India sees a 163% surge in revenue from contextual marketing campaigns in 2024: WebEngage

WebEngage, a full-stack retention platform and B2B SaaS company, has released its Global Trends & Benchmarks Report 2024–2025, highlighting India’s exponential growth in contextual marketing. The report reveals a 163% surge in revenue from such campaigns and identifies key trends driving customer engagement across APAC and beyond. A key finding for India and the broader APAC region reveals a paradox: while personalisation is crucial, the region lags in key engagement metrics - highlighting an opportunity for deeper optimisation.  

The report analyzed data from 850 brands and over 400 billion messages, highlighting significant trends shaping user engagement across various channels, geographies, and industries. 

Key findings indicate a strong move towards personalised and contextual campaigns, with a notable increase in engagement. AI-powered automation, hyper-personalisation, and first-party data strategies are set to redefine business success in the coming year. As businesses navigate stricter data privacy laws and evolving customer expectations, brands using AI-driven engagement have reported a 25% increase in customer retention, while advanced personalization tactics drive 40% more conversions.

The report shows that the BFSI sector in India and APAC leads in engagement, with a 33.56% open rate and a 7.28% click-through conversion rate, indicating effective targeting. The media and entertainment industry sends the highest number of messages in the region, totalling 138 billion, highlighting its focus on customer engagement. The report also states that personalised and relevant messaging is key to improving ROI and building customer loyalty across sectors.

The report states that brands using AI-powered automation and predictive analytics have seen a 25% increase in customer retention. Companies applying personalisation strategies, such as behavioural segmentation and AI recommendations, have recorded 40% higher conversion rates. Additionally, 60% of businesses now focus on collecting first-party data, driven by the phase-out of third-party cookies and stricter data privacy regulations.

Avlesh Singh, co-founder and CEO of WebEngage, commented on the findings and said, “This year wasn’t just about keeping pace with change—it was about embracing it, steering it, and, at times, even challenging it. From AI-powered personalisation to reimagined engagement strategies, our partners have shown that innovation isn’t a buzzword—it’s a necessity. As we look ahead to 2025, we believe AI will continue to drive real-time, hyper-targeted marketing at scale. The fusion of AI and automation is enhancing efficiency, deepening engagement, and boosting marketing ROI, ensuring that AI-driven businesses stay ahead in an increasingly digital-first world. At WebEngage, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with brands across industries and geographies, witnessing firsthand how they adapt to the evolving complexities of user engagement.” 

The report offers benchmarks and insights for businesses aiming to improve customer engagement strategies in 2025. It highlights the role of data-driven decisions, AI-based personalisation, and omnichannel methods in building customer relationships. Channels like push notifications, email, and WhatsApp remain key for engagement.

According to WebEngage, AI is now central to business operations, with sectors like BFSI, e-commerce, and healthcare using it for fraud detection, predictive analytics, and personalisation. The report outlines practical guidance for marketers to update their engagement strategies and adapt to changing digital trends.