iWorld
GroupM’s Goat and Forbes India unveil the Top 100 Digital Stars List
Mumbai: GroupM, the media investment group under WPP, has announced the Top 100 Digital Stars List for 2023 curated by The Goat Agency, GroupM’s influencer and content marketing solution, in partnership with Forbes India. This list showcases India’s most influential digital personalities, celebrating their exceptional contributions across various domains including comedy, beauty & fashion, business & finance, fitness, food, tech, travel, and social work.
The focus is on original content creators, with tech, travel & photography, and comedy influencers constituting over 50 percent of the list. Notably, the list boasts a balanced representation of both men and women, showcasing the diversity of talent in the vibrant influencer community.
“This collaboration between Goat and Forbes India has resulted in the identification of India’s most influential digital stars,” said GroupM India, business head, Goat, Kunal Sawant. “We are highlighting original content creators who are ‘influencing’ their audiences in the best possible way and driving positive impact. Key metrics such as followers, engagement, views, reach and impressions across social media platforms have been taken into account in the curation of this list. We’ve also included the Goat changemakers – a roster of socially conscious creators, and an integral part of GroupM Goat’s Responsible Investment Framework.”
To compile this list, a multi-step process was initiated. Beginning with the identification of top creators in nine specified genres based on engagement rate and follower count, the selection was then narrowed down to the top 100 influencers through a comprehensive assessment of vital metrics, including reach, engagement, impressions, and follower count. Goat’s proprietary scoring algorithm played a crucial role in the process. This algorithm, which compares creators within similar categories, types, and audience sizes, ranks their content based on engagement rate. The careful consideration of authenticity-verified profiles, compliance with disclosure labels, and platform presence ensured a fair and data-driven assessment, highlighting the real impact of these influencers in the digital landscape.
“In the digital age, influencing has been honed into a science, thanks to the availability of gazillions of data that help quantify and measure the degree of influence. The number of followers and engagement metrics like shares and comments help determine the success or lack of it of an influencer. Forbes India-Goat’s 2023 India’s Top 100 Digital Stars takes into account those producing engaging content and with the views, engagement and reach to show for their efforts,” said Forbes India editor Brian Carvalho.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
