Introduction

In the increasingly polarized landscape of American politics, social media has become a fascinating lens through which to view political tribalism and cultural preferences. But what happens when we look beyond the political posts and heated debates to examine who these supporters actually follow?

In a unique analysis of Instagram follower networks, we dive deep into the digital footprints of Trump and Kamala Harris supporters to uncover surprising patterns in their celebrity and influencer preferences.

Process

To analyse the follower patterns of Trump and Kamala supporters on Instagram, we conducted a two-step data collection process.

First, we identified 1,000 Trump enthusiasts and 1,000 Kamala enthusiasts by tracking positive sentiment comments on each politician’s recent Instagram posts. This method ensured that the selected individuals demonstrated active engagement and support toward their respective presidential candidates.

Next, for each of the 2,000 identified enthusiasts, we retrieved a comprehensive list of the accounts they follow on Instagram. By aggregating and tallying these follow lists separately for Trump and Kamala supporters, we established a dataset that captures the unique and overlapping public figures each group follows.

Results

Our analysis revealed distinct patterns in celebrity following behavior across the political spectrum. We identified key public figures that resonated strongly with each group, as well as those who maintained broad appeal across political lines. The visualisation maps these relationships on a gradient, with figures appearing further left having stronger associations with Kamala Harris supporters and those on the right showing stronger Trump supporter followings. The size of each figure's icon represents their total follower count within our dataset, while their horizontal position indicates the proportion of followers from each political group.

Example: Snoop Dogg had a combined total of 32 followers from our dataset (approximately 1.5% of the 2,000 total), which is reflected in the size of his circle icon. Of these, 16 were Trump enthusiasts and 16 were Kamala enthusiasts, giving him a balanced 50/50 association split, and his position in the centre of the grid.

These counts and proportions allowed us to visualise each celebrity’s relative affinity within the two distinct follower groups.

Celebrity Affiliations

• Kamala Supporters (Left Side)
  • Beyoncé (100%)
  • Bruce Springsteen (100%)
  • Rick Owens (100%)
  • Mark Cuban (98%)
  • Simone Biles (98%)
  • Billie Eilish (87%)
  • Taylor Swift (80%)
  • Pamela Anderson (77%)
  • Oprah Winfrey (75%)
  • Barack Obama (75%)
• Centre
  • Snoop Dogg (50/50)
  • Justin Bieber (50/50)
• Trump Supporters (Right Side)
  • The Undertaker (100%)
  • Grant Cardone (100%)
  • Russell Brand (97%)
  • Joe Rogan (94%)
  • Charlie Kirk (90%)
  • Sylvester Stallone (87%)
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger (80%)
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (74%)
  • Theo Von (71%)
  • Travis Scott (60%)

Top Insights

Analysis of these follower patterns reveals several noteworthy trends and surprising discoveries:

1. Unexpected Affiliations

Two figures in particular stand out as having surprising positioning. Firstly, Barack Obama, a former Democratic president and Kamala supporter, drew 25% of his associations from Trump enthusiasts, perhaps due to his broader appeal as a former leader and prominent figure in American culture. Secondly, Travis Scott, a rapper typically associated with liberal-leaning communities, had 60% of his associations coming from Trump supporters. This may stem from Trump's popularity in some rap circles, especially after his pardons of rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. These examples highlight how cultural and political identities can intersect in unexpected ways.

2. Gendered Affinities

Among Trump supporters, every top-associated figure is male. This male-dominated pattern contrasts with Kamala enthusiasts, whose top associations feature both male and female public figures. This suggests that Trump supporters may show less engagement with or affinity for female celebrities and prominent figures, potentially reflecting personalities that emphasise with traditionally male personas.

3. Distinctly Partisan Favourites

Celebrities like Beyoncé, Rick Owens, and Bruce Springsteen are favoured solely by Kamala enthusiasts, with 100% of their followers in our dataset aligning with her fanbase. Conversely, figures like The Undertaker, Grant Cardone, and Russell Brand show similarly strong associations with Trump supporters, suggesting that certain personalities resonate almost exclusively within one political group.

4. Neutral Territory

Only a small subset of public figures attracted equal followings from both groups, with Snoop Dogg and Justin Bieber being the two examples. Their balanced 50/50 association split indicates that their appeal crosses political lines, suggesting a more universally relatable persona or brand image.

How to use this in market research

Whilst this article focuses on political associations, we developed this methodology with market research in mind. Here are two key applications in the research world:

Influencer Decision-Making

Brands can gain deeper insight into potential influencer partners by analysing the follower bases of their potential collaborators. For example, a sports drink brand looking to tap into the gaming community could compare the followings of Footballer A and Footballer B to see which fanbase shows a stronger alignment with gaming interests, allowing for a more targeted partnership choice.

Competitor Analysis and Comparison

Brands can also leverage this approach to understand their audience relative to competitors. By mapping out the associated accounts within each brand’s follower base, companies can compare their audience to that of close competitors, gaining insights into who their followers are, where they align, and where they differ. This analysis helps reveal adjacent interests in competitor audiences, providing opportunities for brands to expand into these areas and capture a broader market segment.

A deeper dive for our community

Subscribe for free here to stay updated with future blog posts and receive exclusive resources. Subscribers will get access to a full version of the image below, with the additional hidden faces revealed via email! Clues: 1) Popular Podcast - 100% Kamala, 2) Politician - 82% Kamala, 3) Innovative US Company - 60% Trump, 4) Politician - 78% Trump - Largest of all figures, even bigger than Taylor Swift, with >5% follower association.