Meta today shared insights from an IPSOS-commissioned study highlighting a major shift in India’s video consumption behaviour. According to the report, video has become the default content format across the country, with Meta platforms emerging as the primary destination for daily video engagement.
Reels sits at the centre of this shift, shaping discovery, culture, creator engagement, and commerce across urban India and Bharat.
Video becomes a nationwide habit
The study highlights a clear nationwide shift in video consumption on Meta platforms, with strong parity across urban and rural India.
- 97% users watch videos on Meta daily
- 98% urban vs 94% rural engagement
- 97% Gen Z, 97% women, 98% NCCS A daily usage
- 4,000+ respondents across 23 cities (metros, Tier 2/3, rural India)
This confirms that video-first behaviour is now deeply embedded across India, beyond metro-driven adoption.
Reels becomes India’s primary discovery screen
Reels has evolved into a central short-form video surface for discovery, culture, and daily engagement.
- 89% Gen Z daily usage
- 85% women
- 88% NCCS A
Reels is increasingly shaping how users discover creators, trends, and cultural content across the country.
Discovery and creators reshape engagement
Discovery is now strongly influenced by mobile-first users across both urban India and Bharat, with Reels acting as a key engine for brand and product discovery.
- 84% of Gen Z discover products and brands via Meta platforms
- 73% of rural users show similar discovery behaviour
- ~60% higher creator engagement vs other short-form video platforms
Creators are central to driving culture, trends, and discovery across the ecosystem.
Content categories driving Reels engagement
User engagement on Reels is concentrated around relatable lifestyle, entertainment, and aspiration-driven content.
- Beauty & makeup — 52%
- Fashion & trends — 52%
- Lifestyle — 42%
- Fitness & wellness — 42%
- Comedy & humour — 39%
- Sports — 38%
- Travel — 37%
Reels influences consumer decisions
Beyond entertainment, Reels plays a major role in shaping decisions across the consumer journey.
- 81% product discovery
- 66% consideration
- 47% purchase influence
Its impact is strongest across e-commerce, automotive, and financial services.
Financial services, auto, and women-led engagement
The study highlights strong engagement in financial discovery and high influence across key categories.
- 76% of rural financial services users engage daily on Meta platforms
- 54% of women financial product owners engage with creators daily
Automotive journey influence:
- 82% discovery
- 68% consideration
- 50% purchase
Outlook
The IPSOS study signals a structural shift in India’s digital behaviour, where video consumption is now nationwide, mobile-first, and deeply integrated into everyday life. With Reels emerging as a central discovery and engagement layer, short-form video is increasingly shaping how users consume content, interact with creators, and make purchase decisions.
As adoption grows across both urban India and Bharat, Reels continues to strengthen its role in discovery-led consumption and creator-driven influence across key sectors.