Nearly half of rural India is online and the usage went up by 40 per cent in 2022, compared to 2021. In the same period, usage went up by 35 per cent among women and by 30 per cent among NCCS, D, E audiences (less affluent in income and education spectrum). Across India, smartphone sharing is high and digital payment is among the fastest growing applications.
Nielsen’s India Internet Report 2023 indicates that media firms and advertisers need to think and strategize differently about how they are making use of the digital platforms and maximise their reach. For instance, vernacular platforms are rising in reach, and platforms supporting short videos, music or social media are multiplying by the day.
According to the study, in the last two years, the internet is used by 720 million Indians, of which 425 million are from rural India. With 295 million, urban India saw a growth of about 14 per cent, less than half of rural India’s internet usage growth. Analysists point out that although urban India is a high-value market, rural India has more room for volume growth.
The most remarkable finding is that the audience is multiplying due to the sharing of devices. About 85 million users in rural India watch videos or attend online classes with others. This culture of shared media goes back to the 90s, when a regional language newspaper was shared among a minimum of four to 11 readers. The research doesn’t clearly indicate the number of people sharing smartphones on an average, but confirms that smartphone sharing is higher among low-price handsets and less affluent homes.