You spent a lot of time on social media – promoting your work. You have gathered a large following.

Let me ask you – what would happen if the social media company decided you – yes you – no longer fit into their idea of what they considered “quality” content. And with a push of a button shutdown your account? Or deleted it.

In the opening from the Outer Limits.. “There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical.”

Here is the thing, you may not like this – but the social media companies exist for themselves. You are a speck of dust.

And I include all the other sharing platforms out there.

Perhaps things are ok now. But what if your ideas change, so that they are no longer inline with that of the social media companies?

They are the gatekeepers. They determine what gets promoted, and what doesn’t. They control your access to their users.

For this very reason, this is why I encourage every artist, who is serious about their work, get a domain name, get a website up. Doesn’t have to pretty to start with – just something. Something you can send people to – to get their contact information.

Once you have their contact information – the gatekeepers have lost their control.