iWorld
Mobile is the go-to platform for today’s one-click consumers with their three-second attention spans: InMobi’s Vasuta Agarwal
Mumbai: Brands are looking at getting the attention of the mobile audience, being a mobile first country, more and more brands want to tap into this audience with various innovatons like Lock Screen video, personalised messaging by brands in their language. The one click in mobile is the most used feature in todays busy world. Brands are using programmatic and other technology to stay relevant with their messaging to this segment.
InMobi is an Indian multinational mobile advertising technology company, based in Bengaluru. Its mobile-first platform allows brands, developers, and publishers to engage consumers through contextual mobile advertising.
Vasuta is the chief business officer, consumer platform advertising at InMobi. She is responsible for leading ad monetization for all consumer properties of InMobi group globally. Prior to this, she was MD for Asia Pacific region responsible for the P&L and business for India, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, and ANZ markets driving consistent scale and growth over three years.
She has been with InMobi, one of the first start-ups and unicorns to go global from India, for over ten years and has worn many hats in her time there from Founders’ strategy to product to business roles. Before InMobi, she was at McKinsey as a management consultant and with Intel as a chip design engineer. She is a graduate of BITS, Pilani, and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
Indiantelevision.com in an email chat with InMobi chief business officer – consumer platform advertising Vasuta Agarwal, on these features, on data privacy, personalisation of messaging and much more…
Edited Excerpts:
On the pandemic changing the shopping and other habits of consumers
The pandemic has certainly had a significant impact on consumer behaviour and digital platforms, particularly mobile, has played a crucial role in this shift. With people spending more time at home over the last few years, they have turned to their mobile phones for even their basic needs which has made it an essential part of the consumer journey.
India has the second-highest number of internet users in the world and these netizens are spending up to 4.8 hours on mobile every day. At InMobi, we have seen first-hand how smartphones have become the go-to device for consumers for information, entertainment, shopping, and for staying connected.
But this shift in consumer behaviour has also led to the evolution of consumers’ expectations. We are observing that consumers are increasingly seeking instant answers to their needs. As per the recently released Mobile Marketing Handbook by InMobi, lock screen consumption by Indians has increased by 35 per cent in the past year. The same report also suggests that there is a 45 per cent increase in the lock screen video consumption as compared to last year which could suggest that in this age of instant gratification and one-click experiences, the long-standing approaches that might have worked for engaging consumers on mobile does not work anymore. Delivering engaging experiences that can meet consumers’ expectations and resonate with them has become even more important.
On brands adopting to communicate on a handset and the brand’s ROI expectation
Mobile gives brands the opportunity to drive personalisation, innovation, and engagement at scale and the benefits of leveraging mobile marketing can be multifold. According to a 2021 McKinsey report, customers’ likelihood of purchase, recommendation, and repurchase can be brought up to 70 per cent or more through personalised interactions. No other medium has more potential to drive personalisation than mobile.
The reach and scope of mobile can help brands experiment and innovate at scale to find a competitive advantage. The smartphone has over 50 native features, which if leveraged intelligently, can transform the delivered experience. Recognising the key role mobiles play in consumers’ lives, brands are increasingly adopting mobile in their media mix for the marketing strategy to engage with these new-age consumers. While seasoned advertisers and brands understand the power of mobile to reach consumers anytime, anywhere, and deliver engaging content directly right in their hands, there is still some way to go to achieve the full potential of mobile marketing. But through the right combination of mobile technology, real-time intelligence, and creativity, brands can amplify the impact of their communication.
A great example is how Mondelez India launched an innovative Diwali campaign for their Cadbury brand in 2021, helping them stand out during the most cluttered time of the year. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning-powered technology, the campaign promoted local businesses and pop stores by displaying hyper-localised and hyper-customised content to customers featuring over 2,000 local stores across over 500 pin codes.
In addition, the local retailers got to make a version of these content for their stores with Shahrukh Khan as their ambassador, curated to each user’s own personal context. Another example of innovative engagement by a brand is how Swiggy leveraged the smart lock screen to drive instantaneous one-click experiences. The brand witnessed a 29 per cent MoM increase in first-time food delivery orders and a 30 per cent lower cost per new user on food delivery.
On the internet seen a boom, latest report says 832 Mn users, how are brands maximising their communication and how is lock screen used by brands
The internet has undoubtedly become the definitive channel for businesses to reach out to their target audience easily. With the latest report stating that there are 832 million users, brands are making the most of this platform to maximise their communication, especially on mobile which is the primary way users access the internet today in India.
One-way brands are doing this is by constantly looking for ways to cut the clutter and stand out in front of the hyper-connected consumer. That said, the smart lock screen is turning out to be the most exclusive real estate on a mobile phone. Advertisers are now leveraging the lock screen to precisely target and win over their audience with immersive experiences. Brands like Zomato, Swiggy, and Meesho have partnered with Glance to create personalised content for users. But how are they achieving this?
Creating an Impact with full screen imagery using lock screen for brand communication can have a significant impact on increasing awareness. With full-screen imagery, brands can grab the attention of their audience even before they unlock their phone. This is a great way to promote new products, services, or campaigns.
Engage with videos and interactive experiences: Lock screen is also being used to engage audiences with videos and interactive experiences. By showcasing their content through lock screen, brands can engage with their target audience in a more personal and immersive way.
Promote the app with effortless one-click installs: Brands can also promote their apps with effortless one-click installs. This is a great way to increase app downloads and drive more traffic to their website.
Overall, using a lock screen as a platform for brand communication can have a significant impact on increasing awareness, engagement, and promotion of products and services. By providing content that users want with just one click, brands can make a lasting impression and increase their chances of success.
On the language or regional communication by brands that has increased
Language and vernacular communication have become increasingly important for brands as they continue to seek to connect with consumers across regions. Through Glance, we have seen first-hand how brands are adapting their content to regional markets to better engage with local consumers. Today, 45 per cent of Glance content is consumed in Hindi, while another 40 per cent is consumed by a mix of South Indian languages that include Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu.
Brands are using approaches like creating custom, tailored content for the local markets and partnering with local influencers to tap into their credibility and promote the brand’s message. Glance’s smart lock screen platform enables brands to deliver hyper-localised content to users based on their location and language preference. Advertisers that successfully adapt their content to regional markets in vernacular languages are better positioned to connect with local audiences and gain loyalty over a long period.
On the age of one-click experiences on the lock screen
The “age of the one-click experience on the lock screen” refers to the growing trend of making mobile experiences as seamless and frictionless as possible for users. This allows them to quickly access content or complete actions with just one tap on their smartphones.
Aside from enabling brands to reach consumers in a non-intrusive manner, one-click experiences also make it easy for users to complete actions like purchasing something or signing up for services. Glance’s smart lock screen platform offers a prime example of this trend, providing users with easy access to curated content with every tap. This represents a new era of mobile marketing and engagement, allowing for seamless interactions between users and brands. Today, Glance gives users instant access to a variety of destinations that focus on their interests which include shopping, sports, news, gaming, trends, and live content.
On gaming seeing a rise in the past two years and obile consumer availing the one-click experience
In the past two years, there is an uptick in mobile gaming, which has brought about new trends in the industry. One-click experiences in mobile gaming have become increasingly popular, offering players quick and easy access to features like leaderboards, game updates, and social connectivity. As per the latest mobile marketing handbook that we released, Gaming on Glance, has seen over 2.2x times growth in the gaming community. The community has also seen 134 per cent increase in the daily active user base. It is also encouraging to see that 47 per cent members of this community are female and 44 per cent of the overall gamers come from tier-2 cities in India beating the longstanding myth that Gaming is a premium activity that is only enjoyed by young men. Reducing the time and effort required to access the features and allowing players to stay more engaged in the game helps engage with the community and brands alike.
On mobile enhancing a user’s experience across various genres, be it shopping, gaming, entertainment, and live events
Mobile has played a transformative role in enhancing the user experience across various ranges of genres.
In the realm of entertainment, mobiles have enabled users to access a wide range of content including movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts. Now with the smart locks screen the users will be able to access the latest trends in news, sports, shopping and entertainment with a single click without unlocking the phone and in their own personalised way. With live and gaming content, consumers can browse and purchase products and play games on the go, anytime and anywhere. Retailers and gaming companies can create seamless and personalised experiences for consumers. We aim to enhance the user’s experience across genres, leveraging the power of mobiles and lock screens to create innovative and personalised experiences to meet growing consumer needs.
On data privacy and the steps taken to ensure the safety of personal data
InMobi is fully committed to compliance with applicable privacy laws across every aspect of our business. As a trusted partner of leading brands across the globe, InMobi is dedicated to protecting consumer privacy while generating value for our publisher partners and creating a safe and transparent marketplace for advertisers.
Apart from this, we are also dedicated to conducting research and educating advertisers about best practices of privacy-first advertising in the country. Last year, InMobi released the findings from a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on future of mobile advertising in tackling data and identity deprecation. The study explored the impact of data privacy on advertising in India, offering a deep dive into the state of readiness of organisations and their action plans in the wake of consumer data privacy developments.
On InMobi playing a major part in brand associations and communication
Mobile is the go-to platform for today’s one-click consumers with their three-second attention spans. That’s why advertisers and brands are turning to mobile as the preferred channel to capture the attention of one-click consumers. Glance is redefining the way people interact with mobile and surfaces by providing engaging content, entertainment, and commerce experiences for the world of connected devices.
We have best-in-class programmatic advertising platform that makes it easy for brands to drive real connections with their target audience at scale with global reach. Advertisers and brands working with InMobi and Glance to get access to unique, owned, and operated mobile ad inventory featuring highly immersive experiences that embed their brand through the full funnel of mobile devices, from lock screen and home screen to folders and apps. By covering all mobile surfaces, brands can cover all touchpoints in a user’s journey, thus getting access to a massive scale.
Our privacy-first advertising paradigm enables brands to create a balance between respecting consumer privacy and creating personalised, contextualised, and relevant experiences.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
