IN OTHER NEWS – Georgia ranks among the top five states where people are interested in becoming an influencer.

Release:

• A new study has identified the top states where people are keen to become influencers – with those in Florida proving to be the most eager.

• The study analyzed nationwide Google searches around launching a career in the industry to reveal where is the keenest to do so.

• Home to many of the top influencers, the US was responsible for 75% of the global influencer marketing spend last year.

• While those in Florida appear excited about making a career online, New Mexico residents are the least bothered about pursuing a content creator career.

New data has revealed which states are the most interested in entering into the world of online influencing – with Florida proving to be the most excited about the concept. 

The research, pulled together by online card game site Hearts.co, analyzed nationwide Google search volume for keywords related to becoming an influencer over the last 12 months, to identify which states are most interested in following a content creator career path.  

2023 saw the global influencer marketing value reach $21.1 billion, and – with the US boasting some of the most famous social media stars – the nation was responsible for 75% of the global influencer marketing spend. 

And with the industry thriving, especially in the US, it’s no surprise that more Americans are considering pursuing content creation as a full-time career.  

And it turns out those in Florida are hoping to achieve this more than anywhere else in the US. The state averaged 79.8 monthly searches per 100k residents, which is a huge 49% higher than the US average of 53.5. 

Georgia is the second state most intrigued by the influencer lifestyle, with 78.2 searches per 100k – 46% higher than the national average. In third is New York, which is still 42% above at 75.9 searches per 100k. 

The ten states most interested in becoming an influencer 

	State	Average Monthly Search Volume Per 100k
1	Florida	79.8
2	Georgia	78.2
3	New York	75.9
4	Utah	72.1
5	Nevada	71.0
6	New Jersey	70.3
7	Delaware	66.7
8	California	64.9
9	Texas	63.1
10	North Carolina	61.8

On the other end of the scale, being in the spotlight online doesn’t seem to appeal to New Mexico residents, with only 33.8 searches per 100k, which is 37% below the US average. 

Behind New Mexico as the second-least interested is West Virginia, with people in the state looking for information on the potential career 32% less than the average American, with 36.6 searches per 100k. Closely following in third is Montana with 36.9 monthly searches – 31% below the national average. 

While it’s unclear the exact reason for the difference between the states, it could reflect how heavily social media is integrated into the lives of those living in each area, and therefore how much it’s considered a valid career prospect by residents.   

The ten states least interested in becoming an influencer

	State	Average Monthly Search Volume Per 100k
1	New Mexico	33.8
2	West Virginia	36.6
3	Montana	36.9
4	Alaska	41.4
5	Maine	42.1
6	Iowa	42.4
7	South Dakota	43.6
8	Kentucky	43.8
9	Wyoming	44.0
10	Wisconsin	44.1

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from Hearts.co says: “With the influencer lifestyle offering the opportunity to earn a high salary, choose your own hours and work remotely, it has fast become a popular career choice.

“This is especially true for the younger generation, as many already live their lives very publicly online anyway, so being able to earn a living from it makes influencing a dream job.

“However, whilst working as an influencer does have numerous positives, it also has its downsides, such as a lack of job security. This risk likely deters many people from making it their full-time work and instead opt to carry it out as a side hustle.”