India mobile internet users to cross 600m in 2022: Report

Mobile internet users in India are expected to surpass 600 million in 2022, with the country’s mobile ad spend set to grow 27% to surpass US$2 billion this year, representing nearly two-thirds of overall digital ad spend in the country, according to the 2022 Industry Pulse Report – India Edition by media and technology company Integral Ad Science (IAS).

Why it matters

In 2022, India’s digital media experts expect improving mobile experiences, measuring quality for social media campaigns, and the emergence of digital video and audio to be the top considerations for the year.

Key insights

• India continues to be a mobile-first market, with 77% of respondents making it a top priority in 2022.
• Seventy-one percent of media experts prioritise social platforms and with over 450m social media users, marketing opportunities abound.
• YouTube ranks as the top choice for 82% of respondents, closely followed by Facebook (80%) and Instagram (77%).
• As consumers gain faster 5G mobile connections, 78% of media experts bet on mobile video streaming as a big opportunity.
• But the threat of ad fraud looms large – 78% of respondents say it will be a greater concern across mobile environments.
• Twenty-six percent of respondents also agree mobile web video environments will be among the most vulnerable in terms of brand risk.
• To ensure brand safety, respondents see contextual targeting solutions (74%), third party verification (72%) to be important.

Key quote

“As the ongoing pandemic has driven consumers to embrace hybrid lifestyles and digital experiences, digital advertisers pivoted their strategies globally to emphasise mobile, social media, CTV and digital audio. This scenario is similar in India. However, in a market as large and dynamic as India, brands are becoming more conscious of the importance of quality impressions and safe brand environments. As a result, the role of verification partners is gaining prominence in creating a safe and transparent setting for brands.” – Saurabh Khattar, commercial lead India, IAS.