Mumbai: A new study commissioned by Meta and conducted by IPSOS has revealed how digital platforms—particularly Meta’s ecosystem—are playing a transformative role in how Indians discover, evaluate, and purchase financial products. The report, From Feeds to Financial Futures, surveyed over 2,000 respondents aged 25-45 across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata, and found that Meta accounts for three of the top six digital touchpoints in the financial product purchase journey.
The research shows that 57% of users rely on Instagram and 53% on Facebook to make informed financial decisions, while one in two respondents use WhatsApp to evaluate products. Notably, 80% of women respondents said they make independent financial decisions, with women spending more time on Instagram and WhatsApp than men.
“Financial planning is integral to the lives of most Indians across income groups. But this process is rapidly evolving, fueled by digital. Whether it’s the growing role of Meta platforms in the purchase journey, the increasing influence of Reels and creators, the rising role of business messaging or the growing number of women who are taking independent financial decisions – the study dispels many myths about how financial products are discovered and bought today, offering valuable insights for marketers and brands in the industry,” said Shweta Bajpai, Director Financial Services, Media, Travel, Real Estate, & Services (India), Meta.
The report found that six of eight touchpoints in the financial services purchase journey are now digital, with Meta platforms influencing 81% of users during discovery, 79% during evaluation, and 83% at purchase. For loans (86%), investments (84%), insurance (78%), and savings (82%), Meta’s apps play a defining role.
Short-form video emerged as a key driver, with creator-led Instagram Reels and Facebook videos simplifying complex financial topics.
“Short-form video and Reels are transforming the way businesses connect with new customers and fuel product and brand discovery. During our Open Experience 2.0 campaign, better discovery of our credit card products led to higher scale of initial card approvals resulting in a 26% cost savings on the performance marketing side and more recently we have launched our first Made on Instagram campaign led by creators called “The First That Stays”, further strengthening our belief in Reels for impact,” said Anoop Manohar, Chief Marketing Officer, Axis Bank.
The study also highlights a shift towards authenticity over authority, with 75% of respondents trusting financial podcasts and 67% turning to influencers or subject-matter experts.
“By aligning deeply with Meta’s planning frameworks and leveraging Madison World’s data-driven approach, we were able to target high-intent, affluent audiences faster and more effectively. What truly set this campaign apart was the use of sharp, insight-led influencer Reels crafted for Meta’s ecosystem — not just to engage, but to drive real business outcomes. The 129% lift in savings leads and 3-point jump in unaided recall stand testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and smart media thinking,” said Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO – Madison Media & OOH.
WhatsApp has emerged as a crucial tool across the financial decision-making journey, with usage at 44% during discovery, 50% during evaluation, and 48% at purchase.
“Our partnership with Meta continues to deliver meaningful results, particularly as we embrace innovative and customer-centric engagement strategies. Recently, our use of the Click to WhatsApp product within Meta campaigns has proven especially effective—achieving over a 5% conversion rate from lead to policy sale, delivering 43% higher conversion rate compared to our business-as-usual (BAU) Meta web campaigns. These results underscore WhatsApp’s critical role in both engaging customers and driving decisions throughout the purchase journey, further validating our strategic focus on adopting platforms and approaches that prioritize the customer experience,” said Sai Narayan, Chief Marketing Officer, Policybazaar.
With Indians increasingly consuming financial advice via Reels, creator content, and business messaging, the study underscores that the future of finance in India is being built on digital—blending accessibility, relatability, and engagement like never before.
