THE TOP INFLUENCERS CAPTIVATING AUDIENCES ACROSS YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK & TWITTER
THE TOP INFLUENCERS CAPTIVATING AUDIENCES ACROSS YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK & TWITTER
UPDATE January 24, 2019 — Amassing a large following on one social media platform is an impressive feat in itself, but the ability to diversify across multiple social platforms enables influencers to reach a whole new level of success. Today’s top social media influencers connect with millions of fans through an increasingly wide array of mediums and formats. This enables brands the opportunity to amplify their influencer marketing campaigns and cross-promote through the vast networks influencers have built.
Whether through social posts, Stories, or videos, top social media influencers create and share new and innovative content practically every moment. And while new social media channels continue to emerge, like Twitch and TikTok, we’ve outlined the 25 most followed social media influencers across four primary platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. In total, the high-profile group has garnered more than 1 billion followers online (roughly 13.3% of the world’s total population).
1. PEWDIEPIE — 119.8 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, is a Swedish social media influencer. With a subscriber base of 80.6 million he is the most followed YouTuber of all time. He also entertains enormous audiences on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, reaching a total of nearly 120 million followers across the four platforms. He has amassed nearly 20 million more YouTube subscribers in just this year alone, a year-over-year growth rate that is unmatched by any other social media influencer.
Though he’s been criticized multiple times for creating inappropriate and insensitive content, the social media superstar maintains extreme popularity online and allegedly earns around $12 million each year. He has also leveraged his online fame to launch a limited edition apparel line.
2. WHINDERSSON NUNES — 77.2 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Actor, comedian, and social media star Whindersson Nunes is a man of many talents. The Brazilian influencer started his online career at the young age of 15 and has since grown an audience nearly one-fourth the size of his home country.
No matter the platform, Nunes is a jokester. He posts hilarious photos on Instagram and Facebook and takes to YouTube to publish music parodies. Unquestionably, his comedic nature has made for an easy transition to his work as a stand-up comedian and actor. His social media fan base collectively boasts over 77 million followers, up from 59 million followers the previous year.
3. LOGAN PAUL — 56 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Logan Paul started his online career on Vine and transitioned onto YouTube in 2015. Paul is unique in that he has diversified across social media platforms relatively evenly, maintaining equally large audiences on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
His videos typically infuse humor and surprise, a formula that has helped him amass a large and engaged fanbase. However, his content has been highly controversial, specifically in January 2018 when he made light of suicide in a YouTube vlog.
Paul has issued multiple apologies and continues to forge on in creating popular social content. He has also seen success as a conventional actor, with several gigs on mainstream television. Although Logan Paul still demands an enviable crowd, the top influencer’s follower count may be still suffering from his controversy; Logan kicked off 2019 with only 3 million followers more than the previous year.
4. EL RUBIUS — 61.7 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Ruben Gunderson is one of Spain’s most famous influencers and created the Spanish YouTube channel elrubiusOMG in 2011. On YouTube, the majority of his videos are gameplays, though he does occasionally post vlogs.
Gunderson expertly leverages different social media platforms for different purposes. His Instagram offers a sneak peek into his personal life, whereas his Twitter frequently features hilarious memes.
His accomplishments offline are significant as well. In addition to publishing an original book and a comic book series, he’s the recipient of several online awards.
5. DUDE PERFECT — 66.2 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Dude Perfect is a sports entertainment company started by five friends and former high school basketball players. The group rose to fame soon after publishing its first viral basketball trick shot video on YouTube back in 2009.
In the time since, Dude Perfect has become famous for showcasing tricks shot videos, competitions, and challenges of all types across social media. The group has also started an online merchandise store, its very own television series, and multiple mobile apps.
6. CAMERON DALLAS — 46.6 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Cameron Dallas now stars on the big screen in the Netflix reality show Chasing Cameron, but the 24-year-old actor from California got his start on a much smaller screen. Young, handsome, and charming, Dallas initially won the hearts of millions on YouTube and Vine.
Today, he has over 46 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where he continues to post humorous videos. Dallas is also a model and even launched an Aeropostale clothing line in 2014.
7. MARKIPLIER — 45.3 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Mark Fischbach, more popularly known as Markiplier, is one of the internet’s favorite video game players. His YouTube gaming channel is an endless supply of humor and gaming expertise. Whether through a Let’s Play video or animated parody, he consistently entertains.
While YouTube is his primary channel, he also posts regularly on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where he focuses less on gaming and more on his personal life. Fischbach is well known for funding and championing various charitable causes, including children’s rights and access to clean water. His entertaining nature and humor have brought him an impressive 5 million follower increase just this past year.
8. ZOELLA — 37.4 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Zoe Sugg—aka Zoella—is a fashion and beauty blogger from England. At the young age of 19, Sugg started a fashion blog that turned into a YouTube channel. She has since has garnered nearly 40 million fans across her social channels.
Over the course of her career, she’s done video collaborations with a plethora of other prominent influencers, including her boyfriend Alfie Deyes. Her candor and honesty with fans has arguably contributed to much of her success. Sugg regularly discusses anxiety and mental health in the context of her experiences across social platforms.
9. LELE PONS — 51.2 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Lele Pons loves getting a laugh out of her audience on social media, and while she may be the reigning skit queen of Instagram, her year-over-year growth shows she has what it takes to make it in any sector. Lele Pons managed to grow her fan base by an astonishing 14.2 million followers just within the past year. The 22-year-old Venezuelan-American frequently incorporates slapstick comedy into the practical jokes she films. On her largest social channel, Instagram, she regularly shares funny short-form video skits, fashion content, and pictures with friends.
Starting as a 16-year-old on Vine, Pons now has over 51 million followers across social media platforms and has starred in music videos, TV shows, and movies. She is also the author of a New York Times best-selling book and made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list two years in a row. Lele has now further concentrated on her music career, with one video generating over 10 million views in just 4 days.
10. LIZA KOSHY — 39.6 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Like many top influencers, Liza Koshy built her reputation as a hilarious actress and personality on Vine. She then shifted her focus to her YouTube channel, which now has over 16 million subscribers.
Koshy’s comedic precision has led to an impressive list of accomplishments, including an interview with President Obama. She also stars in the Hulu television series Freakish and the YouTube Red show Escape the Night. Across social media, Koshy is frequently seen alongside her group of influencer friends David Dobrik, Jason Nash, Corrina Kopf, and more.
11. JUANPA ZURITA — 41.2 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Juan Pablo “Juanpa” Zurita is a Mexican internet personality whose humorous Vine videos became famous in 2013. His first short video featuring his dog Paco quickly went viral, and the rest is history.
Nearly 400 million YouTube views later, he has successfully transitioned to other social media channels, where he frequently talks about his new career as a model and even campaigns to fight hunger in Africa.
Zurita has also proven that it’s possible to mesh a social media and traditional entertainment career. In 2017, he hosted MTV’s Millennial Awards with his good friend and fellow top influencer Lele Pons.
12. JAKE PAUL — 38.1 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
To his family, Jake Paul might just be Logan’s little brother, but to the world of social media, he’s a huge star. The 22-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio started his career on Vine and is now enjoying his celebrity status in the Southern California sunshine.
His sensationalist content, including a recent video in which he suspends a trampoline from a helicopter, has attracted an audience of 32 million fans on YouTube alone. He shares equally outrageous content on Instagram, his second largest social channel.
Paul displays noticeable entrepreneurial drive. He started Team 10, a group of young social media influencers who live together and frequently collaborate, as well as his own social media company and venture capital fund.
13. HUDA BEAUTY — 41.2 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Huda Kattan has more Instagram followers than any other top influencer on our list, with a whopping 31.8 million. The businesswoman and influencer combined her entrepreneurial background with a lifelong passion for makeup to create her own beauty business, Huda Beauty, in 2013. Since then, her makeup line has become one of the fastest growing beauty brands in the world.
Kattan originally started as a blogger but now uses all modes of social media to cover the latest beauty industry news. Her blogs, YouTube videos, and Instagram Stories offer beauty tips, ideas, and tutorials in various forms. In June of 2018, Huda Boss, a reality show series on Huda Kattan’s family, business, and personal life aired on Facebook Watch and has since become a huge success.
14. AMANDA CERNY — 36.1 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Amanda Cerny is more than just a pretty face. Her vivacious personality and sharp wit have helped her accrue online celebrity status. She is best known for her humorous skits, which she shares across all of her social platforms.
Amanda is also the face of GUESS Brand’s SS18 Activewear Collection, promoting it continuously by donning the brand’s attire in most of her videos. On Instagram alone, she maintains 19.7 million followers and uses the platform to share her exciting lifestyle. No stranger to business, Cerny is also in the midst of growing her own merchandise and supplement line.
15. CYPRIEN — 30.9 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Comedic genius Cyprien Lov—aka Monsieur Dream—is a French social media star who primarily uses YouTube to create short, funny videos. He lives in Paris and produces all of his content in French. His Francophone audience adores him; his YouTube channel alone has 12.8 billion subscribers.
Lov is also the creator of his very own online mobile app, which allows fans to view his videos and photoshop themselves into photos of Lov himself. As if that’s not enough, his other ventures include an original clothing line and a podcast series.
16. JENNA MARBLES — 31.1 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
The sixth female influencer on our list, Jenna Mourey, is a blogger, comedian, and actress most famous for her entertaining YouTube channel. Mourey is popularly known by her online alias, Jenna Marbles, an amalgamation of her and her dog Marbles’ first names.
With almost 20 million subscribers, she maintains the most subscribers of any American female YouTuber. Many of her jokes poke fun at gender stereotypes and relationships, presenting a hilarious perspective on everyday experiences. Interestingly, Mourey is the first social media star to ever have a wax figure of themselves displayed in New York City’s Madame Tussauds museum.
17. LILLY SINGH — 31.4 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Lily Singh does it all. She writes books, acts on camera, creates humorous Instagram videos, and runs the popular YouTube channel IISuperwomanII. The Canadian superstar is one of the most powerful women on the internet. Singh ranked first in the entertainment category on the 2017 Forbes Top Influencers List and continues to publish videos for her almost 15 million subscribers. Like any superhero, Singh leverages her powers for good and became a Unicef ambassador in 2017.
Singh made headlines in November of 2018 when she announced she would be taking a break from YouTube to recharge her creative energy and focus on her mental health. While the announcement was met with tremendous support by her fandom, her YouTube presence remains quite active with Singh releasing a sponsored video with Olay to kick off 2019.
18. KING BACH — 31.5 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Andrew Bachelor, popularly known by his online alias King Bach, is an actor and social media influencer. Originally from Canada, King Bach moved to Florida as a child, and then to Hollywood to study improv at The Groundlings, a famous comedy group.
His exuberant personality earned him the title of most-followed Viner in 2015, and while Vine disappeared, Bachelor’s celebrity status has only grown. He exhibits a particular propensity towards video and maintains two YouTube channels: BachelorsPadTv and Bach Vlogs. Bachelor also boasts roles in The Mindy Project and Punk’d, among other TV shows and movies.
19. ZACH KING — 28 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Zach King is an internet personality best known for performing digital magic. Using clever editing tricks, King captivates his audience of over 28 million across social media. His one of a kind editing skills, combined with his creativity and personality, have helped him gain popularity and even partner with brands to create TV commercials.
King has also used his online success to launch a trilogy of fictional books following Zach, a middle schooler with magical powers, as he navigates the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
20. ROMAN ATWOOD — 25.1 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Roman Atwood is a YouTube comedy veteran and a prank genius. For one prank, Atwood converted his house into a ball pit, and Nissan bought his video to use in a 2015 Super Bowl commercial.
He is best known for his channel RomanAtwoodVlogs, where he documents his day-to-day life, but has as many subscribers on his secondary account, RomanAtwood, which is solely dedicated to pranks. He also entertains millions on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where he often shares images of his family.
21. TYLER OAKLEY — 22.6 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Tyler Oakley is revered both online and offline for championing the LGBTQ community. He’s largely dedicated his online career to promoting social issues, including education, healthcare, and LGBTQ rights. Oakley also shows a particular knack for interviewing and has worked with Ellen Degeneres and Michelle Obama.
Oakley’s YouTube channel has almost 8 million subscribers, and his Twitter and Instagram are close behind with around 6 million followers each. No matter the platform, he brings an outgoing personality and continuous positivity to fans, two characteristics that have helped him build an online empire.
22. MIRANDA SINGS — 19.6 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Unlike many online creators who take to the internet to share their personal lives, Colleen Ballinger has taken an untraditional approach to her career as a social media influencer. She created the fictional character Miranda Sings and quickly charmed the internet with quirky videos and Miranda’s famous catchphrase, “Haters back off.”
Ballinger now runs two YouTube channels, one for her character, Miranda, and one for herself. Her equally hilarious Instagram page draws in almost 7 million fans, and she also posts regularly on Facebook and Twitter. Her comedic prowess has led to talk show appearances, television shows, and even her own live comedy tour.
23. MICHELLE PHAN — 14.9 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Michelle Phan’s accomplishments stretch across mediums and industries. Best known for her beauty expertise, she started her own makeup company Ipsy, launched a YouTube MCN called FAWN, and has written a book.
Across social media, Phan publishes makeup advice and tutorials for her almost 15 million fans. She started her beauty blog in 2005 and ventured onto YouTube in 2007. Since then, she has won and been nominated for a number of awards, including Teen Choice Award for Web Star: Fashion/Beauty.
24. CASEY NEISTAT — 17 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Casey Neistat’s first viral video was a public service announcement denouncing poor performing iPod batteries. The now-famous filmmaker’s creativity and skill behind (and in front of) the camera have earned him over 17 million total followers across his social media channels. In 2012, he made headlines when while filming a commercial for Nike he decided to instead use all of the ad money for a 10-day globe trot around the world with his friend. His refreshing take on cinematography and his onscreen, offbeat personality attract him to top brands across all verticals.
His YouTube channel is filled with exciting short films about his adventures and artistic projects. He’s also a retired daily vlogger and made headlines when he sold his company Beme to CNN for $25 million.
25. DESTORM POWER — 12.3 MILLION TOTAL FOLLOWERS
Rounding out our list of top social media influencers is DeStorm Power, an American musician, comedian, and internet personality. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Power is most famous for creating a web series titled Caught, in which his “side-chick” and his friends get in the way of his relationship with his girlfriend.
He primarily uses Twitter and Instagram to keep fans entertained with hilarious messages and jokes. Conversely, YouTube and Facebook are home to Caught content. Talk of a second season keeps his more than 12 million followers waiting for more.
