Appalachia’s Creative Rise: The Growing Opportunity for Social Media Influencers in West Virginia

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_{New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (Photo credit: WV Tourism)}

By Amanda Barber

Trending in Appalachia

Niche or theme-focused content creation has become popular for Appalachia-based creative online accounts. These creators strive to document and preserve culture through common topics, including travel, local food, history, the arts, and true crime/ghost stories.

An example is the Mountain State-based online account, Creepalachia (199K Facebook followers), which covers stories that still perplex West Virginians today, such as Mamie Thurman, the Greenbrier Ghost, Mothman, Chief Cornstalk and other tales. But the online platform goes beyond Appalachian mysteries – host JD Belcher explores coal town histories, profiles notable West Virginians, and tackles pressing issues facing the Mountain State, like the lack of clean water.

The Opportunity

Specifically in the Mountain State, the door is wide open for travel content creation. According to the West Virginia Department of Tourism (WV Tourism), the state features 36 state parks, nine state forests, six national park/national recreation areas, three rail trails, along with countless hiking paths and other outdoor adventures.

The Instagram account @livinginavibe (45.3K followers) features Marco, a Black travel creator, and his partner Anastasia. The two are an RV-traveling couple who call West Virginia home. They share outdoor content across the state as well as adventures throughout the country and abroad.

And local tourism agencies are leaning into influencer marketing, helping destinations garner online attention by offering perks to creators who document their travels there. WV Tourism hosts travel writers and content creators on familiarization (FAM) trips. The Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) pinpoints, connects with, and manages regional micro-influencers. Working alongside WV Tourism’s Cooperative Advertising Program, the CVB also brings well-known influencers to events and attractions – experiences they then share with their followers.

_{Photo credit: @_jessicaleeford on Instagram}

Similar to how WV Tourism collaborates with travel influencers, Goodwill of North Central West Virginia offers certain perks to “thrifty creators.” As part of the Goodwill Creator’s Circle, influencers can receive opportunities for partnered posts, store gift cards, and invites to behind-the-scenes operations, exclusive events and grand openings. Creators just need to have 1000 to 1500 followers, shop and post content on a regular basis, and stick to basic guidelines, which are listed on Goodwill’s website.

Highlighting WV Talent: BBG & the BIPOC Creator Spotlight
In 2025, BBG highlighted various creative profiles, including Dalton & Sako, the KROSS BARZ Podcast, and Wayne Snow of Howling at the Earth. Keep an eye out in 2026 as BBG continues to explore and highlight West Virginia’s BIPOC content creators.

Additionally, Black influencers in West Virginia with a following can leverage BBG’s Black-Owned Business Directory as a content resource. By visiting featured restaurants and service providers – and highlighting, reviewing, or collaborating with them on their platforms – creators can help drive visibility and support for local businesses while also expanding their own audience. The partnerships create mutually beneficial exposure, all while generating engaging, travel-inspired content rooted in community impact.

The above concept is exactly what BBG and Leeshia Watson (aka Leeshia Lee) are working on together for the AgriCULTURE initiative’s Community Journalism Content Fellowship. Leeshia is a Charleston-based creator, writer, photographer and community builder. Through 2026, she is traveling across the state – using weekly video features, photography and storytelling – to spotlight Black farmers, chefs, food business owners and community members who are preserving culinary heritage.

Tools & Resources

WV Small Business Development Center & Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Partnership: A free program to help entrepreneurs thrive online, with 60+ courses from social media strategy to AI tools to modern technology skills. Verizon has also partnered with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation to give $5,000 grants to 25 West Virginia small business owners who complete one course and apply by March 31.

West Virginia University (WVU) Web Standards for Content Creators: A webpage giving tips, tools, and the “do’s and don’ts” of writing and creating compelling content.
WVU Reed School of Media and Communications ‘Podcasting with a Purpose’: A YouTube video workshop on the basics of producing a podcast that grasps attention and grows an audience. The workshop also features participatory activities such as idea generation and audio skills practice.
CapCut Training in West Virginia: Offered online and at onsite locations in Morgantown and Charleston, these paid, live trainings are instructor-led sessions that teach participants how to use CapCut to create, edit, and maximize video content.
Coworking and Creator Spaces: Across West Virginia – in cities and towns such as Charleston, Morgantown, Fairmont, and Fayetteville – these spaces offer memberships or rental options that provide access to high-speed WiFi, private offices, computers, camera equipment, podcasting technology, and other essential tools. They allow creators to produce content without investing in expensive equipment themselves.
- West Virginia State University (WVSU) Economic Development Center (EDC): Offers a rentable co-working space along with free events, speaker series, and workshops to build new skills. In October, they hosted a free six-week podcasting workshop for middle and high school students. Keep an eye on the EDC’s Facebook page for upcoming events.
- Kanawha County Public Library (KCPL) IDEA Lab Podcast Studio: Two vocal booths featuring two-inch sound absorption foam, an Aston Stealth microphone, audio interface hardware, and professional editing software. The space is free to reserve with proof of a library card, waiver, and completion certificate of the no-cost online training.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Why Broadband Matters for Rural Creators

With 11.2% of West Virginia households lacking a digital device and 17.3% without broadband access, the need to close the state’s digital divide remains important. Organizations like Generation West Virginia helped create digital equity plans for 18 counties in Fall 2024, as well as hosted workshops and community planning meetings.

Findings revealed common challenges in these counties, including technology affordability, digital literacy issues and geographic challenges for infrastructure. The digital equity plans proposed solutions and next steps for advocacy and grant funding, education and training programs, and infrastructure development.

Digital equity helps ensure that all individuals and communities in West Virginia – regardless of location or socioeconomic status – can access affordable, reliable internet and the skills needed to fully engage in today’s online world. Generation WV further notes that digital equity is important when it comes to education, workforce development and civic engagement.

When comparing West Virginia’s digital equity and rural content creation, there is a connection that can be made:

Education:

Reliable broadband allows content creators to take online courses, watch tutorials, join virtual workshops, and sharpen their digital skills. Whether learning video editing, graphic design or monetization techniques, strong internet access helps creators stay competitive and continuously improve their craft.

Workforce Development:

High-speed internet expands remote work opportunities for content creators, especially in rural communities. It enables collaboration with clients anywhere in the world, including brand partnerships, freelance contracts, livestreaming and digital product sales. With stronger connectivity, creators can turn their platforms into sustainable businesses rather than just hobbies.

Civic Engagement:

Digital access empowers influencers to stay informed about local issues, access public information, and use their platforms to amplify community voices. It helps them engage audiences in meaningful conversations, promote local events, and advocate for important causes – strengthening their brand and community impact.

Safeguarding the Financial Future of Young Creators

Even the West Virginia Legislature is diving in to support content creators – at the youth level, that is. Introduced on Feb. 4, House Bill 5178 relates to the protection of minors’ earnings when engaged in certain artistic or creative services. A content creator is listed in the bill and defined as “an individual who creates, posts, shares, or otherwise interacts with digital content on an online platform and engages in a direct contractual relationship with third parties for compensation.”

If HB 5178 passes, employers who contract minors for creative services – including content creation – would be required to set aside 15% of the minor’s gross earnings in a blocked trust account.

A blocked trust account, also known as a “Coogan account,” is a specialized account that cannot be accessed until an individual is emancipated or reaches 18 years old. The purpose is to protect the child’s earnings from misuse by a parent, guardian or talent manager. Traditionally, Coogan accounts have been established for child actors or performers, but as the social media landscape continues to evolve, more states are taking steps to extend similar protections to child content creators.

HB 5178 would also allow minors whose rights are violated to bring civil action for actual damages, punitive damages and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. The bill is sponsored by Del. Hollis Lewis (D-Kanawha) and Del. Anitra Hamilton (D-Monongalia).

Networking & Collaboration: Building a Strong Creative Community

For Mountain State influencers, networking events are more than friendly meetups – they are vital spaces where collaboration is ignited, local talent is amplified, and creative communities grow stronger together.

Last fall, Leeshia Lee organized two West Virginia Content Creators Meet & Greets at Cam’s Selfie World on Charleston’s West Side. Entrepreneurs, business owners, artists, community activists and content creators from Charleston and Huntington were at the event. In BBG’s coverage of the event, Leeshia said the WV Content Creators Meet & Greet will be a recurring gathering.

Most recently, the second Charleston Creative Circle meetup took place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Taylor Books. This free event, put on by local business Filmanatix, was a welcoming environment where creatives were able to connect, exchange ideas, and build meaningful relationships.

All creative minds were invited – filmmakers, photographers, musicians, designers, podcasters, content creators, live streamers, etc. Basically, anyone interested in creating and learning from others. In a Facebook post about the event, Filmanatix said the Charleston Creative Circle was a no-pressure event, with no pitches or presentations – just good energy, people and conversation.

Photos provided by Caleb Akers, Filmanatix

Filmanatix also said on Facebook that they are hoping to host another creative event soon, possibly a block party in the spring.

As gatherings like the WV Content Creators Meet & Greet and Charleston Creative Circle continue to gain momentum, they show that when local creatives come together, they do not just exchange ideas — they build the foundation for a more connected and thriving creative economy across the region.

Creator Spotlight: About Filmanatix

Filmanatix, a Charleston–based boutique video production company, was founded in 2015. The company bloomed from a mutual interest between lifelong friends – Benjamin Mason, an award-winning director, and Caleb Akers, a filmmaker inspired by storytelling – and has expanded into a successful studio creating hundreds of commercials across the country.

The company offers a wide range of video production services, handling concept development, scriptwriting, filming, editing, and delivery. The team combines strong visuals with meaningful strategy for commercials, brand storytelling and social media videos. Filmanatix works with clients in various industries, including finance, healthcare, education, and retail.

Filmanatix can be contacted via phone [(304) 982-0886 / (304) 395-8259] or email (info@filmanatix.com). The company is also on the platforms Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.