The Era Of Vernacular Content In India

Home to over a billion people, India is a diverse, cultural amalgamation of identities. With over 30 languages in 700 dialects, the count of native language speakers exceeds that of English speakers by a massive 70%, putting the potential of this untapped market at an unforeseen level.

Freedom From The Linguistic Fences

The boom of the non-English speaking audience on the Internet provides room for content creation catering to these individuals, expanding brands’ reach and awareness to the maximum. The number of Indian language users is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18% by 2021, thereby leading to an increase in the online consumption of news and entertainment in these languages. Breaking this language barrier also provides room to attract potential customers in Tier 2 & 3 cities.

Ease of Usage & Viability

The demand for vernacular content can be tied back to its straightforward, accessible and credible nature. With the expansion of regional content into classified ads, payment apps and e-commerce sites, the matter must be crisp & mobile-friendly. Additionally, based on a recent study, 70% of users find the local language content to be more trustworthy than its English counterpart, while 88% respond to advertisements in their local language over English. Even though the process is tedious, it is worth the time and effort as there is a large audience that will be receptive towards it.

The digital economy has finally understood that within a country like India, the growth in popularity of localised content is inevitable. A shift from an English monopoly will aid in establishing a connection with people, through their distinct ethnic roots. Therefore, this period of experimentation and exploration lays in the hands of marketing firms across the country — if they capitalise upon the opportunity of flourishing digital literacy, the results that they could produce could very well change the face of advertising and marketing.