10 UK Instagram Influencers for Boosting Brand Awareness

Key takeaways

• To run a successful local campaign, brands must find influencers who can make an impact in the UK. They must access key metrics that show the influencers' connection with their audiences.
• We ranked 10 of the biggest influencers in the UK by follower count and key metrics such as audience credibility, engagement rates, and audience location.
• Molly Mae, Simon Minter, and Harry Lewis are three of the most-followed UK Instagram influencers who fit our parameters.

Who are the top 10 influencers in the UK? Our methodology

The Kolsquare database stores insights on influencers with 5,000 or more followers across popular platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, helping brands find influencers. 

Our ranking is based on the critical information stored in our database, designed to help brands match with the most impactful influencers for their campaigns.

For each influencer, we provide you with essential data, including:

• Credibility score /100: Kolsquare's Credibility Score rates how active an influencer's audience is out of 100. Any number above 75 is a good sign, indicating that real people, rather than bots or fake followers, subscribe to their channel.
• Engagement rate: This metric tells you how much sway the creator has over their audience. Engagement rates are calculated by analysing how many of an influencer's followers interact with their posts through comments, shares, likes, etc.
• Earned media value (EMV): EMV helps you define your budget for an influencer partnership. It is how much the expected media value you will gain by collaborating with a key opinion leader (KOL) would have cost through traditional marketing channels.

In addition, this list only showcases influencers with over 25% of their audience in the UK to ensure they connect with local audiences.

Top 10 British social media influencers on Instagram: our ranking

The top Instagram influencers on this list operate across a range of niches, including gaming, lifestyle, and beauty.

Most of these creators have younger audiences, which aligns with Instagram's largest user base of people aged 18-44.

Here's a list of the biggest UK Instagram profiles.

1. Molly-Mae Hague: @mollymae - The most popular Instagram account in the UK

Interests: Inspiration & Lifestyle, Reality Shows

• Followers:
  • Instagram: 8.54M
  • TikTok: x
  • YouTube: x
  • Location: London, UK
  • Location of the audience: UK (65%)
  • Kolsquare Credibility Score: 87/100
  Average engagement rate:
  • Instagram Posts: 3.5% | Instagram Reels: 2.1%
  Earned media value:
  • Instagram Posts: €397K
  • Instagram Reels: €330K
  • Instagram Stories: €17K

Molly-Mae Hague is the best influencer on our list, rated of follower count. Hague's profile has grown quickly since her appearance on Love Island in 2019. She now has her own documentary, "Molly-Mae: Behind It All," on Prime Video and business, Maebe. 

In recent years, the influencer's relationship with long-term partner and fellow Love Islander Tommy Fury dominated news stories about Hague. However, her Instagram content has remained consistent: minimalist fashion posts and outfits of the day featuring elegant neutrals in photo-worthy locations.

Despite her huge follower count, Hague has prioritised authenticity, sharing honest, emotional moments in her documentary. Perhaps due to her openness, her engagement rate is significantly higher than average for a mega-influencer.

Hague has a predominantly female audience (81%).  The majority are Gen Z or young Millennials. As a result, Hague has been a popular choice for beauty and fashion collaborations. Last year, she collaborated with Adidas to create a footwear line and walked the catwalk for L'Oreal. 

2. Simon Minter: @miniminter - Male comedy influencer on Instagram

• Interests: Sport & Fitness, Inspiration & Lifestyle, Gaming, Humour

Followers:

• Instagram: 6.2M
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: 10.5M

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (31%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 75/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 2.56% | Instagram Reels: 0.89%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €216K
• Instagram Reels: €84K
• Instagram Stories: €12K

Simon Minter, known online as Miniminter, is a prominent British YouTuber and influencer. He is part of the popular YouTube group, the Sidemen, but he has also created his own channels on YouTube and Instagram.

Initially, he gained popularity for his gaming content. But Minter now primarily shares sports contests and, on Instagram, lifestyle content.

Minter has a charismatic personality and the ability to connect with his audience through authentic, relatable content. Over half (56%) of his audience is aged 18-25, and 81% are male. 

3. Harry Lewis: @wroetoshaw - Digital YouTube and Instagram influencer

• Interests: Games, Sport & Fitness, Inspiration & Lifestyle, Music

Followers:

• Instagram: 5.5M
• TikTok: 2.1M
• YouTube: 16.3M

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (34%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 76/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: x

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: x
• Instagram Reels: x
• Instagram Stories: €11K

Harry Lewis, better known online as W2S, is a highly influential British influencer. Like Simon Minter, he is a member of the YouTube group the Sidemen.

Lewis's YouTube content primarily focuses on gaming, challenges, and collaborative content featuring his group members.

On Instagram, he has a large following and often shares sports and lifestyle content, including snapshots of his day-to-day life, events, and travel destinations.

Lewis often partners with sports brands like JD Sports. However, in recent years, he hasn't been as active on Instagram.

4. Vicky Pattison: @vickypattison - TV star to internet personality

• Interests: Beauty, Food & Drink, Entertainment (cinema, TV...), Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 5.57M
• TikTok: 347K
• YouTube: x

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (43%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 75/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: x | Instagram Reels: 0.42%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €55.7K
• Instagram Reels: €39K
• Instagram Stories: €11.2K

Vicky Pattison rose to fame in 2014 on the reality TV show Geordie Shore. Since then, she has become a major influencer in the UK.

On her Instagram page, Pattison primarily shares travel and lifestyle content. She regularly posts collaborations with brands like Matalan, New Look, and Tampax. Pattison's content approach is led by authenticity, sharing carousels of takeaway food and evenings in, which builds trust with her audience

Pattison also continues to participate in media projects, including a UK television appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, presenting on Heart Radio, and her podcast. As a result, a large percentage of her audience is UK-based. The majority (43%) are aged 18-34.

5. Simon Squibb: @simonsquibb - Business Instagram influencer

• Interests: Family, Inspiration & Lifestyle, Education and Knowledge, Culture (Art, literature...)

Followers:

• Instagram: 5.34M
• TikTok: 8.1M
• YouTube: x

• Location: London, UK
• Location of the audience: UK (34%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 82/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.17% | Instagram Reels: 0.99%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €63K
• Instagram Reels: €100K
• Instagram Stories: €10K

Simon Squibb is a renowned British influencer, entrepreneur, and investor best known for demystifying entrepreneurship for a mass audience. After leaving school at 15 and sleeping rough as a teenager, Squibb went on to build and exit multiple businesses before founding HelpBnk, a platform that helps people start companies without giving up equity. 

Squibb's Instagram page mostly consists of Reels where he offers to help strangers achieve their dreams. Squibb’s following skews slightly male (56.7%) versus female (43.3%), with the majority concentrated in the 25–44 age range. 

6. Arron Crascall: @arron_crascall - UK comedy influencer aged over 40

• Interests: Beauty, Sport & Fitness, Humour

Followers:

• Instagram: 4.6M
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: 826K

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (8%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 84/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 1.01% | Instagram Reels: 7.34%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €100K
• Instagram Reels: €499K
• Instagram Stories: €9K

Aaron Crascall is a well-known British social media influencer and comedian. He initially gained popularity on Vine, posting comedy videos. Crascall now focuses on his YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages, continuing to focus on the comedy genre.

His Instagram fans are highly engaged with his light-hearted, humorous content, which often playfully mocks other influencers' content. He also shares content about his weight loss journey.

Crascall has collaborated with brands like OnePlus, and his Instagram audience is mostly (81%) aged between 18 and 34.

7. Gaz Beadle: @gazbeadle - Fitness and lifestyle influencer

• Interests: Beauty, Travel, Sport & Fitness, Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 3.6M
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (32%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 82/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.99% | Instagram Reels: 0.08%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €71K
• Instagram Reels: €13.5K
• Instagram Stories: €7K

Gaz Beadle is a well-known British reality TV star and social media influencer who first gained fame as a cast member on the MTV series Geordie Shore. His content primarily focuses on lifestyle, fitness, family life, and personal adventures.

Beadle also frequently shares insights into his daily activities, goals, and family moments, connecting with his audience on a personal level.

Beadle has collaborated with various brands across different industries. Notably, he has worked with fitness and health brands such as Protein World, promoting supplements and fitness products. Additionally, he partners with fashion brands, showcasing apparel and accessories through his social media platforms.

8. Ethan Payne: @behzingagram

• Interests: Sport & Fitness, Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 4.09M
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (42%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 77/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 6.67% | Instagram Reels: 0.17%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €307K
• Instagram Reels: €13K
• Instagram Stories: €8K

Ethan Payne, known online as Behzinga, is a British internet personality who first gained popularity as a member of the YouTube group the Sidemen.

Today, Payne's content includes fitness and workout routines, gaming videos, vlogs, and lifestyle posts. He shares his fitness journey, often sharing motivation and advice for a healthy lifestyle.

Payne has collaborated with various brands, particularly in the fitness and gaming sectors. He is a brand ambassador for Gymshark, promoting their athletic wear and fitness gear with an affiliate code. He also works with gaming brands, showcasing new products and gaming setups.

9. Lydia Bright: @lydiabright - Instagram style and beauty influencer

• Interests: Beauty, Travel, Fashion & Accessories, Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 2.45M
• TikTok: 457K
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (32%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 82/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 0.66% | Instagram Reels: 0.22%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €20.6K
• Instagram Reels: €16.4K
• Instagram Stories: €2.5K

Lydia Bright is a television personality and social media influencer who rose to fame as a cast member on the reality TV show The Only Way is Essex. Bright now has a large audience on Instagram, posting lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and motherhood content.

She shares her experiences and daily life with her followers through engaging posts, including style tips, and acts as a lifestyle and fashion blogger. Bright is also renovating a house, which she logs on her Instagram account @lydiabrightshome.

Bright collaborates with various brands across various industries, including Tesco Food and Joy of Clean. She also partners with fashion, beauty, and skincare brands, promoting products through tutorials and reviews.

10. Dani Dyer: @danidyerxx - Influencer with a celebrity family

• Interests: Beauty, Inspiration & Lifestyle

Followers:

• Instagram: 3.78M
• TikTok: x
• YouTube: x

• Location: UK
• Location of the audience: UK (71%)
• Kolsquare Credibility Score: 80/100

Average engagement rate:

• Instagram Posts: 1.47% | Instagram Reels: 0.34%

Earned media value:

• Instagram Posts: €91.2K
• Instagram Reels: €24.8K
• Instagram Stories: €7.5K

Dani Dyer-Bowen is a well-known British social media influencer who first gained widespread recognition by winning the reality TV show Love Island in 2018. Her content primarily focuses on fashion, beauty, and her family life with her husband, footballer Jared Bowen.

Dyer-Bowen collaborates with various brands across the fashion, homeware, and beauty sectors, including Rimmel and Home Bargains. The vast majority (80%) of her followers are female.

Influencer marketing agency or platform: How do you find UK influencers?

If you want to find the right influencers on Instagram, you can use Instagram’s built-in tools to analyse creators.

However, searching for creators manually and using Instagram's limited features is time-consuming. An influencer marketing platform like Kolsquare can streamline the process.

Kolsquare offers an extensive database of influencers, including detailed profiles and performance analytics. The advanced search filters let you narrow down potential influencers by location, follower count, and engagement rate, ensuring you find the perfect match for your brand.

With Kolsquare, marketing professionals can manage and analyse influencer campaigns using the latest data, ensuring they work with compliant influencers who know how to speak to their target audience. 

For a more hands-on approach, brands can pay an agency to run their campaign. While this pairs you with experts who can run your campaign, it is more costly.

How much do UK influencers make?

The amount Instagram influencers earn varies significantly depending on factors such as their follower count, engagement rate, and content type. Many earn only small sums by posting to small audiences. While others who have large followings and high engagement rates can earn millions per year. 

However, compensation mainly comes from brand sponsorships, collaborations, and affiliate marketing. 

Micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers) might earn between £100 and £500 per post, while macro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers) can earn between £1,000 and £10,000 per post. 

How do Instagram influencers make money?

Influencers typically earn money through the platform and brand collaborations. The most common methods of payment are:

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing involves influencers promoting an ecommerce brand's products through unique tracking links. Influencers earn a commission for every sale generated through their links.

This model can lead to great influencer marketing campaigns because it benefits both parties. Brands only pay for actual sales, and influencers can earn substantial income by driving traffic and conversions.

Learn more about affiliate influencer marketing here.

Long-term partnerships or brand ambassadorships

Long-term partnerships or brand ambassadorships involve a more extended commitment between the influencer and the brand. These arrangements often come with higher compensation packages that can include a mix of flat fees and performance-based payments. Such collaborations typically require the influencer to create consistent content over a specified period, maintaining brand alignment and continuous audience engagement.

One-off collaborations

One-off collaborations are single campaigns or posts where an influencer promotes a brand's product or service. These are typically straightforward agreements involving a one-time payment for a specific piece of content. While these can be less lucrative than long-term partnerships, they allow influencers to work with a variety of brands and maintain diverse content.

Who is the highest-paid influencer on Instagram?

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid influencer on Instagram. He commands top rates for his posts, earning significant income from brand endorsements and partnerships. With over 531 million followers, Ronaldo's influence extends across various brands, including Nike, Herbalife, TAG Heuer, and Louis Vuitton. He is known to earn up to $1 million per sponsored post, making him the highest-paid influencer on the platform.

How do Instagram influencers get paid?

Influencers are paid by Meta when their content generates views and engagements. They are also paid by brands that sponsor them to create content.

Who is the UK's biggest influencer?

According to Kolsquare data, the biggest influencer on Instagram with a large UK following is Molly Mae Hague. However, on TikTok, influencer Daz Black has 8M followers, 32% of whom are based in the UK. 

Who is the most popular influencer on Instagram?

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular content creator on Instagram. Ronaldo's popularity and high engagement rates make his collaborations highly valuable to brands, ensuring broad visibility and impact.

Other notable names include Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, and Huda Kattan, among others.

Each influencer has their own content genre and may dominate a niche. To add to the list, here are some huge niche Instagram accounts:

• Chiara Ferragni: A leading fashion influencer who initially gained fame through her blog, The Blonde Salad. Her success in the fashion industry is marked by her transition from modelling to becoming a renowned fashion icon and entrepreneur.
• Huda Kattan: A powerhouse in the beauty industry, known for her cosmetics empire, Huda Beauty. Starting as a makeup artist and beauty blogger, Kattan has built a massive following by sharing makeup tutorials, beauty tips, and product launches. Her expertise and entrepreneurial success make her one of the most influential beauty influencers on Instagram.
• James Charles: A prominent makeup artist and beauty influencer who rose to fame through his innovative makeup tutorials and engaging personality. He gained significant attention as the first male ambassador for CoverGirl. Charles' Instagram account is a go-to source for makeup inspiration, tutorials, and beauty product reviews.
• Khaby Lame: Known for his comedic content and viral TikTok videos that have translated well to Instagram, Lame humorously simplifies overly complicated life hacks, resonating with a vast audience for his relatable and entertaining approach. His rise to fame exemplifies the power of viral content in establishing a strong social media presence.
• Zach King: Renowned for his magical and creative short videos, King shares content on both TikTok and Instagram. His unique content has made him a leading figure in the digital magic and video editing niche.
• Gordon Ramsay: The famous chef and restaurateur extends his culinary influence to Instagram, where he shares cooking tips, recipes, and glimpses into his restaurant ventures. His straightforward cooking videos and fiery personality have garnered a broad audience, making him a prominent figure in the food niche.