Highest paid influencers ROI is the elephant in every marketing budget room. Influencer marketing spend is racing toward $24 billion this year, but spreadsheets still need proof that every #ad delivers more than vanity likes. Below we break down ten headline‑worthy creators—what brands roughly pay, how much media value per post they generate, and whether that translates into a solid social media ROI. All figures blend public rate‑card chatter, influencer‑marketing‑platform data and our own CPV benchmarks, so treat them as educated ranges, not tax returns.
How we calculated “ROI” in 2017 — the fast math
- Pricing per post – market rate for an in‑feed photo or 60‑second reel.
- Media value per post – what equivalent reach would cost via Instagram ads.
- ROI – media value divided by price. A ratio above 1 = positive return.
- Influencer engagement rate – likes + comments ÷ followers × 100 %; still the clearest quality filter.
ROI breakdown for highest paid influencers
Note: follower counts snapshotted July 2017. Fees vary by usage rights, exclusivity and content format.
Huda Kattan — 57 M followers
Beauty mogul Huda Kattan turns every tutorial into a mini product launch. Her feed mixes raw, no‑filter skin content with glossy campaign reels, giving brands a 360‑degree showcase. A typical post racks up 1.3 M views within three days, thanks to a loyal community that still trusts her DIY beginnings.
Pricing per post: $135 000 – 180 000
Media value per post: ≈ $270 000
ROI: ~2.0×
Influencer engagement rate: 2.4 %
Cameron Dallas — 26.4 M followers
Cameron evolved from Vine prankster to lifestyle entrepreneur. Skate‑park shoots, mental‑health talks and streetwear drops keep his Gen‑Z base hooked. Branded reels often see 3 % saves, a metric Instagram’s algorithm loves.
Pricing per post: $70 000 – 90 000
Media value per post: ≈ $140 000
ROI: ~1.6×
Influencer engagement rate: 3.0 %Jen Selter — 13.5 M followers
Jen’s fitness empire is built on interactive “booty burn” challenges and smoothie‑recipe collabs. Her community screenshots workouts and tags friends – boosting organic reach brands don’t pay for.
Pricing per post: $35 000 – 45 000
Media value per post: ≈ $80 000
ROI: ~2.1×
Influencer engagement rate: 5.1 %
Zoë Sugg — 9.1 M followers
Zoella’s cosy aesthetic – books, baking, mental‑health chats – delivers evergreen content perfect for wellness, stationery and home‑fragrance brands. Her followers linger, driving watch‑time metrics many macro accounts envy.
Pricing per post: £25 000 – 32 000 (≈ $30 k – 40 k)
Media value per post: ≈ $65 000
ROI: ~1.8×
Influencer engagement rate: 4.3 %
Nash Grier — 13.5 M followers
Now a family‑content powerhouse, Nash packages eco‑lifestyle tips and toddler moments into brand‑safe reels that advertisers re‑license for paid social. His authenticity scores high – bot percentage under 4 %.
Pricing per post: $28 000 – 38 000
Media value per post: ≈ $55 000
ROI: ~1.5×
Influencer engagement rate: 3.2 %
Chiara Ferragni — 28.4 M followers
Few can fuse runway glamour with mum‑life like Chiara. Her dual persona opens doors to both heritage luxury houses and mainstream baby brands. When she posts, Italian press often syndicates the imagery, adding “free” impressions.
Pricing per post: €120 000 – 150 000 (≈ $130 k – 165 k)
Media value per post: ≈ $310 000
ROI: ~2.2×
Influencer engagement rate: 1.9 %
Julie Sarinana — 7.6 M followers
Sun‑washed palettes and attainable travel looks make Julie the patron saint of “California casual.” Her flat‑lays become Pinterest staples, extending campaign shelf life months beyond the post date.
Pricing per post: $18 000 – 25 000
Media value per post: ≈ $45 000
ROI: ~2.2×
Influencer engagement rate: 4.7 %
Aimee Song — 7.2 M followers
Architectural backdrops meet bold color blocking – Aimee’s grid is a brand‑lookbook dream. She bundles posts with behind‑the‑scenes TikToks, giving advertisers extra formats.
Pricing per post: $20 000 – 28 000
Media value per post: ≈ $50 000
ROI: ~2.1×
Influencer engagement rate: 4.1 %
Danielle Bernstein — 3.3 M followers
Danielle monetises twice – sponsored looks and her own fashion line – so post fees stay modest while total impact rockets when she repurposes content as ads.
Pricing per post: $12 000 – 16 000
Media value per post: ≈ $28 000
ROI: ~1.8×
Influencer engagement rate: 5.5 %
Liz Eswein — 1.5 M followers
Holding the coveted @newyorkcity handle, Liz sells skyline romance to tourism boards and luxury hotels. Her comments section doubles as a travel forum – pure community gold.
Pricing per post: $5 000 – 7 000
Media value per post: ≈ $12 000
ROI: ~1.7×
Influencer engagement rate: 4.0 %
Four factors that make or break ROI today
- Audience authenticity – every 5 % drop in fake‑follower ratio adds 0.2 ROI points.
- Content format mix – reels + carousel out‑perform single images by 1.5× EMV.
- Whitelisting rights – allowing brands to run ads from the creator handle boosts ROI by roughly 50 %.
- Post‑purchase uplift – affiliate links prove up to 5 % conversion in wellness and beauty verticals, closing the attribution loop.
Key Takeaways
- ROI above 1.5× is the 2017 benchmark for high‑ticket creators.
- Engagement still matters – every full percentage point above macro average reduces CPM by 15 %.
- Micro details, like granting whitelisting and mixing formats, turn expensive posts into profitable ad units.
If you’d like to see how brands flip the same ROI principles into thumb‑stopping Stories, check out our deep dive Five Brands That Nail Instagram Stories – And What You Can Copy Today.
Pro Tip: Before committing, plug any prospective partner into an influencer‑engagement‑rate checker—because when it comes to highest paid influencers ROI, raw follower numbers mean nothing without genuinely responsive fans.
Drafted between espresso shots, CPM spreadsheets, and way too many #ad scrolls. Forward to the colleague who keeps asking, “But what’s the ROI?” – this cheat‑sheet might save you both a meeting.
