Auto creators take the wheel: Influencing purchase funnels and brand strategy

In August, the influencer‑marketing platform Qoruz released a report titled “Automobile Conversations in the Creator Economy”, highlighting how automobile creators are playing a crucial role in driving growth in India’s auto sector.

Here are some of the key findings.

In the automobile category, creators lead more influencer conversations than in arts & entertainment — 24.37% of influencer conversations were in the automobile category, compared to 20.43% in arts & entertainment.

According to the report, India has over 20,600 automobile‑focused creators. During the past year, 84,600 influencers produced 460,800 posts, generating 3.3 billion engagements.

As Deepshikha Bhardwaj, National Lead – Media Strategy at Schbang, noted in a conversation with Storyboard18, auto companies (such as Hero and Bajaj, among others) are increasingly working with automobile creators for launches and facelifts, arranging special rides so creators can produce content.

In 2024, Maruti Suzuki stated in an Economic Times report that in recent years they have heavily used influencers to create awareness among target consumers, especially in newer markets.

Some of India’s well‑known automotive creators/influencers include Faisal Khan (MotorBeam), Priyanka Kochhar, Nikhil Sharma (aka Mumbiker Nikhil), Gaurav Chaudhary (Technical Guruji), Aneesh Gupta, Arun Panwar, Mahak Kapoor, and Anubhav Chauhan — many of whom have established strong presences on YouTube. Other notable platforms include Car Girls India, NamasteCar, and Brotomotiv.in.

Genesis of automobile creators

Vipin Yadav, Vice President and Head of Marketing at DriveX (an Indian auto‑tech platform specializing in pre‑owned two‑wheelers), in a conversation with Storyboard18, discussed the genesis of automobile creators.

In the early 2010s, they started off as hobbyist reviewers and enthusiasts on forums and YouTube, but around 2018‑2020, their role began to become more strategic for brands as short‑form video and social media platforms matured.

From 2020, the creator base exploded, with creator tools, creator‑first platforms, and branded creator programmes entering the picture.

By 2023‑2024, automaker teams shifted from sporadic activations to structured influencer programmes. For example, they adopted longer‑term creator partnerships, regional creator strategies, and product‑education content, explained Yadav.

Aditya Gurwara, Co‑founder and Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz, concurred with Yadav. He added that YouTube made content searchable and bingeable. With the arrival of 4G, affordable smartphones, and better cameras, weekend reviewers turned into full‑time creators. Reels and Shorts brought in a younger wave who compressed similar depth into 60‑ to 120‑second content.

“Today there is a proper stack of creators who cover everything from launch‑day reviews to ownership costs and resale value. In short, it evolved from enthusiast content to a parallel research channel that sits next to dealer conversations,” he added.

Yadav agreed that automobile creators’ relevance peaked in the last 18‑30 months as creators moved from awareness‑only roles to sales‑influence, test‑drive content, and pre‑sales “consideration” content. He stated, “Automotive is now a high‑consideration category where micro, regional and long‑form reviewers directly affect intent — that’s why brands are formalising creator strategies today.”

Automobile creators: How they drive engagement and purchase

Yadav explained that although there are influencers who cater to particular niches and target different stages of the purchase funnel, one of their key approaches is through demonstrations and trust‑building via long test‑drives, realistic ownership stories, and careful breakdowns.

He added that some creators speak local languages and answer regional questions — especially about fuel, service, and road conditions. This is followed by Q&A, livestream test drives, and in‑comments troubleshooting to speed up purchase confidence. Because many auto creators are perceived as independent experts, their opinions are taken more seriously and carry more weight.

Gurwara highlighted that buyers now do 70‑80% of their research before they walk into a dealership. Creators fill that pre‑dealer gap with credible, on‑demand answers.

He also noted that consumers prefer content like test drives and “first look” videos to understand ride quality and features in context. They also appreciate comparisons by variant and budget so that buyers do not overpay for features they will not use. Other preferred content includes ownership maths — service intervals, parts, insurance, fuel or charging costs, and resale.

Schbang’s Bhardwaj added that long‑format content is mostly preferred by creators due to the level of detail it allows; their primary platform for such content is YouTube.

Yadav agreed: while YouTube remains the primary platform for long‑form reviews, in‑depth demos, and test drives, Instagram and short‑form platforms (Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts) are used for bite‑sized demos, teasers, and community engagement. “Cars or bikes show well on video,” he said, “where, for example, test drives, sounds, cabin tours, and tech demos perform well on YouTube or short‑form.”

Gurwara also agreed with this view. He explained that YouTube dominates the research phase because buyers want depth and chapter markers. Buyers often refer to ownership reviews on YouTube for deep research, then rely on short reviews and feature demonstrations for quick comparisons and discovery influences.

Instagram powers discovery, community, and reminders. “Many journeys start on Instagram, then move to YouTube for the heavy lifting. Smart brands programme both together. For regional reach, Facebook and local‑language channels also matter,” he stated.

Gurwara added that “This vs that” content resonates with shoppers deciding between models because such content answers practical, purchase‑level questions in relatable language.

Creator suggestions vs Advertisements

According to DriveX’s Yadav, buyers prefer creator suggestions over advertisements for several reasons. He explained that creators offer authenticity, depth, and peer‑like reassurance, which polished advertising often lacks. Ads still serve brand building, reach, and product framing — they haven’t lost their value. The ecosystem is complementary, not adversarial.

He said: “Creators influence consideration and final decision via trust and hands‑on content. Ads build awareness at scale and protect brand equity. Brands that align ads + creator content see a multiplier: ads prime the audience, creators deepen trust and drive conversions.”

Gurwara said that ads and creators perform different jobs: ads create reach and mental availability; creators provide trust and clarity. “If you only run ads, buyers still leave to watch a creator before they call your dealer. If you only run creators, you miss people who are not yet in the market. The win is a handoff model where ads spark intent and creators close the knowledge gap.”

However, auto companies can balance both by running a full‑funnel strategy: ads for reach; creators for clarity; regional creators for test‑drive CTAs and finance explainers.

He suggested tracking metrics such as search lift, Test‑Drive Qualified leads via unique links or city QR codes, shortlist rates in the CRM, and dealer footfall in the 7‑ to 14‑day window. “Keep a living playlist that answers the top 20 buyer questions and pin it across your site, ads, and dealer WhatsApp,” he added.

He gave an example: EVs raised new questions (charging practicality, total cost of ownership) that traditional ads could not answer well. Creators explained those in plain language. “Regional language creators brought car research closer to home, which is where shortlisting actually happens,” Gurwara added.

Bhardwaj emphasized that auto creators are an important part of consumer decision‑making and should be given the required significance by advertisers. Yadav explained that auto companies or brands must use TV/OTT/OOH for broader awareness, and target digital and creator content for consideration and intent.

Auto companies must brief creators with brand pillars but also give them creative freedom in order to maintain authenticity. Creators should not just be used for one‑off posts; brands should retain them to build credibility. They should also track assisted conversions, view‑throughs, and lead submissions from creator content, Yadav added.

Ad & influencer spends

According to Yadav, India’s total ad market for 2024‑2025 surpassed ₹1 lakh crore; digital accounted for approximately 40‑46% of that, indicating that growth in digital ad spend drove much of the industry momentum. Gurwara said the influencer marketing industry in India was about ₹3,000 to ₹3,600 crore in 2024, and within the automotive category, automakers shifted a significant portion of their media budgets to digital. The digital allocation was cited to be 35‑40% of their media budgets, even though automotive has traditionally been a heavy advertiser in television and print.

He added that creators take about 10‑20% of the digital pie during the first 6‑10 weeks of campaigns, then settle to 5‑10% for always‑on activity.

Yadav explained that regional creators will gain importance as OEMs push penetration beyond metros. Influencer spend will grow but become more strategic — with higher investment in long‑term partnerships, micro‑influencers for conversions, and paid amplification.

Gurwara concurred, saying that more vernacular creators and hyperlocal testing will shape shortlists in every state. Creators will be tied into the sales stack, and one can expect test‑drive scheduling, finance pre‑approvals, and dealer inventory to be part of creator videos with clean attribution.

He also stated that auto brands may launch AI Influencers, and spends will continue tilting toward creators inside digital — not because they are merely trendy, but because they are measurable and compress the path to a test drive.

“Industry forecasts and brand surveys show upward intent to increase influencer budgets. Expect creative models to shift from one‑off posts to retained creator relationships and creator‑led commerce integrations,” Yadav added. “Creator content will become part of the product funnel (pre‑launch teasers → test drives → long‑term ownership content). They will influence not just demand but product feedback loops (feature requests, accessory markets, service expectations),” DriveX’s Yadav concluded.