From selling merchandise to sponsored posts, mega influencers on Instagram – people who have more than one million followers, can earn as much as $10,000–$1 million+ per post. They have big-name brands vying to work with them as that scale of followers has huge selling potential.
Biggest earners
According to Oberlo, Instagram’s annual revenue hit USD$61.1 billion in 2023. And it’s predicted to rise by another 16% by 2024. This revenue boom reflects its growing appeal worldwide, especially as TikTok faces scrutiny in the US and X loses followers.
As well as influencers, there are celebrities who have tapped into the potential of social media platforms to reach fans all over the world. Heading up the top five earners on Instagram for this year so far is footballer, Christiano Ronaldo, who purportedly makes as much as $3,234,000 per post. CNN reported last year that the Portuguese player has more than 600 million followers. And he’s not the only footballer on the list. In second place is Argentine Lionel Messi, who earns an estimated $2,597,000 per post.
In third position is actress Selena Gomez who has 429.7 million followers and is the most followed woman in the world. She makes an estimated average price per post of $2,558,000. Gomez is followed by model and influencer, Kylie Jenner, who allegedly charges $600,000 per post but often makes much more than this just from Instagram earnings.
In the number five spot is actor Dwayne Johnson or “The Rock”, who is claimed to make $2,326,000 per post and speaks to his followers about health and fitness.
Can Instagram help my business?
But how can mere mortals take advantage of Instagram and use it to build their business and reach? Brainz has canvassed its experts and here are a few articles to get you started in building your followers and maintaining your presence on Instagram:
The advantages are huge not least because Instagram boasts two billion active monthly users. As well as making money from advertising and direct sales, business-savvy users can also use the platform to reach out to people with their message. They can create a community on the platform, sharing their wisdom and offering their guidance.
They can also use features like Instagram Live to curate live events for their followers. In a world where geographical boundaries are playing less of a role, this can mean a global audience. But platforms like Instagram are also a chance to make professional connections worldwide and this can be invaluable.
