Mayank Bhangadia
The year 2017 saw a lot of trends come and go by. In the internet world, where everything is so dynamic, we expect 2018 to catch on to some amazing trends, and what the new-age students can learn from the same. Mobile TV: In the West, more and more people are connecting to apps like Netflix, YouTube Red and Amazon Prime. These apps have similar content as TV channels, and exclusive shows as well. Users can sign in and watch their favourite shows and movies any time. These apps are becoming popular replacements. In India as well, people are going on the internet to watch popular shows while TV is slowly losing its popularity.
Disguised marketing: A trending profession is that of a social media influencer. Profiles with a huge number of followers have now become a medium of marketing for several brands. With a shift from TV to phones, even advertisements have changed from TVCs to digital promotions. Brands are depending a lot on bloggers’ outreach to connect to regional markets, and 2018 would witness this trend growing further.
Regional connect: In a diverse country like India, platforms would be expected to connect with each community by providing stickers and filters for every festive occasion. With Roposo and Hike providing users with stickers based on different occasions, we can expect such stickers to become a bigger trend in 2018. Also, we should be able to access the virtual world in our own regional language.
Offline integration: There is a boom in the number of internet users in India and we may not be ready for this in terms of infrastructure. In 2018, we can expect users to shift to apps which can be used even while offline. They would be able to download posts whenever possible and view it later. Currently, only a few apps (like YouTube) allow you to download content to be watched later.
Home-made videos: With 2017 being the year for people like Bhuvan Bam from BB Ki Vines fame to Dhinchak Pooja, one can expect a rise in self-made videos. Videos posted by people from tier-2 and tier-3 towns are now connecting with the masses. With social media platforms encouraging such content via talent hunts, we can expect more and more users to make a name for themselves. With constant innovations in the mobile phone industry, we may see an altogether new trend coming up in 2018.
The author is CEO & co-founder, Roposo, ‘TV by the People’
