Chingari, the video platform betting on Web3

Chingari, which made its debut in November 2018 as a social entertainment app, took a decisive turn three years ago after Tiktok’s ban in India. In the crowded space of short-form video apps, Chingari’s differentiation strategy has been noteworthy. The app ventured into the world of Web3 offering users GARI tokens and a wallet, as well as an NFT marketplace for creator videos. On the roadmap, they’re developing live shopping capabilities, marking their ambitious push into e-commerce. Today, Chingari is the fastest-growing social media platform in India, resonating with users through its emphasis on localized content and its promise for the creator economy.

The concept of this app:

Chingari is an Indian social entertainment app that focuses on short-form videos and live streaming. Launched in 2018, the app gained popularity in 2020 when several new apps, including Roposo, Trell, and Chingari itself, tried to capitalize on the void left by TikTok’s ban in India.

In response to increasing competition, Chingari sought to stand out by positioning itself as a creator-first platform with a strong emphasis on democratized monetization. After its rebranding, the number of downloads of the app crossed 1 million in only 15 days, 25 million within the first month and 50 million six months after. Now, there are over 70 million users on the app. This growth has positioned Chingari as one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in India. Another major draw for creators and users from Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian markets is the app’s emphasis on localized content, catering especially to regional language speakers. In fact, through Chingari, users can upload videos in over 20 languages, including English, Hindi, Bangla and Tamil.

Indeed, Chingari’s appeal is one of social commerce, as they have embraced a growth campaign that champions creators’ empowerment allowing them to easily monetize their videos and take part in decision making for the app’s future. In 2022, they introduced their Web3 social token named GARI. The GARI acts as both an in-app currency and a governance token. It can be used by the community to be involved in decision making about the app’s development as well as for virtual gifts, wallet transactions and rewards. Likewise, users can pay on select vendor websites such as Travala to purchase holiday travel packages.

With the rise of Web3 technology, content creators have gained unprecedented control over their work’s distribution and monetization. To cater to this trend, Chingari’s has been piloting an NFT marketplace for creators which is possible thanks to their migration to Aptos, a more robust blockchain platform. Their NFT marketplace allows creators to explore innovative monetization avenues, such as the Creator Cuts, where short creator videos can be sold for revenue.

As a social media app, Chingari’s primary monetization strategy has historically revolved around user-generated content (UGC) for hyperlocal advertising campaigns, offering retail brands a dual benefit: reduced advertising costs and increased user engagement on the platform. Building on this foundation, they are aiming to delve deeper into the retail sector. Future plans include the integration of e-commerce functionalities and the introduction of AI-powered live shopping features, notably the anticipated “Shop What You See” option. Such advancements in Chingari’s strategy may well set new standards in intertwining advertising and e-commerce within short-form content platforms.

As an app with a highly diverse set of features and development plans, ranging from Web3 tolive shopping, Chingari has been successful in differentiating itself from other short form video platforms in India. Looking ahead, it will be crucial to maintain their local community engagement through transparent updates as well as sinking into a more defined and mature app identity.

Why visit this app?