Technology

India now has 600 million open Internet users, 62 million more than walled gardens: Report

The open Internet has reached 600 million users in India, 62 million more than the closed ecosystems of the "walled gardens", a report showed

PGurus Newsdesk

March 14, 2023

The open Internet has reached 600 million users in India, 62 million more than the closed ecosystems of the "walled gardens", a report showed

Time spent on open internet rises but advertising spending falls short

At almost 600 million users, the open Internet has gained prominence in India, reaching 62 million more than the closed ecosystems of the “walled gardens“. The open internet — comprising news and general websites, over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV), music streaming, and online gaming — has witnessed accelerated growth.

In the last year, four in five consumers (80 percent) increased their consumption of the open internet. These findings are a part of the industry’s first-to-market research report titled, ‘Gateway to the Open Internet,’ published by global advertising technology leader The Trade Desk and Kantar

Based on the research, half (52 percent) of the 307 hours the average consumer spends on digital media per month is on the open internet. This marks a shift away from walled gardens such as social media, user-generated content (UGC) platforms, and live game streaming.

However, walled gardens still command five and a half times (5.5x) more ad spend in India than the open internet.

While more users consume content on the open internet, digital advertising in India has not capitalized on its rapid growth, said the report.

“Some of the best content we enjoy comes from the open Internet, and almost all of this is funded by advertising. The disconnect between consumer time spent and ad spend on the open Internet demonstrates a significant opportunity for today’s marketers,” said Tejinder Gill, General Manager, India, The Trade Desk.

As many as 45 percent of Indians prefer to consume professionally produced, premium content, which lives on the open Internet. Specifically, OTT/ CTV and music streaming platforms are most associated with premium and credible content.

As such, 44 percent and 39 percent of respondents expect their usage of OTT/ CTV and music streaming to increase significantly, in the next six months, said the report.

“This report identifies massive opportunities for those looking to advertise on the open Internet, where they can reach a more engaged audience,” said Gill.

Media on the open internet is rooted in consumers’ daily lives. In fact, data reveals that consumption of the open internet is higher than that of walled gardens when there is downtime, such as before lunch and after work. On average, people in Delhi reportedly spend 57 minutes for a one-way commute to work, during which they browse news/ websites. As a result, between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., activity on news/websites exceeded the average usage across all channels by 72 percent.

[With Inputs from IANS]

PGurus is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with all the latest news and views

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.