PH influencer economy moves beyond virality as Meltwater ranks top creators

Meltwater has released its latest ranking of the Philippines’ most influential content creators, with the results pointing to sustained engagement overtaking viral reach as a marker of influence.

The rankings, based on data from Meltwater’s influencer intelligence platform Klear, assess creators with up to 500,000 followers using the platform’s proprietary Klear Score. The metric evaluates influence using a combination of reach, engagement and behavioural signals, aiming to measure impact beyond follower counts alone.

On Instagram, lifestyle creator Owy Posadas and journalist Atom Araullo topped the list, each recording a Klear Score of 99. The pair were followed by creators including Jomar Yee, Wealand Ferrer, Axel, Harvey Bautista, Joaquin Reyes, Tina Lata, Marvin Rojas and Mavrick Bautista. On TikTok, actress Sue Ramirez and actor Matteo Guidicelli led the rankings with scores of 99, alongside Khalil Ramos, Karen Davila, Manny Pacquiao and Liz Uy. They are followed by Elisse Joson, Julius Babao, Mark Reyes and Ahtisa Manalo.

Don't miss: Meltwater launches GenAI Lens in Australia to track brand presence across AI platforms

While the top-ranked creators span entertainment, journalism and lifestyle categories, Meltwater’s data shows that high-performing accounts across both platforms share consistent audience engagement rather than reliance on single breakout moments.

“Unlike follower count alone, the score reflects a creator’s sustained ability to shape attention, conversation, and action,” Meltwater said. “Despite operating across different genres and platforms, these creators share a common trait in that they feel human first, public figure second.”

The rankings also highlight differences in how influence is expressed across platforms.

On Instagram, several of the highest-ranked creators publish at a measured pace, with content that blends professional work with personal themes such as family life, travel and humour. Posadas’ family-oriented posts and Araullo’s mix of reporting and travel snippets are among the formats that continue to perform strongly.

“In a space that has become increasingly polished and curated, audiences appear to value creators who still feel real. The success of these Instagram leaders suggests that authenticity remains a powerful differentiator, even as the platform continues to evolve,” Meltwater said.

TikTok’s rankings, meanwhile, reflect a more informal style of engagement. Leading creators on the platform frequently share personal, behind-the-scenes content alongside trend-driven formats. Ramirez and Ramos feature relationship-focused posts, while Pacquiao’s content centres on family, faith and travel outside his boxing career. Joson combines motherhood-related content with popular TikTok trends.

Despite these stylistic differences, Meltwater’s data shows that creators with stable, recognisable content identities consistently rank highly across both platforms.

The findings come as social media usage in the Philippines remains among the highest globally. Meltwater’s Digital 2026 report shows Filipino users spend between 30 minutes and over an hour each day on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. “In such a saturated environment, attention is increasingly selective,” Meltwater said.

Related articles:
Influencer budgets on the rise as creators edge closer to the media mix
Gushcloud acquires Dubai-based talent and influencer firm TalentPlus
AI emerges as Indonesia's most powerful automotive 'influencer', study finds