The RISE of Locals – next big thing in Internet and what it means for businesses and YOU

E-commerce companies lost $50 billion potential business last year as customers didn’t come back after their first purchase. And the lost customers is huge number too, 50 million to be precise. Reports suggest that lack of vernacular/local languages is the main reason. Another report suggests the rise of online video content demand in vernacular languages. I recently saw dual language profile option on LinkedIn. I, in fact went ahead and created a Hindi version for myself (https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sambaisla/?locale=hi_IN).

What do these reports and many other trends suggest? What does it mean to you whose business is somehow connected to Internet?

Haha! What an ironical and stupid question to ask. Who is NOT connected to Internet? Duh!

It means 2 major things:

?1. If you are a business, brand or an influencer, it means you need to produce more content (written/video/audio) in vernacular languages, our marketing communication and content must include local languages; IF you want to reach to next 500 million Indian consumers who are soon going to drive the next wave of Internet. You no longer can sit comfortable with your “English only” version of marketing and advertising content. It may sound scary to some who have been labeling English communication as the symbol of sophistication. For those who avoid use of local languages in corporate/business environment as their fear of being seen as less competent and professional; the future is both liberating and comfortable.

Go out, start producing content in local languages. You will win. And all those who think you are less competent; they will lose. Trust me.

2. If you are a young entrepreneur/student who lacks English communication and feel less confident because of that; now is your time. I know many of you young people don’t share content and aren’t very active on social media because you are not comfortable with English communication. And since you are afraid of being judged as incompetent and unprofessional; you simply hide.

I encourage you to start sharing your thoughts in your local language. Use Google translator. Almost every phone comes with an option to type in regional languages. Go hard at it. You will win. Trust.

I travelled across the country early 2018 and interacted with over 10,000+ young people in small towns and villages.

They are ambitious. They are hungry for success. They have smart phones and Internet. But they lack direction.

They lack confidence because of this problem of English communication. And I understand the challenges as I myself have come from a village and struggled immensely because of not being good in English. Internet was not there and there was no way for me to get access to anything. So I am not being ignorant or cynical. I get it. You may also say I am writing the post in English. This is because I want to reach out to all of young people in this country, and I am not good in all languages. So, this is the best way.

As I kept talking to these young people during the #RoadtoBharat journey I kept thinking what’s their way out? It’s not as easy and fortunate as in the metros. There are real issues.

But I am also seeing the shift in technologies, economies and the world as a whole. It’s moving local. It’s moving to small towns and villages.

And if you are somebody who wants to make it big and are willing to work hard; now is your time. Go out there, use the language and medium you are good at; and share what you got. The world needs it. It needs YOU. Trust me.