This podcast exclusively covers digital marketing scenario and landscapes for small and medium enterprises and non-profits. This is the last episode in this series. Of course, Monica and Manasi will be back with a new series on fresh topics in a month’s time or so. In Episode 24, Manasi and Monica talk about their journey, developing the DigiIndia Squad podcast, and earlier video series. They cover: How the idea started The research process & the challenges and gaps observed The...

This episode is also available in video. In Episode 2 of the DigiIndia Squad video series, Monica turns the tables on Manasi, digging into her career path. Some great tips are shared in the conversation, the perception of digital marketing, what it means to be a digital marketer, the gaps in the digital marketing education, what students of digital marketing should think about, and more. Some of the questions discussed include: 1) Manasi moved from a career in journalism & media...

This episode is available in video. In Episode 3 of the DigiIndia Squad video series, Manasi and I do a deep dive into how marketers, content creators, business persons, and solopreneurs and come up with content ideas that resonate with their target audience. We cover the topic from four angles: Internal sources Customer-facing platforms and personnel Environment (competition and eco-system) Industry This is a little longer than the time we usually target but we felt it was...

This episode has video content. In the last episode, Manasi and I talked about content ideas - how to generate them and get your content calendar going. In this video, we look at some brands whose content has grabbed our attention.  While my starting point for this exercise is a search engine, Manasi chooses social media.   The recording got a little messed up so a placeholder image has been used where Manasi is talking. Close your eyes and just listen (:-)), the discussion should add...

In E23, Manasi and Monica take up 3 case studies each and disassemble the marketing goals, tactics, and outcomes.  Manasi covered the following businesses: Kalinga Center for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) Optionables Fintech LLP Exchange for Media Monica covered the following nonprofits: Akshay Patra Child Relief and You (CRY India) The Association of People with Disability (APD) We thank all of you for your feedback and responses, some on WhatsApp, some on our social media...

YouTube episode link: https://youtu.be/TZxtgEn_Feg What can small and medium hospitality businesses continue working on in the marketing space to survive the sheer slowdown caused by the Coronavirus pandemic?  Manasi and Monica share some ideas and examples of what business owners can focus on to prepare for the better times that are sure to come.    Our...

YouTube episode link: https://youtu.be/rPXYqGN5VnU. The travel industry is one of the worst-hit industries during the Coronvirus slowdown.  In this episode, Manasi and Monica talk about different ways in which travel agencies and carriers such as airways and waterways can continue to engage their audiences until the tide changes. Manasi also shows the Facebook and Instagram pages of brands that are maintaining a strong presence and others that have stalled.   Our...

Continuing from the previous episode, we talk about other digital marketing channels for small businesses and nonprofits alike. Of course, these channels are applicable for all businesses but our target audience for this podcast is the SME and nonprofit space. In this episode, we talk about: Email Marketing: Importance, methods, strategy, and campaign types. Mobile Marketing: What it encompasses, importance in today's times, campaign types, technology. Paid Promotions: An important...

In this episode, Manasi and Monica take ten steps to talk to give a quick overview of digital marketing.  Digital Marketing is far from new. And there’s loads of information on it on the world wide web. Even so, in our work with small businesses and nonprofits, we’re often asked to explain “digital marketing.” What does it mean? What does it involve? What are the different channels available to us? Well, in this episode, we thought to share a simple explanation for leaders of nonprofits and...

In Episode 8, we talk about how vernacular content is becoming a huge deal in the internet space in India and why marketers and business owners must find ways to ride this trend. (YouTube link: https://youtu.be/8c4QpwcVfmY) We talk about how this change has come about, what initiatives (in both technology and business) have supported this trend till now, what the future holds for vernacular support and local businesses as well as the challenges of offering multiple language support in the...

In Episode 20 of the #DigiIndiaSquad podcast, the Mo and Ma girls, Monica and Manasi hash out the question they still get asked by small businesses: Do we need digital marketing? YES! You do. But with the right thought in place.  The discussion answers questions such as: why small biz must pay immediate attention to digital marketing, what are the trends observed, why you need a seasoned professional to navigate the transition to digital marketing, what you need to have ready, how...

In this episode, Monica and Manasi talk about the changes in consumer behaviour that are driven by voice usage. Watch the video for the demo. How to improve the chances of content showing up in search engines as a response to voice search?  What does voice search optimisation involve?  What are rich results?  Articles referenced: Google Algorithm Update  How to Earn Google Featured Snippets for Mobile: Large-scale Study  Voice SEO: Different tactics required for Google Assistant,...

In this episode, Manasi and Monica delve into a common grouse - organizations not having a marketing strategy, not even a documented business strategy.⁠ Please watch the YouTube video episode for the demos - https://youtu.be/2ny8sZsYzfk. ⁠ When an organization hires a marketer, he/she will take the cue from the business plan and develop a marketing strategy that aligns with the business goals. Without the plan in place, business owners and marketing teams run the risk of marketing with no...

Following Part 1 of this topic, in this episode, Manasi and Monica talk about some organisations who have turned the change in consumer behaviour to their benefit and profit, changing their marketing proposition. We also talk about how organisations can walk the talk of "slowing down the marketing" during this time of crisis.  We also share some advice from marketing experts from around the world on slowing down marketing. Get in touch with us at [email protected]. DigiIndia Squad is...

This is our first episode. Also available on YouTube. In this episode, Manasi quizzes Monica about the nonprofit space, discussing questions such as:   - When you say digital marketing, I can only hear, what is your budget, how many leads can you get, what is your cost of conversion and %age of conversion.  In this context, how different is digital marketing for nonprofits or NGOs?   - In what contexts can NGOs or NPOs take up digital marketing?  - If we have to map a donor journey, what...

From big brands such as Girias offering oxymeters and sanitizers, Bata offering face masks as gifts to customers, one thing is assured - consumer expectations and behavior have changed - for the short-term and the long-term.   In this episode, we talk about the reasons behind this change, what the trends have been during and post the lockdown and what is expected in the times to come. Will these changes stick? Has a decelerated pace of life actually made us more empathetic citizens?   One...

In Episode 18 of the DigiIndia Squad podcast, Manasi and Monica take up the topic of how marketing has slowed down post-2020 and why that has happened. they share personal stories that reflect a change in consumer behavior as well as tales from around.  There has been a significant change in consumer behavior as a result of the pandemic. We've talked about that in length in Episode 7: How consumer behavior has changed during Covid19. In the episode we elaborate on some changes around health,...

Continuing from Part 1 of this topic in Episode 17, we'll talk about the opportunities WhatsApp Business offers small businesses and nonprofits/NGOs, some tips to help you make the most out of these opportunities and caution you on common mistakes. Opportunities Share business contact information Tagline Address and opening hours Send updates (Nonprofits such as Milaap share donation acknowledgement and project updates) Website Email Engage customers, donors, volunteers, etc. For...

Since this is going to be a longish topic, we’ll break this into two episodes. Today, we’ll discuss the origins of WhatsApp, why it’s a good marketing tool for small businesses and nonprofits, the different Whatsapp offers for businesses, the content formats you need to use, and most importantly, a strategy. And of course, we’ll share some stories. Given the massive and highly engaged 1.5 billion user-base, the potential reach for businesses is vast. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp together...

Manasi and Monica resume the discussion from last week. They discuss: important Facebook features that will help a brand grow organically,  Facebook Ads,  Marketplace,  eCommerce integration,  some stats on why people engage with brands on Facebook,  some examples, and tips. Reference links: Facebook Blueprint - over 75 courses The 2020 Topics and Trends Report From Facebook IQ  Our...

In Episode 14 of the DigiIndia Squad podcast, Manasi and Monica talk about the relevance of Facebook marketing today. With the organic reach going down and the rapid changes that are the wont of social media platforms, what can marketers working for small businesses and nonprofits do to achieve marketing outcomes? In Part 1, we talk about some stats that prove Facebook is still a very relevant marketing tool in India, features and algorithms, and the need for marketers to stay informed about...

In Episode 12, we had talked about the definition of a brand and its components. We take that topic forward in Episode 13 and talk about: the branding process the all-important question - "when" does a "brand" become important "business" vs "brand" ... and loads more. #branddevelopment  #smallbusinesstips #smallbusinessmarketing #brandmarketing Our...

In this episode, Monica and Manasi discuss: why branding is important for small businesses and nonprofits how nonprofits have a startup culture what branding means who are the stakeholders you consider when analyzing your brand some examples of brands the components of a brand Logo Taglines Values Vision Mission Messaging Merchandise Advertising Assets Equity itself ...

Essential components of a website for small biz Why have a website? Who does not need a website? How will you measure? Mobile-first / Component Website architecture Content & Policies Website pages Forms Call To Action...