Details
- Brand Zomato
- Industry Quick Commerce (Food Delivery)
Zomato is one of India’s most popular food delivery and restaurant discovery platforms. With millions of users across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, Zomato has become a household name for foodies seeking convenience, variety, and fast service.
Objective
Zomato wanted to scale user acquisition for its food delivery app while maximizing ROI. The goal was to:
- Acquire high-intent users in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
- Reduce Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC).
- Re-engage dormant users.
- Serve hyper-personalized creatives based on time of day, cuisine, and location.
Strategy & Programmatic Approach
Zomato partnered with a leading programmatic ad platforms to leverage:
- Audience Segmentation & Geo-Targeting
- Users segmented by city, cuisine preferences, order history, and app behavior.
- Real-time delivery of ads during peak hunger hours (lunch & dinner).
- Location-based creatives (e.g., “Order from top biryani places in Hyderabad!”)
- Dynamic Creatives
- AI-driven banners and videos tailored by user preferences.
- Offers and coupons shown only to price-sensitive cohorts.
- Cross-Device Retargeting
- Retargeted users who visited the app but didn’t order.
- Consistent messaging across mobile, web, and OTT.
- A/B Testing & Optimizations
- Ran over 100+ creative versions.
- Used real-time bidding to optimize placements, reduce waste, and boost CTR.
Results & Performance Highlights
| Metric | Before Programmatic | After Programmatic |
|---|---|---|
| CAC | ₹210 | ₹135 |
| Conversion Rate | 6.8% | 12.5% |
| App Install-to-Order Rate | 24% | 38% |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | 1.9% | 3.7% |
| Cost per Mille (CPM) | ₹95 | ₹55 |
Programmatic campaigns reduced CAC by over 35% while doubling engagement in Tier 2 markets like Indore, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
Graphs & Visual Insights
Graph 1: CAC Before vs After Programmatic: Shows a drop from ₹210 to ₹135.
Graph 2: Conversion Rate Growth: Line graph tracking an increase from 6.8% to 12.5% over 8 weeks.
Graph 3: Geo Engagement Heatmap: Highest engagement in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Pune.
Graph 4: Click-Through Rate Comparison: CTR improved from 0.85% to 1.7% after programmatic efforts.
Key Takeaways from this Case Study
- Real-time behavioral targeting and dynamic creatives helped Zomato connect with users on a personal level.
- Programmatic advertising is more than just automation, it’s smart media buying based on intent and insights.
- Success depends on frequent testing, agile optimizations, and aligning creatives with user moods and moments.
