InMobi, a content monetisation and marketing technology company, has released its annual Mobile Marketing Handbook (MMH) for the year 2024. It sheds light on India’s evolving digital landscape and the opportunities it presents for marketers. With over 881.25 million internet users and a 71% smartphone penetration rate, India stands as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets for mobile technology. This surge in mobile usage has reshaped consumer behavior, with Indians spending an average of 4 hours and 5 minutes on their smartphones daily, surpassing the global average by nearly an hour, according to data sourced from Exploding Topics.
The handbook underscores the emergence of a new breed of Indian consumers who are constantly connected to their smartphones, seeking seamless and instant experiences. Notably, approximately 200 million users engage with content on their mobile lock screens through platforms like Glance, demonstrating a significant opportunity for brands to engage with consumers even before they unlock their devices.
“The MMH 2024 provides a strategic roadmap for brands navigating India’s dynamic smartphone landscape. With consumers in the country becoming more reliant on their smartphones for everything from entertainment to utilities, brands find themselves at a crucial juncture, requiring an evolution in their approach. The handbook highlights innovative tools and strategies marketers can adopt to meet changing consumer demands. Amongst these, the smart lock screen has emerged as a key strategy, offering brands an opportunity to establish early consumer connections and inspire purposeful action,” Vasuta Agarwal, chief business officer, InMobi Group, said.
Key insights from the handbook reveal that smart lock screen experiences are gaining traction, with users spending considerable time engaging with diverse content categories such as news, entertainment, gaming, and shopping. This trend is not limited to metro cities but extends to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, reflecting the widespread adoption of mobile technology across India.
The handbook delves into the impact of smart lock screen advertising strategies, such as Impact, Engage, and Promote, which cater to different stages of the marketing funnel. Impact strategies focus on driving brand awareness through captivating full-screen ads, leading to an average increase in brand awareness and association. Engage strategies aim to spark interest and interaction among users, leveraging interactive content formats like polls, quizzes, and videos. Promote strategies facilitate seamless user actions, such as app installs and conversions, through one-click installs and targeted promotions.
Case studies featured in the handbook highlight the effectiveness of these strategies in driving tangible outcomes for brands. For instance, leading brands like Swiggy and American Tourister have successfully leveraged smart lock screen advertising to increase app installs, drive engagement, and achieve lower costs per user acquisition.
As India’s digital landscape continues to evolve, the handbook emphasises the importance of reimagining the marketing funnel to deliver tailored experiences that resonate with today’s mobile-first consumers. Marketers are encouraged to leverage data-driven insights and innovative advertising formats to capture the attention of their target audience effectively.