Influencers have become an integral part of marketing and brand building in the digital age. With millions of followers across social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, influencers have the power to shape opinions and drive trends, especially among young audiences.
India, with its massive youth population and fast growing digital connectivity, has seen the rise of numerous influencers across genres like fashion, lifestyle, food, travel, technology etc. The Indian influencer marketing industry is estimated to be worth $75-150 million, underlining the huge impact these digital opinion leaders make.
But who is the number 1 influencer reigning over this dynamic sector in India? Let’s look at the top 10 names who have gained immense popularity and influence through their strong social media presence.
Factors Considered to Determine Top Influencers
There are several metrics and factors to take into account when ranking the top influencers in India:
- Total followership across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter etc.
- Engagement metrics like likes, comments, shares, views etc.
- Consistency of posting quality content.
- Influence on audience opinions, preferences and purchase behavior.
- Popularity among brands for influencer marketing campaigns.
- Omnipresence and active presence across multiple platforms.
By analyzing influencer statistics and performance on these parameters, the most influential figures can be identified.
Top 10 Influencers in India 2022
1. Virat Kohli
Followers: Instagram – 237 million, Twitter – 46.8 million, Facebook – 49 million
Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team and one of the world’s top batsmen, tops the charts as the most popular influencer in the country. He has unmatched reach and engagement stats on his social media handles where he gives fans a glimpse into his personal and professional life. His youthful image and passionate on-field persona contribute majorly to his influence on fans.
2. Priyanka Chopra
Followers: Instagram – 82.9 million, Twitter – 53.5 million, Facebook – 59 million
Global icon Priyanka Chopra has been reigning over the entertainment industry for almost two decades now. She has leveraged her acting prowess and global appeal to become a powerful influencer as she inspires fans with her style and philanthropy work. Priyanka is vocal about issues like mental health, environment, women empowerment and education for underprivileged kids.
3. Narendra Modi
Followers: Twitter – 84.5 million, Facebook – 69 million, Instagram – 50.4 million, YouTube – 6.35 million
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is extremely savvy with his use of social media to connect with the masses. He is by far the most followed politician in India with a staggering reach across platforms. Through these accounts, he gives people a glimpse of his governance initiatives, ideas and visions for the country’s progress. His posts manage to go viral, highlighting his credibility.
4. Alia Bhatt
Followers: Instagram – 64.5 million, Twitter – 27.6 million, Facebook – 40 million
Bollywood star Alia Bhatt is currently at the peak of her career, with back to back hits establishing her as one of the most popular actresses of her generation. She takes her fans behind the scenes of her glamorous life, relationship with Ranbir Kapoor and social causes she believes in. Her influence spans both urban and small town audiences.
5. Virat Anushka
Followers: Instagram – 20.4 million
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma make up the power couple ‘Virushka’ who have wielded their combined star power to become influencers. They often feature on each other’s handles giving couple goals. As parents to young daughter Vamika, their posts highlighting family time get much love. Their massive fanbase is attracted to their star-studded lifestyle.
6. Neha Kakkar
Followers: Instagram – 61.6 million, Facebook – 16 million
Singer Neha Kakkar is one of the most popular celebrities and influencers whose following has grown tremendously after she appeared as a judge on singing reality show Indian Idol. She is loved for her bubbly personality and known for sharing her luxurious lifestyle, behind the scenes videos, fashion looks and performances.
7. PM Narendra Modi
Subscribers: YouTube – 6.35 million
Besides leading on Twitter and Facebook, PM Modi also has a highly subscribed YouTube channel called ‘Narendra Modi’ where he shares his speeches, animated videos on government schemes and initiatives, and his thoughts through monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Over 6 million are hooked to his YouTube videos that provide insights into his governance.
8. Bear Grylls
Followers: Facebook – 10 million, Twitter – 1.6 million, Instagram – 3.4 million, YouTube – 10.68 million
Adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls has an immense fan following in India due to his outdoorsy, daredevil image. After his Man vs Wild episode with PM Modi generated buzz, his popularity has surged. He shares inspiring videos on Instagram recounting his experiences and promoting sustainable living.
9. Sachin Tendulkar
Followers: Facebook – 36 million, Twitter – 40 million, Instagram – 26 million
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is nothing short of a demi-god for his fans in cricket crazy India. He remains one of the most looked up to sports persons in the country, evident from his huge social media following. His posts give a glimpse into his personal life, opinions on cricket and throwback images that make him a powerful influencer.
10. Deepika Padukone
Followers: Instagram – 75.9 million, Facebook – 43 million, Twitter – 29.1 million
With her roster of successful films and dazzling beauty, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has emerged as a much loved youth icon. On her popular social media handles, she offers cues on fashion, fitness and shares insights from her professional and personal world. She uses her influence to promote mental health awareness too.
Top Influencers from Different Categories
Apart from overall influence, we can also identify the top names category-wise:
Food
- Food vlogger Nikhil Chinnappa, 3.87 million YouTube subs
- Chef Ranveer Brar, 5.1 million Instagram followers
- Home baker Kunal Kapur, 438k YouTube subs
Fashion
- Masoom Minawala, 2.3 million Instagram followers
- Diipa Khosla, 1.1 million Instagram followers
- Santoshi Shetty, 1 million Instagram followers
Fitness
- Fitness trainer Bhuvam Bam, 21.4 million YouTube subscribers
- Yoga guru The Fitness Girl, 595k YouTube subs
- Nutritionist Luke Coutinho, 615k Instagram followers
Parenting
- Mom blogger Kritika Khurana, 955k Instagram followers
- Parenting blogger Hina Khan, 88.2k Instagram followers
- Dad vlogger Abhinav Mishra, 138k YouTube subscribers
Beauty
- Beauty vlogger Shreya Jain, 1.38 million YouTube subscribers
- Makeup artist Ankita Chaturvedi, 2.3 million Instagram followers
- Beauty expert Debasree Banerjee, 1.2 million Instagram followers
These category-leaders have carved a niche for themselves as influencers in their respective fields and built up an engaged audience over time.
Rise of Regional Language Influencers
While mainstream influencers use English and Hindi to connect with a pan-India audience, regional language influencers speaking in native tongues like Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali etc. have also seen a surge.
Some popular regional influencers with millions of subscribers/followers include:
- Tamil – Havoc Ram, Karthik Gopinath
- Telugu – Shiva, Tejaswi Madivada
- Kannada – Champa Satish, Pooja Gandhi
- Malayalam – Young Trap Mythy, Kochu TV
- Marathi – Bhau Kadam, Sonalee Kulkarni
- Bengali – Roddur Roy, Pritam
Regional influencers are gaining significance since they resonate better with niche, geo-specific target groups who speak the local language. They help brands expand reach in different Indian states.
The Rise of Micro and Nano Influencers
Along with celebrity influencers, brands are leveraging the power of micro and nano influencers who have a smaller but more engaged following between 10k to 100k. These grassroot social media figures are seen as more authentic, and help promote products to a hyper-local audience.
Categories where micro and nano influencers are sought after:
- Parenting
- Education
- Food
- Fashion
- Travel
- Fitness
- Technology
- Beauty
Some examples of successful micro/nano influencers in India are Dolly Singh (YouTube comedian), Anisha Dixit (Baker), Anindita Chakravarty (Fitness coach), Shreya Jain (Beauty influencer) and Vasu Primlani (DJ).
The Influencer Marketing Ecosystem in India
The ecosystem enabling influencer marketing in India consists of:
- Influencers – The content creators who produce posts, videos or stories.
- Followers – Their audience who consume the content and can be potential customers.
- Brands – Who run influencer campaigns to promote their products.
- Agencies – That represent influencers and connect them to brands for campaigns.
- Analytics tools – To track performance and engagement metrics of influencers.
- Platforms – Social media channels like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook etc where influencer marketing happens.
With more brands relying on influencers as part of their social media strategy, the ecosystem is estimated to keep growing at a compound annual rate of 25%.
The Verdict
Based on the insights we have gained, here is the verdict on top Indian influencers:
- Cricketer Virat Kohli emerges as the #1 influencer in India due to his unparalleled popularity and social media follower count.
- Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra takes the second spot through her versatile success globally.
- PM Modi ranks high on the list due to his position as the country’s leader and smart use of social media.
- Stars like Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone shine as youth icons with their strong social media game.
- Regional language influencers are on the rise and connecting deeper with tier 2 and 3 markets.
- Micro and nano influencers are gaining ground as they cater to focused niches.
The Indian influencer domain shows great dynamism with new names and categories emerging all the time. Marketing through influencers is slated to grow as brands realize their impact on audiences. This will fuel the rise of more inventive influencers across domains who engage communities through creativity and authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why are influencers important for brands?
Influencers help brands in multiple ways:
- Build awareness about products through storytelling and real-life usage.
- Influence opinions and purchasing behavior of their followers.
- Improve brand image through direct endorsements.
- Drive conversations and engagement around the brand on social media.
- Reach niche or geo-targeted audiences through relevant influencers.
Q2. What’s the importance of micro and nano influencers?
Micro and nano influencers are important because of their strong credibility and direct access to engaged communities. Their authentic recommendations resonate more with followers.
Q3. How do influencers earn money in India?
Top ways for influencers to monetize their reach include:
- Paid partnerships with brands
- Affiliate marketing through links/codes
- Sponsored content and social media takeovers
- Consulting or advising brands
- Creating personal product lines or merchandise
- Influencer events or meet-ups
Q4. Which social media platform works best for influencer marketing in India?
Currently, Instagram and YouTube have proven most effective for influencer marketing directed at Indian audiences.
- Instagram – Massive popularity among urban youth.
- YouTube – Allows long form video content to better engage.
Q5. What’s the future of influencer marketing in India?
The future looks very promising. Rising digital access will take influencer marketing deeper into smaller towns and native languages. More brands across categories will leverage influencers as it proves to be a successful, measurable customer acquisition strategy.