While he called Zerodha’s services accurate, Warikoo said that it was not fun. He also called the app a “vanity”, hinting that the name itself did not give the right vibes because of the initial “Zero”.
“As a huge long time admirer of Zerodha and someone who has a ring side view of retail investors in the country – sharing some views, Nithin. If I were to sum it up: Zerodha is accurate. But it’s not fun. It’s where the serious money goes to grow. But it’s not where the cool kids start their journey. And that’s, in my head, the issue,” the tweet said.
“Reality: The next 100M retail investors in India share 3 things: > They’re young (investing before they turn 25); > They’re impatient (thanks to reels, they want wealth now); > And they share – not just their meals, but their portfolios too. Now, all this wouldn’t matter if broking wasn’t commoditized. But it is.” the tweet said.
“For someone just getting started buying a stock or mutual fund is the same across platforms. Zerodha’s features? Great. But to this first time retail investor, it’s all vanity. The decision comes down to: “Where do my friends go?”. “Where does it feel cool to be?”,” Warikoo said.
“So something as seemingly banal as the name (please don’t read this as as a suggestion to change the name). To most people, it sounds like “zero-something.” It doesn’t signal money. It doesn’t feel aspirational. And then you have kite and coin and console and varsity. Kids don’t get it. Compare that with Groww, Upstox, Dhan – all positive connotations. Or HDFC/ICICI Sec. brand trust,” he suggested.To Kamath’s tweet where the Zerodha founder said that the company was addressing the issue by creating content, Warikoo said,”Zerodha has always led with great content but I have got a lot of feedback that it feels high-brow. Smart, but not simple. Accurate, but not relatable. Even the legendary Varsity is a textbook, not a storybook”.Warikoo, who dons multiple halts as an entrepreneur, teacher and author, also commented on Zerodha’s communications strategy.
“Always precise, but rarely sticky. The Kite disclaimer is a classic example – it’s the right thing, but packaged like a compliance doc, not a cultural insight. So today, the real paradox is this: The same 23-year-old who wants to become Nikhil or Nithin Kamath…doesn’t want to use Zerodha,” he opined.
Warikoo’s suggestions
“If I were in your shoes, I’d do 3 things: 1. Don’t advertise. But do show up. Loudly. Relatably. Consistently. Find the places where the next-gen investors hang out. Not just finance podcasts – but gaming streams, college fests, Shark Tank reactions, Instagram memes. You don’t have to run ads.
But you have to show up in their world,” he said.
Secondly, he suggested making content that is not just smart but useful. “Make content that’s not just smart but useful AF. Budget calculators. SIP goal planners. Loan vs rent tools. Credit score explainers. Content people bookmark, not just watch. Also please please make it short-formas well. And in Hinglish,” the tweet said further.
Thirdly, he pitched for redefining “cool” in investing. “You don’t have to do CRED-style storytelling. But you can be the “quiet rebel” brand – the one that says: “We don’t bribe you. We don’t push you. We just work.” Make that aspirational again,” the tweet added.
Tips on product
“Product ideas that can help: > Kite + Coin = One app. One journey. Why split the user story? > Social: Let users optionally create “investing squads” – goal-based investing with friends, or community SIPs,” Warikoo said.
The social media influence said that it was time for Zerodha to earn intention after gaining a truest among the investor community.
“Zerodha has earned trust. Now it needs to earn attention. Not through noise. But through presence, relevance, and culture. The way that I see it. No one brags about using Excel. But they still use it. Zerodha feels like that. Always a fan
,” he concluded.
On Thursday, Kamath posed a question for founders and marketing professionals on his X handle if traditional strategies used in the past to acquire customers will be useful now. Kamath also explained how his company was coping up with the problem.
Read more: Zerodha’s demat market share shrinking, says founder Nithin Kamath. How is it coping?
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)