Modi leads Trump in Instagram reach, authority score: Qoruz

New Delhi: A recent Qoruz report analysing the Instagram influence of global leaders has found that Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a larger and more engaged audience than former US President Donald Trump.

With 92.4 million followers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Instagram presence significantly surpasses Trump’s 31.7 million followers, giving him a broader digital reach. 

The study, conducted by Qoruz, a data-driven influencer analytics platform, evaluates multiple social media metrics, including engagement rate, follower count, estimated reach, average likes, comments, reel viewership, and audience demographics. 

Modi also leads in overall Creator Authority Score, with a Score of 9.42 compared to Trump’s 9.12, further solidifying his influence on Instagram.

Profile Overview

PM Modi has a significantly larger audience than Trump, with over 92.4 million followers compared to Trump’s 31.7 million. The estimated reach of Modi’s Instagram posts is also more than double that of Trump’s. However, Trump has a slightly higher engagement rate of 1.96% compared to Modi’s 1.47%, suggesting that his audience is more interactive in proportion to his follower count. While Modi’s content receives far more average likes, with 1.4 million per post versus Trump’s 611,000, Trump generates more comments per like, indicating a more discussion-driven engagement.

Modi’s expanding digital footprint

Despite Trump’s higher engagement rate, Modi’s Instagram presence is significantly stronger in terms of overall interaction. His image posts perform exceptionally well, with an average engagement rate of 3.71%, far exceeding Trump’s 2.14%. Modi’s reels also receive higher average views at 17.3 million, while Trump’s reels generate an average of 10.7 million views. However, Trump’s reels have a stronger engagement rate at 2.07%, while Modi’s stands at 1.30%.

Modi’s image-based content receives significantly higher interaction, reinforcing his ability to engage his audience through photos. In contrast, Trump’s audience is more engaged with video content, as indicated by his higher engagement rate on reels and the number of views per follower.

Trump’s rapid follower growth & global reach

While Modi holds a dominant lead in total followers and content engagement, Trump’s Instagram following has been growing at an exceptional pace. Over the past 30 days, Trump has gained 16.4 million new followers, compared to Modi’s 818K. This surge indicates a sharp rise in Trump’s social media influence, which is most likely fueled by his political campaigns following his recent U.S. election victory.

The two leaders also differ significantly in terms of audience demographics. Modi’s Instagram following is overwhelmingly based in India, with 94.75% of his followers coming from the country, followed by 1.38% from the United States and 1.21% from Bangladesh. In contrast, Trump’s audience is more globally distributed, with 60.79% of his followers based in the United States, followed by significant engagement from Brazil, India, and the UK.

Another difference between the two is their appeal to different age groups. Modi’s Instagram presence is significantly stronger among younger audiences. More than 50.5% of his followers fall within the 25-34 age group, compared to Trump’s 37.48% in the same category. Modi also has a greater share of followers in the 18-24 age group, with 32.87% of his audience belonging to this segment, while Trump’s share stands at 27.85%. This suggests that Modi’s digital influence is stronger among younger users, while Trump’s audience is more evenly distributed across different age groups.

The battle of influence continues

The Qoruz report highlights the differences in how the two leaders leverage Instagram for engagement. Modi’s Instagram strategy focuses on audience reach and engagement through high-quality static content, while Trump has built momentum through video-driven engagement and aggressive follower growth.

Modi’s dominant presence in India allows him to maintain a strong and loyal follower base, while Trump’s Instagram presence is expanding rapidly, with a rising influence beyond the United States. The significant growth in Trump’s follower count over the last month indicates a renewed focus on digital engagement, possibly driven by political strategies.

As social media continues to play a critical role in shaping public perception and global narratives, Instagram has become an essential platform for political engagement. The battle for influence on social media is far from over, and both Modi and Trump remain among the most influential global leaders in the digital space.