Building a Website for the Indian Market: Essential Considerations

USD 25.6 Billion: THIS was what the global digital content creation market was valued at, in 2022. This number is also expected to expand at a CAGR of 13.5% from 2023 to 2030. Building a website for the Indian market is an exciting opportunity for businesses looking to tap into one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the world, growing at 2.8% per annum and expected to reach USD 1 trillion by 2027-2028.

Whether you’re a startup or a pre-established multi-million-dollar company, understanding the needs of the Indian market and personalizing the market space from an Indian point of view is the only way to establish a long-term foothold. Connecting with firms like Consumer Sketch, a reliable name for website development company in India, can help escalate the process of getting an Indian market website. Contact us to get started.  

Understanding the Indian Consumer Demographics:

More than half of the active Indian internet users come from rural areas; to make the website a success, the key factor considering the Indian market space is “ADAPTABILITY.” India is not just a single market but a mosaic of many. The three most important principles to keep in mind while building a website for the Indian market space are “Localization”, “Adaptability”, and “Inclusivity”.

MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT

Someone from Maharashtra will most likely speak in Marathi. If the Indian e-commerce website they surf says “Eti Sera Analalina marketaplesa” (Bengali for “This is the best marketplace"), it would make the matter worse. The key here for the Indian market is “MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT.” Complementing literacy and the social divide in India, it is very important that the website catering to a specific part of the population is vernacular and local for them. Offering multilingual support can increase your reach in the more accessible non-English-speaking regions.

MOBILE-FIRST VERSIONS

1.05 billion: That is the number of active Indian internet users who access the internet on their mobile. Optimizing your Indian market website for mobile is very crucial. The mobile-first design ensures that your website is responsive, loads quickly, and offers a seamless experience on handy screens. This improves the customer engagement rate considering the number of mobile users in the country. The importance of the mobile-first approach is due to the dominance of mobile internet usage in India.

Country-Specific Cultural Customization, User Interface and Interface Design

India is a country of emotions. If you understand how to meet the emotional demands of the Indian consumer demographic, you will get the key to mastering the market. For instance, Indians prefer brighter and more adaptive interfaces to websites than a darker one. Such efforts can build a stronger emotional connection with the TAM (Total Addressable Market), leading to better customer retention. A major part of the Indian internet users are not very tech-savvy. Thus, it becomes essential to design a website that can be accessed easily by anyone and everyone; a website with a UX design that resonates with Indian users, such as simplicity and navigation. 

SPEED AND OPTIMIZATION

One cannot afford to host a website that does not load quickly. Another factor to be taken into account is the INTERNET SPEEDS. They vary very highly in different regions of a country like India. To improve the speeds, it’s essential to use the already-available tools like content delivery networks (CDNs), compress large images, which take a long time to load, and minimize heavy code, which would be difficult and time-consuming to process. Digital tools should be used to analyze and assess the performance of the website and then ensure that it is tailored to meet the standards expected by Indians.

LOCAL PAYMENT GATEWAYS

For a country that prefers the pre-established methods, it is essential to serve them in a manner that already suits them. For Indian e-commerce websites, seamless integration with popular local payment gateways like Paytm, Razorpay, and UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is crucial. Indian consumers tend to favor these over global options like PayPal. They are more widely accepted and offer better ease of use. Adding a Cash on Delivery Option can also increase customer acquisition for those who may otherwise be wary of online transactions.

SEO AND DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

To thrive in the Indian digital ecosystem, businesses need to adopt effective and localized search engine optimization. It is essential for improving the website’s visibility on major search engines, which have a dominant share of the market. Another interesting tool would be to use location-specific and product-specific keywords that resonate with Indian users.

Collaborating with local influencers, viral content creators, film stars, and athletes for marketing can enhance engagement and increase revenue. Collaborating with a web design agency or a digital marketing agency that specializes in the Indian market can help you develop targeted content that appeals to Indian sensibilities.

HIRING DEDICATED DEVELOPERS

The average minimum wage in India is 1/20th of that in the USA, even after considering purchase power parity. Indian developers, who are known for their cost-effectiveness and expertise in creating tailored solutions, can be hired as an excellent option. Their global experience and local market insight accelerate development timelines. Flexible hiring models and scalability further enhance value, making them ideal for building and maintaining Indian market websites.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INDIAN MARKET

The Indian website design market faces a variety of issues. This includes varying internet speeds in different geographic locations, trust issues with online transactions, and regional preferences. However, with ease of payment, increasing digital adoption, and the rise of mobile users, businesses can capitalize on these trends for website development in India to dominate the e-commerce market.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, building a website in India requires a deep understanding of the several factors. This includes the needs of the diverse addressable market, mobile-first model, and local preferences. Factors like multilingual support, seamless user experience, and ease of payment should be considered to create a more engaging website. Hire dedicated developers in India and ensure long-term growth in the Indian digital landscape.

For fast, reliable, and affordable website development in India, get in touch with Consumer Sketch. With years of experience and Indian website design expertise, you are sure to get the best results.