New Delhi, Sept. 1 -- Small and independent creators, who make up a major chunk of India's creator base, continue to struggle with payment delays and inconsistent work despite brands increasingly turning to them for regional outreach and festive campaigns.

According to a recent report by the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad and Hashfame, a brand-creator network platform, more than half of non-metro creators in 2025 were nano creators, defined as those with 1,000 to 10,000 followers. Another 28% were micro creators, with 10,000 to 100,000 followers. Together, they accounted for more than 80% of the non-metro creator base.

Industry experts say payment delays can be particularly challenging for regional-language, micro and nano creator...