India Has Witnessed Rapid Surge In Social Media Influencers Between 2020-2024

The latest report from Qoruz, an Influencer Marketing Intelligence Platform, reveals the extraordinary rise of the influencer ecosystem in India over the last four years. From just 962,000 influencers in 2020, the creator economy has expanded to an impressive 4.06 million influencers in 2024, reflecting a staggering 322 per cent growth. This rapid growth highlights the increasing reliance on authentic, creator-driven content as brands tap into the power of influencer-led marketing to connect with their audiences.

The evolution of influencer marketing in India has been remarkable. As the industry gained momentum globally, India’s ecosystem emerged as one of the most dynamic markets, driven by creators who shape trends and lead conversations. The Qoruz report analyzes the rise of influencers across categories, highlighting several key trends shaping the influencer marketing space. Gaming has been one of the fastest-growing categories, achieving a remarkable 213 per cent growth between 2020 and 2022 and reaching 467,000 influencers by the end of 2024. Travel influencers have rebounded strongly after the pandemic, showing a 212 per cent surge in 2023 and firmly establishing themselves as a critical part of the ecosystem. Parenting influencers have also shown steady growth, rising from 87,000 in 2020 to 362,000 in 2024, demonstrating the increasing demand for family-focused and relatable content.

Other categories such as Fashion, Beauty, and Technology have remained consistent performers, with fashion leading the pack with 470,000 influencers by the end of 2024. The report also notes significant growth in niche categories such as Infotainment and Finance, which have rapidly gained traction. Infotainment recorded a 126 per cent growth rate, while Finance grew by 91 per cent between 2020 and 2022. By 2024, Infotainment influencers reached 203,000 and Finance grew to 232,000.

Looking ahead to 2025, Fashion, Arts, Entertainment, and Gaming are projected to lead in influencer numbers, with evolving audience preferences driving their growth. Fashion is expected to maintain its dominant position with 470,000 influencers, while Arts & Entertainment and Gaming are projected to reach 430,000 and 467,000 influencers, respectively.

Beyond these leading categories, other segments have also shown notable growth. Health & Fitness, a category fuelled by the post-pandemic focus on wellness, grew steadily, doubling its influencer base to reach 295,000 in 2024. The Food category, despite a brief decline, bounced back to end 2024 with 242,000 influencers, driven by the rise of culinary enthusiasts and at-home chefs.

Sharing his insights, Aditya Gurwara, Co-Founder and Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz, says, “Over the years, we’ve seen a significant shift in how brands approach their marketing strategies. Influencers have moved beyond product endorsements to becoming strategic partners for brands. They create authentic, context-driven content that resonates deeply with audiences, making campaigns more impactful than ever before. Categories like

Gaming, Travel, and Lifestyle are growing at an exceptional pace, and brands have an incredible opportunity to align with creators who truly understand their audiences. The key to success lies in building long-term relationships with these creators, leveraging data to identify the right fit, and creating campaigns that go beyond just reach to drive real engagement and trust. This isn’t just the future of marketing—it’s already shaping the present.”

“When we started building Qoruz, influencer marketing in India was still in its infancy. Today, the creator economy has grown from fewer than a million influencers in 2020 to over 4 million in just a few years. This isn’t just about numbers; it is about how creators are transforming the way we communicate, shape trends and connect with audiences.

Influencers have become cultural architects, setting the tone for brands to follow. With the right insights, brands can craft meaningful campaigns and build collaborations that resonate deeply with audiences. This is the ecosystem we envisioned when we started, and it’s only the beginning,”, states Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, Co-Founder and CEO of Qoruz.

Meanwhile, Qoruz has recently introduced the Brand Buzz Index, a new benchmark aimed at helping brands evaluate the effectiveness of their influencer marketing campaigns. The Brand Buzz Index is designed to provide measurable insights into brand performance across social media platforms.

The index claims to use a weighted model to assess various factors, including engagement quality, which is based on interactions such as likes, comments, shares, and views. It also measures reach through follower growth and influencer reach. Additionally, the index provides competitive positioning, allowing brands to see how they compare to others in their industry. Brands receive a final score, which is updated monthly on a Leadership Board.

“Influencer marketing has seen unprecedented growth, with over Rs 5500 crore invested in 2024 alone. Yet, many brands continue to struggle with measuring the true impact of their campaigns, as existing metrics like Earned Media Value (EMV) and Share of Voice (SOV) often fall short, providing only fragmented insights into success. The Brand Buzz Index is a game-changer for the industry, bridging this gap with a comprehensive score based on engagement quality, reach, competitive positioning, and more,” says Aditya Gurwara, co-Founder and Head of Brand Alliances, Qoruz.