How content creators could play a key role in Louisiana’s economic development plans

Online content creators are turning into a significant economic force, and Louisiana is leaning into that trend with a new initiative. But without better data on who these creators are and what they do, the state can’t measure the impact, and may be missing opportunities to help the sector grow.

Social creators in Louisiana are already driving tourism, promoting local businesses and shaping how outsiders see the state. 

That’s recognized by state leaders, said Josh Fleig, chief innovation officer at Louisiana Economic Development. Under the Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO) initiative, the LED is exploring ways to better measure, engage and support creators over the long term, he said, including paid partnerships, expected to start later this spring.

“In 2026, we really have to turn up the heat on telling people about what’s happening,” Fleig told Technical.ly. “I love the idea of content creator and social influencer marketing.”

LED is considering the benefits of launching something similar to Connecticut’s C4, the first-ever state-led content creator marketplace, networking platform and professional development program. It did just launch the Louisiana Storytellers Initiative, but its sign-up form does not (yet) have a creators category.

Local practitioners like Megan Braden-Perry, an author and independent journalist, say a state-led content creator marketplace could be useful — especially if it clarifies how they can access existing economic development programs. Musician and wellness entrepreneur Bobbi Rae agrees.

“I see strong alignment between my work and the goal of making state-level resources feel accessible, relatable and actionable for creators and creatives who may not otherwise know how or where to engage,” Rae told Technical.ly.

A leader from Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development, which launched that state’s C4 project, offered pointed advice for his Gulf Coast counterparts. 

“Make sure it’s something that will actually make a difference,” said Anthony M. Anthony, chair of the Connecticut Tourism Council, “because otherwise it’s just wasting people’s time.”

Influence meets economic growth

Despite a high number of creators — over 170,000 nano-influencers, according to a 2023 report, on par with California in terms of population density — there are gaps in access to funding, state resources and recognition. That means a growing creative economy, plus the jobs, business growth and investment it could bring, is being left on the table.

Many local content creators have built brands around promotion of Louisiana’s tourism industry, which remains an essential economic driver. Tourism generated approximately $24.8 billion in total economic impact for the state in 2024, according to research group Oxford Economics. 

That tourism-driven influence is increasingly translating into real revenue — not just for creators, but for the businesses and regions they promote.

Fuck You Pay Me, known as the Glassdoor for content creators, is building tools that could benefit local government efforts nationwide. Founder and CEO Lindsey Lugrin confirmed that at least 100 known Louisiana content creators are already registered members. 

The company is developing a proprietary market-rate pricing calculator with collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Columbia University. 

“I haven’t worked with a state agency before,” Lugrin told Technical.ly, “but I am interested.”

For LED, the challenge is how to connect that creator-driven influence to long-term economic development goals. 

Where creators get left out

The scale of creator impact on local economies is growing quickly.

Consulting firm Market.us estimates that the US creator economy is valued at over $50 billion and could surpass $300 billion by the mid-2030s, leading to more financial firms investing in record-breaking collaborations with content creators. 

In Louisiana, many content creators operate through formal business entities that qualify them for state incentives, including payroll and production tax credits, public funding programs and support from initiatives like Lafayette’s Opportunity Machine.

Creators may also qualify for private pitch competitions and incubators such as Fund 17, Propeller and the Idea Village.

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Still, state outreach and promotional materials rarely include explicit calls for content creators to apply, and fluctuating income makes it harder to scale.

Rae is one of many Louisiana content creators leading ventures built on their personal brands who are also creating jobs, but there currently isn’t a Louisiana state, regional or city-led content creator economic impact report publicly available on any government agency or economic development organization’s website.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy in New Orleans released its first-ever Cultural Impact Report in 2025, which included artists who are also known to be content creators.

However, content creators were not highlighted as a distinct category within the cultural economy and there was no specific data shared on their economic impact. Similar to New Orleans, throughout Louisiana, all publicly available cultural impact-focused reports appear to group creators under a broader “creative economy” or “digital media” umbrella.

That lack of specificity makes it harder for policymakers to design programs that meet creators where they are — or to justify investing in them at scale.

As for the next step, Lindsey Gamble, an influencer consultant, said Louisiana should build out a creator economy advisory committee as a next step.

“I think when it comes to creators in particular,” Gamble said, “you never want to build something without their input.”