Today’s most successful influencers are those who rose to prominence through their relatable social media content. An influencer, unlike a celebrity such as a sportsperson or a movie star, may not be a household name, but he or she has a large following due to his or her knowledge of and experience in a specific sector. More importantly, social media influencers have gained the trust of their follower base.

Integrate. Co-create

In 2020, the influencer marketing industry was valued $9.7 billion, and it is predicted to grow to $15 billion by 2022.

While there has been an increase in digital advertising, it is a natural reaction to skip or scroll past an ad. This highlights the importance of co-creating smart integrated content with influencers, that offer content people want to watch.

A handful of non-legacy D2C brands in India, such as Plum, Mamaearth, and mCaffeine, have developed a ‘influencer-first’ marketing strategy through active online communities. Legacy brands are also following suit in order to remain relevant. Industries such as banking, finance, and insurance are all hopping on board.

Top 7 Influencers & What We Can Learn

1) Vishnu Kaushal

Vishnu Kaushal is a content maker who rose to prominence with his brand of short, snappy, relevant & humorous videos based on common people, settings, and incidents. As a result, his brand promotions have a similar aim and tone.

Instagram Followers 2.2 million

2) Komal Pandey

This 27-year-old fashion influencer is known for devoting time and effort to every stage of content creation for a brand’s campaign. As a creator, her original content always outperforms branded marketing, which contributes to her trustworthiness.

Instagram Followers: 1.8 mn

3) Sakshi Sindwani

Sakshi Sindwani exudes brightness, confidence, and positivism, and her smile lights up all rooms and our feeds! Her effortlessness has landed her on the covers of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. Aside from having a hugely popular YouTube fashion channel called Style Me Up With Sakshi, she has also walked the runway at Lakme Fashion Week in August 2019.

Instagram Followers: 673k

4 Bruised passports

When Savi Munjal and Vidit Taneja launched their travel blog, Bruised Passports, eight years ago, influencer marketing was nearly non-existent. They have honed their craft over time, as brands have become much more aware of the kind of work it takes to produce good content. Consider them if you are looking to build an engaged community of people who love to travel.

Instagram Followers: 1.2m

5) Bhuvan Bam

Rising to fame through YouTube videos and having collaborated with more than 34 brands till date, he is one of the most sought-after influencers for brand promotions today. His fans have consistently expressed interest in the things he sells and have provided him with feedback over the years.

Bam’s method to picking which brand to promote is based on how genuine the brand is, and whether it is affordable to his target audience.

Instagram Followers: 19.6 mn

6) Danish Sait

Danish Sait, a multi-hyphenate comedian, has collaborated with over 40 brands, ranging from regional names like Empire restaurant in Bengaluru to the food tech platform Swiggy. Creators like him have a different kind of connection with their audience than a brand would ordinarily have.

Instagram Followers: 1.6 mn

7) Shivesh Bhatia

The 25-year-old began his Instagram career while still in high school, believing it was merely an editing platform. He had no idea being an influencer would eventually become his full-time job. Shivesh added to his long list of achievements by winning the Cosmo India Blogger Awards Food Icon Of The Year in 2020. His TV appearances include Fame and Fomo- (NewsX), My Yellow Table (NDTV GoodTimes) & Masters Of Taste (Fox Life India).

Instagram Followers: 2.9 mn

8) Tanaya

Dr. Tanaya, better known as dr_cuterus, is an influencer in the women’s health and sexual health space. She discusses issues that aren’t being discussed enough but should be, and in some cases- need to be. Her work covers everything connected to general sexual health, and with each piece of content, she strives to provide accurate sex education and dispel common myths. Her most recent collaboration with Stayfree was #ItsJustAPeriod, where she sat on a panel with a few other female influencers to dispel menstrual misconceptions.

Instagram Followers: 1.8 mn

9) Sunaina Rekhi

She is a lifestyle consultant and yoga instructor in addition to being a certified modern-day yogini. She is one of the first Indian women to be appointed as the UN’s Yoga ambassador. If you’re looking for a fun & lively yoga experience, her Instagram is the place to be. Her path has been fantastic, beginning with completing her yoga training in Rishikesh and progressing via renowned masters to become a yoga teacher to many celebrities.

Instagram Followers: 374k

10) Gaurav Chaudhary

Gaurav Chaudhary, better known as Technical Guruji, is well-known for his Hindi-language technical videos. He reviews various devices, gadgets, and accessories in his content and videos. Through his vlogs, he also discusses his own experiences. On his channel, he has reviewed a wide range of electrical items and has even done brand promotions for companies such as Samsung and Apple.

Instagram Followers: 5.9 mn