Richest Instagram Celebrities: How Much Income Advertising Adds To Gomez And Kardashian’s Net Worth

Instagram is a social media platform where more than 700 million users share snapshots of their lives — it’s also a place for celebrities like pop princess Selena Gomez and reality star Kim Kardashian West to capitalize financially. While most stars use Instagram in the same way as the average user, many of them post ads for money. In some cases, celebrities can make as much as $500,000 per post, according to first-ever Instagram Rich List comprised Tuesday by Hopper HQ.

“Instagram is not just a social media platform to share your photos and communicate with your friends through memes. Oh no. The trending visual channel has also become a serious money-making tool for celebrities, influencers and brands,” the company wrote.

READ: Kylie Jenner's Potential Net Worth Could Make Her The Richest 'Kardashian'

So who tops the list? Some of the most followed people on Instagram, of course.

1. Selena Gomez – 122 million followers – $550,000 per post
2. Kim Kardashian West– 100 million followers – $500,000 per post
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – 104 million followers – $400,000 per post
4. Kylie Jenner – 95 million followers – $400,000 per post
5. Kendall Jenner – 81.7 million followers – $370,000 per post
6. Khloe Kardashian – 68 million followers – $250,000 per post
7. Kourtney Kardashian – 57.8 million followers – $250,000 per post
8. Cara Delevingne – 40.4 million followers – $150,000 per post
9. Gigi Hadid 34.7 million followers – $120,000 per post
10. Lebron James – 30.7 million followers – $120,000 per post

Noticeably missing were celebrities like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. While they have millions of followers, they probably didn’t don’t take advance of making extra money through Instagrams endorsements.

It’s also hard to ignore that every Kardashian-Jenner sister was included on the list. While Kardashian West hasn’t posted as many ads recently, she regularly endorsed Eos lip balm years ago. The same goes for Jenner, who seemingly substituted endorsing other companies’ products to promote her own makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics.

Still, there is a hefty profit to be made from Instagram. Mike Bandar, co-founder of HopperHQ.com, elaborated on how celebrities can earn millions from their followers.

READ: How Much Money Did Kim Kardashian West Make Off KKW Beauty Launch?

“Instagram is now an incredibly effective marketing tool for brands and it’s fascinating to see how celebrities and influencers are able to monetize their accounts to so effectively,” Bandar said in a press release. “With approximately 700 million active monthly users across the world, it offers a wealth of potential customers for brands that have the budget to harness the influence of the people on our lists, and a chance for people to make a real career out of ‘gramming.’’”

He continued: “In the last couple of years influencers and celebrities have really caught on to the fact that endorsing brands on Instagram pays off, and as you can see from our Rich Lists, there is a serious amount of money to be made. However, it is important that Instagram users are aware their favorite celebs and bloggers are being paid to promote products and services so they can understand when they are being sold to as part of content. The recent introduction of the ‘paid partnership’ label will go some way to ensuring there’s more transparency on the platform.”

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