Truecaller’s trust play: How the caller ID giant plans to win advertisers in India

New Delhi: Sweden-based caller identification platform Truecaller boasts a user base of 433 million, with over 300 million users from India itself. As it steadily expands into the digital advertising space, it faces stiff competition from industry giants like Google and Meta—who are also its partners. So, what sets Truecaller apart, and how does it plan to attract advertisers in this competitive landscape?

To explore this question, BestMediaInfo.com spoke to the newly appointed Vice President, Global Ads Business at Truecaller, Hemant Arora. 

A fresh entrant to the company, Arora has yet to finish his induction period. However, he laid the roadmap for Truecaller, claiming to serve 4 billion impressions on a daily basis as a prominent player in the digital advertising space. 

Trust as the USP

Truecaller’s biggest selling point, according to Arora, is trust. Truecaller claims to have an association with 10,000 brands. What the platform is now working on is the customisation for the advertisers that are already on board. 

The caller identification app segments its advertising into three key categories: key accounts, mid-market, and small businesses. While larger brands demand custom solutions and brand safety assurances, mid-sized businesses and SMEs are looking for immediate ROI-driven campaigns.

“At its core, it all comes down to a basic promise—trust. We offer a reliable environment with massive reach and scale, making it a powerful proposition. Trust is crucial, and it's the first thing every segment considers,” Arora told BestMediaInfo.com.

The ROI question

With advertisers increasingly focused on conversions, Truecaller is pitching itself as a full-funnel platform. However, Arora was clear that the definition of ‘performance’ differs across formats. “Conversions are important, but they don’t always require engagement. It’s about visibility, frequency, and delivering the right audience,” he said.

The company claims strong CTRs on its interactive formats but remains tight-lipped about specifics. For brands that demand deeper metrics, Truecaller offers brand lift studies and in-app measurement tools, though these are still evolving.

Trucaller’s edifices of advertising

Truecaller has two major ad spaces—the Caller ID screen and the After-Call Screen (ACS). While the Caller ID offers brands a high-reach branding opportunity, it doesn’t allow for interaction. The ACS, however, provides engagement-driven ad formats, including videos, interstitials, and display banners.

“On the ACS, users can click, interact, and take action,” Arora explained. “This is where we see strong CTRs and performance-driven results.” The Caller ID, on the other hand, remains a pure brand-awareness play, akin to a digital billboard that ensures high recall but minimal engagement

This differentiates Truecaller from Google and Meta, which rely heavily on user interaction and engagement to drive ad success. Truecaller’s approach is built on passive but high-impact advertising, making it a compelling option for certain brand categories.

Categories that it caters to

Naming the categories that Truecaller engages with, Arora stated that media & entertainment is a key category for the platform. Other categories include BFSI, e-commerce, and fantasy gaming. 

Commenting on fantasy gaming, Arora said, “Fantasy gaming is permitted as a fundamental offering, and they are a key segment. Secondly, creative content must comply with our policies. This ensures adherence to our platform's guidelines, maintaining the appropriate environment and quality of advertisements for all users.”

Cutting the competition

Unlike Google, which thrives on search intent, and Meta, which builds its ad business around social interactions, Truecaller operates in a distinct space—call-based communication. This, according to Arora, gives the application a competitive edge in brand safety and reliability. 

“We don’t deal with user-generated content, which means there’s no risk of ads appearing alongside harmful or controversial content. That’s a major plus for advertisers,” he said.

Truecaller on iPhones

In January, Truecaller introduced its long-awaited real-time caller ID feature for iOS, eliminating the need for iPhone users to manually search unknown numbers. To promote this update, Truecaller launched a new campaign featuring actors Deepak Tijori and Sheeba Chaddha. Conceptualised by Talented and produced by Potli Baba Mediahouse, the films capture the reassurance users feel now that Truecaller seamlessly identifies callers on iPhones.

Watch the ads here: