Discovery on Instagram now rivals Google for product research in India — and the cost-per-impression is unbeatable.

For categories like beauty, fashion, fitness, and food in India, more product research now starts on Instagram Reels than on Google Search. The algorithm is optimised for discovery, and the cost-per-impression for a brand that produces good Reels is effectively zero compared to paid Google. The playbook is: 4-6 short videos per week, hook-driven openings, organic-feel production, and a single CTA per video. Brands that internalise this and treat Reels production as a serious in-house function are eating market share from brands still budgeting for Google Search ads at 10x the cost per acquisition.