Overcoming Language Barriers, Regional Influencer Marketing Boosts Brand Growth Exponentially Implementing the right strategy with the right influencers will help the brand sustain and eventually succeed in the market

The market today is more dynamic than ever, thanks to digital media. The constant flow of ideas and ever-evolving trends impact marketing strategies. Social media can make or break a brand. However, a one-size-fits-all philosophy doesn't work; brands must create content that caters to their target audience. Which is why, regional content is a trend that's currently booming in the market and is here to stay.

In a country like India, which has about 1.38 billion people and a distinct culture and language every few miles, it's very important to curate content according to regional needs. While English-language content dominates markets across nations, vernacular content's demand has skyrocketed. A report found that more than 40 per cent of online users in India prefer Tamil content, surpassing the number of users for Hindi and English content. In fact, Redseer Consulting article revealed the vernacular content will be a market worth 3 billion by the year 2023. This has helped niche brands to break the glass ceiling and bridge the communication gap between brands and consumers.

English-vinglish to desi tadka: how the shift happened

Many marketers wonder about the possible reason behind the sudden shift towards vernacular content. The truth is the Internet today is not a luxury anymore. With technological advancement, the Internet boomed across the country making it accessible to everyone irrespective of their geographical location. Between 2014 and 2019, about $708 million was invested in regional language startups such as ShareChat, Roposo, and Pratilipi. In tier II and tier III cities, people prefer their regional language(s) over English. Hence the rise of content in different languages such as Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Assamese. In a way, regional content also puts in a case for rightful representation in a society like ours. When a brand uses the same local language as yours to communicate with you, it certainly piques interest and connects with you on a personal level, generating credibility and sales of the brand. Naturally, social media influencers too are following the same approach.

Turning the market upside down with different languages

Regional markets are relatively less saturated. These are often untapped with little to no players displaying a strong potential to build a brand. This has helped in strengthening the bond between the customer and brand leading to the development of trust. Working with influencers, we have noticed that audiences engage more when creators speak in local languages.

In addition to that, as compared to popular creators from the Hindi and English-speaking world, regional creators have a better cost-per-view (CPV) ratio. To an estimation, in contrast to Hindi creators who would charge a CPV of 0.6–1.0, regional makers can enter the market at a CPV of 0.3–0.5. At a lower cost, you can reach a broader audience. This is a clear motivating factor for brands to opt for a cost-effective way.

Regional festivals are another strong factor that incentivizes the whole process. Durga Puja, Onam, Gudi Padwa, Lohri, Dussehra, Navratri, Ugadi, and more such festivals provide great visibility and traction amongst target audiences, which is why brands love to plan activities around them. These strategic integrations aid a business in entering the community and establishing a presence there.

The question however remains, how do you select the right ones? Although many brands sometimes, in the race to collaborate with the best, lose the vision of their goal. While regional influencers are the easiest and the most efficient way to connect with your audience, brands must be cognizant of the geographical factors when choosing the products for regional influencers. An influencer might have a huge reach in a certain region but that doesn't guarantee that you win the audience. Gaining traction through new audiences also depends on your product and how suitable the influencer is for your brand and the said product.

Implementing the right strategy with the right influencers will help the brand sustain and eventually succeed in the market.