India’s marketing ecosystem is undergoing a structural shift. An estimated 2 - 2.5 million monetised creators are now influencing over 30% of purchase decisions, shaping nearly $350 - 400 billion in consumer spending. This is no longer an emerging trend, it’s becoming core to how brands drive growth.

Creator commerce is becoming central to buying journeys:

Creators are no longer just amplifying campaigns, they are shaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and choose products across categories. For many users, creator content has become a primary source of decision-making.

Trust is replacing reach as the key metric:

Consumer behaviour is clearly shifting toward trust-led influence, with audiences relying more on creator opinions than traditional advertising, especially in high-consideration categories.

Scale is growing, but structure is still evolving:

While the industry is officially valued at ₹3,000–3,500 crore, a large portion of spends still flows directly between brands and creators. This indicates a much larger, less structured ecosystem already operating at scale.

Micro and regional creators are driving real impact:

Growth is being led by micro and regional creators, especially in Tier 2 and 3 markets, where vernacular content and community-driven engagement are proving highly effective.

Platforms and monetisation are expanding:

Short-form video continues to dominate, with platforms like Instagram leading the ecosystem. At the same time, creator pricing and monetisation models are becoming more defined, making influencer marketing more measurable.

What this means for brands:

Influencer marketing is no longer a support channel, it is becoming a core driver of discovery and commerce. The brands that will win are those that move from one-off campaigns to long-term creator partnerships with clear strategy and measurement.

Creators are not just influencing decisions anymore.
They are shaping how India buys.