Pricing Standards for Video Influencer Collaboration in China

In recent years, Chinese video applications such as Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu have become increasingly popular among marketers looking to access the lucrative China market.

The impressive results achieved by pioneering brands have led to a proliferation of video influencer marketing agencies that help US brands navigate Chinese video applications and engage with local influencers and KOLs.

But it can be hard for US brands to know what is a reasonable price for Chinese video influencer marketing. Brands often ask me questions like “How much do KOLs charge on Chinese platforms?” and “Is Chinese video influencer marketing really worth it?”

This article will answer those questions and provide a realistic overview of charges for video influencer marketing on Chinese platforms like Douyin.

📊 China video influencer pricing standards

According to a recent survey by Chinese social commerce and influencer marketing experts Baoliba, video influencer marketing costs on Douyin are significantly lower than those for comparable influencer marketing campaigns in the US. Here is a summary of Baoliba’s key findings on Chinese video influencer pricing standards:

1. On average, the cost for marketing with video influencers on Douyin is just $40 per 1,000 views, which is less than half of that for US platforms ($85 per 1,000 views).
2. Only 3% of US brands spend over $500 on Douyin video influencer marketing, relative to 25% of US brands spending more than $500 per 1,000 views on US video platforms like YouTube.
3. The average cost per post for video influencer marketing on Douyin is just $150, compared to a staggering $3,000 for comparable posts on US platforms.
4. The expected cost for video influencer marketing on Douyin is just $866 per campaign, while the average campaign cost for US brands is a whopping $19,000.

These statistics illustrate a huge opportunity for US brands: video influencer marketing on Chinese platforms provides a serious bang for your buck.

🎥 Pricing standards for video influencer marketing on Douyin

As outlined in the previous section, video influencer marketing on Douyin is much cheaper than on US video platforms. But what does it cost for the most popular and most powerful KOLs?

According to Baoliba’s report, KOLs with over 1 million followers account for just 2% of Douyin accounts. As such, these top-tier influencers retain significant bargaining power when it comes to pricing.

Here are the average charges by KOL follower count according to Baoliba:

The most popular Douyin influencer accounts are not only cheaper than their US counterparts, they also provide superior results. A typical Douyin video achieves over 10x the engagement of a standard YouTube post, as average Douyin video views exceed 10,000 while YouTube only averages 896.

🎤 Pricing standards for KOLs on Kuaishou

Kuaishou is a major competitor to Douyin and has a similar pricing structure. According to Baoliba’s survey, here are the average expected charges for marketing campaigns with influencers on Kuaishou:

Note that Kuaishou influencers charge less than Douyin KOLs on average.

While Kuaishou is very popular in China, it is particularly well regarded in the country’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier cities, which are less accessible by Douyin influencers. Thus, Kuaishou influencers can be useful for US brands looking to penetrate less urbanized markets in China.

📚 Pricing standards for Xiaohongshu influencers

Xiaohongshu is one of the most important platforms in China and is significant for beauty and fashion brands in particular.

Xiaohongshu influencers also have lower prices than Douyin influencers, as can be seen below:

🛍️ What affects pricing for video influencer marketing in China?

As in the US, the main factors that influence pricing for influencer marketing in China are as follows:

• KOL follower count: Influencers with more followers charge more.
• Post type: Videos require more time and expertise to create than static posts. Thus, video influencer marketing costs more than photo or text-based campaigns.
• KOL expertise: Influencers with specialist knowledge of a particular field or sector (e.g. technology, finance) can charge more than those without.
• Campaign complexity: Longer campaigns with multiple posts and platforms will cost more than one-off campaigns with a single post. Moreover, campaigns that require more time or creative input from influencers will also require larger fees.
• Agency fees: Most brands engage an influencer marketing agency for their campaigns. Agency fees may be added on top of the influencers’ fees.
• Payment method: For example, brands can expect a 5%-10% discount if paying upfront for a campaign that would otherwise be paid based on post-performance.

❗ Conclusion

The stunning results of pioneering brands engaging with Chinese influencers on Douyin and other Chinese video platforms have led to a proliferation of agencies facilitating US access to the Chinese influencer marketing scene.

In short, video influencer marketing on platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou and Xiaohongshu is much cheaper than comparable campaigns on US video platforms. Just bear in mind the average prices above and expect to pay more for top-tier influencers or complex campaigns.

Braand will also be happy to provide a summary of average pricing standards for video influencer marketing on Chinese platforms if you require one.

To get started with video influencer marketing in China, get in touch with our qualified team of China marketing experts today!

Baoliba will continue to update US trends in influencer marketing, so please follow us for more!