How to implement a successful digital marketing strategy in India market- A case study

The Digital Marketing industry in India, especially, has seen a steady growth in the past few decades. Not to mention, the industry has helped several other businesses and firms, for that matter, to bloom like anything over the web.

All the aspects of Digital Marketing, ranging from Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing (SMM) to Pay-per Click (PPC) and even Search Engine Marketing (SEM) have served, and are still contributing towards the betterment of multiple businesses online.

If you are an avid rider or someone who is passionate about adventure, you sure would have been glued to the web series of Himalayan Highs: TVS ZEST 110 on You Tube. Packed with nail-biting excitement, emotions and thrill, it was a unique reality show, which was nothing but a well strategized digital marketing campaign.

The result?
3 seasons already completed in 2017.

Brand Impact?
TVS ZEST 110 is one of the most sold scooters in the country, immensely popular amongst the female youth.

Success for various things has varied definition, but when we talk of a successful advertisement campaign, it has to be the one which strikes a right chord with the target audience and creates a lasting impression in their minds. While we are no strangers to television and print campaigns, a digital marketing campaign is something that bases itself on slightly different elements. A well designed strategy for digital marketing goes a long way in ensuring its success.

Using the Himalayan Highs as a case study, let us see what the ingredients of a successful digital marketing campaign are. The campaign in short:

Success for various things has varied definition, but when we talk of a successful advertisement campaign, it has to be the one which strikes a right chord with the target audience and creates a lasting impression in their minds. While we are no strangers to television and print ad campaigns, but digital marketing campaign is something that bases itself on slightly different elements. A well designed strategy for digital marketing goes a long way in ensuring its success.

Using Himalayan Highs as a case study, let us find out what the key ingredients of a successful digital marketing strategy and how to implement it:

Defining target audience

By taking young riders on board for the promotion, TVS has clearly defined who its target buyers are. A scooter is usually targeted at women drivers to be more precise. Most of the buyers for TVS Zest are young women in India for their daily travel or adventurous aspirations. For a digital marketing campaign to be successful, it needs to be focussed, and this is possible only when the target consumers are clearly defined. A thorough research on the age, interest, education, place and other demographic specifications is quite helpful in narrowing down the target buyers. A campaign addressing only a specific section of population is more impactful than a generic one.

Involving target audience

One of the major highpoints of the Himalayan High was when the riders started vouching for the TVS Zest and its quality after a first-hand experience. These participants are actually real life riders who could judge the performance of the scooter with this ultimate adventure.

The major differentiating factor for a digital marketing campaign is its 360 degree approach. Promotions on social media is not just about harping on the features of the product but also involving the target audience for their feedbacks, experience and suggestions.

Stick to brand proposition

A meek ad with a powerful brand image is the last thing we would like to see, right? TVS Zest has truly showcased the tagline, -“Feel the Power” with the Himalayan High series. The fact that a scooter could reach on the highest motorable pass in India, was an astounding feat in itself. The grit of the riders, the tenacity of the scooter and the fun element of riding along with so many like-minded people for a never before experience, encompassed the image of the brand.

Select the most appropriate medium

Success Digital marketing is a lot about choosing the correct medium. Not all products are meant for Facebook or Instagram. Depending on the kind of product, the content and the message to be conveyed, a proper medium needs to be finalised. Static visuals or single videos can be shared through Facebook, however when the campaign involves slightly lengthy story-telling, a web series on You tube is a more suitable medium.

Himalayan Highs chose web series on You Tube to be a medium. Web series is getting increasingly popular and many people prefer it over TV series nowadays. The audience can view it as per their convenience and spread the word of mouth. This worked perfectly for the campaign as it found the right set of audience on You Tube.

Create unique content that is a mix of emotions and excitement

Indian consumers differ from those elsewhere in the world in terms of sensibilities. For a campaign to strike a chord with Indians, it must have a blend of emotions and excitement. The Himalayan Highs with its adrenaline pumping adventure peppered with the friendship and bonding amongst the riders tugged the heart strings of Indian youth. Digital campaigns involve the consumers and today it is all about “telling” a story and not just selling. When a consumer is made a part of the story, he feels an immediate connect with the product and helps in its better brand recall value and sales.

Online and offline integration

One of the most important factors of Digital Marketing Campaign in the online and offline integration. Often the digital media talks about various features about the product but when the viewers visit the website for more information, there is hardly any available. The features of TVS ZEST 110 are appropriately explained on the website of TVS Motor with a linkage to its campaign for Himalayan Highs. On the webpage, the ride to Khardungla has been covered in details through attractive graphics and text, which is also in perfect sync with the features, technical specifications and call to action for TVS Zest 110.

Scope of constant Improvisation

Rigidity can play an absolute havoc in a digital marketing ad campaign. Unlike other mediums, the digital media is quite dynamic. The audience and their sensibilities keep changing from time to time and a campaign must factor in these elements. The campaign has to be improvised according to the response of the audience, external happenings or changing trends.

Taking the case of Himalayan Highs, the first season saw only 1 rider, Anam Hashim who rode her way to the top. After overwhelming response to this the next season had 12 female riders on board. This further saw lot of interest from young male riders and as a result, the 3rd season had two male riders in the group. The myth that men are not comfortable with gearless scooter changed and kick-started a fresh trend altogether. These small improvisations every season is a step towards widening the consumer base and branding the scooter as a vehicle that appeals to all young riders, female and male.

The art of formulating a perfect marketing strategy is the key

While the above essentials were discussed taking Himalayan Highs as a case, these strategies can be applied to any digital marketing campaign to be successful. As Digital Marketing is getting bigger day by day, it makes perfect sense to be certified in Digital Marketing and get a firm grip on the art of formulating successful strategies in a real life scenarios.