Top Influencers to Follow for Inspiration and Insights

Do you know who the top influencers on social media are? If not, you’re in for a surprise! In this article, we’ll reveal the top influencers regardless of social media platform.

These individuals have mastered the art of using social media to build their brands and influence others. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

What Makes a Good Influencer for Influencer Marketing Campaigns?

When looking for a social media influencer to work with on your influencer marketing campaign, it’s important to consider a few key factors. Here are five qualities of a successful influencer:

• Large social media following. These influencers have the social media skills to grow a large following who hangs on their every word.
• Relevance to your audience. The influencer’s followers should match up with your target audience.
• Authenticity. Influencers with a genuine interest in your product or service are more likely to produce quality content and have a positive impact on your brand.
• Audience engagement. The influencer should be able to produce content that elicits comments, likes, and shares from their followers.
• Positive reputation. You don’t want to work with an influencer who has a history of negative or controversial posts.

• READ MORE: What’s an Influencer?

Types of Influencer

To better understand the world of social media influencers, this table breaks down various influencer types, highlighting their key characteristics and the unique appeal they offer to different audiences and brands.

Who Is the Most Popular Influencer on Social Media Platforms?

Cristiano Ronaldo, with a massive following on his social media accounts, is the most popular influencer in the world with over 493 million followers.

His status as a professional soccer player for Manchester United enhances his impact on platforms like Instagram, where his posts engage millions of fans around the world.

Ronaldo’s widespread appeal is not just limited to sports fans; his lifestyle, fashion sense, and philanthropic activities also contribute to his immense popularity.

This broad appeal makes him an ideal influencer, as he connects with a diverse audience that spans sports enthusiasts, fashion followers, and those inspired by his charitable endeavors.

The statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Madeira, Portugal, is known for its prominence and unique depiction of the famous soccer player.

Unveiled in 2014 in Ronaldo’s hometown of Funchal, the statue has gained attention not only for celebrating the star athlete’s achievements but also for its artistic interpretation, particularly its exaggerated portrayal of certain physical features!

Our Methodology: How We Identified the Top Influencers on Social Media

In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of social media, influencers play a crucial role in shaping trends, opinions, and purchasing decisions.

Our methodology for identifying the top influencers on social media is centered around a range of metrics and qualitative factors that highlight their impact and reach:

Follower Count and Engagement Rate (10/10)

We prioritize influencers with a large follower base and high engagement rates, as these metrics typically indicate a strong influence and active audience interaction.

Content Quality and Relevance (9/10)

The quality, creativity, and relevance of the content are crucial. We focus on influencers who consistently produce compelling and relatable content for their audience.

Niche Authority and Expertise (9/10)

Influencers who are considered authorities or experts in their specific niches, whether it’s fashion, technology, fitness, or any other field, are highly valued for their specialized insights.

Consistency and Presence Across Platforms (8/10)

Consistent posting and maintaining a regular presence across various social media platforms increase an influencer’s reach and effectiveness.

Brand Partnerships and Collaborations (8/10)

The number and quality of brand partnerships and collaborations are indicators of the influencer’s marketability and trustworthiness in the eyes of businesses.

Audience Growth and Trends (7/10)

We analyze the growth trends of the influencer’s audience over time, considering both the rate of growth and the demographics of their followers.

Authenticity and Credibility (7/10)

Authenticity in content creation and a credible reputation are essential for maintaining a loyal and engaged audience.

Innovative and Trendsetting Abilities (6/10)

The ability to set or predict trends or introduce innovative concepts is a significant factor, reflecting the influencer’s leadership in the social media landscape.

Industry Recognition and Awards (6/10)

Recognition by the industry, including awards and featured articles, is a testament to the influencer’s impact and status.

Cross-Industry Influence (6/10)

Influencers who impact multiple industries or sectors, transcending their primary niche, are particularly noteworthy.

Our approach to identifying the top influencers on social media focuses on individuals who possess not only a substantial following and high engagement but also showcase quality content, credibility, and a positive influence.

We aim to recognize influencers who are leaders in their fields and have a substantial influence on their audiences, brands, and broader social media trends.

Top Instagram Influencers

Let’s start our top Instagram influencers list by checking out the most influential Instagram accounts, after Cristiano Ronaldo.

Kylie Jenner

@kyliejenner is first on our list of top Instagram influencers, with a staggering 372 million followers. Kylie is a model, reality TV star, and entrepreneur who has parlayed her fame into a successful cosmetics line.

Lionel Messi

@leomessi comes in with 370 million Instagram followers of his own. He is a professional soccer player and is considered one of the best players in the world.

Selena Gomez

@selenagomez is a pop singer and actress with over 353 million Instagram followers. She is ahead of @therock by about 9 million followers.

Top Mom Influencers

Now let’s take a look at the top mom influencers. These are moms who have managed to turn their everyday lives into successful businesses becoming popular influencers.

Tammy Hembrow

@tammyhembrow has 15.8 million followers and really became popular after she posted pictures of her body transformation after giving birth. She inspired Khloe Kardashian and millions of mothers around the world.

Savannah Labrant

@sav.labrant became popular on social media due to her impressive photography skills. She has over 7.2 million followers on Instagram alone and can also be found on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

Katie Stauffer

@kcstauffer gained her popularity and 3.2 million followers on social media because of her creative photography and really funny videos. She also discusses the daily life of a mom.

Top Travel Influencers

If you are a travel blogger or work in the travel industry, you’ll definitely want to explore these top influencers in the travel space.

Chris Burkard

@chrisburkard is a travel influencer and professional photographer, speaker, and filmmaker who has 3.9 million followers. He focuses most on lifestyle and nature photography.

Murad Osmann

@muradosmann is famous for starting the “follow me” travel shot, which went viral and helped him gain a lot of his 3.5 million followers. He likes to take photographs of exotic locations.

Lauren Bullen

@gypsea_lust has a travel Instagram account with 2.1 million followers focusing on wellness travel adventures. She is also the co-founder of the Tone Studio app.

Top Health Influencers

Let’s jump into our next category of top influencers and check out three of the most influential social media health accounts.

Michelle Lewin

@michelle_lewin is a top health influencer and model with over 15 million followers. She has her own fitness product line and posts workouts and healthy food content across multiple social media platforms.

Kayla Itsines

@kayla_itsines is the Sweat app co-founder and head trainer with a social media follower count of 15.2 million followers, making it one of the most popular fitness profiles.

Tieghan Gerard

Tieghan Gerard is behind Half Baked Harvest (@halfbakedharvest) and has 4.8 million followers. She posts delicious whole-food recipes and photographs across her blog and social media accounts.

• READ MORE: What is Cameo?

Top LinkedIn Influencers

When most people think of social media influencers, LinkedIn isn’t usually the platform people first think about. However, these three accounts have some of the largest followings on the platform.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is the Co-Founder of Microsoft and is one of the most followed people on LinkedIn with over 36 million followers. He posts about a variety of topics from technology to philanthropy.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group and has over 20 million followers on LinkedIn. He posts about business, leadership, and social issues.

Jeff Weiner

Jeff Weiner is the CEO of LinkedIn and has over 11 million followers on the platform. He posts about business, technology, and the future of work.

Top Beauty and Fashion Influencers

Introducing our top picks for beauty and fashion influencers. If you’re a fashion blogger, you’ll want to pay attention to the fashion and lifestyle content these beauty influencers share.

Cole Sprouse

@colesprouse is a fashion and lifestyle influencer on Instagram, boasting 35.6 million followers. In addition to his social media presence, he is a recognized actor and photographer, famous for his role in Cody on the Disney Channel.

Chiara Ferragni

@chiaraferragni is an Italian businesswoman who has 28.1 million followers. She is also a blogger and fashion designer and has The Ferragnez series streaming on Amazon Prime.

James Charles

James Charles is a makeup artist with a very popular YouTube channel. His channel currently has 23.8 million subscribers, which he started by posting makeup tutorials. He has won several awards for his work.

Top Lifestyle Influencers

Are you an aspiring lifestyle influencer? Then, you may want to study these top influencers and learn from their success.

Julie Sariñana

@sincerelyjules is a top lifestyle influencer with 7.1 million followers. She is the founder of Color Department, which offers clean, cruelty-free, and non-toxic nail polish.

Lauren Katherine Conrad

@laurenconrad is a lifestyle influencer with 5.9 million followers, designer, and co-founder of The Little Market, which is a non-profit organization looking to help individuals in underserved communities.

Shonda Wagner

@shonda1020 shares fitness, food, and her lifestyle with her 2.1 million Instagram followers. She also has two additional accounts where she shares workouts and recipes, as well as her blog and YouTube channel.

Top YouTube Influencers

If you’ve been wanting to start your own YouTube channel, then you’ll definitely want to check out these popular YouTubers.

T-Series

T-Series was founded by Gulshan Kumar and is the top movie studio and music label in India. This channel has over 228 million subscribers and shares Bollywood and Indi-pop music videos.

PewDiePie

PewDiePie, aka Felix Kjellberg, is a Swedish YouTuber with more than 111 million subscribers. Felix shares funny videos of current events, meme roundups, and even some gaming content, which is how his channel began.

Kids Diana Show

Kids Diana Show, featuring Diana from Ukraine, boasts 102 million subscribers. This channel produces content designed for children and ranks among the top influencers in the realm of kids’ YouTube channels.

Top Fitness Influencers

Interested in fitness? Then you may want to check out these top fitness influencers!

Sommer Ray

@sommerray is a former competitive bodybuilder and founder of IMARAÏS BEAUTY, which offers plant-based and sugar-free skin care gummies. She has over 26.8 million followers on Instagram.

Hannah Stocking

@hannahstocking is one of the top fitness influencers with over 23 million followers. She mentions on her Instagram that she has both a degree in biology and chemistry.

Jennifer Selter

@jenselter is a fitness influencer out of South Florida and has over 13.5 million followers. She shares bodybuilding tips, short workouts, lifestyle pictures, and delicious-looking food photos.

Top TikTok Influencers

TikTok may be a new social media platform, but it’s already become popular with influencers. If you’re looking to get started on TikTok, then you may want to check out these top influencers.

Loren Gray

@lorengray is a singer who shares dancing and lip-syncing videos with her 54.5 million followers on TikTok. She was featured in a Taylor Swift music video and landed several partnerships with large companies like Revlon, Skechers, and Hyundai.

Charli D’Amelio

With over 148.4 million followers, @charlidamelio is one of TikTok’s biggest stars. She grew her channel at a record pace in 2019 by sharing dance videos that became popular.

Khabane Lame

The last on the list, but certainly not least, on our list is @khaby.lame. He grew his TikTok account to a jaw-dropping 151.3 million followers, sharing hilarious and entertaining video reactions.

How Do Brands Choose From the Top Social Media Influencers?

Brands often carefully consider a variety of factors when choosing a brand ambassador from the top social media influencers.

These factors include their personal brand and following on various social media channels (such as Instagram, YouTube, and a personal blog), level of engagement with their audience, fit with the brand’s image and values, and potential ROI for the partnership.

Also, brands assess the authenticity of the influencer, the consistency of their content, and the alignment of their values with the brand’s mission. Another crucial aspect is the demographic and geographic reach of the influencer, as brands seek to target specific markets.

Ultimately, brands want to select an influencer who will effectively promote their products or services to their targeted audience, creating a mutually beneficial partnership that boosts brand awareness and drives sales.

Image: Depositphotos

This article, "Top Influencers to Follow for Inspiration and Insights" was first published on Small Business Trends