Censorship. Banning. Shutting down accounts.

Have you noticed how much Facebook and YouTube censor these days? Site owners ban accounts or delete accounts at the drop of a hat, for unknown reasons. Forget about censoring certain updates or videos. Every big name site boasting millions to billions of users has a strong agenda in place. Bloggers like you and I have no clue as to the agenda. We’d be absolute fools to spend much time creating and connecting on sites being censored, with banning and shut down rates being so high.

Note the censorship-ban-shut down trend. Spend 90% or more of your time creating and connecting on your blog and on your buddies’ blogs. I own my blog. I set the rules. Who censors Blogging From Paradise? Me. I am in charge. Makes sense for me to spend most time on a site where I am the shot caller.

But networking plays a key role in blogging, too. Enter your buddies’ blogs. Comment genuinely on blog posts. Promote fellow bloggers through your blog. Promote them through social.

Build a stable base for your blogging business. Avoid censorship and account shut downs. Spend most time on self-hosted, WordPress blogs.

This trend is not really a trend. Facebook has been pulling this crap for a long time. Ditto for YouTube. I published a video once. 3 loyal readers noted enjoying specific sections of the video. But the video registered 0 views for hours after each person watched the video.

YouTube has suppressed video views for a long time. Do you trust someone or some entity suppressing views? Why do you believe Facebook and YouTube to be credible sources of blog traffic? A high number of respected, professional bloggers remind you of strict rules and regulations on each site.

I appreciate Facebook and YouTube. Both offer me opportunities to help struggling bloggers, as I do in my eBook. But I never give much time and energy to either because censorship runs rampant on each site. Stat suppressing is common place on YouTube, from accounts with big viewerships to small fry accounts, like mine. Why would you trust a platform losing trust by the day? No thank you.

I prefer to create on my blogging real estate. I suggest you do the same. Spend most time on your blog and on buddies’ blogs. Ownership is the in thing these days because owners possess freedom, flexibility and unlimited branding and business potential. Buddy blogs offer you:

• guest post opportunities
• genuine commenting opportunities
• potential high DA backlinks

among other sweet benefits, such as being owned and operated by your blogging buddies.

Prince all but gave me the cyber keys to his blog. I publish guest posts because I enjoy helping you and trust his platform. He is a good buddy who built a credible, valued writing hub here. I trust he will not begin ruthlessly censoring his site, suppressing stats or closing down my guest posting account any time soon. I cannot say the same for Facebook or YouTube.

Rather than complaining about FB and YT, or fighting each, largely let each site go. Spend a few moments on FB daily but no more. Consider writing off YT completely if the site does not resonate with you.

Wean yourself off of Facebook and YouTube. Grow into your blog. I spend hours daily on my blog and on buddy blogs. But I overcame FB and YT momentum to make the shift.

Spend time on real estate you own. Where your attention and energy goes, grows. Grow your blog, online business and brand by giving most attention and energy to self-hosted blogs going forward.