Sage Zaree has been leveraging the creator class for years for his various roles as a marketing executive. As someone who studies digital marketing trends and influencer culture, he has noticed something interesting happening right here in New Jersey. We sat down with Sage to talk about why the Garden State has quietly become a hotbed for social media stars and what makes our state the perfect place for influencers to grow their followings.
New Jersey is having a moment right now. When people think of influencers, they usually think of LA or New York City, but the reality is that New Jersey is quietly building something really special.
Positioned perfectly between New York and Philadelphia, this gives our creators access to huge audiences without having to pay crazy rent prices like they would in Manhattan. Plus, we've got everything they need for a perfect influencer lifestyle: beaches, cities, suburbs, farms. Content creators can literally film any type of lifestyle they want without leaving the state.
The numbers are wild. The global influencer marketing market hit $24 billion in 2024, and it's growing fast. Goldman Sachs says the creator economy will be worth $500 billion by 2027. That's huge money we're talking about.
But here's what's really cool, 64% of marketers are working with” micro influencers”, which means you don't need millions of followers to make money. These are creators with maybe 10,000 to 100,000 followers who are making real income from their content. New Jersey is full of these kinds of creators.
Sage Zaree: The SplashTwinz, Trechelle and Treona Andino, are crushing it with over 16 million followers on TikTok. These twins from New Jersey do vlogs, challenges, and pranks that really connect with Gen Z.
Then you've got Alejandro Rosario, who's 21 and became famous through TikTok and now has millions of views across Instagram and YouTube. There's also Eli Rallo, Livvy Dunne, and Meredith Hayden who are telling millions of followers what to eat, watch, and buy.
But honestly, what I love most is that New Jersey has creators in every category you can think of such as food bloggers showing off our amazing restaurant scene, lifestyle influencers highlighting our beaches and boardwalks, and even business creators talking about entrepreneurship.
Authenticity is a major component for influencer success and New Jersey people are known for being “real”, and that comes through their content. They don't put on airs or pretend to be something they're not.
Second, there is a lot of diversity. You can find creators from every background, every community, every interest. That means there's an audience for everyone, and brands love that because they can find exactly the right person to represent their product.
Third, and this is huge, New Jersey is relatively affordable. A micro creator can live in New Jersey and have access to amazing content locations, be close to major markets, and still afford to take risks with their content because their cost of living isn't crushing them.
It varies a lot, but the opportunities are real. Almost half of all influencers charge between $150 to $1,000 per post. Now imagine someone posting just twice a week - that could be $2,000 to $8,000 per month, which is serious money.
But here's the thing, it's not just about sponsored posts anymore. Creators are building entire businesses themselves and selling their own products, creating courses, doing brand partnerships, getting speaking gigs. There are hundreds of New Jersey creators who are making six figures a year from their content.
The reality is that only 3% of part-time creators make more than $50,000 a year, while 68% earn less than $1,000 annually. So people have to be realistic as this profession isn't easy money but for those who put in the work and build their audience, the money can be life changing.
The food scene is incredible and food content does amazing. New Jersey has everything from boardwalk treats to highend restaurants to amazing home cooking. There are 30 major food influencers in the state that brands want to work with.
Beach and shore content is huge, especially during summer. The beaches are beautiful, and people love living vicariously through beach day content. Then you've got lifestyle content showing off our cute towns with close proximity to major cities.
Fashion and beauty content works great here too because we're close to New York's fashion scene but we're also relatable to regular people. Sports content is big because so many are passionate about local teams, and that passion translates to great content.
Start with what you know and love. Don't try to be someone else, be the most interesting version of yourself. If you love cooking, start there. If you're into fitness, start there. If you're funny, lean into that.
Second, use the local environment to your advantage by showing off what makes the state special. People from other places are fascinated by the local culture, food, beaches and attitudes. Third, be consistent. Post regularly, engage with your audience, and be patient. Building a following takes time. I tell people to think of it like a marathon, not a sprint.
And finally, network with other New Jersey creators. The local community is really supportive. People collaborate, share tips, and help each other grow. It's not cutthroat like some other markets.
Local businesses are huge for the influencer community. Restaurants, shops, attractions - they're all working with creators now. It's win-win because businesses get exposure to new audiences, and creators get content and often payment or free products.
What I love seeing is how local businesses are getting smarter about influencer partnerships. They're not just asking for one post but are instead building relationships with creators who genuinely love their products and will promote them naturally over time.
I think it is just getting started. While 75.6% of companies plan a dedicated budget for influencer marketing in 2025, there's still so much room for growth.
I see New Jersey becoming known as a hub for authentic, relatable content. While other markets might get oversaturated with perfect, polished content, New Jersey creators have a unique authenticity and audiences love that.
I also see more collaboration between creators and local New Jersey businesses. Tourism, restaurants, retail and smaller local businesses are beginning to realize that influencers can drive real business results.
They have a scrappy creativity and many, even larger ones are more down to earth. People can relate to locals because they are not trying to present a perfect image.
They are also really good at community building. New Jersey people are loyal, and that extends to the online communities. When a New Jersey creator builds an audience, those followers are engaged and supportive.
The influencer scene in the state is thriving, and honestly, New Jersey’s influencer scene is just getting started.
Sage Zaree is a business and digital marketing strategist who has spent the last five years leveraging social media influencers to build successful businesses. Sage regularly speaks at marketing conferences about marketing, business and social media trends and has helped several companies connect with complimentary influencer audiences. His insights into the creator economy have been featured in various marketing publications, and he continues to track emerging trends that shape how people build online communities and businesses.
