Mobile phones, especially smartphones, have become very common in India. As mobile technology gets better and data plans become cheaper, more and more Indians are using the internet on their phones.
Now, over 70% of internet users in India access the internet only through their smartphones. This means 7 out of 10 internet users go online using mobile data or Wi-Fi on their phones. The way this mobile internet is used is different from desktop internet. So marketers need to adapt digital marketing for mobile users.
Key Numbers About Mobile Use in India
Smartphone Users Over 500 million Indians use smartphones as of 2022. Affordable Android phones help first time internet users directly start on mobile.
Data Use Cheaper mobile data plans from Jio and others have led to fast growth in consumption. Now the average user uses over 15 GB data per month on their smartphone.
Time Spent Indians spend over 5 hours every day using apps on their Android phones – for entertainment, social media, shopping and other things.
So mobile internet subscribers are increasing fast. And those subscribers are spending lot of time on apps on their phones. For companies doing digital marketing in India, making mobile centric marketing plans is now very important.
Impact of Mobiles on Digital Marketing
Here are the key ways the growth in mobile usage is changing digital marketing:
Marketing Across Channels
Companies now need a single marketing plan that covers search, social media, email and mobile. The plan needs to coordinate marketing across these channels using:
- Deep linking to help users move easily between channels—like email to app to mobile website.
- Automation to schedule campaigns across channels based on user data.
- New ad formats like app install ads on search/social to get users interested.
The goal is to allow users to explore the brand easily across different channels via mobile.
Rising In-App Advertising
Indians spend 86% of mobile time in apps like Facebook, YouTube and shopping apps. That is why in-app ads are growing very fast. Brands show interactive in-app ads:
- 360 degree travel ads with panoramic views
- Virtual makeup try-on in cosmetics apps
- Mini games to let users sample products
The aim is to promote brands to engaged in-app users with innovative ads.
Importance of Search and Social
Over 80% of time spent on mobile phones is in Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Google Search apps. So social media marketing and search optimization are key for brands to reach mobile users.
Brands are testing TikTok/Instagram Reels short videos mixing entertainment with branded content. Optimizing for search queries in voice results is important too as voice search grows.
Hyper Local Marketing
Location data from mobiles allows personalized nearby offers. Retail apps now send push notifications for deals when users are close to a store. Real estate apps showcase properties in user’s vicinity.
Also, tools like beacons beam promotional content when users are at stadium gates, airport kiosks etc. Hyper local mobile ads will grow using location tech and AI.
Short Video Goldrush
As entertainment shifts to mobile, short videos are hugely popular on social/video platforms. Brands are creating interesting short videos to engage users on mobiles.
Even interactive livestream mobile videos with influencers for promotions and contests are catching on.
Key Takeaways
With over 500 million smartphone users because of very cheap data rates, digital marketing in India needs mobile-first plans—going across channels, using location targeting, video content etc.
Testing creative ad formats based on mobile user data will help brands better understand and connect with this mobile generation.
The mobile expansion will make internet access common in India. For marketers ready with great mobile plans, this offers lots of new users to reach.
