A seismic shift is reshaping India's social media landscape, with smaller towns and cities emerging as the epicenter of a new audio-led revolution. A recent study by the audio social discovery platform FRND reveals that over 90 percent of engagement on avatar-based audio social platforms now originates from outside Tier 1 cities. This data underscores a fundamental change in how millions of Indians, particularly in non-metro regions, are choosing to connect online.
The Heart of Growth: Tier 2, 3, and 4 Towns
The report, which analyzed anonymized data from a massive pool of 6.9 million users across India, found that non-metro regions accounted for nearly all recent growth on such platforms. In a striking statistic, nearly 95 percent of new users who joined the platform in the studied period came from outside major metropolitan areas. Remote and smaller towns dominated user sign-ups, signaling a democratization of digital social interaction.
This growth is also closely tied to device accessibility. The study notes that approximately 79 percent of new users accessed the platform via mid-range and entry-level smartphones, highlighting how affordable technology is fueling this trend beyond urban centers.
Behavioral Shift: From Passive Feeds to Private Conversations
Beyond geography, the report documents a significant behavioral change. Users are increasingly moving away from highly curated, visually-dominated social media feeds towards platforms that prioritize direct, voice-based conversations. The pseudo-anonymous nature of these audio platforms offers a layer of privacy that appears to resonate deeply, especially in conservative social environments common in smaller towns.
"India's digital engagement patterns are undergoing a meaningful shift, with young users increasingly choosing direct, safe and intentional conversations over passive content consumption," stated Bhanu Pratap Singh Tanwar, Co-founder & CEO of Interact Group. "This change is being led not by metropolitan cities, but by strong and sustained growth from Tier 2-4 towns."
The platform recorded staggering volumes of interaction in the studied period: over 285 million conversations totaling 418 million minutes. The commitment to voice communication is further emphasized by the record for the longest single call, which lasted an astonishing approximately 20.3 hours (1,247 minutes).
Regional Hotspots and User Habits
While smaller towns drive volume, established tech hubs still show strong activity. Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai topped the list for the most active user bases. However, when it comes to the depth of conversation, users in Andhra Pradesh led the nation, engaging in the longest average call durations.
Engagement patterns also followed cultural rhythms. Weekend usage saw distinct spikes, with Saturday video calls increasing by an average of 8%. The festival of Diwali recorded the highest single-day activity, with 4.04 lakh (404,000) video conversations taking place.
Virtual Gifting: Rose and Chai Reign Supreme
Virtual gifting, a key monetization feature for social platforms, saw significant traction. Users exchanged a whopping 974 million virtual gifts during the year. The most popular items reflected simple, relatable cultural tokens: the 'Rose' and 'Chai' emerged as clear favorites, indicating a preference for familiar symbols over flashy digital goods.
This comprehensive data paints a clear picture: India's next wave of social media is vocal, intentional, and is being authored from its smaller cities and towns. The move towards audio represents not just a new feature, but a fundamental rethinking of online connection—one that values privacy and conversation over public performance and scrolling.
