By Gaurav Jain
The short-form video revolution has taken over a big pie of India’s digital consumption. Short videos represent a creative opportunity to entertain, educate and inspire millions. According to the Redseer report, “India SFV in 2024: From “Likes to Monetising Millions” SFV platforms experienced a 3.6x increase in daily active users in 2024. With an estimated 650 million active users across India by 2025, these platforms have solidified their role as a cornerstone of digital entertainment and engagement.
This dynamic rise of short videos fuelled by user generated content represents incredible possibilities for brands to reach and engage with their target audiences and achieve their marketing goals. As we look to 2025, the evolving landscape of short videos continues to inspire creativity and innovation, setting the stage for significant trends that will shape the future.
Regional creators: The face of authentic engagement
Regional creators are reshaping India’s content landscape, especially through their impact on local audiences. Hailing primarily from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, these local voices are revolutionising how content is consumed and how brands engage with audiences across the country. For brands, this presents a unique opportunity to engage with regional audiences on a more authentic, culturally relevant level. According to the ShareChat and Moj Festive report, 86% of users prefer native language content, driving 2X higher click-through rates for ads in regional languages. Regional creators spark their creativity to produce engaging, relatable content that resonates with the everyday lives of their audiences—covering festival celebrations, local traditions, and nuances of regional culture. The preference for regional content has fuelled the success of these niche micro creators. The power of regional language is a key driving force behind this shift. This presents an opportunity for brands to create hyper-localised campaigns that reach highly engaged and loyal audiences which will be a huge focus for 2025. Creators’ recommendations are more likely to be trusted and acted upon by their followers. Brands that recognise and embrace the power of local voices will drive deeper engagement and unlock new avenues for growth across India’s diverse and expanding digital landscape.
Around the year festive content boom: From Chhath Puja to Pongal
India’s rich calendar of festivals has become a cornerstone of short form video engagement and branded content. From Diwali to regional celebrations, these events inspire a wave of creative expression and campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. Regional festivals and cultural moments will continue to drive high engagement in 2025, these include celebrations like Janmashtami, Independence Day, Bhai Dooj, Gangaur to name a few. Advertisers should tap into these celebrations through localised content on homegrown platforms, where diverse audiences are most active. Aligning campaigns with these moments ensures deeper connections and higher conversions, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities. During hyperlocal or region-specific festivals, content consumption surges to levels comparable to major national festivals. These festive spikes not only drive increased content engagement but also significantly influence purchase behavior.
AI superiority: Automation driving creativity in SFV
The role of AI in redefining interaction with technology is paramount. AI has democratised content creation, making a plethora of advanced tools available to small business owners and individuals. It is far easier to create content today with AI automation tools, like video editing, content generation, trend analysis, captioning etc. It also fosters creativity by automating repetitive tasks, allowing creators to focus on storytelling and innovation. In this year, AI’s role will continue to expand, shaping how creators, brands, and audiences interact on short video platforms.
Innovative ad solutions and branded shares: Engagement driven by community
Today’s audiences value more authentic and personalised content that is relatable on a deeper level. This shift has led to a surge in sharing such content within a close-knit community, amplifying its reach and impact through trusted connections. To meet this demand, brands must adopt innovative solutions. Hashtag challenges, branded lenses, interactive web cards, and various ad solutions have all played a key role in boosting user engagement, allowing brands to tailor their campaigns for greater relevance and effectiveness. Each month, over two billion pieces of content are shared from ShareChat to WhatsApp, creating a dynamic ripple effect, ensuring that brand messages are amplified through genuine peer-to-peer connections. For brands, this means their message not only reaches but resonates with the intended demographic, driving higher engagement and conversion rates. In 2025, brands should focus on creating interactive, shareable content that leverages peer-to-peer sharing. This organic sharing boosts engagement and conversions.
The short form video ecosystem is positioned for explosive growth, driven by regional influencers, expanding tier-2 and tier-3 affluence, and innovative ad formats. By embracing regional diversity, authentic storytelling, and digital innovation, SFV platforms are not just shaping the future of digital India but also fostering meaningful connections between brands and audiences.
The author is Gaurav Jain, chief business officer, ShareChat & Moj. Views expressed are personal and not necessarily those of financialexpress.com.