A vendor puts her child in a carton box keeping him engaged by playing video on a mobile phone, while at work selling goods on footpath. (FILE)
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K
India’s transition into a video-first economy is no longer restricted to metropolitan cities, as daily video consumption on Meta platforms is reaching 98% in cities and 94% in rural areas, according to a Meta-commissioned study by IPSOS.The study, which consisted of over 4000 participants across metro, tier-2, tier-3 cities, and rural India, found that 97% of users consume video content daily, highlighting that video content has become the primary source of digital engagement.Additionally, the study found that Reels have become a primary destination for content, culture, and influence, with 89% of Gen-Z users engaging with it daily. The engagement is particularly strong amongst women (85%) and NCCS audiences (88%). The study also found that 84% of Gen-Z users and 73% of rural users discover new products through Meta Platforms.Beauty, makeup, fashion, lifestyle, wellness, fitness, comedy, sports, and travel have emerged as the most engaged genres. Amongst it beauty, makeup, and fashion, has recorded the highest engagement, with 52% of the users engaging in these genres, followed by lifestyle, fitness, and wellness at 42%; comedy and humor at 39%; sports at 38%; and travel at 37%.The study also emphasized the role of content creators in shaping storytelling, conversations, trends, and brand discovery. Reels generate 60% higher creator engagement than other surveyed short-video platforms, further emphasizing the impact of creator-led content.The report further highlighted the platform’s influence on high-intent sectors such as e-commerce, automobiles, and financial services. In rural India, around 76% of financial service users engage with Meta platforms every day, whereas 54% of women owners of financial products interact with creators on the platform daily.In the automotive sector, Meta has reported influence across the purchase journey, with 82% of users discovering vehicles through the platform, 68% considering purchasing, and 50% reporting purchase influence.Saugato Bhowmik, the Director of CPG, D2C, and Automotive (India), said, “At Meta, the findings reflect the convergence of creators, culture, and commerce on short-form video platforms as digital adoption expands across both urban and rural India.” Published - June 04, 2026 09:15 pm IST
