8 developing markets your business should consider in 2021
Read the Webcertain search and social report 2021 here: https://bit.ly/3w6264R
The Webcertain search and social report 2021 has just been published, and it includes some promising developing markets that may be of interest to global brands.
Check it out using the link in the description if you want to learn more about digital marketing in developing markets!
These markets are yet to reach internet usage saturation, and with large populations and growing numbers of people coming online, they’re lucrative and have huge growth ahead of them.
This video will look at eight developing markets that are of particular relevance to global brands wanting to get that first-mover advantage over their competitors.
Market number one: China.
Population: 1.4 billion
Internet penetration rate: 69%
China is such a huge economy that it may seem odd to call it a developing market, but in terms of the digital sphere, it is.
Only 69% of people in China are online, far below what we see in comparably large economies like the US.
With such a large proportion of the Chinese population still to come online, this is a market with massive growth ahead of it.
Just remember, when doing digital marketing in China, you need to completely alter your strategy and use the local platforms.
For search engine marketing, that means Baidu and Sogou; for social media, think WeChat and Weibo; and for e-commerce, make sure you’re on Taobao, Pinduoduo, JD.com and Tmall.
Market number two: India.
Population: 1.3 billion
Internet penetration rate: 54%
There are over a billion people in India, but only 54% of them are online.
This means that over half a billion Indians are still to come online; a glittering opportunity if ever there was one.
When targeting India, be aware that the country sees some of the highest levels of ad blocker usage in the world.
A staggering 51% of Indian internet users use ad blocking tools.
For this reason, don’t rely too heavily on advertising, but make sure to pay proper attention to your organic SEO, social media and content marketing efforts.
This will ensure that your content is seen by your target audience, and doesn’t get filtered out by ad blockers.
Market number three: Brazil.
Population: 212.6 million
Internet penetration rate: 71%
Brazil is the largest and most populous country in Latin America, but only 71% of its 212.6 million residents are currently online.
With three in ten Brazilians still to make that digital leap, now is the ideal time to enter the market if you want that first-mover advantage.
Be aware that internet speeds are on the slow side, especially on mobile.
It’s therefore important to make sure your website is optimised for speed, so that slow loading times don’t lead to high bounce rates and ruin your efforts.
Market number four: Russia.
Population: 145.9 million
Internet penetration rate: 80%
Russia is another big country with a big population – the highest population in Europe, in fact.
But with only 80% of people in Russia being online, there’s still a lot of growth in the future of this market.
When targeting Russia, be aware that the digital platforms you’ll have to use will be different, as local players are challenging the big names that usually dominate in other countries.
When doing search engine marketing, make sure to give equal attention to both Google and Yandex.
And looking at social media, you’ll need to use the likes of VK and Odnoklassniki, alongside the more familiar Instagram.
Market number five: Mexico.
Population: 128.9 million
Internet penetration rate: 72%
Mexico is an attractive market, especially to brands with a physical presence in the southernmost United States.
It becomes even more attractive when you realise that only 72% of Mexico’s 128.9 million-strong population is currently online, meaning that a lot of growth is ahead of it.
When selling your items in Mexico, be aware that the most popular e-commerce website is Mercado Libre, not Amazon.
You should also know that there are three important events around which online sales increase in Mexico: Christmas, El Buen Fin and Hot Sale.
El Buen Fin is a bit like Black Friday, except it takes place on the weekend prior to the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.
Hot Sale is another online sales event, taking place in May.
Market number six: the Philippines.
Population: 109.6 million
Internet penetration rate: 79%
Market number seven: Egypt.
Population: 102.3 million
Internet penetration rate: 54%
And finally, market number eight: Vietnam.
Population: 97.3 million
Internet penetration rate: 74%
I hope this video has given you a useful introduction to some of the developing markets that deserve big brands’ attention.
Do you have any questions about international digital marketing? Let us know in the comments below or contact us at [email protected]