Non metro creators now power two thirds of India’s creator economy

MUMBAI: India’s creator economy has officially changed its pin code. The spotlight is no longer shining only on the metros, as smaller cities and towns script the industry’s next blockbuster chapter.

India’s creator ecosystem has entered a new phase of growth, with 66 per cent of creators now coming from non-metro markets, according to a report by the Srini Raju Centre for IT and the Networked Economy (SRITNE) at the Indian School of Business (ISB) and creator platform Hashfame.

The report, Understanding the Canvas of India’s Creator Economy, estimates that the country’s creator base expanded more than fourfold between 2020 and 2025, growing from around 960,000 creators to 4.12 million. The surge has been driven largely by regional India, marking a decisive shift from the metro-led creator boom seen just a few years ago.

According to the study, the number of creators in non-metro markets increased 6.4 times during the five-year period, significantly outpacing the 2.6-fold growth recorded in metropolitan cities. The findings suggest that entirely new creator ecosystems are taking shape across India’s smaller towns rather than merely extending existing urban networks.

Geographically, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra together account for nearly a quarter of India’s creator base. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat continue to outperform relative to their population size, producing a disproportionately high number of creators.

The report also points to stronger audience connections despite the rapid expansion in creator numbers. Average engagement rates climbed from 1.8 per cent in 2020 to 7.2 per cent in 2025, indicating that creators are building deeper relationships with audiences instead of competing for diminishing attention spans.

Brands appear to be taking notice. Annual creator-led campaigns increased from approximately 14,000 in 2020 to 42,000 in 2025, while average campaign spending rose 3.6 times over the same period. The report suggests influencer collaborations have evolved from experimental marketing to a mainstream customer acquisition strategy.

Yet the study highlights a persistent challenge. While the number of non-metro creators participating in paid brand collaborations jumped from around 38,000 to more than 408,000, most creators still execute only one paid campaign each year. The report argues that the next stage of the creator economy will depend less on attracting new creators and more on helping existing ones build sustainable businesses through recurring brand partnerships and diversified revenue streams.

Language has also emerged as a powerful growth engine. While Hindi creators account for 42 per cent of India’s creator ecosystem, content produced in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bhojpuri and other regional languages collectively represents the majority of the market.

The report adds that several regional-language creator ecosystems are witnessing stronger creator participation than corresponding brand investment, presenting marketers with an opportunity to deepen their presence in local markets as India’s creator economy becomes increasingly diverse and decentralised.