Instagram is the top social channel for influencer marketing with over 500,000 influencers. With over 2.3 billion active monthly users, the app allows visual content, which influencers turn into marketing opportunities for various products and services.
Celebrities from all corners of the entertainment world have learned to leverage the power of visual storytelling to connect with their fans. With millions of followers at their fingertips, these stars offer a glimpse into their lives, allowing us to join their journeys, achievements, and the causes they hold dear.
In this article, I dig into the Instagram profiles of the top 20 celebrities with the greatest followings.
From athletes to musicians, actors to fashion icons, I'll explore the lives and stories of these iconic figures. This article will shed light on what they're known for and the kind of content they create on Instagram.
Follow them, get inspired, and start your journey to becoming an influencer. If you run marketing campaigns for a brand with a huge budget, consider partnering with influencers from this niche for massive reach.
The Top 20 Instagram Influencers Compared
The top Instagram influencers shape trends, spark conversations, and keep their followers captivated. Here’s a quick comparison of their respective number of followers, the total number of likes, posts shared, and engagement rates.
| Influencer’s Name | Followers | Number of Posts | Number of Likes | Engagement Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 609 M | 3514 | 7701K | 1.30% |
| Leo Messi | 490 M | 1120 | 9488K | 2.01% |
| Selena Gomez | 430 M | 1941 | 8378K | 1.98% |
| Kylie Jenner | 399 M | 6884 | 2935K | 0.74% |
| Dwayne Johnson | 391 M | 7434 | 6768K | 0.18% |
| Ariana Grande | 380 M | 125 | 2956K | 0.79% |
| Kim Kardashian | 364 M | 5957 | 1871K | 0.52% |
| Beyonce | 318 M | 2232 | 11297K | 0.41% |
| Khloe Kardashian | 311 M | 4365 | 3211K | 0.10% |
| Kendall | 294 M | 562 | 4798K | 1.64% |
| Justin Bierber | 292 M | 7426 | 3058K | 1.05% |
| Taylor Swift | 275 M | 615 | 5497K | 2.07% |
| Virat Kholi | 261 M | 1659 | 2791K | 1.10% |
| Jennifer Lopez | 252 M | 773 | 809K | 0.33% |
| Nikki Minaj | 227 M | 6548 | 430k | 0.20% |
| Kourtney Kardashian | 224 M | 4505 | 1064K | 0.48% |
| Neymar Junior | 216 M | 5476 | 3506K | 1.67% |
| Miley Cyrus | 215 M | 1264 | 1111K | 0.53% |
| Katy Perry | 206 M | 2271 | 1686K | 0.08% |
| Zendaya | 185 M | 3497 | 5885K | 3.22% |
List of the Top 20 Most Famous Instagram Influencers Today
The landscape of Instagram content creators and influencers is dynamic and can change over time. Here we’ll discuss today’s notable Instagram influencers with a massive number of followers. Let’s see what each of them is known for:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 609M Instagram Followers
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram. He is a global icon because of his skills in professional football (soccer).
Ronaldo has played for top clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, and he's also one of the most vital players of the Portuguese national team. He is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, an award given to the best football player in the world every year.
Christiano mostly posts photos and videos of him in action on the soccer field, celebrating goals and showing his training routines. He also mildly shares content about his personal life, such as his family, travels, and charity work.
He is the highest-earning Instagram influencer, making $3.23 million for every sponsored post.
He works for numerous brands in men’s skincare, fragrances, crypto, hotels, sports betting, and more. He has worked for top brands such as:
- Binance
- LiveScore
- CLEAR Men
- Budweiser
- Nike
He usually creates promotion posts for these brands on Instagram and attracts millions of likes and thousands of comments. For instance, here’s a paid partnership post with Nike Football with over four million likes and over 15,000 comments.
2. Leo Messi – 490M Instagram Followers
Lionel Messi is another football legend and the second most followed individual on Instagram. He has won the Ballon d'Or award eight times, making him one of the most decorated footballers in history.
He shares highlights from his matches and his training routines. He also provides a glimpse into his personal life on Instagram. You can see photos and videos of his family, traveling and sharing special moments.
According to Statista, Messi makes $1.78 million per Instagram post. He promotes many brands across various industries. For example:
- Apple TV+
- Adidas
- Lays
- Bitget
- Gatorade
- Mastercard
- LOUIS VUITTON
Here’s an example of a promotion post for Lays with over 2 million likes in only 11 hours. The post has 19,000 comments.
3. Selena Gomez – 430M Instagram Followers
Selena Gomez is a famous singer, actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She's known for her acting roles in TV shows and movies and as an entrepreneur in the beauty industry with her brand, Rare Beauty.
On Instagram, Selena shares her life as a performer and her interests. She shares behind-the-scenes glimpses of her music and acting projects, as well as photos and videos from her concerts.
In addition to her professional life, she uses her platform to promote Rare Beauty with posts of her wearing cozy outfits from the brand or short makeup tutorials.
Selena also works for other top brands earning $1.74 million for every sponsored post. She has worked for brands such as:
- LOUIS VUITTON
- Pantene
- Verizon
- The Coca-Cola Company
- Puma
- adidas
Selena Gomez's most successful promotion has been with her brand, Rare Beauty. In posts about Rare Beauty, she talks a lot about mental health, which helps her connect with a younger audience.
She started a fund known as Rare Impact, which is aimed at destigmatizing mental health and providing resources to those in need.
4. Kylie Jenner – 399M Instagram Followers
Kylie Jenner is the youngest member of the famous Kardashian-Jenner family, known for the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “The Kardashians” on Hulu.
She was named one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the world by Forbes. She’s also the founder of Kylie Baby, a skin and hair care brand for babies.
Kylie used Instagram to popularize her lip kit, with her photos of plumped lips going viral and sparking the controversial “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge.” Her campaigns were very successful and the lip kit sold out within seconds of launch.
She mostly shares promotional content for her cosmetics line, showcasing new products and makeup looks. There are also a few random posts of her with her daughter, Stormi, and son, Aire Webster.
Kylie Jenner earns $1.84 million per Instagram paid-partnership post. She has worked for brands such as:
- Calvin Klein
- adidas
- Balmain
- SKIMS
Kylie's social media presence has been influential in setting beauty and fashion trends, especially among her young audience. She is a trendsetter, a successful entrepreneur, and a mega star in the beauty industry.
5. Dwayne Johnson – 391M Instagram Followers
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is a former professional wrestler turned Hollywood actor. He is known for his charismatic personality and action-packed roles in movies like “Fast & Furious,” “Jumanji,” and “San Andreas.”
Dwayne often shares workout videos, inspiring his followers with his dedication to fitness and personal growth. He also posts numerous short inspirational videos discussing various topics on self-improvement.
Besides motivation, he also posts heartwarming interactions with fans. He uses the platform to promote his businesses, such as Project Rock, his activewear brand, and Teremana, a brand of tequila.
Dwayne is one of the top-earning Instagram influencers, making over $1.7 million per Instagram post. He has worked with brands like:
- Under Armour
- Apple
- Ford
- Milk
The Rock also uses his platform to support charitable causes, such as raising money for children's hospitals and disaster relief efforts.
6. Ariana Grande – 380M Instagram Followers
Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress. She’s a two-time Grammy Award winner and has won MTV Music Video awards four times.
She does not post a lot on her Instagram account, despite her massive following. She mostly posts Stories, but every once in a while, she’ll post a photo or video on her main feed.
You'll find promotional posts for her music, such as snippets of live performances, studio performances, her getting hair and makeup done before a show, and glimpses into her personal life, sharing time spent with friends and pets.
She mostly shares stunning photos of herself in different makeup looks, showing her stunning facial features to promote her cosmetics brand, {r.e.m. beauty}.
Here’s a post she created to promote a new lip shade by her brand:
7. Kim Kardashian – 364M Instagram Followers
Kardashian rose to fame through the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” where she and her family allowed cameras to document their everyday lives. She's now known for her distinctive fashion sense and trendsetter capabilities.
Besides that, she’s an entrepreneur with business ventures in the beauty and fashion industries like SKIMS and SKKN BY KIM.
Kim's businesses have been highly successful because she understands the importance of going viral when marketing a product. She uses Instagram to build hype around her products before launch and has achieved immense wealth through these ventures.
Kim was once the most followed person on Instagram. She mostly promotes her businesses and offers a glimpse into her family life with her four children.
She also shares photos of her fashion choices, often wearing luxury designer outfits and images from high-profile events and red-carpet appearances.
In the past, Kim Kardashian has promoted brands such as:
- Balmain
- Balenciaga
- De Grisogono
- JetSmarter
She earns approximately $1.69 million per post.
However, Kim is now more focused on promoting her brands. She promotes posts of other influencers who have signed a deal with her SKIMS and SKKN BY KIM brand.
For instance, when SKIMS became the official underwear for the NBA, she filled her timeline and Stories with photos of various athletes wearing SKIMS garments.
8. Beyoncé – 318M Instagram Followers
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is one of the most awarded and celebrated artists in history, with 32 Grammys and numerous accolades.
Despite having over 300 million followers, Beyoncé only follows one person on Instagram — that’s her husband, Jay Z.
She started this trend where influencers would unfollow everyone on the platform. She also rarely captions her posts. However, she still gets thousands of likes and comments from her loyal fans.
Most of her posts showcase her performance videos and her outfits during and before her performances. She also promotes her brand, Ivy Park, and her new fragrance, Cé Noir by Beyoncé perfume.
Although Beyoncé is very influential, she’s very selective about the brands she promotes on Instagram. She charges $1.39 million per post and has worked with the following brands:
- PepsiCo
- H&M
- adidas
- L'Oréal Paris
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Giorgio Armani
9. Khloé Kardashian – 311M Instagram Followers
Khloé Kardashian is another member of the Kardashian-Jenner family, making it to the list of the 20 most popular influencers on Instagram.
She is celebrated for her entrepreneurial ventures including her jeans brand, “Good American,” and her weight loss reality show, “Revenge Body.”
Just like the other members of her family, she uses her Instagram account to promote her business — Good American. She also shares pictures of her fashionable outfits, her fitness journey, and her moments with her two children.
Khloé charges $1.39 million per Instagram post. She has worked for brands such as:
- Fabletics
- DIFF Eyewear
- Puma
- Protein World
Her brand deals are mostly related to working out and promoting healthy living. Perhaps this is because she has branded herself as a fitness-conscious influencer.
For example, here’s one of the posts she created for her partnership with Fabletics:
10. Justin Bieber – 292M Instagram Followers
Justin Bieber is a singer, songwriter, and musician who first gained recognition through his YouTube videos, showcasin his singing talent as a young teenager.
Justin's Instagram is a combination of his music career, personal life, and his relationship with his wife, Hailey Bieber. He shares snippets of his performances and makes announcements of new music releases.
Most of Justin’s posts showcase moments from his life, which mostly include his wife, Hayley, and his friends. His promotional posts are mainly for Rhode, his wife’s skincare company.
Justin has also partnered with other brands for sponsored posts. These brands include:
- Calvin Klein
- Proactiv
- adidas
- Nicole by OPI
- Schmidt’s Naturals
In 2021, Justine Bieber earned $4.43 million with only 13 Instagram posts.
11. Kendall – 294M Instagram Followers
Kendall Jenner is a popular American model and a member of the Kardashian Jenner Family. She has used her fame to build a highly successful career as a fashion model.
She is known for her relatively private and low-key personality compared to her family members. On Instagram, she mostly posts about her life as a high-fashion model.
She frequently shares photos from her glamorous photoshoots, runway appearances, and fashion collaborations with some of the world's top fashion brands, like:
- L'Oréal Paris
- CHANEL
- Balmain
- Victoria's Secret
Kendall Jenner launched her tequila brand, known as “818,” in 2021. She used Instagram to promote it, leading up to the launch and even now.
Here’s a promotional post for Calvin Klein by Kendall. The post has over four million likes and over 12,000 comments.
12. Taylor Swift – 275M Instagram Followers
Taylor Swift is one of the most awarded artists in the music industry, with 12 Grammy Awards, 14 MTV Video Music Awards, and more.
On Instagram, Taylor shares a lot about her music. She posts album covers, video teasers, concerts, and recordings of her in the studio. She also posts photos with friends occasionally.
According to Influencer Marketing Hub, she earns at least $418, 970 for every paid partnership on Instagram. She’s worked for brands such as:
- CoverGirl
- Sony Electronics
- The Coca-Cola Company
- AT&T
- Target
- KEDS
13. Virat Kohli – 261M Instagram Followers
Virat Kohli is a famous cricketer and former captain of the Indian national cricket team. He is considered one of the best modern-day batsmen.
Virat uses Instagram to provide his fans with an inside look at his cricketing career. He shares photos and videos from matches, practice sessions, and his time with the Indian cricket team.
Because of his fame, Virat is a brand advocate for many brands. You’ll find paid partnership posts where he’s promoting beverages, fitness gear, nutritional supplements, credit cards, and more.
Virat charges $1 million for each sponsored Instagram post. He has promoted brands like:
- Ocean Beverages
- Puma
- HSBC
- Duroflex
- Herbalife
- Vivo
As you scan through his Instagram account, you’ll notice that most of his posts are ads.
14. Jennifer Lopez – 252M Instagram Followers
Jennifer Lopez, mostly referred to as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress, dancer, and businesswoman. She is known for her stage performances, dance skills, and her influential presence in both music and film.
J.Lo is also an entrepreneur with her cosmetics brand, “JLo Beauty,” and “Delola,” which is a brand of bottled cocktails.
Jennifer often shares photos and videos from her music videos and concerts on Instagram, showcasing her dance moves and vocals. She also shares videos of her attending glamorous events with her husband, Ben Affleck, and sweet moments with her children.
J.Lo uses Instagram to promote her beauty brand with posts of her applying some of the products and showing her ageless beauty. She shows herself sharing different flavors of Delola on the poolside with friends or after rehearsal.
She endorses brands such as:
- Intimissimi
- Versace
- DSW
- Designer Parfums
Here’s an example of a subtle promotion post for her brand, Delola:
15. Kourtney Kardashian – 224M Instagram Followers
Kourtney Kardashian is the last of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters on this list of the top Instagram influencers.
On episodes of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Kourtney was seen as very conscious about eating healthy. She avoided eating unhealthy and using cosmetics with chemicals, and she gained like-minded fans.
She would share what she ate on Instagram, which would impress her following, many asking where to find these products.
She used her knowledge and resources to build her successful lifestyle brand, Poosh, which offers health and wellness tips and healthy recipes. She also has a supplements company known as Lemme Be.
Her Instagram presence reflects her family life, fashion sense, and her commitment to wellness.
As a Kardashian, Kourtney is also known for her fashion sense. She posts about fashion choices and wellness insights. She often shares photos of her stylish outfits, moments with her children, and glimpses into her world as a mother.
She has built a successful brand by promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle through her Instagram posts on fitness, skincare, and wellness routines.
While she mostly promotes Poosh and Lemme Be products, she has also partnered with brands like:
- boohoo
- Ulta Beauty
16. Nicki Minaj (Barbie) – 227M Instagram Followers
Nicki Minaj is a rapper, singer, and songwriter. She's a trailblazer in the male-dominated hip-hop industry and is an influential figure for female artists.
Nicki loves sharing photos and videos from her music videos, live performances, and studio sessions on Instagram. You'll also find posts showcasing her extravagant and unique fashion choices.
Nicki is very interactive with her fans, who are known as Barbs. She constantly hosts IG Lives, where she talks to her fans directly and answers their questions.
She once hired a Barb known as Sachin as her assistant during an IG Live session after she and her fans were impressed by his determination.
According to Forbes, Nicki makes $1,031,000 for every post she makes for a brand. She has worked with the following brands among many others:
- FENDI
- adidas
- MAC Cosmetics
- Apple
- BlueStacks
- TIDAL
Nicki recently created a Barbie Movie theme song with Ice Spice, which she promoted heavily on Instagram. The song went viral globally and helped build hype leading up to the movie premiere.
17. Miley Cyrus – 215M Instagram Followers
Miley Cyrus gained fame as a teen pop star with her role in the Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana” and her hit single “Party in the USA.” She is known for her distinct voice and her bold and rebellious stage presence.
Miley's Instagram profile showcases behind-the-scenes moments from her music videos and concerts. She also promotes her albums and singles.
She also shares posts that reflect her fashion style.
Miley charges between $340,000 to $500,000 per Instagram post. She has worked with brands like:
- GUCCI
- Disney Plus
- LOUIS VUITTON
- Dolce Glow
18. Neymar Junior – 216M Instagram Followers
Neymar Jr. is one of the most talented footballers in the world. He has played for top clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and is a part of the Brazilian national team.
He uses his Instagram account to share highlights from his matches, both with his club and the national team, showcasing his skills on the field.
Just like the other athletes on the list, Neymar is known for his high-profile endorsements with brands such as:
- Puma
- Blaze
- Red Bull
- SKIMS
- Vivo
He makes $600,000 per instagram sponsored post, garnering millions of likes. For instance, one of his posts promoting Puma got over 3 million likes.
19. Katy Perry – 206M Instagram Followers
Katy Perry is a globally recognized singer, songwriter, and television judge. She is known for her catchy pop songs, extravagant music videos, and her unique fashion sense.
On Instagram, Katy shares promotional content for her albums and music videos, often featuring vibrant and imaginative visuals. She also occasionally shares photos of her attending high-profile events with her partner, Orlando Bloom.
Katy has promoted various brands on Instagram with subtle promotional posts. For example:
- H&M
- Proactiv
- CoverGirl
- PepsiCo
- adidas
20. Zendaya – 185M Instagram Followers
Zendaya became a celebrity after starring in the Disney Channel series “Shake It Up.” She has since become a prominent figure in Hollywood with major roles in movies and TV shows.
She is a beauty trendsetter and has a fashion-forward style. Her Instagram feed is full of photos and videos from her acting projects, such as movie posters, promotions for premieres, and behind-the-scenes moments.
She has been recognized for her fashion influence and is often contracted to promote major brands such as:
- Bulgari
- LOUIS VUITTON
- Valentino
She charges $300,000 per Instagram sponsored post.
Top Instagram Influencers ー A Marketing Force That’s Here to Stay
Instagram is a solid marketing platform that gives you an opportunity to increase consumer engagement and generate leads and sales for your business.
These Instagram influencers have captivated audiences with their talents and personal stories, advocacy, and style. Each of these celebrities connects with their fans, inspires change, and makes money by promoting various brands.
Instagram continues to be a stage where more influencers, micro-influencers, and nano-influencers can serve businesses of all sizes and bring them closer than ever to their customers.
Which of these influencers inspires you? Or, who would you like to partner with? Let me know in a comment below.
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