10 Captivating Grandfluencers To Add to Your “Following” List
Not too long ago, social media was almost exclusively dominated by younger faces. However, a refreshing shift is happening with the rise of a new wave of tech-savvy senior influencers.
Their name? Grandfluencers.
What’s a Grandfluencer?
A grandfluencer is a person at least 50 years old who produces social media content. Their material doesn’t have to follow a specific theme or genre and can range from travel content to comedic skits. Curious to learn more? These are 11 popular grandfluencers.
1: Grandma Droniak
Lillian Droniack, known on social media platforms as Grandma Droniak, found fame alongside her grandson in 2012 as a guest star in one of his YouTube videos. The 93-year-old transitioned to making TikTok videos in 2019, producing light-hearted content geared toward her 10 million followers.
2: Sandy and Ellie
Around the World at 80 follows two best friends, Sandy and Ellie, at 81 years old. Their content revolves around their travels to all seven continents. The duo hopes to complete their trip in 80 days. They’ve gained over 64,000 followers in the process.
3: Sharon Barber
Known for returning to college at 79, Grandmagreat (TikTok handle) follows Sharon Barber’s adventures as she tackles university life. The Granfluencer decided to return to school after a 40-year pause to raise her family and decided to document her journey on the platform. Barber currently has 2.6 million followers.
4: Joe Allington
With over 446 thousand followers on Instagram, U.K.-based Grandluencer Joe Allington has grown popular for his comedic timing. Known as GrandadJoe1933 on the internet, Joe Allington’s content is typically light-hearted and stars alongside his granddaughter. His videos have earned him over 6 million followers on TikTok.
5: Retirement House
Retirement House features six actors aged 70 to 85 on TikTok. The semi-scripted account consists of members Larry, Mabel, Bubbe, Rose, Curtis, and Eugene. The group creates comedic videos for audiences of all backgrounds, poking fun at young social media stars. The account has over 5 million followers.
6: Helen Ruth Van Winkle
Helen Van Winkle lives her life unapologetically. The 94-year-old is known for her wit and eccentric styling choices. The internet personality went viral at age 85 for her fighting against ageism. Her tagline reads: “Stealing your man since 1928.”
7: Irvin Randle
Based out of Houston, Texas, Irvin Randle fights ageism one post at a time. The teacher-turned-model-turned-internet star took Instagram by storm with his youthful style and dapper poses. The 61-year-old is often called “Mr. Steal Your Grandma” by his audience, a hashtag that went viral in 2016 on platforms like Twitter.
8: Iris Apfel
With over 2.7 million followers on Instagram, Iris Apefel’s stylish fashion choices speak for themselves. Her tagline is “More is more and less of a bore.” At 101 years old, Apfel is one of the oldest fashion designers to date.
9: Lyn Slater
Lyn Slater is a writer and activist with over 750,000 followers on Instagram. The self-proclaimed “Accidental Icon” rose to fame in 2014 as a fashion blogger. She currently creates content for women who are not celebrities and aspire to live as freely as they desire.
10: Barbara Costello
Dubbed “everyone’s grandmother” by Tiktok, Barbara Costello produces food content while sharing her wisdom with over 3.4 million followers. The 74-year-old lives with her husband in Connecticut and rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Know
Grandfluencers see more success on apps like TikTok and Instagram. While over 78% of individuals above the age of 56 use Facebook, Statista found that Tiktok was the most downloaded app in 2021. The “entertainment” category did the best worldwide.
How It Works
Mobile apps like TikTok often require a more hands-on approach for beginners. Aspiring grandfluencers can record themselves on their phones and post videos up to 10 minutes long.
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