So, there's this massive AI art group on Facebook where I'm the primary moderator. This being the case, I've developed a daily habit of hopping on there in the mornings to see what's going on, remove anything that violates community standards, approve posts, and make sure everyone's behaving before I go start my day.
But this morning, I opened Facebook as usual, only to find the group gone instead. It had been Zucked for God only knows what reason. (The notification they gave the owner was vague at best, as it often is when it comes to Meta.)
No warning. No explanation. Just a blank space where something big and vibrant used to be. The owner appealed the decision, obviously, and the group may be reinstated. But stuff like this can't help but get you thinking about certain things when it comes to content creation and how you manage your digital presence, especially if you depend on any part of it for income.
It's About More Than Just a Facebook Group
If you’ve ever helped build or moderate a thriving online community, you probably get why the (hopefully temporary) loss of that group knocked me for a loop. It becomes part of your routine. You check in. You contribute. You help people. You share what you’re working on and cheer for others as they grow. It becomes not only a digital space, but a personal anchor.
And like most things that are part of your daily routine, you don't consciously think about what they mean to you until they're not there anymore for whatever reason.
As someone who actively avoided anything that looked even vaguely like responsibility or required me to manage other people for most of my life, I now recognize that group as the catalyst for a lot of personal growth in these areas. I realized that under the right circumstances, I actually enjoy those things. And they make me better, as a person and as a creator.
So that group mattered.
The Illusion of Ownership
Here’s the hard truth about platforms, though. Especially examples like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and the like. They come and go. They operate by rules and standards that are sometimes vague and arbitrary. They can change those rules at will for any reason or no reason at all.
It's easier than most people think for their content to get caught in the crossfire through no real fault of their own.
We talk a hell of a lot about "our" groups, "our" pages. But we don't actually own any of those spaces. Facebook does. Instagram does. X (formerly Twitter) does. And those platforms can revoke access, throttle reach, or erase whole communities without notice.
If you’re a creator, you’re especially vulnerable to this. Whether you’re a writer, artist, coach, or community builder, your ability to connect is often tied to systems you don’t control. When those systems glitch or collapse, so does your visibility.
So, experiences like this aren't just inconvenient. They should also be wake-up calls.
What You Can Do About It: A Creator's Checklist
If you rely on social platforms to connect, share, or earn income, it's important to take steps to protect your creative presence and your peace of mind, preferably before you have a reason to worry. Here are a few to consider.
1. Diversify your presence
Don’t ever put all of your audience-building eggs into one platform's basket. Ever. I get we all have our favorites, but if the one platform you really use caved tomorrow, would you still be able to reach your people? If not, it's time to diversify:
- If you don't already have one, start an email list. (ConvertKit, Substack, or MailerLite are great places to start.)
- Maintain multiple platforms where your audience can find you (Medium, Instagram, Threads, etc.)
- Mirror or cross-post content where and when it makes sense.
Think of each piece of content you create as a seed. Ideally, seeds collectively do best when planted across lots of space and multiple garden beds.
2. Own your main hub
Platforms are like trains. They're great for getting places and taking quick rides, but not necessarily to come home to at night when the day is done. That said, your primary creative hub should be something you own or can otherwise export easily:
- Create a personal website or blog (WordPress, Ghost, Wix, etc.)
- Use it to showcase your work, list your offers, and link to your platforms.
- Update it regularly. (Even a simple monthly check-in post helps when that's all you can manage.)
If nothing else, you have someplace to point people where they can always find you, should the worst happen with your favorite social media platform.
3. Back up everything
If you’ve ever had a post, account, or page vanish into thin air, you know the sting of losing work you potentially didn't have stored anywhere else. It's a bad idea to trust your digital archive to any one platform for that reason:
- Save your best posts, captions, and art descriptions somewhere offline for safekeeping.
- Keep a folder of screenshots or exports of your work, just in case they're ever needed.
- Download a copy of your social media data every few months.
This makes it easier to reuse, repost, and repurpose your best stuff moving forward, anyway.
4. Make a quick response plan
When disruption first happens, your nervous system kicks in, and you probably panic at least a little bit. But if you're anything like me, planning ahead makes it a lot easier to respond to the unexpected without going straight to Crazytown:
- Draft a short message or social media post template for unexpected shutdowns.
- Keep a list of key people you may want to notify, just in case (team members, clients, moderators).
- Identify a few platforms where you can immediately reconnect with your audience.
The goal isn’t to panic-proof your life. It’s to stay present and strategic when things glitch, fall through, or experience outages.
5. Take inventory of your digital anchors
When I woke up to find that this Facebook group that was such a big part of my life had up and disintegrated overnight, I realized just how much of my routine (and creative momentum) was tied to that space.
Thankfully, I was far from dependent on that one space to showcase visual content I wanted to share. But its overnight disappearance still rightly prompted me to take a fresh look at how I structure my visibility. Do yourself a favor and do the same sooner rather than later. Ask yourself:
- What platforms am I giving the most energy to? Are they reliable?
- Where do I feel most myself when I share?
- Which spaces give back (in feedback, growth, or inspiration)? Which drain me?
From there, you can adjust your rhythm with more intention. Something we all should be doing from time to time.
6. Connect in layers
There’s nothing wrong with using groups, social media, or digital communities to connect with people and get your work out there. They’re valuable. They're fun (most of the time). But they also have limitations and come with zero guarantees, so treat each individual example like a layer to a larger structure:
- Encourage your audience to follow you in more than one place.
- Build a rhythm that includes longform (newsletter or blog) and shortform (social media) content.
- Don’t be afraid to invite people off-platform for deeper engagement (e.g., a free resource, private email list, portfolio site).
Think of it like this. If one door closes, another is already open, and your audience already knows where to find it.
This Wasn't the Post I Had Planned This Week...
So, start now. Build out. Don’t wait for a takedown to remember your work deserves a home of its own.
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