India is a melting pot of cultures, the place an abundance of festivals paints the calendar— from the nine-day lengthy Navratri in early October, which celebrates the goddess Durga in all her varieties, an emblem of the divine female; resulting in Dussehra, which is able to fall on 24 October this yr—a celebration of fine’s conquer evil; and culminating in maybe India’s most recognised celebration: Diwali—the annual competition of sunshine, which falls on 12 November this yr, and, in fact, Christmas and New Yr.
The nation is the second-largest on-line market on the planet with about 900 million web customers, and international locations such because the US and the UK have a big Indian inhabitants, a demographic section with an growing quantity of spending energy.
Whereas Indian celebrations are various throughout areas and cultures, there’s a standard love for purchasing, resulting in an increase in looking, exploring, and shopping for amongst customers. A cellphone to your mom, your uncle’s favorite dessert, new curtains to your front room, a weekend getaway to catch a break after a busy yr—amidst the collective delight, manufacturers are instrumental in fostering bonds between folks and spreading pleasure.
With the festive season in India in full bloom, let’s discover what Indian festive consumers are on the lookout for, and the way manufacturers can leverage these insights to thrill their audiences.
The festivities begin with a search
Insights from the Microsoft Search Community reveal that over 50% of Indians use serps for product analysis, and greater than 1 in 3 use them to find new manufacturers.
Search queries is usually a potent supply to achieve perception into shopper behaviour patterns and proper the way in which for entrepreneurs to construct strategic campaigns that allow manufacturers to be current throughout the shopper journey.
Upon analysing previous yr’s search knowledge for India, we discovered key developments throughout purchasing classes like Shopper Electronics, Groceries, Meals, Private Care, Gifting, and Vehicles. Considered one of them is the rise of generic key phrase searches associated to festive purchasing, equivalent to ‘sale’, ‘low cost’, ‘affords’, ‘low-cost’, ‘offers’, and ‘close to me’. These noticed a median Month-over-Month (MoM) uplift of +19%.
How can manufacturers change into part of the celebrations?
Put together for the pre-festive enthusiasm and past
For main holidays like Diwali and Christmas, purchasing begins months earlier than the festive season begins. In keeping with Microsoft’s inner knowledge, classes equivalent to Shopper Electronics and Magnificence noticed greater than 20% rise in searches within the run-up to the competition of Dussehra, making it a crucial time for manufacturers. Finally, the manufacturers that succeed probably the most are those who launch campaigns early within the season to revel within the exhilaration of the upcoming celebrations. This not solely fosters moments of reference to prospects but in addition offers manufacturers a first-mover benefit that ensures their model stays high of thoughts amidst heavy competitors as the vacations strategy.
By tapping into the pre-festive anticipation with the assistance of category-specific consumer insights, manufacturers can curate tailor-made experiences, equivalent to particular affords and interactive content material that resonate with their viewers. Entrepreneurs also can leverage the viewers concentrating on choices to achieve customers who’ve proven curiosity in related merchandise or have particular demographic traits related to their target market in the course of the festive interval.
Allow a easy funnel for the hybrid shopper with omnichannel advertising and marketing
Within the evolving panorama of festive purchasing, an omnichannel advertising and marketing strategy prevails, seamlessly mixing on-line and offline experiences. In keeping with InMobi’s 2023 report, The Entrepreneurs Information to India’s Festive Season, 84% of Indian festive consumers have elevated their budgets and 54% will take pleasure in hybrid purchasing. This dynamic shift requires manufacturers to orchestrate a easy journey, guiding the hybrid shopper from consciousness to conversion.
By connecting with high-intent audiences early and successfully by way of a multi-channel full-funnel strategy, manufacturers can maximise their presence throughout the shopper journey as an alternative of specializing in simply the ultimate stage of buy/sale. It will allow you to attach together with your viewers at any touchpoint and supply a richer buyer expertise.
Manufacturers can tailor messages, real-time affords, and seamless transitions that cater to the distinctive wants of the hybrid shopper. This permits an environment friendly move, the place consciousness effortlessly navigates into conversion, making the festive purchasing expertise really distinctive.
Foster festive concord by constructing belief
Festivities are when consumers can simply flip to a plethora of manufacturers, intrigued by affords and attention-grabbing options. For manufacturers to face out belief might be key. In keeping with Microsoft’s Advertising and marketing with Function Playbook, the correlation between belief and model loyalty is 76%. By presenting correct and related info throughout product search and discovery, manufacturers can set up credibility and reliability. It will be certain that they not solely stick with the consumer throughout their festive purchasing journey but in addition make an affect that lasts past the festivities.
This lasting affect might be achieved past the realm of the search engine. In-market audiences supply advertisers a novel alternative to attach with customers primarily based on their wishes and intent, extending past search engine interactions. This highly effective function permits manufacturers to have interaction with potential prospects exactly after they’re exploring numerous on-line content material, enabling focused promoting that resonates with customers’ pursuits and desires, not solely after they’re looking for one thing particular.
It is time to mild up your campaigns
With pre-festive engagement, seamless hybrid purchasing experiences, and an omnichannel advertising and marketing strategy, your model can grasp the artwork of constructing belief with the enthusiastic festive shopper.
We hope to see your model and consumers dance in festive concord, craft cherished reminiscences, and illuminate each connection. To study extra in regards to the Indian festive purchasing developments, take a look at the newest report. And in the event you’re eager about making the most effective of Microsoft’s choices in India, make sure you get in contact with the crew at InMobi.
