๆณๅฒฉ (Liu Yan) charges 300,000 yuan, or about $41,000 per Weibo post.
When working with Weibo influencers, American brands should consider all aspects to ensure they donโt overpay for promotional services.
๐ Different Pricing for Different Markets
Weibo influencers charge different rates depending on whether they are targeting Tier 1 or Tier 2 cities in China.
According to Newrank data, influencers targeting Tier 1 cities charge more because they have a higher purchasing power and can be more valuable for certain brands.
China’s Tier 1 cities include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. These first-tier cities have high quality of life and a high percentage of residents who hold college degrees.
Influencers targeting Tier 1 cities in China charge 1.5 to 2 times more than influencers targeting Tier 2 cities such as Nanjing, Chengdu, and Hangzhou.
Based on different sectors, the rates vary significantly. For example, for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, influencers targeting Tier 1 cities charge 1,800 yuan (about $246), while Tier 2 city influencers charge 1,000 yuan (about $137). Regarding the high-end sector, the price increases to 5,000 yuan (about $683) for Tier 1 city influencers and 2,000 yuan (about $274) for Tier 2 city influencers.
๐ Price Higher for Promotional Videos
Weibo influencers may charge different rates for different types of promotional posts. For example, the cost of promotional videos is generally higher than for images.
The price for promotional posts depicting a product is about 2,000 yuan (about $274) for written posts with images and about 5,000 yuan (about $683) for promotional videos that include video clips and images.
Sounds pretty similar to the European market. A French fashion influencer charges โฌ300 for a static image of a product and โฌ600 for a video.
Similarly, American influencers charge an average of $300 per static post and $800 per video post.
The average price for a product placement or post depends on the sector. For example, the average rate for the FMCG sector is about $137 for a written post with an image and $137 for video promotion. The high-end product sector is the most expensive, with an average price of about $1,000 for a written post with images and $2,000 for videos.
๐ต Payment Methods
When it comes to paying Weibo influencers, brands can use various Chinese-friendly payments such as Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Alipay is a mobile and online payment platform based in Hangzhou, China, launched by Alibaba Group. Alipay accounts for over half of China’s total mobile payment transactions, making it one of the world’s largest payment platforms.
Like the American payment platform PayPal, Alipay allows users to pay for services, send money to friends, and purchase products.
WeChat Pay is WeChat’s payment feature that allows users to send and receive money, shop online, and make payments for services.
WeChat is a popular instant messaging and social media app in China with over 1.3 billion monthly active users. WeChat is often referred to as the ‘Chinese WhatsApp’ because it allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share content with their friends.
In addition to messaging, WeChat is an essential platform for many businesses to engage with customers and drive sales.
If American brands have a Chinese business partner to help them run their promotions, they may use any of the above payment platforms to complete the deal.
However, if brands do not have a Chinese business partner, the payment process can be too challenging if they do not work with a third-party agency.
๐ Different Channel Pricing
When it comes to paying Weibo influencers, brands can also use various Chinese-friendly payments such as Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Alipay is a mobile and online payment platform based in Hangzhou, China, launched by Alibaba Group. Alipay accounts for over half of China’s total mobile payment transactions, making it one of the world’s largest payment platforms.
Like the American payment platform PayPal, Alipay allows users to pay for services, send money to friends, and purchase products.
WeChat Pay is WeChat’s payment feature that allows users to send and receive money, shop online, and make payments for services.
WeChat is a popular instant messaging and social media app in China with over 1.3 billion monthly active users. WeChat is often referred to as the ‘Chinese WhatsApp’ because it allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share content with their friends.
In addition to messaging, WeChat is an essential platform for many businesses to engage with customers and drive sales.
If American brands have a Chinese business partner to help them run their promotions, they may use any of the above payment platforms to complete the deal.
However, if brands do not have a Chinese business partner, the payment process can be too challenging if they do not work with a third-party agency.
๐ฉ Influencer Marketing Platforms
Using influencer marketing platforms can help American brands connect with Weibo influencers more efficiently.
There are various influencer marketing platforms available that can assist brands in finding suitable influencers for their campaigns, managing collaborations, and ensuring timely payments. These platforms act as intermediaries, enabling brands and influencers to streamline the collaboration process, reducing the hassle associated with influencer marketing.
Some examples of influencer marketing platforms for Weibo promotions include Baoliba, KOL China, and 51 KOL.
Weibo influencer marketing platform Baoliba helps brands find trusted influencers in 100 countries, including China. Its international KOL database includes over 1 million influencers across 55 channels, including mainstream social media, BBS, and live streaming platforms.
Baoliba also provides influencer pricing guides, campaign monitoring, and account management services.
KOL China assists brands in managing paid promotions with Weibo influencers. This platform helps brands find suitable KOLs for their campaigns, manage collaborations, and ensure timely payments. Many brands in China and abroad have worked with KOL China and have had happy endings.
51 KOL helps brands connect with influencers targeting specific areas in China. It offers comprehensive campaign management solutions, including campaign execution, talent tracking, reporting, and project management. The platform works with over 15,000 quality influencers across various social media platforms, including WeChat and Douyin.
๐ Final Thoughts
For US brands, the pricing for Weibo influencer marketing is lower than expected. About $770 per promotional post is affordable. However, many KOLs charge 60,000 yuan, or about $8,200 per post, and 300,000 yuan, or about $41,000 per post.
There are factors to take into consideration. For one, KOLs are price-sensitive and may raise their rates when approached by foreign brands.
Secondly, payment can be difficult for US brands since Chinese payment methods such as Alipay and WeChat Pay may require a Chinese business affiliate to complete the payment.
To avoid these challenges, partnering with an influencer marketing agency that specializes in hiring overseas influencers may help US brands run ads on Weibo.
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