If you’re listening to this podcast episode, it’s highly likely that you’re building something online. Or, at least positioning part of what you’re building using some place on the internet. You may be building a community, developing a cool tool, writing a book or books or hosting events like a conference or meetup. Whatever you’re doing it’s likely you’re also marketing what you’re working on somewhere to get in front of the world…whatever that means. In 2026, I need to impress upon you something really important: you need to build you brand like your favorite platform will die. It’s a pretty intense thing to say but it’s an important shift in your mindset that I hope you’ll make at the beginning of the year as you rev things back up after the holiday season. By the way, when I’m talking about favorite platforms I’m specifically referencing third party platforms.
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Your Favorite Platform Will Die
I used to love Twitter. Black Twitter in particular was one of my favorite places to share funny things, learn stuff and laugh my ass off. I also discovered cool things that people were working on, communities people were building, music and art. I also loved the Spaces live audio feature. As time went on, the platform started changing. The algorithm awarded different types of content, more conversations became heated in the worst ways and I found myself disliking the platform more and more. Then, it was acquired. I didn’t care for the monetization approaches, the ownership and the overall experience had degraded to the point where I shutdown my profile and left. I also left without the thousands of followers that I’d grown on that platform. For me, Twitter had died and it wasn’t going to come back in a way that I wanted to invest my time in to being there again.
What I realized in that moment was that the only person who has my best interest in mind is me. Every single time that I’ve bet 100% on anything or put most of my eggs in one basket, the basket has tipped over and broken. Facebook, Google SEO, Pinterest, Twitter and likely my current favorites Substack and Threads will eventually change in a way that lowers or eliminates the value and experience that I was receiving from the platform.
This is the most consistent experience that I’ve had using third party platforms since 2012 as a creator. How do you combat these inevitable changes?
Grow a List
The number one task that you should be focusing on is growing an aligned and targeted list of humans that you serve, are of service to and are connected to. Your list is the foundation of your brand. These are the folks who will buy your art, show up at your events, buy your courses, read your books and book your coaching. The second most important thing about building a list is that you need to nurture that list. Email your people.
Build with Search in Mind
How are your favorite people finding you? How are you finding your favorite people? Spend some time observing what you do. I noticed that I still do search queries using different tools across the internet. I pay attention to what I’m asking and how I’m asking questions. Then I apply that logic to the content that I’m putting out. Did I find out about something via word of mouth? Create something so awesome that people shout out that work. Are the titles associated with your work logical and communicate what you’re working on? Spend time learning how search works. There’s so many different types of search and different place where it happens.
Here are some examples:
- General SEO-Search Engine Optimization
- AI adjacent search platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity (in fact, look at the backend of your platforms to see how people are finding you organically)
- Pinterest-Hopefully the team is listening to users and will begin working on user experience. That said, there’s not enough organic content on the platform.
- Social media-What are people looking for?
- Local collaborations and events
There’s more than one way to find the work that you’re sharing with the world.
Collaborations Are Key
The #1 action that I took in 2025 and paid off the most with a reasonable amount of effort was participating in collaborations. My most important collaboration was becoming a part of The Anti-Grifters Social Club (what we call ourselves) with Corey Gumbs founder of The Black Podcasters Association and the Blk Pod News Industry Newsletter. And Angela Hollowell founder of Please Hustle Responsibly and Melanin MVP. As a result of this collaboration we literally doubled our email lists, built awareness of our brands and challenged ourselves intellectually.
Building your brand as if your favorite platform will die means not that you’re building everywhere, but that you’re the following:
- Forward looking-What are you thinking about for the future of your business and brand?
- Unattached to platforms-You can shrug and move on when things don’t continue to work the way that they were. You’re not cynical, you’re just prepared. I’m on a platform that I love using but the writing is on the wall that things are likely to change in ways that I will dislike sometime in the not so distant future.
- Embrace pivots-The path you’re on will change. Can you pivot semi-comfortably when it does.
The Creator Income Collective
At the end of 2025 I quietly launched my new membership “The Creator Income Collective” the goal? Help creators make more money by being in community and learning how to better grow and monetize their lists. Members of The Creator Income Collective also gain access to the following resource: SUBSCRIBED-a growing list of creator newsletter or email lists that you can reach out to collaborate with if they say “yes” and your communities and projects align. Head to creatorsgettingpaid.com/membership to become a part of the community today. It’s purposely priced at $9 a month because I want this to be the easiest “Yes” you’ve said to a professional development tool for your online brand this year. Looking forward to meeting you!
