‘Cobwebs are certain to be formed on your Brand(s) unless it / they is / are on web nowadays!’
In case the abovementioned statement seems to be any megalomaniac blabber or jibe of a narcissist Internet Marketer, well, in that case also your understanding needs a little bit of reshuffle, if it’s the question of leveraging the maximum benefits through your marketing communications for the Brand(s) – you own / market / sell.
Web or Mobile or other digitally bolstered gadgets / mediums have never been, still aren’t, and will hardly be the nemesis of the conventional media or consumer touch points such as Television; Print; and OOH. Instead, those Web based and Internet led mediums make sure you and your Brand(s) gain the best of solutions for your Marcom (marketing communications)… by ensuring not only greater Interactivity with your TGs (target groups) but also better ROI (return on investment) with almost 100% transparency on the basis of the TGs’ consumption habits / patterns of Internet usages vis-à-vis your Brand’s communications.
In addition, Web based or Internet led communications – happening on one’s PC / Laptop / Mobile – actually help a Brand customise its communication like anything in no real time or labour as such, whenever needed, and that too, involving just some insignificant sum comparing to the cost spent on mainstream media.
Believe it or not, from mere 25,000 Internet users in 1998 the number of users has increased to 100 million in 2010 and this growth is ever increasing… in India.
As against the total population in India, if Brand penetrations into the lives of active Internet users are to be considered till 2010, it’s only 8.4% – a tremendously under-utilised rate awaiting Brands for more exploration, experiment and excellence on Web.
According to a recent survey report, Brands in India have got just 1.1% penetration rate among 13,188,580 Facebook users till August 31, 2010. Don’t think this figure is anyway helping the new media innovation and invasion.
These statistics are indeed soggy notwithstanding the fact that in the Internet users’ rank India’s position is warmly 3rd… just after China and USA.
In fact in India, 40 million access the net through mobile phones whereas it’s only 8% of those carrying mobile phones. So, GPRS enabled sets at a comfortable price and user friendly features can grin here, ear to ear, for sure!
However, irrespective of so much hidden, as well as overt potentialities on Web the upload and download connection speeds in India are factually below dismal. Where even in South Korea the average upload and download speeds are 37.00 Mb/s and 20.36Mb/s, they are 1.42Mb/s and 0.70 Mb/s, respectively. Fair enough reasons for consumers to believe that they are cheated once again – which is nothing new though but yet another de-value addition to them and their expectations for a service.
If consumption patterns of consumers make sense to Brands so as to formulate and chart out their communications on Web to reach the right audience at the right time with the right content, here is a roadmap to them –
Indians go online for: E-mailing (94%); Music Downloading (72%); Instant Message / Chatting (56%); PC to (free) SMS (55%); Social Networking (54%); Info Search Engine (52%); Watching Videos (52%); Screen Savers / Wallpapers Downloading (50%); Online Communities (50%).
Frankly the abovementioned info are not the ultimate means to do the needful but at least with them a distinct indication is made for a micro-level understanding and action – from minute planning to mega execution – where there is no dearth of ‘me-toos’ in any market / category / segment save for a few across India.
Interestingly, when from every nook and corner in India, one techie or the other is claiming everyday to be the SEO (search engine optimisation) Expert by keyword-search, it’s shown – as per a world famous search engine’s survey report for 2008, 2009 and 2010 – that Katrina Kaif; Aruna Shields; How to Kiss; How to Get Pregnant; and IRCTC (India Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited) are the most popular keyword-search options.
Guess that Brands have got pretty handy chances to travel by trains, kiss Indian (or expat) consumers and get pregnant with success! Genuinely, ONLINE.
