Wags to riches... how footballers’ wives can earn £878,000 for an Instagram post
THE girlfriend of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to depose Victoria Beckham as social media’s most bankable WAG.
Georgina Rodriguez has 28.7million Instagram fans globally and, according to research, can command a fee of £860,448 per advert posted on her social media site – a staggering £350,000 more than her partner reportedly earns a week.
A study reveals that 15 years after becoming queen of the WAGs during England’s World Cup stay in the German town of Baden-Baden, Ms Beckham, 47 – who has 29.2million Instagram followers – risks being toppled from her Louboutin heels.
It also shows how overseas WAGs such as Spanish model Ms Rodriguez, 27, who promotes SheGlam cosmetics and Alo Yoga clothing, dominate Instagram influencing much as their foreign partners rule the English Premier League.
Of the top ten women, just four are British – Victoria Beckham, Perrie Edwards, Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy.
Designer Ms Beckham, whose husband David retired from football in 2013, only uses her account to promote her own fashions. But, according to market rates, she could get £877,920 for an ad slot.
Ben Davies, of 101greatgoals.com, which commissioned the study, said she had ‘better stay on her toes’, adding: ‘Georgina Rodriguez is hot on her heels and looks set to take over the No 1 spot soon.’
The industry pay rate for a product-placement post is £300 per 10,000 followers. In the past six months, only two WAGs ranked in the top ten by the study did not use Instagram to display products – Ms Rooney and Zulay Pogba.
In third place is Little Mix singer Ms Edwards, 28, the partner of Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. With 13.8million followers, her earning potential is £413,557 per advert – half what Ms Beckham could demand but still more than three times the weekly wage of her partner. Ms Edwards plugs Disora luxury clothing.
Behind her is French former TV star Melanie Martial, 30, wife of Manchester United striker Anthony Martial, who advertises Lounge underwear. With 3.5million followers, she can get £104,306 per ad.
At No5 is model Marta Diaz, 21, partner of Tottenham Hotspur star Sergio Reguilon, who has 2.9million followers and plugs Fanta drinks. Using the industry rate of 3p per follower, she could ask for £87,816 per post. Spanish left-back Reguilon reportedly gets £50,000 a week.
However, Dominic Celica, social media expert at marketing specialist XLMedia, said the WAGs could earn even more, explaining that when The X Factor had 14.6million viewers – half the total following some WAGs – ITV charged around £200,000 per 30-second advert.
He added: ‘Given an Instagram post doesn’t run the risk of being missed – unlike a TV advert – and lasts longer than 30 seconds... it’s a fantastic data-driven means to build brand awareness, credibility and future sales. It is an incredibly pure form of direct marketing – like shooting fish in a barrel.’