Do Utah Kids That Go To Church Make Popular Influencers?

Why Do So Many Influencers Come from Utah? 

People on the internet have begun to notice that many content creators on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube come from Utah or are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They don’t always share their faith, but there are a surprising number of successful influencers in this category. 

This story from Salt Lake Magazine looked at some of those with the biggest following in Utah. It also includes some thoughts from Mariah Wellmen who did a doctoral thesis at the University of Utah on how LDS culture figures into the success of those producing content in Utah. 

The Influence of Going to Church

Wellmen notes how youth in the church are encouraged to journal and record their thoughts. This was easy to transfer into a blog and helped to create the “Mormon mommy bloggers” of the 2000s. They shared their lives of marriage and kids and some were able to transition their following into social media. 

Opportunities to serve give good training for being in the public eye, according to Wellmen. Youth in the church are given opportunities to speak publicly and teach lessons. They are encouraged to see themselves positively and they are taught about their potential.  

Wellmen also notes the clean lifestyle and care for grooming has an impact. They present a confident image to the audience. She also notes the focus on families often presents a wholesome enviable lifestyle to those following online.  

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Not everybody is happy about this. The reason I stumbled on this topic was a video disparaging “Mormons as a cult” and berating their influence. No matter, the number of people making a living online from Utah will probably continue to increase.