Written By Divya
Instagram Reels Beat TV And YouTube to Become India’s Top Daily Video Platform
A new study shows that short-form videos, especially Instagram and Facebook Reels, have become India’s most-watched daily video format. Here's how.
Edited By: Divya | Published By: Divya | Published: Sep 11, 2025, 02:32 PM (IST)
Why Reels Are Now India’s No.1 Video Habit, Ahead of YouTube and TV?
Let’s think about your own day for a second, what’s the first video you watch? Chances are, it’s not a TV show or even a long YouTube video, but a quick scroll through Reels on Instagram or Facebook. That’s exactly what’s happening across India. The media habits of netizens are quickly changing. 
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A new Online Video Consumption of Digital India study confirms this change. It shows that short-form videos, led by Reels, are now India’s number one daily video habit—beating both YouTube and television. In fact, 95% of people surveyed said they watch Reels every single day, while YouTube came in at 88% and TV slightly lower at 83%. This shows that the phone screen, not the TV screen, is where India’s video attention now lies. Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg Suing Mark Zuckerberg? Sort Of… Here’s The Story
Why Instagram Reels Are Getting More Engagement?
Beyond just viewing numbers, Reels have become the front door to online trends and creator culture. As per the report, Instagram Reels emerged as the number 1 platform where users engage with creators, ranking ahead of YouTube Shorts by 8 percentage points. In fact, Reels see up to 40% higher engagement in categories like fashion and movies compared to YouTube. Also Read: Instagram Is Testing A New YouTube-Like Feature For Reels, And It Could Change How You Watch Videos
The shift is not just about entertainment. For brands, Reels are proving to deliver stronger outcomes. Ads on Instagram Reels earn higher active attention than TV or YouTube ads, according to Kantar studies. For example, A leading jewellery brand saw double the recall impact with Reels versus long-form YouTube ads. Hyundai used “click to WhatsApp” ads on Reels to achieve 2X higher engagement for a car launch campaign.
The combination of high scale and high attention is making Reels a preferred choice for marketing campaigns.
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It clearly shows that reels are no longer just for fun scrolling. With users spending more time on short, vertical videos, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are now making Reels the place where business outcomes are driven.
