Should I quit social media? A debate with a social media & digital marketing expert - With Corey Perlman

What if the secret to winning at social media is barely being on it at all? Brian debates social media expert Corey Perlman, who runs a digital marketing agency but doesn't even have Instagram on his phone—and that contradiction is exactly the point. Turns out the productivity drain isn't social media itself; it's the doom scrolling that's stealing 40 minutes of your day while you pretend you're "networking." Corey drops the truth bomb that influencer metrics and business metrics are completely different games, yet most professionals are playing by Instagram rules and wondering why they feel like failures when seven people like their post.

This conversation gets practical fast: discover the "rented land vs. owned land" framework that'll save you from platform catastrophe, learn why your LinkedIn company page isn't dead (just neglected), and find out exactly how to be authentically present online without pressing a single button yourself. Brian and Corey tackle the hypocrite's dilemma head-on—can you tell people to quit social while still posting yourself?—and land on a game-changing distinction that lets you have your cake and eat it too. You'll get the app blocker that nukes newsfeeds while keeping connections alive, the 15-minute commenting strategy that builds real relationships without the scroll spiral, and the truth about which platforms actually matter for your business (hint: stop chasing TikTok if you're selling B2B).

If you're trapped between FOMO and burnout, convinced you need social media but hate what it's doing to your brain, this episode hands you the escape hatch. The show notes include all the tools to take back control starting today.

References In This Episode

Corey Perlman – Impact Social Media – Corey's LinkedIn profile and Impact Social Media website

Key Resources:

Authentically Social – Corey's book on being authentic on social media for business

Corey's Instagram – @CoreyPerlmanSpeaks

CoreyPerlman.com – Corey's main website

Brian's Resources:

Social Media Addiction with Tech Hacks to Fix It – Brian's blog post with tools to combat social media time waste

Should I Quit Social Media? A Debate With A Focus Expert - Penny Zenker – The primer discussion before this debate

Brian's TEDx Talk on Time Management – His signature presentation on productivity

Tools & Techniques:

Block It App – Safari browser extension that blocks social media newsfeeds while keeping notifications visible

15-Minute Social Media Blocks – Corey's time-blocking strategy: 15 minutes for OPP (Other People's Posts), 15 minutes for connection requests

Content Creation vs. Posting Separation – Strategy of texting content to someone else to post on your behalf

Concepts & Frameworks:

Rented Land vs. Owned Land – Understanding which digital properties you control (website, email list) versus platforms you don't (social media)

Influencer Marketing vs. Business Marketing – Critical distinction between vanity metrics and conversion metrics

Quality Audience Over Large Audience – Business success doesn't require thousands of followers

"You Can Be On Social Media Without Being On Social Media" – Chapter from Corey's book on maintaining presence without constant engagement

The New Rich Concept – From Tim Ferriss's The 4-Hour Work Week about $10K/month in perpetuity vs. chasing millions

Hiring & Outsourcing Options:

Fiverr – Entry-level social media help

Upwork – Platform for hiring freelance social media managers

College interns – Another cost-effective option mentioned

Subscribe to Brian’s email list

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Debate on Social Media

06:42 The Duality of Social Media: Good and Bad

08:24 Navigating Social Media Without Being Overwhelmed

12:02 The Importance of Early Social Media Engagement

16:49 Influencer Marketing vs. Business Marketing

22:20 Staying Unforgettable in a Digital World

31:55 Categorizing Social Media Platforms

32:52 Navigating Social Media for Business

37:53 The Role of LinkedIn in Professional Networking

43:49 Balancing Personal and Business Presence

46:39 Prioritizing Social Media in Marketing Strategies

48:43 Managing Time on Social Media

59:28 Taking Control of Social Media Usage

Today’s Guest

Corey Perlman

Founder & Digital Marketing Expert, Impact Social Media

Corey Perlman is a social media and digital marketing expert with 15 years of experience helping businesses navigate online presence without losing their focus. As both a keynote speaker and agency owner, he bridges strategy and execution—his team runs social media for about 50 companies while he speaks to audiences about the bigger picture.

His book, Authentically Social, challenges one-size-fits-all tactics and pushes for genuine storytelling over billboard-style posting. Corey specializes in helping professionals separate influencer marketing (chasing likes and followers) from business marketing (quality audiences and conversions)—a shift that changes how people show up online.

What sets Corey apart is his perspective: he grew up with MySpace and early Facebook, but he’s old enough to remember life before social dominated everything. He sees both the strategic value of social and the real mental-health costs of constant engagement. He uses Instagram sparingly (about once a week) and delegates posting, and he’s removed Facebook from his phone to protect his attention.

Corey’s philosophy is simple: you can be fully present on social without living on the platforms. Create authentic content; let someone else press the buttons. And never forget the difference between rented land (social platforms that can change the rules) and owned land (your website and email list).

As a father of a teenage daughter and an 11-year-old son, Corey thinks deeply about social’s impact on the next generation, making his expertise both professional and personal. His north star: be strategic, intentional, and...

Should I Quit Social Media? A Digital Marketing Expert’s Answer (You’ll Be Surprised) - Corey Perlman