Why Trump Won Over Kamala Harris in 2024 — A Marketing Perspective

I have no stake in the race — I’m Canadian. So forgive me for this, but as someone looking from the outside in, through a marketing lens, I can see why Trump won over Kamala Harris. Politics aside, this election served as a case study in marketing and brand visibility, and I believe it played a big part in Trump’s victory.

Let me start with this: my main platform for following news and public figures is what was formerly known as Twitter, now X, owned by Elon Musk. Everyone knows Musk is an advocate of free speech, and he’s often seen as a Trump supporter because he believes Democrats, particularly Kamala Harris, have been trying to restrict free speech, especially on social media. Harris, for example, has mentioned that social media companies should be held accountable, a stance that clashes with Musk’s vision for free speech on X.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. I don’t follow Donald Trump at all on X, but I follow Kamala Harris closely because I’m proud of her heritage — we both have Jamaican roots. However, despite my following her, I rarely see her posts on my feed. Trump’s posts, on the other hand, seem to show up regularly, even though I don’t engage with his content. This makes me wonder: is there an algorithmic push on X to boost Trump’s visibility over Harris’? It’s a conspiracy theory I won’t get into, but it makes you think.

To be fair, I decided to visit Kamala Harris’s profile directly and noticed she doesn’t post much on X. Trump, by contrast, posts several times a day. What’s Harris doing instead? Grassroots work — meeting people face-to-face, which is noble and commendable, but it comes at the cost of losing out on social media visibility. This was a huge mistake, especially since social media platforms like X are critical to reaching people on a large scale. Declining an invitation to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast, the world’s most popular podcast, was another missed opportunity for her.

This brings me to a lesson I teach my students in Resell Profits Reloaded: if no one knows who you are, you have to constantly engage with your audience. The idea is simple — post at least two to three times a day, and by the end of the year, you’ll have built a following, acquired new customers, and generated income. Trump treated his campaign like a business. He consistently posted updates, opinions, and announcements, building his brand awareness in a way that Harris didn’t.

As entrepreneurs, there’s a valuable lesson here. Whether you’re selling a service or product, you have to actively promote it. It baffles me when entrepreneurs launch a product, tell no one about it, and then wonder why they’re not seeing results. It’s not enough to create something; you have to be relentless in telling the world about it. If you’re worried about the “work” of posting, use scheduling tools. Spend a few hours scheduling posts for the month, and let them roll out automatically.

Trump was doing this well before the election, keeping his followers constantly engaged across all channels. This is the same approach you need to take with your business — stand at the top of the mountain and make sure everyone knows what you’re up to. Your peers won’t pay your bills, so their opinions shouldn’t matter.

In conclusion, from a marketing standpoint, Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris was predictable. He understands the power of visibility and engagement, and he used social media to his full advantage. While I don’t think this should be the sole reason for picking a leader, there’s a clear lesson here: when it comes to marketing your brand or business, consistent, active promotion is key. Don’t get lost in the noise — make sure your audience knows you’re there.

Peace and love

Andrew Tremendos Jones