A new study commissioned by Meta and conducted by IPSOS has found that digital channels, especially those operated by Meta, are increasingly influencing how Indians purchase financial products. The report, titled ‘From Feeds to Financial Futures,’ surveyed over 2,000 respondents aged 25-45 in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata who are current or prospective buyers of financial services.
The research highlights a shift from traditional sources of financial advice toward digital content and online communities. According to the study, six out of eight touchpoints in the purchase journey for financial products are now digital. Half of these digital interactions occur on Meta platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. More than half of surveyed consumers reported viewing personal finance and investing content on these platforms.
“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 at Meta India.
The survey indicates that 81% use Meta platforms during their initial search for financial products. This influence remains high through evaluation (79%) and at final purchase (83%). The report notes that for loans (86%), investments (84%), insurance (78%), and savings (82%), Meta apps play a significant role throughout decision-making.
Lalatendu Das, CEO of Publicis Media India stated: “Publicis Media, as a strategic partner to Meta, leverages the platform’s advanced advertising solutions to drive exceptional results for our clients. Through a collaborative approach, we harness Meta’s AI-powered tools like Advantage+ Sales Campaigns (A+SC) to enhance product discoverability and customer acquisition. This partnership enables us to deliver significant increases in leads and bookings for our clients, achieving outcomes like 53% improvement in high-net-worth individual leads for ICICI Prudential Life Insurance or a 7x rise in leads at 81% lower CPA for a large bank in the Philippines.”
Short-form video formats have become important tools for explaining complex financial concepts quickly. The study found that 57% rely on Instagram and 53% on Facebook when making informed decisions about finances.
Anoop Manohar, Chief Marketing Officer at Axis Bank said: “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.”
Influencers now play an increased role compared to traditional celebrity endorsements; according to findings from this study, three-quarters trust financial podcasts while two-thirds look to influencers or subject matter experts.
Vikram Sakhuja from Madison Media & OOH commented: “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.”
Women also appear increasingly active as independent decision-makers regarding finances; nearly four out five female respondents said they make their own choices about financial matters while spending more time than men on Instagram or WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is becoming integral throughout all stages—from discovery through evaluation—of purchasing decisions related both specifically within finance as well generally among Indian consumers using conversational commerce tools powered by artificial intelligence.
Sai Narayan from Policybazaar noted: “Our partnership with Meta continues to deliver meaningful results particularly as we embrace innovative customer-centric engagement strategies. Recently our use Click-to-WhatsApp product within campaigns has proven especially effective—achieving over a five percent conversion rate from lead policy sale delivering forty-three percent higher conversion rate compared business-as-usual web campaigns These results underscore WhatsApp critical role both engaging customers driving decisions throughout purchase journey further validating strategic focus adopting platforms approaches prioritize customer experience.”
The full report can be accessed online.