There is no denying that India’s digital landscape has undergone a drastic transformation in recent years, paving new and innovative ways for marketers to establish and sustain active engagement with viewers. On the other side, this scenario has also enabled Indian consumers to strengthen their interaction with content. And the reason behind this situation is the substantial rise in the utilisation of open internet in the country.
So, what is open internet? It is a concept that ensures equal access to all content, applications, and services on the Internet, regardless of who provides them or how they are accessed. It’s often associated with the term net neutrality. And what does it include? Well, it encompasses over-the-top (OTT) services, connected TV (CTV), online gaming, music streaming, and online news websites.
The Trade Desk’s latest report reveals a rising trend among young Indian consumers towards using the open internet. Almost 80% of respondents said they spend more time on the open internet now than in the past, and 76% believe this trend will continue. In addition, the open internet has now become the primary destination for premium and high-quality content. In India, this entire ecosystem treasures over 640 million users. These results have been unearthed out of The Trade Desk’s recently published study, “India’s Engaged Audience: Why the Open Internet is the New Premium”, with a specific focus on the opportunity to strengthen the connection with young consumers belonging to the age group of 18 to 34 years (Gen Zs and Millennials mostly).
According to Tejinder Gill, The Trade Desk’s General Manager, this noticeable shift to the open internet is indeed “a pivotal moment for marketers.” He adds, “As more consumers engage with premium content on the open internet, marketers can now reach highly attentive audiences at scale. The notable levels of engagement, ad trust, and recall compared to traditional walled gardens mark a new era of ad receptiveness. This transition is poised to boost ad spend on the open internet.”
The report also reveals that open internet platforms, particularly online games (35%), OTT/CTV (34%), and news/websites (34%), have higher levels of engagement among young adults than social media. Furthermore, younger audiences in India, including Gen Zs and Millennials, are increasingly turning to OTT platforms like ZEE5, SonyLIV, Netflix, and Prime Video. These viewers value the content and ads on OTT/CTV more than on other platforms.
The study further discloses that Indians are known to spend 52% of their digital time on the open internet. However, the allocation of ad dollars still lies at 15%. But, this scenario presents a substantial opportunity for advertisers. How? The open internet guarantees to bestow more interactive and engaging formats for advertising, such as video ads, native advertising, and sponsored content. Moreover, advertising on the open internet is a highly cost-effective method. Additionally, the platform provides advertisers with more granular data and analytics to track the performance of their campaigns and measure their return on investment (ROI).
So, what does this mean for India? Well, this scenario promises to provide Indian consumers with greater and more seamless access to diverse content and OTT services. Advertisers can benefit from the higher engagement rates and better ad receptiveness offered by open internet platforms, leading to more effective campaigns. Compared to walled gardens, the open internet provides more accurate and transparent advertising. With India’s digital consumption evolving, the open internet will play a bigger role in advertising. Marketers should adjust their strategies to capitalize on this opportunity.
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