Top Instagram Influencers by Industry
Kylie Jenner is known for charging around 1 million (and climbing) for a sponsored post. More people than just the famous Kylie Jenner are getting paid to post content on Instagram.
Ordinary moms, wives, fitness enthusiasts and globe-trotters are looking for ways to grow their followers and become an Instagram Influencer.
Whether you’re interested in becoming the next big influencer (and here’s how you can get started) or if you’re a brand looking for your next big brand advocate, read on to see the top Instagram influencers.
We’ve broken down the top influencers by industry, because there are so many famous influencers on Instagram these days.
Fitness:
Michelle Lewin: @michelle_lewin
With 13.2 Million followers, Michelle Lewin is one of the most popular Instagram fitness models. She launched her own FitPlan which is full of trainers, meal plans and plans to keep users on track to hit their fitness goals.
Michelle Lewin’s Instagram has become a place for her to showcase her model photos and to prove her authenticity with trainer tips.
Kayla Itsines @Kayla_Itsines
Next on our list is Kayla Itsines, a fitness instructor from Australia. Kayla has 10.5 Million followers. Her claim to fame is started as a fitness program, and she now has several successful apps.
Kayla Itsines travels all over the country to promote her brand and her fitness plans. Although brands won’t be able to hire her for promotional purposes (without a heavy price tag) she might make a great partnership.
Jen Setler @jensetler
Jen Setler is most known for her booty. Yup, that’s right. Jen travels often and posts fitness tips but her booty is her trademark.
Jen’s 12.5 Million followers enjoy her beautiful photos and also occasionally get tricked with a completely organic looking ad. I mean, it’s completely natural for Jen to tie her shoes, right?
Rachel Brathen: @yoga_girl
Like the other fitness influencers on our list, Rachel’s Instagram is full of beautiful photos for her 2.1 million followers.
Rachel started more than just a blog, but a yoga movement. Her fitness movement includes yoga retreats, yoga tips and a charity to help women and children who have suffered the consequences of trauma, injustice and poverty.
Fashion:
Kylie Jenner: @kyliejenner
We’ve talked about Kylie Jenner before, and we’ll talk about her again. Because, well she has 120 million followers. Kylie is (and will be for a while) on our list of top influencers because she actually has a great marketing tactic. From her Instagram stories to her custom lipstick filter everyone wants to follow Kylie Jenner, or they suffer from serious FOMO.
Kylie was born with her fame, and for all of you aspiring Instagram influencers out there, it will be near impossible to follow in her footsteps. But you can adopt some of her strategies and tactics.
With her popular makeup line, Kylie spends a lot of time advertising for herself, but she will occasionally post an ad.
Chiara Ferragni: @chiaraferragni
In 2017, Chiara was ranked first in Forbes list of most powerful fashion influencers. Chiara is an Italian fashion enthusiast who often works with big brands like Pantene on her blog.
If you’re an aspiring Instagram influencer, Chiara is definitely the one to follow. She rose to fame from her blog The Blonde Salad, where she originally posted wild prints, and fashion tips.
Originally starting as a blogger, Chiara now has made a business for herself, bringing in thousands of dollars per post.
In this article Chiara said “I started as a blogger but it’s not so much that any more, I do so much more,” she says. “I create an inspirational platform. We do so much on the e-commerce side, the projects, the management. But most of‑the revenue still comes from projects related to me.”
Chiara is definitely the Cinderella story of Instagram influencers, since she wasn’t born into it like Kylie Jenner, but instead she used her skills in business and perfect selfies to claim her own fame.
Julie Sarinana: @sincerelyjules
Julie is worth around $10,000 per Instagram post and has 5 million followers. Originally a fashion blogger, Julie first found fame with her blog Sincerely Jules. She started this blog before Instagram influencers were even a thing, and even before Instagram was a thing.
Although her blog has changed and she’s become an Instagram Influencer, Julie’s style has remained the same, and her Instagram is filled with beautiful style and beautiful travel pics.
Chriselle Lim: @chrisellelim
With 1.1 Million followers, Chriselle Lim is one of the fashion/beauty influencers to follow or promote your brand. She is a mother, wife and blogger. On her Instagram, followers get to see how to use different products, her reviews of products and best of all, product giveaways.
To brands, Chriselle is a dream influencer. She promotes big brands (like when she promoted Samsung’s refrigerator) to smaller beauty brands. Plus, she does free product giveaways, which is a great marketing strategy.
Beauty
Huda Kattan: @hudabeauty
Huda Kattan has an Instagram following equivalent to almost 10 times the population of Dubai, at 29.9 million followers (hurry up and make it to 30 mil!)
Known as a beauty icon, Huda Kattan founded HudaBeaty, an empire founded in 2013 and now has eyelashes, lipsticks and highlighter palettes.
In 2017, Huda Kattan made Instagram’s Rich List, a list of people who make top dollar as Instagram influencers. At the time, the Dubai influencer was at the top of the list, making AED 66,000 for each post (that’s around $18,000 US dollars).
Around the same time, Huda was also announces as one of Time Magazine’s 25 most influential people on the internet next to Kim Kardashian West.
Sorry brands, although Huda Kattan is more affordable than Kendall Jenner, she doesn’t do sponsored posts often.
Nikkie De Jager: @Nikkietutorials
Nikkie Gained popularity in 2015. Originally a YouTuber, Nikkie’s Instagram now has 11.4 million followers and is dramatic, and creative. Her Instagram often features artistic makeup tutorials (like rainbow eyebrows and full-face clowns and grinches),
If you scroll through Nikkie’s Instagram, you’ll see intense makeup transitions, something Nikkie is known-well for.
The best way to use Nikkie as an influencer is to get your makeup product in her hands for one of her funny videos.
Home Improvement:
Joanna Gaines @joannagaines
Known for starring in the HGTV show “Fixer Upper” Joanna Gaines has gained a popular Instagram presence of 9.3 million followers.
Joanna’s Instagram is full of design ideas. But most importantly, her Instagram feels “real”. The biggest drawback of being an Instagram influencer is constantly posting the highlights of your life, instead of real life.
If you’re a brand, getting Joanna to use your products in her house, or while she finishes special DIY products, would be the dream. If you’re an inspiring DIY or home improvement influencer, follow Joanna and take note of how she runs her page.
All of these influencers have tactics to maintaining and growing their Instagram accounts. Some of these influencers (and lots of other smaller influencers we didn’t mention today) rely on their accounts for income from sponsors.
At Upleap, we suggest following these top influencers, and adopting some of their tactics to your own pages. If you still need help reaching your goals with your Instagram account, contact us today to be matched with one of our account managers.
