As a consultant helping small and medium-sized businesses grow through digital marketing, I‘m often asked – just how many influencers are there on Instagram these days?
It‘s a key question when determining influencer marketing strategies and budgets. While concrete numbers are elusive, we can piece together data from industry reports for an estimated range.
Defining an Instagram Influencer
First, let‘s level-set on what makes someone an "influencer." For this article, we‘ll define an influencer as an individual who:
- Has over 1,000 followers (typically 10,000+)
- Creates sponsored content for brands
- Uses their platform to promote products, services, causes
So influencers leverage their audience reach and engagement to drive awareness, interest and conversions for partner brands. They come in all shapes and sizes, from nano to mega.
Current Estimates of Instagram Influencer Population
Industry research helps ballpark the size of Instagram‘s influencer ecosystem in 2024:
- Klear estimates there are over 100,000 influencers with 100,000+ followers
- Around 500,000 accounts have 15,000+ followers
- Between 2-5 million Instagram users have 1,000 to 100,000 followers
Piecing together these data points, it‘s reasonable to estimate there are 1-2 million Instagram influencers globally. This includes nano to mega influencers who create sponsored content.
To put this in context, Instagram has 1.6 billion monthly active users. So approximately 0.1% of the user base are considered influencers. It‘s an exclusive group, but also a massive opportunity for brands.
Breakdown of Follower Counts
Follower count is a key metric determining the type of influencer:
Nano Influencers
- Followers: 1,000 – 10,000
- Example: @tasty.california – 7,600 followers
Nano influencers make up the largest group, with approximately 1.5 million accounts. Their high engagement rates often appeal to niche and local brands.
Micro Influencers
- Followers: 10,000 – 50,000
- Example: @lexiebakery – 33,000 followers
There are around 450,000 micro influencers on Instagram. Their more targeted audience can efficiently drive conversions.
Mid-tier Influencers
- Followers: 50,000 – 500,000
- Example: @classwithkass – 242,000 followers
With an estimated 75,000 accounts, mid-tier influencers balance audience size with engagement.
Macro Influencers
- Followers: 500,000 – 1 million
- Example: @danielwellington – 660,000 followers
Approximately 12,500 macro influencers have sizable, dedicated audiences.
Mega Influencers
- Followers: 1 million+
- Example: @kimkardashian – 330 million followers
Despite only around 25,000 accounts, mega influencers have unmatched scale and celebrity status.
Choosing the Right Tier for Your Brand
With this full breakdown, you can better identify the right influencer tier based on your budget, niche, and campaign goals:
| Tier | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Nano | High engagement, affordable | Niche audiences |
| Micro | Good ROI, strong conversions | Less reach |
| Mid | Balanced reach + engagement | Higher costs |
| Macro | Broad awareness | Less authentic |
| Mega | Massive scale, high-status | Very expensive |
As you can see, each tier has unique advantages and drawbacks when selecting influencer partners. A mix across tiers is often ideal.
The Takeaway
While concrete influencer numbers are impossible to pinpoint, expert projections estimate between 1-2 million Instagram influencers globally in 2024. This influential group will only continue growing.
As a small business owner, you now have a data-backed sense of the Instagram influencer landscape. Let‘s connect to explore influencer marketing strategies tailored for your brand and budget!
