I recently audited a D2C brand in Mumbai that was ranking for 1,000+ keywords but saw its conversion rate tank. The reason? A massive gap between their "Global SEO" and "Indian Search Intent." In 2026, the Indian consumer isn’t just looking for a product; they are looking for "Vishwaas" (Trust) —specifically via direct AI summaries in Hindi/English and peer-validated proofs on YouTube Shorts and Instagram. If you aren't the "Machine-Preferred" recommendation in the local context, you are invisible to 1.4 billion people.
When I first heard about influencer marketing, I thought it was only for big fashion brands or tech companies with huge budgets. I couldn’t imagine how it would work for smaller businesses or even medical professionals like doctors and dietitians. But then I ran a small campaign with a local fitness influencer for one of my clients.