Cristiano Ronaldo Tops Instagram’s Rich List
Instagram's large user base and wide reach made it a platform where people can observe the current state of the world. Who is winning the election? How does society treat LGBTQIA+ members today? All of this and many other questions can be answered by looking at and analyzing Instagram posts.
The 2021 Instagram Rich List
Since 2017, UK-based company Hopper HQ has been publishing the Instagram rich list. Hopper HQ is a firm that runs social media accounts on behalf of companies and individuals.
The purpose of this list is not only so people can admire the success of these people. Instead, it highlights the current scene in influencer marketing. Through the top-ranking people, we can see what the current trends are. As a result, influencers will be able to see and pick up ideas on how to be better at their job.
Furthermore, it helps brands and advertisers learn how much they would need to pay a certain person. The list lets them identify the cost and adjust accordingly.
Here is how the individuals are ranked. Hopper HQ analyzes internal and publicly available data to reveal a list of the highest-paid celebrities and influencers on Instagram. Included in the factors that are considered is how active they are in the platform. Aside from that, the analysis looks at the average engagement gained by the person's posts. Furthermore, it looks at industry variables and the number of the celebrity or influencer's followers.
Mike Bandar, a co-founder of Hopper HQ, says that Covid-19 continues to impact all our lives. However, Instagram appears to be one of the few places not negatively affected by the pandemic. He adds that with people using the app more than ever before, some could say it was inevitable earnings would peak this year. And it did.
Athlete On The Summit
Ranking at first place this year is football superstar Christiano Ronaldo. This is a huge milestone for the athlete. For years, he had consistently hovered in the top five but has never taken the top spot. Now, that record has come to an end as he beat “The Rock,” Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner, and other top contenders.
The athlete is estimated to make more than $40 M off Instagram annually. That huge sum is more than his salary as a player at the Italian Serie A club Juventus.
According to social media marketing firm Hopper HQ, Ronaldo can charge any advertiser a whopping $1.6 M. No, that is not per partnership; that is per post! That is 54% more than the estimated cost for one of his Instagram posts last year.
Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram. He has a total of 308 million Instagram followers. When combined with his Facebook and Twitter following, Ronaldo boasts a total of more than 550 million followers. To reach and persuade them to buy a product, is it worth paying him that much? Probably, yes.
It has been cited that what Ronaldo did in a conference during the Euro 2020 contributed to his presence skyrocketing. At a press conference before Portugal's Euro 2020 opener against Hungary, Ronaldo removed two bottles of Coca-Cola in front of him. He advised the viewers to drink water instead. Because of this action, he became the headline of the news.
If we learn anything from this, it is one thing. People still look up to people who inspire them to become a better version of themselves.
Others Who Made It On The List
Dwayne Johnson
Also known as “The Rock,” Dwayne Johnson is an American actor, producer, and retired professional wrestler. Nowadays, he stars in the box office hit “Fast and Furious” film franchise.
Last year, Johnson was crowned as the highest-paid actor for earning an estimated $87.5m, according to Forbes. He also topped Instagram's rich list. He had 187 million followers and made an average of $1,015,000 per post. Now, because of the pandemic, that value increased by half a million dollars.
Johnson coming on top last year was also a monumental moment. It was the first time in two years a Kardashian or Jenner ranked first place.
Lionel Messi
The only other athlete on the list is no other than Ronaldo's arch-rival Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who captained La Liga club Barcelona from 2018 to 2021. He also captains the Argentina national team. Currently, Messi is a free agent after his Barcelona contract expired.
Messi is widely regarded as the best player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time. He has won a record six Ballon d'Or awards. With his reputation comes a number of supporters and social media followers. Last year, he almost made it into the top ten, ranking in 11th place. This year, Messi makes it into the list, leapfrogging singers Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.
Messi has 224 million Instagram followers and can charge up to $1.1 M per post.
Dominated by Females Buying Followers
While two males hold the top two spots, the list is dominated by females. Six out of the ten influencers on the top 10 are female. This aligns up with estimates that females buy the most Instagram followers for a variety of reasons.
Singer Ariana Grande is the highest-ranking one among them. She surpassed even the two-time first-placer Kendal Jenner. Ariana Grande has 250 million followers and is estimated to earn $1.51 M per Instagram post.
Speaking of the two-time top 1 placer Kylie Jenner, she now sits at fourth place. Jenner won the title in the years 2018 and 2019. But, after the controversies regarding her billionaire status, she earned less than before. Still, she is a person with a wide reach. With her 244 million followers, Jenner is estimated to make $1.49m per post.
Of course, if Kylie is here, so is her sister Kendall. Kendall Jenner has 172 million followers. She is estimated to make $1.05 M per Instagram post.
Kim Kardashian places four spots above Kylie Jenner with 232 million followers and earning $1.41 M per post.
Here is a complete list of the top 10 in order:
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Dwayne Johnson
- Ariana Grande
- Kylie Jenner
- Selena Gomez
- Kim Kardashian
- Lionel Mess
- Beyonce Knowles
- Justin Bieber
- Kendall Jenner
Date: September 15, 2021 / Categories: Interesting, / Author: Joy P
