Editor’s note: For the Akron-Canton Top Content Creator of 2026 competition, readers voted for their favorite social media stars out of a list of 25. The top vote-getter automatically earned a spot in our Top 25, while a panel of expert judges picked the final four. Learn more about our judges here.
When the three of us first looked at the slate for the Akron-Canton Top Content Creator of 2026 competition, it wasn’t entirely clear how we could choose just five content creators from a list of 25. We had our work cut out for us.
The list included everything from Lego masters to HGTV stars. The creativity, expertise and engagement were off the charts.
Content creation is a multi-faceted endeavor, and creators have different strengths and different ways of impacting their communities. As such, we created specific categories to highlight the best of so many unique voices.
Because the options were all so wonderful, we also added in an honorable mention for the four categories we created because, had we not, we might still be in deliberations.
Congratulations to all of the content creators − we’ll be following!
The People’s Choice
The top vote-getter receives the People’s Choice award. Cat Grega, who received more than 5,000 votes, was far and away the winner.
Winner: Cat Grega
The people chose, and they chose wisely. Cat passes the vibe check with flying colors with her love of manatees, her snuggly marmalade tabby cat, her snarky humor and her commentary that lifts up other women. Perhaps her crowning achievement is her private Facebook group, Lady Business with Cat, helping more than 57,000 women “bond with other women about life, work, motherhood and anything else that we’re going through. It’s like a book club, with a lot more swearing.” Don’t we all need a book club with a lot more swearing? Good job choosing, people!
The Multimedia Master
The Multimedia Master is a creator with incredible style. From production value to variety of content, they bring strong visuals and voice. There were many content creators in this year’s group that fit all of these qualities, so thanks for making it hard on us!
Winner: @HikingWithHykes
Our selection was a team of creators that was able to capture the beauty of nature with stunning visuals, making the everyday adventures feel cinematic. The married couple Riley and Trevor Hykes call themselves your realistic bucket list travel guides, and they nail it. From short road trips to check out a beautiful waterfall in Pennsylvania to excursions around national parks, the content provides relevant information, reasons to visit and shares their own insights about each location. Also, their handle name…chef’s kiss.
Honorable Mention: @newbuild_newlyweds
We’d be remiss not to mention Kelsey and Ryan Mansingh, another creator duo that combines high-quality production and Pinterest-worthy content with a particularly creative flair. Their incredible style landed them on HGTV, and their dreamy renovations provide approachable home inspiration for their thriving community of DIY-ers.
The Nicest Niche
With so many unique interests in every corner of the web, there’s a social community for everyone! The accounts we reviewed for the Nicest Niche showed real flair for truly finding their people and creating unforgettable content that hits all the right notes with their followers.
Winner: @jaronmlegrair
Jaron Legrair is one of the internet’s favorite voice teachers. This professor is bringing his lessons from the classrooms of Oberlin to Instagram and TikTok. His notable style of pop-up analysis is fun while showcasing a real expertise. He does a great job of incorporating clips from other creators, films and even award shows, which keeps the content fresh and relevant. Not to mention, he’s built a following that includes artists like Cynthia Erivo, Kristen Bell and Kelly Rowland. We couldn’t help but sing his praises.
Honorable Mention: @hofbuilder
Scott Brown has built (quite literally) an incredible following brick by colorful Lego brick. From his basement to brick shops and beyond, this Canton native has assembled fans with his representations of current events like sports tournaments, pop culture, and cult-favorite movies. Scott is acutely attuned to his audience, often incorporating their comments and suggestions into his master-builder masterpieces. What can we say? His content just clicked with us!
The Hometown Hero
For this category, we decided to highlight a creator who has put their community on the social media map. From showcasing community members and local businesses to keeping audiences updated on relevant news, there were so many candidates that ultimately just represented this community so well.
Winner: @everydayakron
This was a very difficult category to judge (are you seeing a theme here?) as the Top 25 has so many creators using their platforms to lift up the Northeast Ohio community. The @everydayakron account and its founder Rachel Whinnery rose to the top because they give individual Akronites the opportunity to showcase and share “their” Akron. Followers not only showcase their favorite Akron-area eateries and businesses, but also let us into their personal lives and take us along to high school football games, local fundraisers, downtown festivals and an infinite list of hidden gems in and around the Akron area. Everyday Akron shows the world Akron from the perspective of the people who love it most.
Honorable Mention: @justadudeonbatteries
Kody Shaffner was given six months to live. As he says − he’s still going! We selected him for our honorable mention because he’s transformed heart failure and significant personal difficulty into inspiring content. His posts and videos are deeply vulnerable, open and engaging, offering a mix of motivational content and education on the specifics of living with an LVAD device.
The Engaged Influencer
What does it mean to be an engaged influencer? We are looking for a community builder who doesn’t just post and ghost; someone who brings the substance and the vibes. The engaged influencer grows a strong community and interacts with authenticity.
Winner: @thesoilessclassroom
If you aspire to have the best garden on the block (or in your greenhouse as the case may be), we recommend following @thesoilessclassroom. The education starts in videos filled with easy, short snippets of advice, then continues in the comments, where he frequently responds to individual questions and challenges. If you want to know how a toothbrush can double your home tomato harvest and engage with a content creator who will respond to your specific questions about Oral B or Crest, Jason’s your guy.
Honorable Mention: @SnipingforDom
@SnipingforDom has built his online community by incorporating his IRL family and friends into his content along with engaging with comments regularly. And with more than 1 million followers across platforms, that’s no easy feat.
Julie Cajigas is a professor of practice and Akron Community Engaged (ACR) Scholar at The University of Akron.
Cheryl Henderson is the executive director of creative services at Innis Maggiore.
Deanna Stevens Ulrich is the director of digital content at Kent State University.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Here are our Top Content Creator picks, honorable mentions | Opinion
Reporting by Julie Cajigas, Cheryl Henderson, Deanna Stevens Ulrich, Guest opinion / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Julie Cajigas, Cheryl Henderson, Deanna Stevens Ulrich, Guest opinion | USA TODAY Network
