Going Local: Using Vernacular Content to Connect With Your Audience!

What are consumers searching for in India? - All things local!

Indian audiences and consumers are looking for content that caters to their specific needs, such as in local languages they are fluent in. It can also be

region-specific. This is what the Google Year in Search Report 2020 tell us:

• Voice Trends: 60% of users in India interact with voice assistants via their smartphones in regional languages.

• Vernacular Content: People across India have used Google Translate features over 17 times in the past year to translate web pages into local languages.

• With more than 84% of online video viewers preferring non-English materials — it’s no surprise that India’s next wave of online content will be linguistically diverse.

So, how does your brand ensure that you’re on the same page as your customers, linguistically speaking?

• First off, your content needs to be accessible - depending on your audience, don’t be afraid to use Hinglish and other colloquial terms to establish a relatable and grounded tone.

• By using local language ads and local language landing pages, brands can further connect with their current users while also reaching new audiences.

• Instead of simply translating the material, consider trans-creating, inclusive, and impactful assets to build meaningful experiences so users can interact with the brand in a way that is natural and familiar. Incorporating typography and wordplay into the design is another way to go.

Basically, brands need to be highly conscious of what their target users are consuming on the internet. Knowing their interests and preferences, brands

can weave tailored content in the local language to gain maximum ROI.

This is what we, at Socially, do for all of our brands. We regularly incorporate local languages for our clients such as Bajaj Auto Finance and Muthoot Fincorp who have a pan-India reach to harness the potential of localised content.

With Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities quickly becoming very important audience segments, no matter what your brand is, marketers must understand the value of speaking languages other than English. If you would like to take the next big

(read: vernacular) step in digital marketing, you know where to reach us.

User-Generated Content Can Lead to a 20% Increase in Conversion for Brands!

First Off, What is User-Generated Content & How Does it Help Your Brand?

User-generated content (UGC) is like a modern-day digital version of passing the parcel. It constitutes multiple forms of media created by the users of the brand’s services and products. This includes images, tweets, videos, posts, advertisements and practically any form of compliments that customers have to offer! You just need to get people talking.

Don’t take our word for it:

• 93% of users say that UGC helps while purchasing from brands

• 48% of consumers say that UGC is a great way to discover new products, brands, and retailers

• Millennials trust User Generated advertising 50% more than traditional marketing messages

Sources: Tintup, Comscore, Emarsysglobal, Shortstack

Over 86% of businesses employ some sort of user-generated content strategy. This fast gaining popularity is because UGC is authentic, reliable & very often

free since brands do not have to cover any creative costs.

Nancy, Digital Strategy Lead, Socially India has worked on UGC strategies across multiple verticals from NBFCs to Lifestyle.

In light of the new ASCI ethical influencer marketing guidelines where sponsored content will be highly regulated to bring transparency to consumers, UGC is a great option to explore. It encourages brands to maintain their authenticity & build real connections with their customers.

We Know What We’re Talking About-Proven Results

We launched the iGaming company,

Pure Casino in India last year right at the start of the nationwide lockdown.

Being a casino company, we weren’t able to do any paid marketing

whatsoever. Therefore, UGC played a significant part in our launch strategy.

The goal: Increase followers and brand impressions, organically.

The solution: Create a UGC campaign where the results would be quick & effective.

We created a selfie campaign that folded in an attractive giveaway and

was further amplified by influencers. We received over 1000+ entries which

we repurpose for the brand even today.

Using UGC for Increased Conversion Rate

So, how can you encourage your audience to create more content for your brand? Here are four key strategies that you can leverage:

Create a Sense of Community: First & foremost, you need to highlight

your USPs to provide followers with an experience they wouldn’t get elsewhere.

Using a genuine emotional or nostalgic connect is always a good idea. For instance: ask your audience to share a selfie or a story with a message that

ties back to your brand. Engagement strategies like these create a sense of community that encourage your audience to share their stories organically.

Be Direct: Simply ask your customers for photos and reviews. Customers who

love your brand will always be happy to take a minute to do their part. If that doesn’t work, try creating a challenge that will be both engaging and easy to

do. Ask customers to take pictures of themselves using your product/service & encourage them to share stories that involve your brand.

Celebrate and Reward Their Presence: Featuring your customers on Instagram stories will garner a wider audience and customers will be more willing to share their experiences. Highlight and publicly acknowledge your fans. Also, folding

in contests and giveaways that reward your customers for their content is a

strategy many brands rely on.

Hashtags Are Important: An attractive hashtag will define a brand’s campaign

& strengthen its outreach. Hashtags are effective in finding relevant posts &

user-generated content. This way customers don’t need to scour for relevant information either. Ask your customers to share hashtags, tag others & bond

with them over the product or service to create a holistic & sure fire way to

get results.

As a marketing tactic, UGC is efficient & compelling. A 20% increase

in conversion rate is no small feat. However, well-implemented UGC

strategies are a successful tactic that all but guarantee these results.

At Socially India, we swear by it.

Meghali Banerjee

Junior Content Strategist

Meghali writes when she’s instructed to, obliged to and paid to, but mostly she writes because she really enjoys it. She believes life rests on three pillars namely puns, power & punctuality.