How do we know if what we’re learning from social media is the right approach for what we need? How can we tell if the techniques shown are truly helpful or were created for an entirely different purpose, rendering them useless for us?
Do we simply accept the content because it comes from popular sources like YouTube? Or do we look deeper and ask ourselves if this information is relevant to our specific problems? Most importantly, what would be the cost of not looking deeper?
Why You Should Be Cautious of Social Media Content
Let’s explore three key reasons why you need to approach social media-driven Excel learning with caution:
Reason 1: Influencers Want Engagement, Not Accuracy
Social media influencers are driven by engagement—likes, subscribers, and views. The more engagement a video gets, the more successful the influencer is, regardless of whether the content is still relevant or useful.
Let’s take YouTube as an example. If a video teaching a certain Excel technique, say from three years ago, has tens of thousands of views and hundreds of comments, it continues to gain traction even if a new, better method comes along. What incentive does the creator have to remove the outdated video? None. And thus, the obsolete content remains, still highly ranked by the YouTube algorithm because it has more engagement than newer, more accurate content.
Imagine ordering food at a restaurant and getting a dish made three years ago simply because it had more “likes.” That’s what happens when you trust algorithms over up-to-date knowledge.
Reason 2: Creative Thinking Can’t Be Screen-Recorded
A lot of Excel problem-solving involves creative thinking—something you can’t easily screen-record. Social media videos focus on showing visually appealing, step-by-step processes on the screen. But in reality, solving real-world problems often requires understanding the problem, evaluating different angles, and deciding on a strategy before opening Excel.
These are thought processes that don’t translate well into 5-10 minute tutorial videos. So instead of seeing how to think creatively and efficiently, you’re shown flashy, trendy techniques that may take five minutes to demonstrate but could have been solved in 30 seconds with the right approach.
Reason 3: Social Media Teaches Single-User Solutions, Not Enterprise-Level Practices
Most social media content is tailored to individual users working on isolated tasks—creating a single spreadsheet on a single machine. Yet, in a real business setting, spreadsheets are rarely standalone tools. They are part of larger, more complex processes that involve data integration, collaboration, and scalability across departments and locations.
Because influencers focus on simple, single-user tasks, the techniques they promote often fall apart when applied to enterprise-level problems. This leads to siloed data, fragmented processes, and massive inefficiencies. When you rely on social media solutions for business-wide tasks, you’re missing the bigger picture.
The Trap of Following Influencers
Perhaps the most controversial point: To be a successful social media influencer, you don’t actually have to be an expert in the topic. You just need to be engaging. This means influencers can learn from others, package the content attractively, and create courses—even on topics they barely understand.
So, next time you see a trendy Excel video, ask yourself: Is this person solving a real business problem, or are they simply following the latest social media trends?
Real-World Example: The Reg Call Handler Challenge
To illustrate, I recently posed a challenge that required multi-level dependent cascading drop-downs in Excel. There are hundreds of videos on social media showing how to do this—with a catch. All of them assume that the data driving the drop-downs is in the same workbook. But what if the data is spread across 20 different workbooks, updated in real time from different locations, and needs to be used by 50 people?
When this problem was presented, many well-known influencers quickly responded that it couldn’t be done in Excel. They claimed it would require expensive external systems, costing millions. Yet, here’s the solution: The feature needed already exists in Excel. It’s as simple as ticking a box—a feature no one talks about because it’s not flashy, trendy, or algorithm-friendly. It takes 15 seconds to show, so it’s not going to generate massive views or likes.
Triple Your Pay With Creative Thinking, Not Social Media Tricks
In my career, thinking creatively has allowed me to solve problems like the one above, leading to long-term, high-paying consulting jobs. By offering solutions that social media influencers claimed were impossible, I was able to show clients they didn’t need to spend millions, and as a result, my pay tripled.
The lesson here is simple: To triple your pay with Excel, you need to think beyond what social media teaches. Think creatively, look for hidden tools, and approach problems with a real-world mindset—not a social media one.
Thank you.
This is a podcast by Hiran de Silva. Narrated by Charlie.
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