Instagram Reels Tops Short-Video Space in India, Claims Meta Study

The popularity of short video content is continuously increasing in India, and now Meta has claimed that Instagram Reels has taken the lead in this category. According to a recent study, Reels has overtaken YouTube, TV, and all other platforms. This achievement has come at a time when Reels has completed its five years in India.

Over 3,500 people from 33 cities across the country were spoken to in the IPSOS study conducted by Meta. According to the results, short-form videos have now become the most-watched content in India. About 97% of people watch short videos on some platform every day, and 92% of these people consider Reels as their first choice.

The study also revealed that Reels is the most popular video platform among Gen Z and urban high-income groups (NCCS A and B). Meta claims that Reels has also performed the best in both brand discovery and creator engagement.

Meta said that 80% of people in India discover new brands on our platforms. Ads on Reels are 2 times more memorable and generate 4 times more message associations than traditional long video ads. Not only this, but Reels ads increase brand metrics 1.5 times more effectively.

Meta says that Reels has now become an important part of the cultural conversation. Fashion and trend-related content is watched 40% more on the platform, beauty and makeup videos 20% more, and music and movie-related content is watched 16% more.

Meta believes that to harness the full power of Reels, marketers should focus on "social-first creatives" that are specifically designed for the Reels format. Additionally, working with creators to create original and culturally relevant content can also prove beneficial for brands.