Zefr's list of top 100 digital influencers may surprise you
LOS ANGELES -- Ahead of VidCon, tech company Zefr compiled a list of the top 100 digital video influencers of 2016, with popular acts such as Cameron Dallas scoring high.
But unlike other rankings, the list isn't just based on the number of followers or video views.
Instead, the company broke the list into categories -- including digital A-list, gaming, kids & toys, Spanish language, and best all around -- based on trends they saw in engagement across platforms. The company tracked over 78,000 accounts across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using technology that helps identify a broad range of talent. The team only looked at engagement over the past 90 days in order to keep the results to who’s influential now.
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"The influencer space is growing so fast and these are the people that are day-in and day-out fueling that growth."
"The goal was to go beyond the names we all know," Dave Rosner, Zefr's EVP of Strategic Marketing, wrote in the report, which Mashable got an early exclusive look at. "The influencer space is growing so fast and these are the people that are day-in and day-out fueling that growth."
Here's a look at some of Zefr's findings.
Digital A-list
The YouTube duo are known for their webseries Good Mythical Morning, which has featured celebrity guests like Amy Schumer and Daniel Radcliffe.
The childhood best friend duo have been active on the platform since 2006—just a year after its invention.
2. Roman Atwood
"Pranking and vlogging—two of the largest video trends and Roman Atwood does them both in separate, dedicated YouTube channels: Roman Atwood and Roman Atwood Vlogs," Zefr wrote in the report.
3. Aaron DeBoer
From "Drive Thru pranks" to superhero cosplay, DeBoer is popular among both kid and adult audiences, hence why Zefr put him in their No. 3 spot.
4. Rachel Levin
Levin builds her franchise videos around brands such as Disney, and then gives them modern, humorous and relatable twists.
Dallas, who started on Vine, has become the "it" boy of the Internet.
After mastering the six-second humorous videos, the young heartthrob moved on to YouTube to create longer-form content, including reaction videos and vlogs.
Now he's transitioning to acting, starring in digital movies such as Expelled from AwesomenessTV and The Outfield from Fullscreen, as well as TV shows like NBC's American Odyssey.
Best All Around
1. Cameron Dallas
Yep -- again. Though this time the 21-year-old tops the list.
"Being part of a digital influencer family helps keep Dallas relevant, as if he’s solidified his spot in the “popular group” in high school," Zefr researchers wrote.
Plus, he posts regularly on all his accounts. His engagement score was the highest, ranked at 99.68/100.
2. Dan Howell
Howell, who has established himself alongside fellow influencer Phil Lester (the two have a DanAndPhilGames channel) is what Zefr described as a "jack of all trades when it comes to social media."
His engagement score: 99.43/100.
3. Roman Atwood
Another influencer who makes not one but two of Zefr's top lists.
The prankster got an engagement score of 99.39/100.
4. Caspar Lee
The influencer has collaborated with a mix of digital and traditional entertainers. He made a cameo in the UK version of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and starred in the StyleHaul series, The Crew.
Zefr gave him a score of 99.31/100.
This joint channel -- mentioned above -- has become known for its "Let's Play" videos.
The funny duo earned a score of 99.30/100.
General Gaming
1. PewDiePie  
2. Kwebbelkop  
3. FGTeeV  
4. Faze Apex  
5. FaZe Rain
Kids & Toys
1. CookieSwirlC
2. Toys and Funny Kids Surprise Eggs
4. Surprise Eggs unboxing toys
Spanish Language
1. JuegaGerman
2. Fernanfloo
3. VEGETTA777
4. TheGrefg
5. elrubiusOMG 
For the full report, check out Zefr's blog.
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Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
