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    The changing face of the Indian mobile user

    Synopsis

    Exclusive India-centric findings gleaned from an InMobi report on India's mobile transformation.

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    One can expect 2019 to be the year that marketers take necessary strides in accomplishing a single, unified view of the consumer.
    By Vasuta Agarwal

    India is inching closer to becoming a trillion dollar digital economy with rapidly expanding digital infrastructure and greater accessibility to technology. With 90% of India set to own a mobile phone by 2022, it comes as no surprise that mobile is the primary driver of this transformation.

    The distinctive feature of India’s mobile transformation is that the face of the Indian mobile user is changing and how! Bharat - comprising of Tier II & III cities and rural India, is bringing an ever-increasing number of first-time internet users online. Mobile adoption is growing across all demographics. And, Indian consumers are moving away from traditional means of content consumption to more convenient, one-toone interactions enabled by mobile. Indian women are spending more time on gaming than on any other app category.

    Mobile video viewing is inching closer to live TV, slowly finding its mass appeal among consumers spanning all age groups and geographies. And shopping experiences are being redefined, with mobile as the gateway for researching products, comparing prices and finally making the purchase. For brands, all of this means huge marketing opportunities and new advertising avenues to deliver personalised experiences to consumers, starting with video and vernacular content.
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    One can expect 2019 to be the year that marketers take necessary strides in accomplishing a single, unified view of the consumer. Whether building for data readiness or achieving cross-channel expertise to bridge silos, marketers will invest in technology and measurement solutions to personalise messaging, measure business impact and improve ROI.

    However, in going about these initiatives, data privacy and trust will remain key pillars driving accountability and responsibility within the ecosystem. And, with increasing adoption of deep technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, the true strategic and creative potential of marketers will be unleashed. 2019 will be the year when mobile truly marries the brand and the consumer.

    (The writer is VP & GM, India & South Asia, InMobi.)
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    The Economic Times

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