Monetization in Less Than 2 Years
With a 300 million monthly active user base, Indian ShortForm is going ‘viral.’ In just two years, Indian apps have matured significantly. Due to the rapidly improving quality of content and algorithms in Indian ShortForm apps, it is expected to reach an MAU of 550-600 Mn and penetrate nearly 67% of all smartphone users by 2025.
1. The Indian ShortForm is wooing the nation, with nearly 80% of smartphone users coming onboard by 2030
2.The frictionless nature of ShortForm content relative to others is driving eyeballs and increasingly becoming synonymous with users’ daily routine
Average Indian users spend nearly 38 minutes per day watching ShortForm content. Gripping content aside, there are various reasons why Indian ShortForm content is overtaking LongForm. First, the sheer size of the user base plays a critical role; there are nearly 700-750 million internet users in India. Another factor is the increased penetration of smartphones in Tier 2 cities and below—from 46% to 80%. The short-form content also breaks the curve with low decision fatigue and an endless content library.
3.This will attract brands and marketers to seize the opportunity, presenting potential of 10–20% of digital spends moving to the Indian ShortForm by 2030
4. The opportunity only grows more prominent, amounting to $12-19 bn, if we combine the three primary levers for monetization: video-led commerce, digital advertising, and gifting
In China, video content-led commerce was the most significant driver, growing 100X in 4 years. If India follows suit as it has in other areas, video-led commerce on ShortForm apps could be a gamechanger. It is currently projected to comprise 8-11bn of the total.
The current stage of ShortForm app acceptance seems to be simply the prelude of a promising and longlasting saga, with continual algorithm advancements further pushing content viewership across segments.