You Don’t Own Your Social Media Accounts—And That’s a Problem

If your business relies on social media to reach customers, you’re building your brand on borrowed land.

I see so many small business owners pouring time, energy, and money into growing their Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn audiences—but here’s the harsh truth: You don’t actually own any of it.

Your Account Can Be Taken Away at Any Time

It happens every day. A small business wakes up to find their account banned, restricted, or shadowbanned—with no warning, no explanation, and no way to get it back. Years of content? Gone. Thousands of followers? Poof. And worst of all, there’s no customer service hotline to call.

In 2021, Facebook disabled 1.3 billion accounts in a single quarter, many of them mistakenly flagged as spam or misinformation.
Instagram has no direct support for hacked or disabled accounts, leading to users paying third-party “account recovery” services.

You Don’t Control Your Reach—The Algorithm Does

Think about it—social media platforms are not designed to help you grow for free. They’re businesses, and their goal is to make you dependent on them. That’s why organic reach has been steadily declining for years.

Facebook organic reach is now less than 5%, meaning only a small fraction of your followers will see your posts unless you pay for ads.
Instagram and TikTok prioritize engagement over relationships, meaning your content is judged by how viral it is, not by who actually follows you.
LinkedIn’s algorithm has changed visibility rules, leading to fluctuations in post reach.

You’re Just Renting Space on Their Platform

At the end of the day, social media isn’t your platform. You don’t own:
❌ Your followers
❌ Your content distribution
❌ The algorithm that determines your visibility

If a platform decides to change the rules, ban your account, or shut down altogether, you have zero recourse.

In 2023, Twitter (now X) shut down API access for many third-party tools overnight, disrupting businesses that relied on them.
TikTok’s algorithm and policy changes have resulted in entire accounts disappearing, with no explanation.

The Solution: Own Your Audience

Instead of renting space on someone else’s platform, focus on marketing strategies that YOU control:
✅ Email Marketing – No algorithm can stop you from reaching your subscribers.
✅ SEO & Content Marketing – Get found when people need you, not when an algorithm decides.
✅ Partnerships & Networking – Build relationships that actually matter.
✅ Your Own Website – This is your digital home, where you set the rules.

Social media can be a tool—but it shouldn’t be the foundation of your business. If you’re relying on platforms that don’t belong to you, it’s time to rethink your strategy.