A few years ago, Instagram was the top social network. Today, while it’s still relevant, it has slipped to second place, the social landscape being dominated by TikTok. Perhaps there’s also an age gap between the users of the two networks because they are dominated by different personalities. Let’s take a look at the most-followed personalities (non-brand) on both.
Football and reality shows rule Instagram
Instagram’s top list shows just how much the world cares about football. Especially football stars. The two names dominating Insta may sound familiar from Bet365 South Africa, too: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Reality stars Kim Kardashian, Chloé Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner are also in the top 10, which is completed by singers Ariana Grande and Beyoncé, as well as actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Khaby Lame rules TikTok
Known especially for making fun of “life hack” videos, the Senegalese-born Italian media personality has taken the world by storm. As of last summer, his account is the most followed one on TikTok, with 159.8 million followers and 2.3 billion likes. Khaby is on Instagram, too – but there, he barely made the top 50 with just 79.6 million followers.
The other personalities of the top 5 are dancer Charli D’Amelio, US Army veteran Bella Poarch, actress Addison Rae, and celebrity YouTuber and philanthropist MrBeast, born James Stephen Donaldson. MrBeast also has the second-most-followed YouTube channel, with 163 million subscribers.
Elon Musk rules Twitter
Elon Musk owns Twitter – literally, and figuratively, with 145 million followers. Next up it’s Barack Obama, former US president and current media personality. Singer Justin Bieber is third, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Rihanna.
Compared to TikTok, Twitter has far more “traditional” media personalities in its top list, from business, politics, and entertainment.
Facebook is a mix of all of the above
On Facebook, we see a mix of all of the above among the top (personal) pages with the most followers. Cristiano Ronaldo is best with 163 million likes, followed by Mr Bean (the character played by Rowan Atkinson), Shakira, actor Will Smith, and footballer Lionel Messi.
Twitch is a category of its own
Due to its nature, the top channels on Twitch are different from anything above. Every streamer in the top 50 list of the most-followed channels is a game streamer. Ninja, born Richard Blevins, is in the lead with 18.5 million subscribers, streaming Fortnite. Among the most popular games on Twitch, you find Minecraft, Fortnite, Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Valorant.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, TikTok has emerged as the dominant force, surpassing Instagram as the top social network. The most-followed personalities reflect this shift, with football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi ruling Instagram, while TikTok is led by the comedic genius of Khaby Lame. Twitter, on the other hand, is commanded by Elon Musk, along with a mix of traditional media figures. Facebook encompasses a blend of personalities, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Mr Bean, while Twitch carves out its own niche with game streamers like Ninja. As social media continues to shape our digital world, these top accounts capture the attention of millions worldwide.
