Snapchat says the total time spent on its content has doubled in the past two years, the number of Snap Stars (popular Snapchat creators) has increased 1.5 times, and Spotlight content uploads have jumped four times.
The Gen Z cohort is a key growth engine for Snapchat in India, with reports estimating that Zoomers are likely to drive a projected global spending of $2 trillion by 2035. Brands such as Amazon, Swiggy, Maybelline, Domino’s Pizza and others already advertise on the platform. Snap Inc, its parent company, posted $1.51billion in revenue in Q3 of CY25, a 10% year-on-year growth, but India-specific revenue numbers are not disclosed.
Betting on Gen Z at scale
The time is ripe, says Snapchat, to strengthen its advertiser outreach in the Indian market by betting big on its Gen Z user base. India is a priority market for the platform, which recently rolled out its first India focussed campaign ‘Say it in a Snap’. With 250 million monthly active users, the country is its largest market, surpassing the United States’ 106 million user base. Nearly 90% of this user base is between the ages of 13 and 34 years.
Ankit Goyle, head of marketing for India at Snap Inc explains that the platform is targeting not just advertisers but also creators and users with its latest campaign. “We’re not focussed on reach or vanity metrics but real engagement. Snaps are not the same as social media posts, and we want to make that distinction clear,” he says, adding that the platform is working with brands to create advertising that allows Gen Z participation rather than talking down to them.
AR over reach
The real question before Snapchat is not whether it can catch up with the big social giants but whether brands are willing to diversify their media mix before Gen Z attention shifts again. If Snapchat builds a direct bridge between cultural participation and commerce, says Suyash Lahoti, partner, Wit & Chai Group, it will not compete for a share of the budget but will in fact create a new one.
Competition, however, is formidable. Snapchat in India competes with the likes of YouTube (500 monthly active users) and Meta’s Instagram (480 million monthly active users). With these platforms playing a big role in digital advertising, is Snapchat’s advertiser outreach in the country coming a little too late? Goyle argues that aside from its Gen Z edge, Snapchat’s differentiation lies in its unique augmented reality (AR) experiences.
“We have branded lenses that can be used for virtual try-ons. We have the second-largest AR developer community in India and help brands to create these lenses,” says Goyle, adding that the engagement and attention garnered via AR lenses are much higher than on a regular video format.
Himanshu Arora, co-founder, Social Panga, agrees, noting that the platform’s quick snaps and AR lenses allow advertisements to become light-hearted, friendly interactions, making it ideal for companies and creators looking to build authentic connections. “Snapchat’s spontaneity resides on top of YouTube’s longevity and Meta’s sturdiness. Having said that, I believe that Meta and YouTube have distinct channels that can be used in a brand’s portfolio,” explains Arora.
Lahoti points out that Snapchat trails competitors in scale and analytics depth, areas where YouTube and Meta enjoy clear dominance. “It may seem late to the advertising race but the race itself has changed. As budgets converge around predictable ROI, Snapchat’s opportunity is not to mimic the incumbents, but to position itself as the opposite of them, a platform where brands can build meaningful relevance with young audiences,” remarks Lahoti.