Which online categories drive consumer interest during Lockdown?

Authored by Neha Kulwal, Country Manager, Admitad India.

As people continue to stay indoors, they have turned to digital mediums for varied requirements. While many people are working from home, they continue to be hooked on their laptops and smartphones for news, education, as well as entertainment. The situation has given a boost to new categories that open new vistas for publishers to reach out to their customers.

Admitad India’s data of recent weeks shows increased spending on online gaming, OTT & software solutions, and online education. The platform has also seen a significant jump of 19% in the use of mobile phones by consumers for making purchases. Here are the top business categories that hold most of the consumer attention.

Online gaming: According to the analysis on Admitad platform, online gaming saw a whopping 252% increase in the number of orders from February to March, which led to a 244% rise in gross revenue. As consumers continue to stay at home, they look to explore different entertainment channels and games. Thus, consumer behaviour and habits are transforming. Online games such as rummy, poker and various mobile games have become extremely popular. In recent years, the industry has seen tremendous growth with the introduction of new gaming genres and users spending more time on their smartphone and banking on improved connectivity.

OTT Platforms and Software services: As per Admitad data, OTT platforms and software services reported a surge of 121% in average user spending, which resulted in a jump of 252% in the number of orders. Higher affiliate contribution to these platforms led to a rise of 419% in GMVs for the online streaming service providers in the February to March period.

“At ALTBalaji we are witnessing a strong growth overall during this period across all our key markets and demographics with an incremental time spent on our platform to the tune of almost 25%. We are witnessing a strong curve of digital subscriptions with an average of 17,000 subs added per day post lockdown v/s an average of 10,600 in February 2020, a growth of 60%. As of date, the platform has over 1.7m active direct subscribers and cumulative 70 million-plus downloads till date. As an integral part of our digital performance strategy, our strong affiliates network has contributed a substantial share to the downloads and subscriptions,” says Ms Divya Dixit, SVP – Marketing, Direct Revenue and Analytics, ALTBalaji.

While OTT content consumption has witnessed steady growth throughout, and it will continue to do so, on its own; we believe this phase will introduce a wider set of audiences to OTT, that will continue consumption post sampling our portfolio. Our focus remains on our long-term plan of creating unique narratives." she further added.

Online education: This is another segment that witnessed a significant increase in traffic volume during the lockdown period. As schools and educational institutions remain closed, children and college students have turned to online courses to ensure continuity in learning. Users may also be looking to enrol for a quick learning program to enhance their skills. Some may find this a suitable time to learn a new language on an e-learning platform. On the Admitad platform, online education witnessed a 30% increase in the number of orders and a hike of 15% in GMVs. Language courses, in particular, have generated a lot of interest among users. Publishers can leverage opportunities by promoting these platforms that have seen a noticeable surge in footfall during this time.

What’s next?

"Something good comes out of every crisis." - Dave Pelzer

Even though most sectors have taken a hit in the current crisis, this is the time to stand by your customers. Several online businesses are focusing on the right messaging to help their customers deal with the situation.

The key strategy for advertisers is to innovate and give consumers the opportunity to distract themselves from the crisis. For brands, the choice of a CPA channel can prove to be a cost-effective strategy at this time. Affiliate networks can manage micro and macro requirements by offering flexible options with different inventories. Merchants should focus on categories that are witnessing higher traction. Brands that intelligently combine trending information to reaching out to customers will benefit the most.