Why Most Indian Brands Have Content — But No Content Strategy
Photo by JonHoefer
Why Most Indian Brands Have Content — But No Content Strategy
Scroll through the social media pages of most Indian brands and you’ll see a flood of content. Reels, carousels, festival creatives, memes, podcasts, blogs, influencer collaborations—everything is there. On the surface, it looks like brands are “doing content marketing.”
But look closer.
Engagement is inconsistent. Messaging feels random. Some posts go viral, but most disappear without impact. Leads don’t match the effort. And after months (or years) of posting, many brands still ask:
“Why isn’t our content delivering results?”
The truth is simple but uncomfortable:
Most Indian brands have content, but they don’t have a content strategy.
And there’s a big difference between the two.
Content vs Content Strategy: The Difference Nobody Talks About
Content is what you create.
Content strategy is why, how, for whom, and what result you want from that content.
Content is posting a Diwali greeting.
Content strategy is using Diwali to strengthen brand positioning, customer trust, and recall.
Content is making reels because “reels are trending.”
Content strategy is creating reels that move customers from awareness to purchase.
Without strategy, content is just noise. And today, noise is everywhere.
Why Indian Brands Fall Into the “Content Without Strategy” Trap
1) The “Everyone Is Doing It” Syndrome
Many brands started content because competitors did.
Not because they understood it.
A marketing head sees a competitor going viral → pressure builds → team is told to “do something similar.”
So brands copy formats without copying the thinking behind them.
Result?
Activity without direction.
2) Obsession With Trends Over Goals
Trending audio.
Meme formats.
Viral challenges.
These are fun, but they shouldn’t define your brand voice.
Many Indian brands chase trends like a daily routine. But trends are tools, not strategy.
A fintech brand dancing on trending songs might get views, but does it build financial trust? Probably not.
When trends drive content, identity gets lost.
3) No Clear Target Audience
Ask many brands:
“Who exactly are you talking to?”
You’ll hear vague answers like:
• “Everyone”
• “Young people”
• “Working professionals”
• “India audience”
That’s not a target audience. That’s a population.
Strategy starts when you know:
• Age
• Income level
• Problems
• Aspirations
• Buying behavior
• Platforms they use
If you don’t know who you’re speaking to, your content speaks to no one.
4) Content Is Treated as a Design Job, Not a Business Tool
In many Indian companies, content is handled like this:
Marketing Head → Designer → “Make something nice”
But content is not decoration.
It’s communication with intent.
Great content answers:
• What business goal does this serve?
• Does this move the customer closer to buying?
• Does this build trust?
Without these questions, content becomes a creative exercise—not a growth engine.
5) Short-Term Thinking
Many brands expect instant ROI.
They post for 2–3 months, don’t see big sales, and conclude:
“Content marketing doesn’t work.”
But content is like investing.
Compounding takes time.
The best content strategies are built for:
• 6 months
• 1 year
• 3 years
Not 30 days.
6) No Measurement Beyond Likes
Likes feel good.
Views look impressive.
Shares boost ego.
But strategy looks at deeper metrics:
• Leads generated
• Website clicks
• Email sign-ups
• Conversion rates
• Retention
If you only measure vanity metrics, you optimize for popularity—not profit.
What a Real Content Strategy Looks Like
Let’s simplify.
A real content strategy answers five questions:
1) Why Are We Creating Content?
Brand awareness?
Lead generation?
Trust building?
Customer education?
Pick one primary goal.
Everything else supports it.
2) Who Is This For?
Define your ideal customer clearly.
Example:
“25–35-year-old salaried professionals in Tier 1 cities who want to start investing but fear risk.”
Now your content becomes focused.
3) What Problem Are We Solving?
Great content solves problems.
Finance brand?
Explain tax saving, mutual funds, budgeting.
Skincare brand?
Educate about ingredients and routines.
When you solve problems, you earn attention.
4) What Is Our Unique Voice?
Are you:
• Premium & expert?
• Friendly & relatable?
• Bold & disruptive?
• Simple & educational?
Consistency builds recognition.
If your tone changes every week, the audience can’t remember you.
5) How Do We Measure Success?
Set KPIs like:
• Leads per month
• Engagement rate
• Click-through rate
• Conversion rate
Then optimize accordingly.
The Cost of Not Having a Strategy
Brands without strategy often face:
• Burnt-out social media teams
• Random posting schedules
• Low ROI
• Confused brand image
• Wasted ad spend
• Audience fatigue
In the long run, this costs far more than investing in strategy upfront.
The Good News: Indian Brands Are Waking Up
The Indian digital ecosystem is maturing.
More brands are:
• Hiring content strategists
• Investing in storytelling
• Building long-term IPs
• Focusing on community, not just reach
Brands like Zerodha, Swiggy, Zomato, and boAt didn’t win with random posts. They built clear voices and consistent narratives.
That’s strategy.
A Simple Framework for Brands to Start Today
If you’re a brand owner or marketer, start with this:
Month 1:
Research audience + define goals
Month 2:
Build content pillars (education, trust, entertainment, proof)
Month 3 onward:
Create, measure, refine
Repeat.
Consistency beats creativity without direction.
Final Thought
Content is easy.
Strategy is thinking.
In today’s crowded digital world, posting more won’t help.
Posting with purpose will.
The brands that win in the next decade won’t be the loudest.
They’ll be the clearest.
Because when content has a strategy, it stops being content—
It becomes influence.