The Biggest Influencers

Hopper HQ has released data showing the top individuals who earn the most per post on Instagram. I'm glad to say the list is not just dominated by the Kardashian clan, but it's a fair mix of self-starters.

The person with the most sway is Cristiano Ronaldo with over 400 million followers, raking in an average of $2.4 million per post, while Lionel Messi only commands an average of $1.78 million. I guess that settles the GOAT debate.

The sad news for your average influencer is that for all the dollars made on Instagram, this top 10 list makes over 80% of the income. That's because it's much easier for brands to pay that person once and reach a broader audience in one go than spreading it across many smaller influencers.

However, what brands should be thinking about is the fragility that comes with relying too much on one person. Remember when Cristiano Ronald moved two bottles of Coke out of shot during a pre-game interview last year and $4 billion was wiped out of Coca-Cola's market value? The only way to control for this is to support smaller influencers.

You will find more infographics at Statista