“This year's influencer index shows that the industry is developing and changing in Latvia, and there are also newcomers among the ranks compared to the first index results,” said Golin Riga Partner Arnis Vērzemnieks.
Mičulis received the highest number of points in the “macro” (over 25,000 followers) category, while YouTuber Rojs Rodžers Linkevičs placed second and boxer Mairis Briedis placed third. In the “medium” (10,000 to 25,000 followers) category “More Than Size” website author and stylist Indra Salceviča placed first, actress Lelde Dreimane placed second and blogger Beāte Bērziņa placed third. Vlogger and photographer Viktors Blūms won the “micro” (1,000 to 10,000 followers) category, YouTuber Baiba Bellenberga was second and TV personality Aivis Ceriņš was third.
The index also measures leaders in individual fields: lifestyle, food, beauty, design, fashion, entertainment and sport. Verzemnieks feels there is still room for development in Latvia when it comes to beauty and design in the “macro” category. The index was based on influecer's Instagram account activity in December 2019 using the international Golin Global methodology, HypeAuditory analytics tools and expert analysis.
The full list of Latvia's top influencers and methodology is available on the Golin Riga website.
As previously reported, Latvian social media influencers still remain a long ways off from international influencers follower-wise, but it's a growing and unregulated industry. Last year the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency ruled that 30,000 followers on Instagram makes someone a “celebrity”, and therefore has to follow celebrity endorsement laws (Evening Standard, 4 July 2019). While few members of the Latvian Blogger and Influencer Association qualify for this status, the impact of so-called “micro-influencers” also can't be discounted.
