India’s digital growth story is increasingly being written in multiple languages, with regional and short-form video content playing a pivotal role. As more users from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities go online, their demand for content in their local languages is reshaping digital marketing strategies. English can continue to rule high-end urban markets, but the actual traction is coming from the growth of content in regional languages, a trend that has turned out to be a requirement as well as a source of competitive differentiation for brands.
Today, regional language speakers make up the majority of India’s online population. A recent report indicates that nearly 75% of India’s internet users prefer content in their local language. Over 500 million users now consume digital content in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and other regional languages, outnumbering English-first users.
This shift is also evident in the growing popularity of short-form video content, which has become a dominant format, particularly in regional languages. Edtech platforms are developing lessons in local languages, whereas OTT platforms such as Hotstar and SonyLIV are pumping money into dubbed and original content in several dialects to enhance engagement. Similarly, YouTube, Instagram are creating short form videos to reach out to consumers in smaller cities.
For brands, integrating regional content into their digital marketing strategy is essential to building an emotional connection and creating long-term consumer loyalty. Global reports suggest that 65% of customers worldwide prefer content in their own language, even if it’s not flawless. Close to 40% of users won’t interact with content unless it’s in a language they understand.
The rate of success on consumer connect increases by 10-15%, as brands can make fresh outreach in every state/ city in its local language. Brands should identify which regional languages are more common to their target audience and create localized campaigns to cater to those target audience. One thing which is important to be kept in the mind is that, not only the language but the campaign messaging can also change as per audience’s state of life across cities. Every industry today from healthcare and hospitals to financial institutions, edtech, and emerging startups is leveraging short-format videos to educate and engage new customers. These bite-sized formats are proving to be the most effective tools for awareness, trust-building, and recall in a digitally cluttered space.
As companies aim to make their marketing more personalized, local language data is becoming the feed for AI-powered marketing machines. Marketing campaigns can now be targeted on the basis of a user’s language, geography, income group, and even preferred dialect. In this new era of digital marketing, language is no longer a barrier- it is a bridge. And as technology continues to evolve, it will remain a key enabler in ensuring that every message, in every language, reaches the right audience, especially through regional and short-form video content.
(Views are personal)
