10 Unbelievable Tricks to Reach More Customers on Social Media in India

Ayush
Futurise Official
Published in
12 min readJun 4, 2024

In a country like India, where millions of people are glued to their social media feeds, businesses have a goldmine of opportunities to connect with potential customers. Imagine walking down a bustling street in Mumbai or Delhi. Everywhere you look, there are bright signs and people calling out to you, each one trying to grab your attention. This scene is not much different from the crowded space of social media in India, where countless voices compete to be heard.

For businesses, the challenge is clear: how do you stand out in a digital crowd that’s louder and more packed than a Mumbai local train during rush hour? It’s not just about being louder; it’s about being smarter. With the right strategies, you can make your business not just visible but genuinely attractive to your target audience.

These strategies are your guide to cutting through the noise, reaching out to potential customers, and making them stop, look, and listen to what you have to offer.

From leveraging the cultural mosaic that is India to engaging in genuine conversations with your audience, these tricks are about understanding the landscape and playing to your strengths.

Understanding the Indian Social Media Landscape

India’s social media scene is as diverse and dynamic as the country itself. With over half a billion internet users, the digital marketplace is bustling with activity, making it a fertile ground for businesses aiming to expand their reach.

Popular Platforms in India:

  • Facebook: Imagine a sprawling bazaar where people from all walks of life come to shop, chat, and connect. That’s Facebook in India, a platform with a broad user base spanning various ages, interests, and regions. It’s the go-to place for businesses looking to cast a wide net.
  • Instagram: This platform is the trendy boutique in the digital bazaar, frequented by the younger, more visually oriented crowd. It’s where style, creativity, and aesthetics take center stage, making it ideal for brands with a strong visual appeal.
  • Twitter: Think of Twitter as the town square’s bulletin board, where news breaks, opinions are voiced, and debates rage. It’s the platform for brands that want to engage in conversations, share insights, and tap into the pulse of the moment.
  • WhatsApp: WhatsApp is the cozy tea shop where friends and family exchange news, gossip, and messages. With its vast reach and personal touch, it offers businesses a direct line to communicate with their audience.

Importance of Choosing the Right Platform:

Choosing the right social media platform for your business is akin to picking the right location for your shop in a vast market. It’s about knowing where your customers are most likely to be and what they’re interested in.

  • Know Your Audience: Understanding your target demographic is crucial. Are they young, tech-savvy individuals looking for the next big thing, or are they older, more established customers seeking reliable information and services? This knowledge will guide you to the right platform.
  • Align With Your Brand Identity: Each platform has its own vibe and language. Instagram is visual and creative, perfect for lifestyle and design-centric brands. LinkedIn suits professional and B2B services, while Facebook offers a broad canvas for a wide range of content types.
  • Engagement Over Numbers: It’s not just about the number of followers; it’s about how engaged they are. Choose a platform where your target audience is not only present but active and receptive to what you have to offer.

Understanding the social media landscape in India is like mastering the art of navigating its busy streets. By choosing the right platforms and crafting messages that resonate with your audience, your business can become a landmark in the digital bazaar, attracting customers and building lasting connections.

Trick 1: Tailor Your Content for the Indian Audience

To truly connect with your audience in India, it’s crucial to speak their language, not just literally but culturally. India is a tapestry of cultures, traditions, and languages. Creating content that resonates with this diversity means embracing local festivals, traditions, and everyday moments that matter to the Indian audience.

Significance of Culturally Relevant Content:

Imagine you’re at a Diwali party, and everyone is sharing stories from their childhood celebrations. You join in, and suddenly, you’re not an outsider anymore; you’re part of the circle. That’s what culturally relevant content does. It breaks down barriers and builds connections, making your audience feel seen and understood.

Examples of Content Types:

  • Festival Greetings: Share wishes and content themed around Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Holi, and other major festivals celebrated across India.
  • Localized Stories: Tell stories that highlight local heroes, landmarks, or significant cultural events, showing your brand’s understanding and appreciation of Indian culture.
  • Interactive Content: Create polls, quizzes, and challenges around popular Indian TV shows, movies, or cricket, encouraging users to engage and share.

Trick 2: Leverage Local Influencers

Influencer marketing in India is not just effective; it’s transforming how brands connect with their audience. Local influencers, with their dedicated followings and deep cultural understanding, can act as bridges, connecting your brand with their loyal communities.

The Power of Influencer Marketing in India:

Influencers are like the popular kids in school; where they go, others follow. When they share your product or talk about your brand, their followers — people who trust and admire them — are more likely to pay attention. This trust is gold in a market as vast and varied as India’s.

Tips for Choosing the Right Influencers:

  • Cultural Fit: Look for influencers who embody your brand’s values and resonate with your target audience culturally and linguistically.
  • Authenticity Over Numbers: An influencer with a smaller, engaged following might be more effective than one with a large but passive audience.
  • Track Record: Check their past collaborations for authenticity, engagement, and alignment with your brand identity.

Trick 3: Utilize Hashtags Wisely

Hashtags are like signposts, guiding users to your content amidst the bustling social media marketplace. In India, where trends change as fast as the weather, using the right hashtags can dramatically increase your visibility.

Using Local and Trending Hashtags:

It’s like setting up shop in the busiest part of the market. Use hashtags related to local events, festivals, or trending topics in India to make your content discoverable by those looking for it.

Tools and Strategies for Hashtag Research:

  • Hashtagify.me: Find trending hashtags and their popularity over time.
  • Twitter Trends: Stay updated with what’s trending on Twitter daily and align your content accordingly.
  • Instagram Explore: Use it to see popular hashtags related to your niche.

By tailoring content for the Indian audience, leveraging local influencers, and using hashtags smartly, brands can significantly enhance their social media presence in India, connecting with customers in meaningful and impactful ways.

Trick 4: Engage with User-Generated Content

In the vibrant online bazaars of social media, there’s a special kind of magic that happens when customers share their own stories about a brand. Think of it like guests at a wedding talking about how much fun they’re having. This buzz gets others interested too! User-generated content (UGC) is just that — photos, videos, reviews, and posts created by your customers, showcasing their experiences with your products or services.

Why is it so cool? Well, when people see real stories from other customers, they trust them more than the usual marketing stuff. It’s like having a friend recommend a new ice cream shop. You’re more likely to try it, right? Here’s how to make UGC work for your business:

  • Encourage Sharing: Start by asking your customers to share their experiences. Maybe they can post a photo using your product with a special hashtag or share a story about how your service helped them.
  • Show Appreciation: When customers do share, show them some love! Like, comment, or even feature their posts on your own social media. It makes them feel special and shows others that you genuinely care about your customers.

By actively engaging with UGC, you’re not just building a community; you’re letting your customers tell your story. It’s a powerful way to make your brand more relatable and trustworthy.

Trick 5: Optimize for Mobile Users

Did you know that a huge chunk of social media browsing in India happens on mobile phones? With so many people scrolling through their feeds on the go, making sure your content looks great and loads quickly on mobile devices is super important.

Mobile-First Approach: Start by thinking of how your content will look on a small screen. This means big, clear text and eye-catching images. Also, make sure any links or buttons are easy to tap with a finger, not just a mouse cursor.

Speed Matters: Nobody likes waiting, especially when they’re trying to check out your latest post while on a moving train. Make sure your website and social media content load quickly. This might mean compressing images or simplifying your website design for speed.

Focusing on mobile users means ensuring that no matter where your customers are or what device they’re using, they can enjoy what you have to share without any hiccups.

Trick 6: Create Interactive and Engaging Content

Imagine you’re at a party. Would you rather listen to someone talk about themselves all evening or have a fun conversation with someone who asks your opinion and listens? Social media is like that party, and interactive content is your way of being the person everyone wants to talk to.

Why Go Interactive? It’s simple. When your followers click on a poll, answer a quiz, or swipe through an interactive story, they’re not just watching; they’re participating. This makes them feel more connected to your brand.

  • Polls and Quizzes: Ask your followers fun questions related to your brand or industry. It could be as simple as “Which flavor do you want to see next?” for an ice cream brand.
  • Interactive Stories: Use features like Instagram Stories to create quick, engaging experiences. Maybe a “Choose Your Own Adventure” story where followers decide what happens next.

Interactive content isn’t just fun; it gets people talking about your brand, sharing your posts, and coming back for more. Remember, the goal is to make your social media a two-way street, where your followers feel like they’re part of the conversation.

Trick 7: Run Targeted Social Media Ad Campaigns

In the vibrant world of Indian social media, targeted ad campaigns are like sending out personalized invitations to a grand event. These ads allow you to reach the exact group of people who are most likely to be interested in what you offer. Imagine being able to whisper directly into the ears of potential customers amid a noisy bazaar — that’s the power of targeted advertising.

Benefits for Your Business:

  • Precision: You can pinpoint your audience based on interests, location, age, and even behaviors. This means your ads reach those who genuinely care.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, targeted ads ensure your money is spent wisely, reaching only those who matter to your business.

Setting Up for Success:

  • Know Your Audience: Dive deep into understanding who your ideal customers are. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer detailed targeting options to match your ads with the right audience.
  • A/B Testing: Run multiple versions of your ads with slight variations to see what works best. This could mean changing the image, the call to action, or the ad copy.

Optimizing your campaigns involves constantly reviewing performance metrics and adjusting your strategy accordingly. Tools within social media platforms provide rich insights into how your ads perform, allowing you to tweak and refine for better results over time.

Trick 8: Post at Optimal Times

Timing can make or break your social media strategy. Posting when your audience is most active on social media can dramatically increase engagement rates. For businesses in India, understanding when your audience is scrolling through their feeds is crucial to capturing their attention.

Why Timing Matters:

  • Higher Engagement: Posts published at optimal times are more likely to be seen, liked, and shared.
  • Increased Visibility: The more engagement your post gets, the more likely it is to be shown to others.

Finding the Sweet Spot:

  • Experiment: Start by posting at different times of the day and week. Note which posts get the most engagement.
  • Use Tools: Tools like Buffer and Hootsuite not only help schedule your posts but also offer insights into when your audience is most active.

Remember, the best time to post can vary depending on the platform and your specific audience. For example, Instagram users may be more active in the evenings, while LinkedIn users are online during work hours.

Trick 9: Use Video Content Effectively

Video content has taken the Indian social media landscape by storm. From TikTok to Instagram Reels, the appetite for video is insatiable. For businesses, this presents an incredible opportunity to connect with audiences in a dynamic and engaging way.

Why Videos Work:

  • Higher Engagement: Videos are more likely to be shared, commented on, and liked than other types of content.
  • Better Storytelling: Videos allow you to tell a story, showcase your products, or share testimonials in a way that’s engaging and easy to digest.

Creating Videos That Captivate:

  • Keep It Short and Sweet: Attention spans are short. Aim for videos that deliver your message quickly and effectively.
  • Focus on Quality: You don’t need a huge budget, but clear visuals and good sound are a must. Even smartphones can produce great content with the right setup.
  • Be Creative: Use storytelling, humor, and creativity to make your videos stand out. Look at what types of video content have gone viral in India for inspiration.

Leveraging video content effectively means tapping into one of the most powerful forms of communication on social media today. With a bit of creativity and strategic planning, your business can use videos to capture the imagination of the Indian audience and leave a lasting impact.

Trick 10: Monitor Analytics and Adapt Strategies

To make your social media journey successful, think of analytics as your compass. These powerful tools help you understand which paths lead to treasures and which to dead ends. Just posting content isn’t enough. You need to know how it’s performing. Are people engaging with it? Which posts do your followers love, and which do they scroll past? By keeping an eye on these metrics, you can tweak your tactics, doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t.

Why It’s Crucial:

  • Guided Decisions: Analytics provide insights into your audience’s preferences, helping tailor your content to match their interests.
  • Strategy Refinement: Continuous monitoring allows you to refine your strategy, ensuring your social media efforts are always aligned with your goals.

How to Do It:

  • Use Built-in Analytics Tools: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer built-in analytics that give a wealth of information.
  • Set Clear Goals: Know what success looks like for your business on social media, whether it’s gaining followers, increasing engagement, or driving traffic to your website.

Adjusting your strategy based on analytics isn’t just smart; it’s essential for growth. It ensures your social media presence is dynamic, responsive, and continually evolving to meet your audience’s needs.

Conclusion

Navigating the social media landscape in India is no small feat. It’s a vibrant, ever-changing world that offers immense opportunities for businesses ready to engage with it thoughtfully and strategically. The tricks we’ve explored are your map to this world, guiding you through the bustling streets of social media to connect with more customers, engage them meaningfully, and build a community around your brand.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution in social media. Each business is unique, with its own voice and audience. So, experiment with these strategies, find out which ones resonate with your audience, and don’t be afraid to try something new. The digital world rewards those who are bold, innovative, and attentive to their audience.

And if you’re looking for a partner to guide you through the complexities of social media marketing in India, Futurise Solutions is here to help. With expertise in crafting tailored strategies that resonate with the Indian market, Futurise Solutions can ensure your business not only participates in the conversation but stands out and shines. Let’s navigate this journey together, turning challenges into opportunities and connections into lasting relationships.

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