Young urban Indians (18-24) average over 120 minutes daily on social media, says a new IAMAI report. In contrast, users aged 35+ lead entertainment consumption, and female users show significantly higher engagement in e-commerce platforms.
Social Media usage among the young, mass-market urban India demographic aged 18-24 years averages more than 120 minutes per day, significantly outpacing the overall category average of 97.9 minutes per day.
Demographic and Gender Divides in Digital Consumption
According to a joint report by VTION and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the digital consumption landscape reflects sharp demographic variations across platforms, with distinct age groups and genders driving different engagement metrics. While the youngest cohort commands social platforms, older consumers aged 35 and above anchor the entertainment sector, spending an average of 77.2 minutes per day.
Female Users Drive E-commerce Engagement
The report revealed a pronounced gender difference in time investment. Female users spend more time in e-commerce and quick commerce platforms compared to their male counterparts, showing 47 per cent more engagement within the 18-24 age bracket. The report stated that "Audience share measures the first. Time spent measures the second. In Urban India's highest time-spent categories, those two numbers point in different directions - and the direction of deeper engagement consistently belongs to female users."
The report also showed that the female engagement premium is consistent across various digital spaces. The 25-34 female cohort in Mega Cities averages 35.2 minutes per day in e-commerce and quick commerce platforms, whereas males in the same demographic average 24.8 minutes per day, translating to 42 per cent more engagement. This gender-based variance remains steady regardless of the specific service model, with quick commerce platform Blinkit registering a 57 per cent female audience, and e-commerce applications Meesho and Myntra recording 61 per cent and 54 per cent female audiences, respectively. "Any brief that targets 'e-commerce shoppers' without female-first planning is mis-aimed," the report said.
Structural Trends: Entertainment vs. Social Media
The structural trends indicated that the wider entertainment category maintains an average daily engagement of 77.2 minutes with stable monthly active users, primarily led by the 35 plus demographic. In contrast, social media shows a 5 per cent growth in monthly active users, anchored by the 18-24 segments. The report also noted that "entertainment is not a reach differentiator; it is an attention differentiator. Female audiences spend more time, making duration the key targeting lever."
Other Key Digital Segments
Messaging follows with 58.6 minutes per day, while specialized segments like loan and credit apps show a 30 per cent monthly active user growth, and artificial intelligence applications register a growth rate exceeding 100 per cent.
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