At what point do you start to feel ‘old?’ Well, according to the World Health Organisation, you become old the moment you turn 60. However, we believe that the phrase ‘you’re as young as you feel’ is far truer than this statistic from the WHO. And we have a ton of evidence to back up our claim!

Instagram, TikTok, and the like are social platforms that have taken the world by storm, and with it, influencers and the money they make. Heralded as a platform for ‘young people’, many who would be considered ‘old’ by the WHO’s standard find tons of success as ‘granfluencers’. 

What is a granfluencer? 

A granfluencer is essentially a ‘senior’ influencer – somebody who has an enormous amount of online followers who engage with their social videos and posts. Granfluencers also use their popularity to make money. Who says retirement has to be dull?

Who is the oldest influencer?

If you think you’re too old to learn how to use the tech and use it well enough to gain enough followers to become a granfluencer, think again! Amy Hawkins is 110 years old and has, on average, 3,343 views on each video she publishes on TikTok of her singing. 

Who is the highest-paid granfluencer?

That would be Helen Ruth Elam, who, at 93 years old, is the most followed senior influencer on Instagram with 3.5 million followers. She earns £32,000 a year, which is around £6,790 for every fashion and beauty post.

77-year-old Lynn Yamada Davis takes second place with her cookery account on TikTok, where she charges £3480.73 per post.

The Chainz Family takes bronze for their TikTok account, where they also publish music videos and make £3414.91 for every post. 

The Top 10 Highest Earning Older TikTok Influencers

There’s plenty of Granfluencers taking over TikTok, but who can earn the most from the platform?  We’ve crunched the numbers to work out potential earnings per post based on their following and average engagement rate.

•  @cookingwithlynja

At 77 years old Lynn Yamada Davis shares cooking videos with her followers.  On average her videos receive 1.5million views, allowing her to charge £3,480.73 per post.

• @thechainzfamily

The Chainz Family feature their 93 year old grandma in many of their TikTok videos, appealing to over 93million people!  With a following like that, it’s no surprise they can charge £3,414.91 per post.

• @grandadjoe1933

Joe Allington, aka Poppa Joe shares his day to life with over 4.5million followers.  From his horses to lunches at Maccies, he’s become a fan favourite, earning £2,829.92 per post.

• @lilihayes

73 year old Lili Hayes loves to share her comedy chops with her 4 million followers.  Her videos have racked up over 119million views, allowing her to charge £2,727.54 per post.

• @charlesmallet

Charles and his family share his life with his 4.8million followers.  From his health journey to stories about his wife, it’s no surprise Charles has a legion of fans and can charge £2,654.42 per post.

• @Reggie1936

84 year old Reggie shares his journey of life with a disability with his audience, earning him over 80K likes.  His charm and zest for life is the perfect pickup to your day.

• @grandma_droniak

90 year old Lillian Droniak, aka A Lill wonder has over 3million followers on TikTok and often answers fan questions about her life.  The grandma from the USA knows how to get the likes on her videos, resulting in a sponsorship of £1,937.80.

• @dolly_broadway

Dolores Paolino, aka Dolly Broadway knows how to live her best life!  Her comedy and dance videos are loved by her 2.3million followers, giving her a post value of £1,557.55.

• @its_j_dog

Jenny Krupa is nearly 90 but is as spritely as someone less than half of age.  Even we feel tired watching her.  With nearly 2million followers, this granfluencer can earn up to £1,330.87 per post.

• @rosssmith

Pauline Kana, aka Gangster Granny features heavily on Ross Smith’s channel – it’s a fantastic channel for a good chuckle and a reminder that you’re never too old to have fun. With over 18million followers and a 3% engagement rate, Gangster Granny can take home £1,273.91 per post.

How do you become a senior influencer?

While it will take a considerable amount of time and effort to reach the type of income Helen Ruth Elam makes, these fantastic seniors have more than proved the WHO wrong – age really is just a number. 

More than that, platforms like TikTok and Instagram aren’t just for young people. We easily found 40 granfluencers across the USA and UK who are having tons of fun posting videos. 

So, if you’re interested in trying something new, why not give becoming a granfluencer a go? Here are a few ways to get started.

•  Download the apps and create an account

Before you start posting any videos, you need to choose a platform to post on. Start by downloading both TikTok and Instagram and scroll through some videos. Which platform do you prefer to engage with? Which is easiest to use? This will most likely be the platform you use to launch your granfluencer account properly. 

•  Choose a theme and run with it

What is your favourite hobby? We recommend choosing this as your theme, as your passion will shine through the most. Your chosen theme may also have an impact on the platform you choose. 

Our research shows music, dance, and cooking granfluencers are most successful on TikTok, whereas if your hobby is related to fashion, beauty or travel, then Instagram may be the best platform for you.

•  Have fun

The most important secret to granfluencer success is to have fun! Although you may be able to make some money from your account, this should be an enjoyable experience for you first and foremost. If it starts to feel like work, you’re doing it wrong. 

So, are you ready to get started?