If I see another social media guru tell me how to go viral I'm going to throw my phone out the window…  In fact that is probably why two weeks ago I decided to delete ALL social media apps off my phone. Because I don’t know about you but I'm just about done running on the content hamster wheel… posting day after day in the hopes that one day the social media Gods will elevate my content into the cherished realm of virality and fame.

Opening IG and seeing another post flop, after spending hours trying to get it just right.  Only to wake up the next day and think okay lets go again. 

The social media gurus say:

“Just be yourself”
“Focus on the journey not the destination”
“You just need to share more value”
“Be more vulnerable”
“Document dont create” 

“Just stay consistent” 

Even I am guilty of giving this advice. To some degree, yes, these points are all valid and have helped some of our most notable clients succeed.  But here is the kicker…  The thing that helped them build incredible businesses wasnt their content… 

It was their product or service. 

Content creation has become a trap that most creators fall into because the ‘fame and fortune’ carrot dangled in front of them is alluring and mesmerizing. The promise that just one post could change your life leads most to more wasted hours creating on a medium that only rewards one thing. 

The ability to capture attention and keep it. 

And if you are not someone fond of being the centre of attention and dont really like the idea of jumping on trends or trying new tricks to get said attention… then this approach to marketing becomes even more soul-destroying. 

Especially if you are running an expert led business where you sell your knowledge. 

I have observed that there are two kinds of brands that exist on social media now.

1. Voyeuristic brands - These are typically people who share every part of their lives on social media. Their beautiful holidays. Their morning coffees. Their fancy cars and homes. And sometimes their personal relationship dynamics. 
   
   

2. Expert led brands - These are brands that are specifically curated and built around their unique set of skills and ability to help people solve a specific problem related to either business, relationships or health & wellbeing.

Now which of these do you think dominates platforms likeInstagram, Facebook and TikTok?

If you guessed the voyeuristic brands you’d be right on the money. 

Social media today rewards this kind of behaviuour because it taps into the cheapest, easiest form of attention; DRAMA. 

People love to be voyeurs. We are inherently nosy beings.  That is why TV shows like the Kardashians and those real-house-wives-of-wherever  type shows are so incredibly popular.  Now, am I immune to this? Definitely not. 

Do I want to use these tactics to grow my business? Definitely not. 

Do I think the future of education revolves around using drama and gossip as a form of persuasion? Definitely not. 

So if we understand that social media platforms are arbiters of drama, do you think that this is the most conducive environment for your expert led brand to succeed in?

If I analyze my own behaviour when it comes to learning new information, I always either reach for a book, listen to a podcast or watch a long form Youtube video.  I almost never open IG expecting to receive life changing advice. 

But rather, I open social media instinctively for another dopamine hit because that is how my brain has been conditioned over years and years of exposure to one of the most addictive substances of our time. 

Tim Ferris summarized this well… 

“I dont have social media on my phone anymore… if I did, that would be akin to walking around the house with an endless supply of heroin.” 

Wow. When I heard that I realised… our finite lives are being wasted on an addictive substance that consumes our limited attention and gives us false hope of fame. 

Talk about a double edged sword. 

A trap that has replaced most people’s full time jobs with new full time jobs trying to feed the algorithms. 

Seeing content creation as a potential silver bullet that anyone can achieve if they ‘just believe in themselves’. 

I myself have believed this too. For way too long. The thing is this tactic has worked well in the past, which is why there are so many gurus online peddling this as the solution to all of your business woes. 

However, because things are changing so fast these days, especially thanks to advancements in Ai, the content creation and content marketing space has well and truly been disrupted.  And… I'm here to tell you that that is a great development in our history as a species. 

IF… we can see the trap for what it is and return back to what works for us as human beings. 

Since deleting IG, X and FB off my phone I noticed something quite interesting. 

My business has not exploded. 

I still have clients. And in fact we have recently closed a client worth six figures who we are now guiding to the goal of 1,500 customers per year at a $60k price point. That’s approx $90 Million in three years. 

That lead did not come from posting short form content.  I can still market myself, albeit now with a far more personalised and nuanced approach that respects my clients intelligence.  Because if someone can't watch a 30 second video of me, that is packed with value, then frankly that is not my ideal client. 

But someone who can watch an hour long course (like the one we have shared for free on Youtube), then I know that is someone who has the capacity for growth and change. 

So, ask yourself… are you getting a positive ROI on your investment of time on platforms like IG and FB? Or are you wasting precious time and energy shooting shots into the overwhelming sea of content being posted every second of every day? 

If the answer is no. 

It’s time for a change. 

Speak to you soon. 

Luke 

P.S. 

We run a community where we are guiding our clients through this transition with safety and grace. No more wasted time. No more trying to go viral. Just building an expert led brand one brick at a time. If you want to get involved, you can learn more here. 

https://bravebrand.com/mastermind