Two in three Indian creators are from non-metros, 85 per cent get no paid campaigns

MUMBAI: India’s creator economy is becoming increasingly decentralised, with creators from smaller towns and cities now accounting for the majority of the country’s digital talent. However, despite their growing numbers, most non-metro creators continue to earn modest incomes due to fewer brand collaborations, lower audience purchasing power and limited access to professional representation.

According to a joint study by the Indian School of Business (ISB) and influencer marketing platform HashFame, non-metro regions accounted for 66 per cent of India’s 4.12 million digital creators in 2025. Yet, a significant proportion of these creators earn less than the average monthly urban salaried income of Rs 24,434, highlighting a widening gap between creator participation and monetisation.

The report attributes this disparity largely to the composition of the creator base. More than 80 per cent of creators in non-metro markets fall into the nano creator category, with fewer than 10,000 followers, or the micro creator segment, with fewer than one lakh followers. While these creators provide brands with extensive regional reach, their smaller audiences translate into lower campaign earnings.

The study found that a nano creator completing two paid campaigns in a year earns only about 20 per cent of the average urban monthly salary. A micro creator undertaking five campaigns earns roughly the equivalent of that benchmark. More strikingly, nearly 85 per cent of non-metro creators do not secure even a single paid campaign annually.

Lower purchasing power among audiences in smaller towns also limits monetisation opportunities. Since brands typically allocate marketing budgets based on the spending potential of the audiences they can reach, creators with predominantly non-metro followers often command lower campaign fees regardless of where they are based.

Content quality and engagement remain additional challenges. Brands increasingly evaluate creators using measurable performance metrics such as engagement rates and cost per view, making storytelling quality and audience interaction critical factors in determining campaign opportunities. Many smaller creators struggle to consistently meet these benchmarks.

The study also highlights structural barriers within the creator ecosystem. Metro-based creators are more likely to receive representation from talent management agencies, giving them easier access to brand partnerships, pricing support and long-term commercial opportunities. In contrast, many creators from smaller towns lack the industry networks and negotiation skills needed to secure recurring brand deals.

The report also tracks changing engagement patterns over the past five years. Between 2020 and 2025, the campaign-to-creator ratio for metro creators increased from around 0.22 to 0.33, indicating stronger repeat engagements with brands. During the same period, the ratio for non-metro creators declined sharply from about 0.37 to 0.10, reflecting increasing competition and fewer monetisation opportunities despite rapid creator growth.

The findings suggest that while India’s creator economy continues to expand beyond metropolitan centres, sustainable monetisation remains concentrated among a relatively small group of established creators. As brands increasingly seek authentic regional voices, improving creator quality, professional support and access to commercial opportunities will be crucial to unlocking the full economic potential of India’s growing non-metro creator ecosystem.