1. How has Ketto’s brand positioning and marketing strategy evolved over the past decade, in line with the changing crowdfunding landscape in India?
Over the years, our focus has evolved from simply explaining what crowdfunding is to demonstrating how it can create tangible impact by connecting people in need with communities willing to support them.
As digital adoption has grown, so have audience expectations around transparency, accessibility and convenience. Our marketing approach has adapted accordingly, with a stronger emphasis on real stories, digital engagement and making the fundraising process easier to understand and navigate. Having spent over a decade in this space, we recognise that Ketto is not just a platform for raising funds; it is also an enabler of collective action. Our long-term focus is on strengthening that trust and making digital giving a more familiar and accessible part of everyday life.
2. How has donor behaviour evolved and how have these shifts influenced Ketto’s marketing and communication strategies?
Donor behaviour has become increasingly influenced by digital accessibility, social networks and the desire to understand the impact of one’s contribution. People can now discover fundraising campaigns through multiple digital touchpoints, share them within their communities and participate in causes that resonate with them. There is also a growing expectation that platforms make information easy to access and the giving process straightforward.
For Ketto, this means that communication cannot stop at creating awareness. It must help potential donors understand the need, connect with the individual or cause behind a campaign, and feel confident about contributing. We focus on making campaign information clear, communicating the context behind each fundraiser and using digital channels to reach relevant audiences.
3. As digital platforms become increasingly crowded, how does Ketto ensure its campaigns stand out and connect meaningfully with audiences?
In a crowded digital environment, visibility alone is not enough. What makes a fundraiser meaningful is its ability to communicate a genuine need in a way that audiences can understand and relate to. At Ketto, we believe every fundraiser has a human story at its core, and our communication needs to bring that story forward without losing sight of the purpose behind it.
We focus on communicating the specific circumstances of a fundraiser, why support is needed and how contributions can help. We also recognise the importance of adapting content to different platforms and audiences, whether through short-form videos, social media posts or more detailed fundraiser narratives. The objective is not simply to capture attention but to build a meaningful connection that encourages people to take action. In a category as sensitive as crowdfunding, credibility and clarity are just as important as creativity.
4. How has storytelling evolved as a marketing tool for Ketto, and what role does it play in driving awareness, engagement and donations?
Storytelling has always been central to crowdfunding because people are often motivated to give when they understand the human circumstances behind a need. Over the years, the way these stories are told has evolved alongside digital media, moving from primarily text-led appeals to richer formats that include videos, photographs and social media narratives.
However, effective storytelling must also be responsible. It should preserve the dignity of the people featured, communicate their circumstances accurately and avoid sensationalising hardship. When empathy is supported by clear information, storytelling can help transform awareness into meaningful participation.
5. How does Ketto balance emotional storytelling with data-driven marketing to create campaigns that are both impactful and effective?
We see emotional storytelling and data-driven marketing as complementary rather than competing approaches. The story helps people understand why a fundraiser matters, while data helps us understand how audiences discover, engage with and respond to that story.
From a marketing perspective, digital insights can help assess which communication formats resonate, which channels drive engagement and where potential donors may be dropping off in the journey. These learnings can then inform how we present campaign information, distribute content and improve the overall user experience. Our approach is to use data to make communication more relevant and effective while ensuring that empathy, authenticity and responsible representation remain at the centre of the narrative.
6. With over a decade of experience in the sector, what have been the most significant learnings?
One of our biggest learnings is that trust is the foundation of sustainable crowdfunding. A compelling story may bring a fundraiser to someone’s attention, but trust, clarity and confidence in the process are essential to encouraging participation over time.
We have also learnt that crowdfunding is fundamentally about community. The reach of digital platforms is valuable, but the willingness of people to share a cause, involve their networks and contribute collectively is what gives crowdfunding its strength. Another important learning is that accessibility matters at every stage, from discovering a fundraiser to understanding its purpose and completing a donation.
Finally, building a lasting brand in this sector requires consistency. It is not enough to be visible during moments of heightened need; platforms must continue to demonstrate their relevance, reliability and commitment to the people they serve. More than a decade into this journey, these principles continue to guide how we think about Ketto’s role in India’s evolving digital philanthropy landscape.
7. Looking ahead, what emerging marketing trends and technologies do you believe will shape the future of crowdfunding and digital philanthropy in India?
I believe the future of crowdfunding will be shaped by the convergence of personalisation, mobile-first experiences, short-form video and increasingly seamless digital payment journeys. As audiences interact with content across multiple platforms, the ability to deliver relevant information in formats that are easy to understand and share will become increasingly important.
8. After more than a decade in the industry, what are Ketto’s key priorities for strengthening its brand presence and deepening its engagement with donors in the years ahead?
Our priority is to continue building Ketto as a trusted and accessible platform for people who want to make a difference. Having operated in the crowdfunding space for over a decade, we believe the next phase of growth is not just about expanding awareness but also about deepening the relationship people have with the platform and with the causes they support.
This means continuing to invest in clear and responsible communication, improving the digital experience for fundraisers and donors, and using audience insights to make engagement more relevant. We also want to encourage a culture in which giving is not limited to moments of crisis but becomes a more consistent expression of community support.
