A recent study highlights the growing influence of short-form video content in shaping consumer behaviour across India, with Instagram Reels playing a central role in discovery and purchase decisions. The research, commissioned by Meta Platforms and conducted by market research firm Ipsos, indicates that video consumption patterns are becoming increasingly uniform across metro cities, tier-2 and tier-3 towns, and rural regions, showing a clear reduction in the urban-rural digital gap.
The study surveyed more than 4,000 respondents across 23 cities, towns, and rural locations in India. It found that 97% of users in India watch videos on Meta’s platforms daily, underlining the strong penetration of video content across demographics.
Daily engagement levels are now closely aligned, with 98% in urban areas and 94% in rural regions. Among key audience groups, 97% of Gen Z users, 97% of women, and 98% of NCCS A premium audiences were reported to consume video content daily on Meta’s platforms.
According to the findings, Instagram Reels is a major driver of this engagement trend. The study states that 89% of Gen Z users interact with Reels daily, while engagement stands at 85% among women and 88% among NCCS A audiences. The platform is positioned as a key space for content discovery, creator interaction, and trend formation.
Saugato Bhowmik, Director, CPG, D2C, Automotive, (India) at Meta said, “Creators, culture and commerce are converging on Reels in ways we haven’t seen before. For brands, this isn’t just a content play — it’s a always on Content-to- Commerce play. Reels are where discovery starts, trust is built, and purchase decisions are made.”
The report also identifies top-performing content categories on Reels, including beauty and makeup, fashion, lifestyle, fitness, comedy, and sports, which continue to dominate user engagement.
Creators are also benefiting from higher engagement, with Meta reporting that Reels drives nearly 60% higher creator engagement compared to other short-form video platforms included in the study.
On the commerce impact, the study shows that Reels contributes to 81% product discovery, 66% consideration, and influences 47% of purchase decisions among surveyed users, particularly in sectors such as e-commerce, automotive, and financial services.
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