India is now home to an estimated 2 to 2.5 million active digital creators – defined as those with over 1,000 followers – making it one of the fastest-growing creator markets globally. Yet only 8-10% of these creators are currently able to monetise their content effectively, highlighting the untapped potential in the space.
Vipin Gupta, managing director and partner of BCG, said India’s creator economy is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping consumer behaviour, with creator-driven spending expected to contribute 25-30% of the country’s total consumer spend by 2030.
“What began as a Gen Z and metro-focused phenomenon is now resonating across age groups and smaller cities, unlocking new avenues of influence and engagement,” he said. “Categories like fashion, beauty, and entertainment are leading the charge, while emerging monetisation models-such as live commerce and virtual gifting-are redefining how creators and brands drive value together.”
Gupta also pointed out that creator marketing is becoming central to brand strategy, with budgets for such initiatives likely to increase by 1.5-to-3 times over the next two to three years.”To fully leverage this potential, brands must trust creator-led outcomes, streamline decision-making, embrace agile content strategies, and invest in long-term creator partnerships,” he added.The report identifies short-form video as the dominant content format, with platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Moj leading the way. Popular genres include comedy, films, daily soaps and fashion – reflecting the diverse tastes of India’s digital audience.
To succeed in this evolving landscape, brands must adopt faster content creation processes, enable greater creative freedom, pursue targeted engagement strategies, and invest in dedicated teams to manage creator collaborations, the report emphasised.
