Vernacular, Visual Content Key To Unlock Next Phase Of Digital Growth
India is rapidly digitising - everything from hailing a taxi to purchasing pulses has moved online. Our hyper-connected world is fuelling mimetic desires, wants and needs as more people from tier 2, 3 and 4 regions are getting connected through the internet.
Ecommerce has already gained momentum among the urban population and is now gaining traction with smaller cities and towns. Consumers in Bharat, however, require a more unique and differentiated approach when it comes to piquing their interests. Ecommerce companies will have to bet big on the localisation of content and communication to unlock the next phase of growth in the booming Indian market.
Of the 700M active internet users in India, only 216M transact online. According to the IAMAI-Kantar ICUBE 2020 report, this is expected to swell to 900 million by 2025. New consumer segments are continuously being formed and purchasing power is increasing steadfastly.
Localisation through the use of vernacular and visual content will be the key to winning over customers in ‘Bharat’. More than 70% of Indians prefer their local language as the medium of choice. This is what defines a brand’s strategy in connecting with consumers in local languages. The use of vernacular and video content is proven to possess greater impact and retention value. When customers view content in their native language, they are more likely to recall it and the brand as well. According to research carried out by Google India, 88% of Indian language internet users are more likely to respond to a digital advertisement in their local language as compared to English, and 90% of all video consumption happens in local languages. The report further states that 70% of Indians find local language digital content more reliable.
Most of the content and its context has hitherto been crafted to appeal to the urban netizen. Change, however, is already on the way. Brands have begun diversifying their content, increasing the share of localised messaging. But challenges still abound with this approach. India is a diverse country. Each region has its own language, dialect and cultural context. A one-size-fits-all, single-language approach will never be very effective. Localisation needs to be specific to every region as the use of vernacular languages and local dialects also contribute to a stronger connection to the brand. Bharat is where future growth is going to come from. The benefits that bridging the Bharat-India content divide will yield are too big to ignore.
Vernacular and visual content, will in this case come to the rescue as the great enabler, bringing Bharat online and thereby fuelling India’s $5 trillion dreams. 10x more visual, completely vernacular, short-form content will have a large role to play in the foreseeable future.
With the rise of social media, consumers are also proactively sharing the videos they enjoy, which can help the brand's online presence. To drive brand preference, localisation will have to be a focal point of a brand's communication strategy. From portraying cultural nuances to colloquialisms, brands must consistently reach out to audiences in their language of choice.
To create meaningful and unforgettable video content, brands must ensure that they are consistent with their brand strategy and are communicating in the language that the customer prefers. They will also need to invest in clear instrumentation to improve their return on investments.
*The author is Megha Agarwal, Head of Growth, Meesho
