New Delhi: HopperHQ, the Instagram post scheduler, has compiled its 2018 rich list of the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app that sees Virat Kohli rank 17th. The Indian cricket team captain rakes in an estimated $120,000 per Instagram post to become the leading Indian on the list. However, his Instagram earning is only about one tenth of the US celebrity Kylie Jenner, who commands around of $1.1 million per post.
Among sports personalities, Portugal football team captain Cristiano Ronaldo leads the pack with $750,000 per post followed by Brazil star Neymar and Argentina national team skipper Lionel Messi who make an estimated $600,000 and $500,000 respectively. Ronaldo is third on the list behind Jenner and singer Selena Gomez, while Neymar occupies the eight spot followed by Messi in ninth.
Former England football team captain David Beckham, Wales forward Gareth Bale, LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Uruguay forward Luis Suarez, and Irish MMA star Conor McGregor are the other sportsmen ahead of Kohli on the list.
The Indian batsman, however, aces Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and one of the highest earners in sport, Floyd Mayweather Jr., in Instagram riches. Curry and Mayweather Jr. are 18th and 19th on the list.
HopperHQ takes into account the number of followers, post engagement, and posting frequency to arrive at its list.
Social media has increasingly become the favoured medium for celebrities to interact with their fans. Their influence over the fanbase gives brands devoted followers to sell their products, and in turn, enrich the endorsers.