Influencer marketing
Introduce your brand to Turkish customers through local influencers
In Turkey, many consumers look at recommendations from Turkish creators on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube before buying. For Chinese companies in Turkey, Yeni İpekyolu selects suitable Turkish influencers (from micro to large accounts), writes the Turkish collaboration brief, prepares the Chinese-Turkish contract, checks ad labeling and reports results in Chinese to you and your headquarters in China.
Selecting, managing and measuring Turkish influencers
Micro and macro influencers serve different goals
Macro accounts have large followings; they suit new product launches when the brand needs to reach a wide audience quickly, but their fees are high and their audiences more scattered. Micro-influencers have fewer followers, but these are usually concentrated in a particular city or interest, and engagement in the comments is closer to a friend's recommendation. For a Chinese brand new to Turkey, first working with a few specialist micro accounts to see Turkish customers' real reactions is usually less risky than putting the budget into one big account at once.
Platform choice also depends on the product. Instagram suits visual presentation and recommendation content, TikTok suits short-video demos and a young audience, and YouTube suits home appliances, electronics and automotive products that need detailed reviews. We propose a mix of platforms and influencers based on your product, budget and target customer, and explain the rationale in Chinese.
Check that the comments are genuine before looking at follower counts
Follower and like counts can be inflated; looking only at the numbers leads to poor choices. We review the influencer's recent content, whether the comments come from real Turkish users, which cities the followers are concentrated in, which brands they have worked with before, and whether they have a long-term partnership with a competitor. We also check for past posts that caused controversy, to help protect your brand from harm.
Style fit matters just as much. An influencer who excels at comedy short videos may not be right for promoting industrial equipment or premium home appliances. We compile candidate influencers' sample content, audience profiles and risk notes into a Chinese list and reach out only after your approval.
3 checkpoints for the brief, contract and ad labeling
First, the brief. Turkish influencers usually want to present the product in their own style; a rigid translation of a Chinese script comes across as artificial. We write a Turkish brief setting out the product features that must be mentioned, what must not be said, the delivery format and the publishing time, while leaving the influencer creative room. Second, the contract: the fee, number of posts, whether the content can be reused in ads, number of revisions and payment terms should be clearly written; we recommend having a Turkish lawyer review the contract, and we prepare the side-by-side Chinese-Turkish text.
Third, ad labeling. The Advertising Board (Reklam Kurulu) has guidelines on advertising by social media influencers; collaboration content is generally expected to state clearly that it is advertising, for example by using tags such as #reklam (ad) or #işbirliği (collaboration). We check that the label is clear before publishing. The rules may be updated; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority and consult a lawyer if needed.
Measuring each influencer's impact with a dedicated code and link
It is hard to tell a collaboration's contribution to sales just from views. We usually create a dedicated discount code or a tracked link for each influencer pointing to your website or your Trendyol or Hepsiburada store, so clicks and redemptions can be seen. We also record Turkish customers' questions and feedback in the comments; these often directly improve the product page and customer service answers.
When the collaboration ends, we prepare a Chinese report with screenshots of the posts, key data, a comment summary and recommendations for the next period, making it easy to present to headquarters. We do not promise a specific increase in sales or followers, but we make sure every expense is trackable. Prepare product samples, product specifications, a budget range and the target publishing date in advance.
For brands that want to reach local customers through Turkish creators
Chinese brands selling to Turkish consumers
Phone, home appliance, cosmetics, apparel and small appliance brands want to earn trust through Turkish influencers' real-life experience with their products. We recommend the right platform and type of influencer for the product. All content is produced in Turkish.
Trendyol and Hepsiburada sellers
Influencer content drives traffic to the marketplace store, and results are tracked with dedicated discount codes. It can be planned around Turkish shopping seasons such as "Efsane Cuma" (Legendary Friday) or the run-up to Ramadan Feast. For campaign rules, follow the platform's guidelines.
Chinese companies launching new products
At launch, macro accounts for visibility and micro accounts for recommendation power can be used together. We coordinate sample shipments and publishing times. All influencers' posting schedules are kept aligned.
Teams that must report to headquarters in Chinese
Many Chinese teams in Turkey have to justify every promotional expense to headquarters in China. We provide the influencer list, contract summary and results report in Chinese. Headquarters can review and approve them directly.
From influencer screening to a Chinese results report
Influencer selection and vetting
Turkish influencers are screened by product, city and audience. Follower authenticity, comment quality and past collaborations are checked. A Chinese shortlist is prepared for your approval.
Turkish collaboration brief
Required product features, prohibited expressions, format and publishing time are written down. Room is left for the influencer's own style. A Chinese version is added for headquarters' approval.
Outreach and negotiation
We communicate in Turkish with the influencer or their agency and discuss the schedule, fee and deliverables. The outcome is reported to you in Chinese. You give the final approval on the fee.
Chinese-Turkish contract
The number of posts, usage rights, revisions and payment terms are clarified. A side-by-side Chinese-Turkish text is prepared. We recommend a final review by a Turkish lawyer.
Content approval and ad labeling
Before publishing, the content is checked for accuracy and alignment with the brief. We confirm the ad label is clearly visible. For the rules, follow the relevant authority's current requirements.
Results tracking and Chinese report
A dedicated discount code or tracked link is set up. Data, screenshots and a comment summary are collected. A Chinese report and recommendations for the next period are delivered.
Service summary and requirements
| Platforms | Instagram · TikTok · YouTube |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Quote based on scope · influencer fees separate |
| Communication language | Chinese ⇄ Turkish |
| Service languages | Chinese · Turkish · English |
| Cities served | Mainly Istanbul; also Ankara, Izmir and other cities |
The final price and timeline depend on your documents and scope; we send a clear quote within 2 hours.
What you need to provide
- Product introduction and key features (Chinese is fine)
- Product samples that can be sent to influencers
- Budget range and target publishing date
- Sales channel links (website or marketplace store) for tracking
The four stages of an influencer collaboration
- 1
Clarifying goals and budget
The product, target customer and expected impact are discussed in Chinese. The budget range and timeline are set. Suitable platforms are chosen.
- 2
Influencer selection and approval
A Chinese shortlist with risk notes is presented. After your approval, we reach out and negotiate. A bilingual contract is signed.
- 3
Brief, samples and content approval
The Turkish brief and product samples are sent. When the influencer submits a draft, the content and ad label are checked. Revisions are coordinated if needed.
- 4
Publishing and Chinese report
The content is published as planned and the data is tracked. A Chinese report and comment summary are prepared. Recommendations for the next collaboration are presented.
Frequently asked questions
Should we choose micro or macro influencers?
It depends on the goal. If a new product needs to be announced quickly, macro accounts are usually more effective; if you want genuine recommendations and high engagement, micro accounts usually work better. For brands new to Turkey, a common approach is to test reactions with a few micro accounts first. We propose a mix based on your budget.
Do influencer ads need to be labeled in Turkey?
Usually yes. The Advertising Board (Reklam Kurulu) has guidelines on influencer advertising, and collaboration content is generally expected to state clearly that it is advertising. We check the label before publishing. The rules may be updated; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority and consult a lawyer if needed.
Do you guarantee a certain level of sales?
No. Sales depend on many factors, such as product, price, season and the platform algorithm. What we provide is the right influencer selection, well-managed content and measurable results through discount codes and links. Each report shows which approaches are worth continuing.
Can the influencer use our Chinese script?
We do not recommend a literally translated script. Turkish viewers easily notice when a text is being read out, and the impact is usually low. We carry the key messages of the Chinese script into the Turkish brief and let the influencer tell it in their own words. Technical values that must be stated correctly are listed separately.
Can we use the influencer's video in our ads?
That depends on whether usage rights are granted in the contract. Many Turkish influencers charge separately for reuse, duration and platforms. We clarify this up front during negotiation and write it into the contract. We recommend having the contract terms reviewed by a Turkish lawyer.
How do you avoid accounts with fake followers?
We check whether comments come from real users, whether engagement is proportional to follower count, whether there are unusual spikes in follower growth, and the quality of past collaborations. These checks do not eliminate risk entirely, but they filter out clearly problematic accounts. Risk notes are added to the shortlist.
When is the best time for an influencer collaboration?
Collaborations are usually planned around Turkey's shopping seasons, such as the run-up to Ramadan Feast and Eid al-Adha, back-to-school, "Efsane Cuma" and 11.11 on marketplaces. Influencer calendars fill up in busy periods, so we recommend reaching out one or two months in advance. We plan around your product calendar.
Do you also work with Chinese KOLs?
This service focuses on local Turkish influencers to reach Turkish customers. We communicate with you in Chinese and report to headquarters in Chinese, but the influencers and content are aimed at the Turkish market. If you need promotion on other channels, we can discuss it separately.
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