Chingari, Instagram Reels keeping small town India captivated
Short-video platforms such as ShareChat, Chingari and Instagram Reels are immensely popular in India’s small towns and nonmetro cities, where users spend more than half an hour a day watching content on travel, food, and festivals.
A recent Ficci EY report has captured these trends on content consumption, geographical concentration of the audiences, and their demographic profile. It reveals that nearly 7 in 10 consumers, or 68%, of short-video platforms are based in tier-two cities like
Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kota and Patna, where the popularity of the format is twice as high as tier-one cities. Further, a user spent on average 37 minutes everyday watching these videos in 2023, up from 33 minutes in 2022. For the youth, travel and entertainment are the most preferred content categories, while more than 70% of videos consumed is less than 30-second long.
“We have observed a surge in demand for relatable, culturally-diverse content that resonates with users from nonmetro areas. Creators are tapping into regional languages, local traditions, and every-day life experiences to create content that speaks directly to these audiences," Sumit Ghosh, CEO and co-founder, Chingari, said. "From showcasing local cuisines, traditions, and festivals to addressing social issues prevalent in small towns, content creators are actively engaging with this demographic,” Ghosh added.
Some of the genres and categories that have been successful among small-town audiences on the platform include comedy skits featuring regional humour and dialects, dance performances incorporating folk and traditional forms, and daily-life vlogs offering glimpses into the lives of people in small towns, he said.
A Meta spokesperson said creators from small cities and towns are bringing forward their perspective, taste in fashion, and flavour of food, and that’s appealing to their local and hyperlocal audience.
“Short-form video content made this possible, as it democratized creativity across India. Anyone, anywhere, could display their talent on Instagram is able to be discovered by large and diverse audiences,” the spokesperson added.
Cashing in on topical events, for a recent IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, five creators from the east came together to give live commentary and banter on an Instagram Broadcast Channel that appealed to their respective followers, the person pointed out. Instagram is a photo and video-sharing platform owned by Meta.
REGIONAL
Roposo, content featuring Bollywood-inspired shopping and hip-hop styles, amongst others, has garnered significant engagement, said Mansi Jain, senior vice-president and general manager of the shoppertainment platform. Genres like fashion, DIY (do-it-yourself) tutorials, and cultural storytelling resonate particularly well with users from small towns, Jain added.
“Creators are increasingly focusing on concise and impactful storytelling within brief time frames, capand turing viewers’ attention quickly and holding it throughout the duration of the video. They are utilizing rapid transitions, snappy edits, and engaging visual effects to maintain viewers' interest and prevent boredom.Further, many are prioritizing strong hooks at the beginning of their videos such as intriguing visuals, catchy music, or compelling opening lines that immediately draw viewers in and encourage them to continue watching,” said GBS Bindra, chief business officer at Hipi.
Hipi content often encourages viewer participation through interactive elements such as challenges, and duets, Bindra added.