Gen Z micro-influencers are expanding over every corner of the creator economy. While pioneers of the online space like PewDiePie and Dude Perfect aren't losing popularity, the top Gen Z influencers maintain a stronger hold on the general public because of their relevance and understanding of changing media and formats. It's actually quite simple; Gen Z users want to see Gen Z ambassadors and creators.

Devin Apollon

Devin Apollon is one of the top Gen Z influencers on Instagram. She grew up in Miami, Florida and quickly rose to fame on Instagram during the pandemic when she decided to start posting pictures of her outfits and special pieces from her mother’s closet. She is known for her creative outfit choices, organizing garage sales with her other influencer friends in New York, LA, and Miami, and for her talent when it comes to pairing staple pieces with statement pieces.

Since she started out she has accumulated 72.1K followers on Instagram, 14.1K followers on TikTok, and has started her own YouTube channel, which has gained 3.19K subscribers. When it comes to Instagram, Devin has 5K average likes and a high engagement rate of 7.05%. Her most commonly used hashtags are #iweargarage, #flawlessmatch, #clueless, and #wethetourists, among others. Her interests are clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories, luxury goods, activewear, and shopping and retail. The majority of her followers identify as female (76.86%), and the age group she attracts the most are women from 18 to 34.

Additionally, her estimated reach on stories is at 5K, her estimated impressions are at 6K, and her estimated link clicks are at 499. She has similar audiences to @lucyraemcfadin and @courtneymawhorr, two other popular Gen Z fashion influencers.

Finally, Apollon has modeled for brands like SIMIHAZE BEAUTY, Rowing Blazers, Orseund Iris, 437, and ARE YOU AM I, among other well known companies.

See a full list of Gen Z fashion influencers here.

Estefania Pessoa

Estefania Pessoa, also known as Tefi on TikTok, is known as the internet’s best friend all thanks to her celebrity pop culture, gossip, and advice videos. Born and raised in Miami, she’s got a lot to say about her life growing up as a Latina who wanted to break into digital media.

Her content is very much conversational and full of life. In an interview with "People" magazine she said: "I don't personally know [the follower], but if I can talk to her about her first breakup while making it feel like it's not this incredible, Mount Everest, uphill climb in her life and I can use Hailey and Justin Bieber for that, why not? It's like when moms tell kids they're giving them mac and cheese, and then switch it out for a vegetable”.

Pessoa can be found talking about the latest celebrity gossip on the InStyle TikTok and speaking out about climate justice, beauty standards, and the importance of being transparent about using treatments to achieve her gorgeous look.

Since she started out, she has accumulated 178K followers on Instagram and 1.4 million followers on TikTok. When it comes to TikTok, Tefi has garnered 287.3 average views, 46.3K average likes, 467 comments, and a current engagement rate of 3.31%. The most relevant topics on her page are celebs, Jamie Lyn Spears, celebrity lookalikes, Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson, Lindsay Lohan, and Blake Lively. The majority of her followers identify as female (91.25%), and her most prominent audience age group is women from 18 to 34.

When it comes to Instagram, she has amassed 47.4K views, 20K average likes, 181 average comments, and currently holds an engagement rate of 11.23%. Similar to TikTok, her audience consists mainly of women (91.82%) between the ages of 18 and 34. Her most commonly used hashtags are #climatepowerpartner, #wellness, #ad, #bacardicollective, and #savagexambassador.

Additionally, she has similar audiences to @bennydrama7 and @dmichaelburke with notable followers including Emily Mariko, Bretman Rock, and Mia Khalifa.

Desi Perkins

Desi Perkins is a content creator, celebrity makeup artist, beauty vlogger, and businesswoman based in Los Angeles. She has collaborated with multiple influencers and makeup brands and has started two companies: a sunglasses brand Dezi and now a skincare brand Dezi Skin.

Her content started out as solely being dedicated to makeup, but today it includes skincare, fashion, travel, and entertainment. In an interview with Forbes discussing Dezi Skin, the creator said:

"My personal brand has always been very style-driven and I think my audience has always appreciated that I show great style at any price point. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a strong aesthetic! I wanted to carry that into my formulas and packaging. Everything was highly customized and very expensive to make. I purposefully reduced my profit margins so I could give people a product that will not only change their skin but also look like a piece of art on their vanity. It was my way of maintaining transparency and authenticity with my customers."

Moving onto the numbers, Desi has built an empire for herself by taking to YouTube and TikTok as well as Instagram to build her audience. Beginning with YouTube, she has over 3.3 million subscribers, 275.1K average views, 12.4K likes, 726 comments, and an engagement rate of 0.38%. Her audience consists of mostly women (95.80%), the majority of which fall are between 18 and 34 years old.

Continuing onto TikTok, Desi has over 469.7K followers, 275.8K average views, 35.2K average likes, 267 comments, and a higher engagement rate of 7.49%. The most relevant topics on her page are bridal shower, party ideas, event planning, makeup, engagement party, and full-face makeup. Once again, the majority of her audience consists of women (91.66%) who are between the ages of 18 and 34.

Audrey Peters

Audrey Peters is a famous TikToker best known for her videos on opinion, style, plastic surgery, and entertaining series such as "Just Because It’s Expensive Doesn’t Mean It’s Tasteful.” Her fans love her for her authenticity in all aspects of creator content.

Peters is also known for having a lot of haters online, which surprisingly only adds to her brand in the sense that she acknowledges that she is a rich, privileged transplant in New York City. This self-awareness and ability to make fun of herself based criticism is what makes her fun to watch.

In an interview with Vox about a critique, she said, “I loved it. I was like, these two 50-year-old women care so much about me that they’re willing to write all this? They may think I’m cheesy or stupid, but I’m doing something right.”

Since she started out, she has accumulated 52.5K followers on Instagram and 517.1K followers on TikTok. When it comes to TikTok, Audrey averages 560.4K views, 74.5K likes, 278 comments, and an engagement rate of 14.41%. Meanwhile on Instagram, she has about 4.9K average likes, 39 average comments, and an engagement rate of 9.29%.

Her platform interests are clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories, luxury goods, activewear, and shopping and retail. The most relevant topics on her social media are Parisian vibes, Dior, Miami Design District, La Duree Paris, and Bagatelle. The majority of her followers identify as women (82.84%) between 18 and 34.

Click here to see more Gen Z YouTube creators.

Devon Lee Carlson

Devon Lee Carlson is a businesswoman, model, fashionista, and YouTube content creator. She also owns a phone case company called ‘Wildflower Cases’ that she started with her sister Sydney and their mother. Devon is known for posting fun dancing videos, vlogging with her sister and her friends, and posting outfit and makeup inspo online. She has earned her spot as one of the It Girls of Gen Z thanks to her impeccable personal style and ability to seamlessly pair vintage designer pieces with more casual thrifted pieces.

Since she started modeling she has teamed up with Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs for campaigns. Carlson and Marc Jacobs ran a T-shirt collab and also created a collection of clothing and accessories for her birthday. The pieces are all inspired by Carlson’s life and trending Y2K style.

Beyond Instagram, she has also gained an enormous following on YouTube and TikTok. On YouTube, Carlson has 304K subscribers, 160.3K views, 9.2K average likes, 342 average comments, and an engagement rate of 3.03%. The most relevant topics on her page are Urban Outfitters, Emma Chamberlain, vintage shopping, Teen Vogue, vintage shopping, Kali Uchis, and Glossier. Additionally, her audience is mostly women (91.93%) between the ages of 13 to 24.

Influencer marketing and the success of campaigns all depend on choosing the right influencers. Whether you’re looking for a full-scope campaign or just getting connected to influencers, platforms like Tensor Social can do it all for you. They match you with the right influencer, provide performance metrics, and manage the entire process so that you can put in minimal effort to see your investment work!

Blog by Sophia Montalban

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