Social Networking in India
12 March, 2008
by Kalyan Manyam, founder, Indyarocks.comWhat goes through your mind when you read about the launch of a new Indian social networking site (SNS)? Do you say, “Oh, not one more!” or do you say, “Hope, they are different!”? Through this article, I will try to share my perspective on the dynamic social networking space in India.
With Orkut defining the way young India communicates, a whole new opportunity surfaced and many entrepreneurs jumped into the race to grab a pie. With Orkut at its high, many experts felt, there is no need for a India centric social networking platform. Many entrepreneurs, fortunately, differed with the opinion of the experts and ventured out to start their own version of 'Indian' social networking platform.
After speaking to some of the Indian entrepreneurs, I have observed that the motivation to get into this space was derived from one of the few thoughts mentioned below.
1. Starting an internet company is a no-brainer (many still think so).
2. Anything internet and remotely web 2.0 sounds really cool and there are large companies ready to buy them out (some vouch for it).
3. There is a huge gap between the user expectations and what is being offered.
4. The Indian user deserves much more and a much different experience.
If you have heard about a SNS being launched and later never really heard about it again they most probably have derived their motivation from the first or second reason mentioned above. The other few have continued to exist either because they have deep pockets or they really understand the Indian social networker.
The question that daunts many is - Do we need a India centric SNS? To get an answer to this question, let us try and understand a few aspects of the Indian social networking space.
Who is an active Indian social networker?
Possible traits of an Indian social networker are:
* Age: 15 to 25
* Occupation: Studying or just started his or her career
* Location: Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India and quite a few from across the globe
Reasons to register in an SNS
* Connect with existing friends
* Make new friends
* Share photos (mostly user generated content)
* Share videos (mostly non-UGC)
Other interests
* Entertainment
* Education
What is being offered by international social networking sites?
* A platform to connect with friends
* Share photos and videos
As time progressed, the above two have become “understood” of a social networking site and they fulfill only the basic needs. Now any new SNS needs to be innovative and offer features that are relevant to the regional user. When I say this, I mean that there is a huge scope for betterment. The possible areas, where a new SNS can differentiate are:
* Innovative ways of communicating and sharing
* Localization through entertainment or education (With their global agenda, there is only little an international SNS can offer in terms of localization.)
Let’s take Orkut for instance. On the communication front scrapping as a mode of communication is fast becoming passé. On the localization aspect how much can Orkut localize in terms of networking options and content? Very little, I guess.
Facebook, another international SNS, is garnering a lot of interest with the Indian audience. A question to ask is how much of the interest is generated by the members and how much by the media hype. Whatever maybe the reason, Facebook’s popularity is growing in India. Meanwhile, Facebook’s lack of localization, complex UI (user interface) and the flood of not-so-useful application add requests have become a challenge to the average Indian internet user. Only time will tell if Facebook will ever build a bonding with the Indian audience the way Orkut did.
Meanwhile, a few Indian social networking startups are silently making a dent into the user base of international sites in India. Some startups are flexing their money muscle and some others are intelligently trying to address the changing needs of the Indian social networker and thereby building a fundamentally strong member base.
But, somewhere many of the Indian startups have failed to remember what they set out to accomplish and started emulating the international sites for want of instant success. I am sure you will agree these sites will have a tough time differentiating themselves from the crowd.
I have read in many blogs that Indian social networking sites have a lot of catching up to do. Hopefully, the bloggers meant it only in terms of “User base” because from my point of view it’s the international sites (like Orkut and Facebook) that have a lot of catching up to do in terms of features and localization.
I am one of those who have felt the need for a social networking site designed from ground up with the Indian audience in mind. With content that is sensitive to the Indian mindset and with innovative means of communication that is relevant in India, we can provide an unmatched user experience that no other international SNS can offer. The tremendous success achieved by regional sites like Mixi (Japan) and Cyworld (South Korea) proves the point that a well-designed social networking site with a strong regional understanding has immense potential to succeed.
Kalyan,
I think unlike other SNS sites, Orkut has done a lot in localizatin in India. check out their new feature of scraping in different Indian language and its current usage by Indians and you will realise that it is the way to go. though Orkut may lack the apps, features, UI etc. of FAcebook etc. its regioanl language feature is a good bet. I can now invite my country cousins and scrap around in any language i want with them.
Like other online domains like travel, rentals, mail etc. only the guys with innovative and useful features helping users in their online experiences will survive in the long run.
Social Networking in India, an emerging space for the new age netizens. I am not agree with the view that it is meant for 15-25. Now a days in the age of rush, every one want to be stay in touch with their colleagues, friends, classmates etc. Social Networking Sites can also play an important role in advertising and marketing.
When you are starting a social networking site, be clear whom you will offer. Be clear about your demographic and geographic user base and that analysis will help you in visualizing the success of SNS.
Now a days we can see number of SNS from Indian Entrepreneurs which were started to create a "Difference" as compared to International SNS, but they end with the same or lower as compared to them.
I am strongly agree that there is huge potential of SNS focused on Indians. You need to convey a message in right direction with the right way and then utilize better marketing skills to promote and marketing. A perfect coordination of marketing mixes and user expectation can make Indian SNS a huge success.
Yogendra Oza
http://yogendraoza.blogspot.com
Hi Kalyan,
I have couple of questions:
1. what are the steps one should take if he plans to start a social networking site in india?
2. Can a SNS be owned by a individual, or one has to register as a sole propritership and only then he can own a SNS?
Looking forward to your answers on above
Rgds
Vivek
Kalyan, I think you've articulated some well-thought out points in the article. I did have a follow-up question to ask you...what are your thoughts around the porno space in India?
Nikhil:
There is scope for vertical SNS to play a role in the Indian social networking scene. But they have a different role to play. I will try to cover my take on vertical vs. General social nets in my next article.
Anand:
There is a strong need for localized social networking sites. We have seen a positive user response to social nets that are sensitive to local communication and entertainment needs.
I would like to differ with your point on the "limited usability" of social nets. It is all about what a social platform is designed and used for. I agree that we are yet to see a revolutionary platform. But we will get there soon.
About users stickiness to a SNS: Look at how people are moving to Gmail and putting in all the effort to tell their friends that they are not on Yahoo or Hotmail anymore. So shift is possible as long as you position your service right and offer the right features.
I agree with you on the need for radical innovation. I am sure we will see it soon. There is lot of innovative work happening in many startups. They are just trying to time it right. (at least that is the case with us at Indyarocks.com)
I beg to differ. Just one piece of stat - Ratio of Active Users to Registered Users would help us realize the potential (or lack of it) of SNS.
In case of Social Networking sites, I think it's no more about Indian (localized) or International. Nor it is anymore about what different the new SNS offer. Most of the people have lived their life on SNS and have realized the limited usability aspect. When SNS were new, users enjoyed connecting with the long lost friends. The now established SNS could fulfill that objective as a lot of users registered (and stayed) with them out of curiosity and realized the limited usability aspect. Having already built their network on one or two already existing SNS, how many people would have time and interest in re-doing the same thing on some other SNS? And what for? Unless there is a radical innovation, I would not like to call small, localized changes as compelling reasons for people to rebuild the network.
Not only Orkut, but SNS as a concept would soon be passé if we continue to conveniently assume that its only about connecting without a purpose.
SNS that just work on a strategy of migrating users to a new SNS are bound to fail. SNS that give users an additional reason to network would see user interest.
SNS with a niche PURPOSE - can we call it "Verticle Social Network" is what's needed and can co-exist with the likes of orkuts and facebooks.
Hi Kalyan
You said it! The 4 points are very true.
I still wonder what different can be offered now in the SNS space.
Media says Orkut is dead. Agreed. Facebook is phew! a task in itself in understanding the UI and figuring out to choose between hazaar apps.
And moreover I myself is no longer the right Target Audience for a normal SNC. That makes enough reasons to agree with you.
May be specialized SNS like Shelfari etc and professional networking sites will pick up.
Lets wait and watch.
Nikhil
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