Anyone who uses social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube etc will have heard of at least one person who has been banned, de-platformed, or had their account frozen for a few days.



Some people wear the postponement of services as a badge of honour, others are mortified, while others probably knew they were trying their luck with comments about current issues that the rest of us only talk about in whispers to trusted friends.



I was blocked from using Facebook the other week for 24 hours, and I still do not understand why. My messages to Facebook asking for an explanation went unanswered.



So what would happen if your audience were shut out of using social media, or if you found yourself in hot water with the social media de-platform bots? You'd risk losing the ability to connect with your followers, to tell them of your new episode etc.



The fact is, social media is so easy to use. It's so easy to build an audience and a following with people around the world. The downside is that you only have access to your followers until the platform you use decides otherwise.



So in episode 30 of Podcasting Made Easy I am advising you to start building your own email database of followers and podcast listeners – so social media cannot cut you off.