July 22, 2025

Books vs Social

In yesterday’s message, I said that writing a great book would be a good alternative to building an audience on social media, at least for experts who are trying to build a consulting business.

On an office hours call with a group of Ditcherville members, one of the Ditchers asked a follow-up question (edited slightly for clarity):

Why do you think a book is the best way to build authority and get clients? Are there other mediums, platforms that fall in this category?

On the call, I gave a rambling answer, so I asked ChatGPT to boil it down so I could share a more concise and organized answer.

As is often the case with tasks like this, it did an excellent job.

Here it is:

1. Social Media is Misaligned with Authority-Building for Consultants

Claim: Social media rewards behavior that is often at odds with professional authority.

Supporting Points:

• Platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn increasingly favor sensationalism: viral videos, personal drama, performative vulnerability, and outrage.
• Platform incentives shift frequently and reward “clownish” or off-brand behavior for professionals.
• JS questioned: “How much do you want to dance for the algorithm?” suggesting that chasing engagement may compromise brand integrity.
• Personal example: Despite scheduling LinkedIn posts, JS expressed discomfort with its direction and described much of its content as “unprofessional and embarrassing.”

2. Books Signal Authority and Attract Ideal Clients

Claim: A great book is still a powerful, credible way to demonstrate expertise and earn trust.

Supporting Points:

• Cultural perception: Books—especially business/nonfiction books—carry an expectation of depth, insight, and quality. This perception still holds on platforms like Amazon, where ratings quickly bury low-quality work.
• Referral power: Good books are frequently recommended, as in the example of Dan Pink’s newsletter to ~125k readers.
• Cost-effective entry point: For ~$20, readers can engage deeply with your worldview and ideas.
• Marketing leverage: A book generates downstream assets—talks, podcast invitations, course content, promo material—without being self-promotional.
• Personal brand fit: Publishing a book allows professionals to signal authority without engaging in low-status behavior.

3. Viral Attention ≠ Business Results

Claim: Attention alone is worthless if it doesn’t attract the right audience.

Supporting Evidence:

• Personal case study: JS’s 2011 Starbucks card project went viral (1 million website visits in a week, media coverage on CNN and MSNBC) but yielded zero leads, gigs, or revenue. The attention was from the wrong audience.
• Implication: Social virality is rarely targeted; it attracts a broad, unqualified crowd unlikely to convert into high-value consulting clients.

4. Alternatives to Books Are Rare and Also Hard

Claim: Few other mediums offer the same depth and transfer of trust as a great book.

Supporting Points:

• Explainer videos: JS cited high-effort, high-quality videos by Henrik Kniberg and Ray Dalio as “remarkable” exceptions, but noted they often emerge from books and rarely drive consulting business directly.
• Substack: Identified as a distant third, useful for developing and sharing a worldview. It may help incubate a book, but doesn’t confer the same authority alone.

5. Quality and Fit Matter More Than Format

Claim: What works depends on alignment with your brand and audience.

Supporting Points:

• JS acknowledged that social can work—if it fits your brand and business model.
• But for someone focused on expertise and thought leadership, clowning around for views likely damages more than it helps.

I hope that helps!

Yours,

—J

BackRandomNext