July 21, 2025

Is social media worth it for consultants?

There’s a thread going in Ditcherville right now about what is working on social media.

Here’s my current personal take on social:

I have no scientific data to support this, but my instincts are that there’s a TikTok-ification of social media going on that massively leans toward “authenticity” (ala Hawk Tuah)

If this is correct, then the question becomes:

“How can an expert show up on social media in a way that is ‘on brand’ but doesn’t degrade into clownish pandering to the algorithm?”

On the one hand, I’ve heard that Zohran Mamdani threaded this needle brilliantly in the run-up to the NYC mayoral primary, so it might be worth studying what he did if you want to be big on social without becoming a clown.

On the other hand, I think it’s logically possible that there is no overlap between one’s “personal brand” and “what works on social”.

So...

What if there is no overlap between your personal brand and what works on social?

I think the answer is this:

Write a great book.

If you can do this, other people will talk about it for you on social media, on podcasts, in person, and elsewhere.

No clowning around required.

Yours,

—J

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