Indian Internet - The Economic Times

[Rubber Duck]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com..._on_to_internet_in_08/articleshow/3051737.cms

NEW DELHI: Call it the democratisation of internet in India. Every one in 10 urban Indians (12%) is now net connected. Over two-thirds (70%) of all internet users reside outside metros. And across urban and rural India, internet using population is evenly spread across all socio-economic classes (SEC). What’s more, over 70% internet users prefer to access the net in Indian languages, with English users at just 28%, down from 41% in 2007.

Internet penetration (as % of population) has crossed double-digit mark in urban India at 12%, up 3% from 9% last year, and rural penetration stands at 4.5%, according to online research & advisory firm JuxtConsult’s ‘India Online 2008’ — an offline survey of over 12,500 households across 40 cities and 160 villages countrywide to gauge the online behaviour of Indians.

India’s net user demographics cuts evenly across socio-economic class (SEC) A, B and C, and extends beyond metros (which account for under a third, 30%, of all users now, down 6% from 2007’s 36% odd. A majority, over three-fourths (77%) users, are between 19-35 years of age, up 10% from 2007....


On an average, net users take 15 odd activities which includes chatting, emailing, downloading music and movies, sharing videos and pictures, checking cricket score, job and matrimonial search. Internet chatting and blogs are significant for 81% of the users.

Although for 44-million users (91%) emailing is still the most popular online activity. Faith in internet shopping is strengthening gradually, and a good 80% of regular online Indians are now buying through the net.

 

[Michelle]

Interesting the use of english is down. Ive a great feeling about my 3l.ins as these dont really make a difference which language they prefer.
And as I know nothing about any indian language, best I leave it alone :imho:

Thanks for the read

 

[Rubber Duck]

Well it is not quite a clear cut as that because Indian Langauges have non-Latin Alphabets. Of course any language can be expressed in Latin characters, however, bad the fit. Vietnamese for example converted from Chinese to Latin, but not as we know it.

Interesting the use of english is down. Ive a great feeling about my 3l.ins as these dont really make a difference which language they prefer.
And as I know nothing about any indian language, best I leave it alone :imho:

Thanks for the read

 

[ekal]

Interesting the use of english is down.

Down only as a percentage of the total. The actual number of people using English to surf online in India is increasing, only not as quickly as those using local languages. That local language % was at a very low level even a couple of years ago.

This isn't a zero-sum game where IDNs win and ASCII names lose.

The Indian market is a very large pie with plenty of opportunities in English, Hindi foremost with others like Bengali, Marathi etc following close behind.

 

[Seabass]

I wonder if the English domains have more affluent users as a whole? Maybe Indians that speak both languages well are a wealthier sample of the population.

The English domains may convert better and may be worth more. I really have no idea - just speculating.
.

 

[Rubber Duck]

Maybe, but a mature internet will have sites developed to serve the masses rather than in English to serve those that speak both languages anyway.

 

[ekal]

I wonder if the English domains have more affluent users as a whole? Maybe Indians that speak both languages well are a wealthier sample of the population.

The English domains may convert better and may be worth more.

They do currently and may for the foreseeable future.

If any language is likely to challenge it in terms of value and CPC it will be Hindi.

 

[DomainLobe]

Great article & really no surprise!
I continue to hold universal generics - numerics - and have noticed the demand for them increasing.