
Fastest growing influencers 2017 was the headline back then, but eight years later the numbers tell a deeper story. In December 2017 we published a list of the fastest growing influencers 2017—accounts that added millions of followers in a single year. Eight years (and several algorithm changes) later, we checked back in. Who kept the momentum, who plateaued, and who quietly slipped off the radar?
Below you’ll find:
- 2017 gain vs. 2025 follower count
- A quick diagnosis of what drove each surge
- Fresh engagement or media‑value nuggets where available
But first—a refresher:

TL;DR: In 2017 these ten creators added a combined 63 million new followers. As of July 2025 the same group commands 410 million followers total—over 6× Germany’s population.
Why revisit the fastest growing influencers 2017 class?
- The TikTok era rewired discovery; Instagram growth became harder.
- Brand budgets shifted from vanity numbers to social media ROI.
- Some 2017 breakouts—in particular Bad Bunny and Dua Lipa—are now global headliners.
(For the long view on how influencer culture morphed, skim our internal primer Brief History of Influencer Marketing.)
The 10 Fastest‑Growing Influencers of 2017 – Updated
2025 follower counts were captured July 15‑18, 2025 via public Instagram profiles or Socialblade snapshots.
Rank ’17 | Account | 2017 surge | Followers July 2025 | Growth since 2017* |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Katherine Langford | +7.49 M | 41 M | ×5.5 |
2 | Bad Bunny | +7.03 M | 49 M | ×6.9 |
3 | Kevinho | +6.59 M | 26 M | ×4.0 |
4 | Katrina Kaif | +6.55 M | 80 M | ×12 |
5 | Finn Wolfhard | +6.51 M | 21 M | ×3.2 |
6 | Disha Patani | +5.85 M | 61 M | ×10 |
7 | Pabllo Vittar | +5.64 M | 13 M | ×2.3 |
8 | Simaria | +5.23 M | 27 M | ×5.2 |
9 | Camila Mendes | +5.17 M | 24 M | ×4.6 |
10 | Dua Lipa | +5.07 M | 88 M | ×17 |
*Relative to the baseline at Dec 31 2017.
Katherine Langford
2017 story: A breakout role in 13 Reasons Why turned the Aussie actress into teen‑feed royalty overnight.
2025 check‑in: Posting cadence is still low (<150 photos total), but red‑carpet reels keep her engagement near 3 %. Netflix miniseries drops continue to deliver follower bumps.

Bad Bunny
From Latin‑trap phenom to global stadium act—Benito’s Instagram is now merch, tour dates and the occasional meme. Despite fewer than 30 posts, Stories drive massive swipe‑ups to his clothing line.

Kevinho
The Brazilian funk star still drops club bangers, but growth slowed after TikTok diverted Gen‑Z dance challenges. Media Value per post, however, climbed to ~$44 K thanks to beverage collabs.

Katrina Kaif
Bollywood’s fitness queen pivoted hard into beauty entrepreneurship (Kay Beauty). A disciplined reel strategy (workouts + BTS shoots) pushed her to 80 M—making her India’s #2 female actor on IG.

Finn Wolfhard
Still riding Stranger Things, but branching into indie music. Engagement (≈5 %) beats the group average, helped by low‑fi behind‑the‑scenes carousel dumps.
These patterns show the fastest growing influencers 2017 built momentum through cross‑platform buzz.

Disha Patani
Highest EMV among the ten (~$42.9 K/post). Content pillars: gym flips, Calvin Klein shoots, pet dog photos. Follower curve shows no plateau yet.

Pabllo Vittar
The Brazilian drag icon crossed 13 M. Viral beauty‑filter collabs and Pride live‑streams remain her growth engines.

Simaria
Post‑duo rebrand (after Simaria & Simone split) shrank her feed to <50 posts, yet loyalty keeps her CTR healthy. Music‑video launches spike +400 K followers week‑over‑week.

Camila Mendes
With Riverdale wrapped, growth cooled. Still, brand partners love her bilingual reach (US‑BR). Follower count hovers at 24 M; engagement ratio 1.1 %.

Dua Lipa
The biggest riser post‑2017: +83 M more followers. Strategically sparse grid, high‑gloss era drops (Future Nostalgia, Radical Optimism) and well‑timed “photo dumps” keep algorithm momentum.

What the 2017 cohort teaches marketers in 2025
- Low‑frequency, high‑impact works — Bad Bunny posts ~twice a year yet converts.
- Product equity drives long‑tail growth — Katrina Kaif’s beauty brand fed +60 M followers.
- Algorithm‑proof niches matter — Pabllo Vittar’s Pride activism keeps her atop LGBTQIA+ feeds regardless of platform tweaks.
- Mo’ posts ≠ mo’ followers — Disha Patani proves consistency matters, but content pillars trump volume.
- Audience aging is real — Katherine Langford’s teen fandom matured; she adjusted with adult‑drama roles and styling partnerships.
(Curious how those lessons fit into $$? Check our compact explainer Media Value on Instagram.)
Key takeaways of the Fastest Growing Influencers 2017
- The fastest‑growing influencers 2017 still move culture, but the macro‑winners (Bad Bunny, Dua Lipa) paired growth with off‑Instagram distribution—music, movies, brands.
- Accounts relying purely on feed posts saw follower curves flatten, yet can monetise tighter communities with higher CPMs.
- 2025’s secret sauce: own a niche, diversify platforms, and treat Instagram as a hub, not a lifeline.
In short, the fastest growing influencers 2017 still set the bar for cross‑platform stamina.
Article compiled from archived InfluencerDB charts, live follower counts and eight years of algorithm whiplash—proof that nothing ages faster than last year’s Explore tab.