Social media has been a wild ride lately—TikTok uncertainty, constant algorithm changes, and platforms tweaking (or completely removing) features overnight. If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that you cannot rely solely on social media to keep your brand afloat. Because guess what? If a platform disappears tomorrow, so does everything you’ve built on it.
Stop Renting Your Audience.
Your content—ideas, expertise, hard work—is YOUR intellectual property, so why would you leave it all in the hands of a third-party platform that could vanish, get banned, or lock you out at any time? It’s time for a reminder: Own your own sh*t! If it’s not in YOUR community, on YOUR platform, or YOUR website, you’re just cropdusting and sharecropping.
What Does “Owning Your Own Sh*t” Mean?
It means making sure that no matter what happens to social media platforms or engagement within them, your content, audience, and digital assets are safe and sound under your control. That starts with putting your content somewhere YOU own—like your website, email list, or other self-managed platforms.
If Instagram crashes and never comes back, would you still be able to reach your customers? If not, it’s time to make a change.
How to Make Sure You Own Your Content
Here are some practical steps to take control of your digital presence:
1. Prioritize Your Website
Your website should be the central hub of your brand. Social media should drive traffic to it, not be your only content home. Publish your blog posts, portfolio, and updates there first.
- Post original content on your site first, then repurpose it for social media.
- Make sure your site is easy to navigate and mobile-friendly.
- Invest in good hosting—don’t rely on free website builders that limit your control.
2. Build an Email List (Like, Yesterday!)
Email is one of the only direct lines to your audience that you own. If all social platforms went dark tomorrow, your email list would still be there.
- Offer a lead magnet (a freebie like an eBook, discount, or checklist) to encourage sign-ups.
- Send regular emails with value—don’t just sell, nurture your audience.
- Make it easy for people to subscribe through your website and social bios.
3. Repurpose Social Media Content into Blogs & Articles
Got a killer social post with traction? Turn it into a full blog post! This way, your expertise doesn’t disappear into the void of yesterday’s feed.
- Embed social media posts into blog articles.
- Expand on popular topics from your social media and optimize for SEO.
- Cross-promote: Share your blog links on social media (not just the other way around).
4. Save & Back Up Your Content
Don’t assume you’ll always have access to what you’ve created. If all your content was in Facebook Live or YouTube Shorts, it’s not yours.
- Download your videos, graphics, and captions.
- Use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox to keep backups.
- Export your social media data periodically (most platforms have an option for this).
5. Diversify Where You Show Up
Relying on just one platform is risky. Spread your presence across multiple platforms that align with your audience (but don’t overextend yourself). We would much rather you “own” a platform or two than fall flat on several because you get busy and can’t keep up. Remember, your same topical or thematic content lands differently for the audience’s preferred consumption on that platform, so ensure that even the same message is presented differently on each.
- Post on a mix of platforms—LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, etc.
- Engage in communities (Reddit, industry forums, etc.) outside traditional social media.
- Consider podcasting or video content that you can host yourself.
6. Think Beyond Social Media for Customer Engagement
How else can you stay connected with your audience without relying solely on social media?
- Host webinars or live Q&As on your platform.
- Start a private membership or community space (Facebook Groups can work, but also consider Mighty Networks, Slack, Substack, Beehiiv, Patreon, or a forum on your site).
- Offer text message updates or an exclusive VIP email group (and be sure to get the opt-in now required with SMS).
The Bottom Line…Don’t Be at the Mercy of Social Media!
We love social media—it’s fun, powerful, and an incredible marketing tool. But it’s also unpredictable. Would your business survive if TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook disappeared tomorrow? We only like social media when it’s part of a channel mix that supports your objectives.
Make sure your content, audience, and brand belong to you, not the algorithm. Own your own sh*t. Your future self will thank you for it.
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