Zerodha Varsity: how free education became a growth engine
One of India's best-known brokers chose teaching over advertising. What its free learning platform shows about trust-led marketing.
By the DigitalHelp4U team ·
Most companies grow by buying ads. Zerodha, the Bengaluru stockbroker, took a different route: teach people first.
What they did
In 2014 Zerodha launched Varsity, free and detailed lessons on stock markets and personal finance, with no sign-up or paywall. Over time it added YouTube videos in English and Hindi, a mobile app and live sessions. In its 2023 anniversary update, Zerodha said it doesn't spend on advertising and continues to invest in Varsity, including regional-language videos.
What happened
Zerodha grew into one of India's largest brokers. By 2023 a fast-growing rival, Groww, had overtaken it on active client numbers, a reminder that content works best alongside a great product and experience.
What any business can learn
- Teaching builds trust. Customers buy from the business that helped them understand.
- Content compounds. Articles and videos keep bringing visitors from Google and YouTube for years.
- Speak their language. Regional-language content reaches people competitors ignore.
How we would apply it
For a clinic, institute or consultancy, we plan helpful articles and short videos that answer your customers' real questions, optimise them for Google search, and use AI to speed up drafting so you publish consistently.
Sources
- Zerodha Z-Connect: Business updates, 13 years of Zerodha and why we do what we do (Sept 2023)
- Business Standard: Groww topples Zerodha to become largest broker by number of clients (Oct 2023)
Figures are as reported by the sources above at the time of publication.
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