Absolutely. I’ve had people push back on the idea of building an email list, claiming that it’s old fashioned and they only need a social media platform like Facebook.

I said, “What happens to your business if Facebook disappears?”

They laughed and said, “Facebook will never go away.”

Well, anyone who has been around for a decade or two knows that isn’t true. But, even if you really believe that, guess what? Facebook can make you go away.

I found this out the hard way. One day, they abruptly suspended my account. I lost access to my business group and page on Facebook. No warning. No explanation. For almost a week, I was locked out.

Luckily, I’ve always diversified my online presence. I simply engaged more with my team on Slack and my followers on other channels. I published more on Medium and my own blog. I reengaged on Twitter. I emailed my list.

Then, just as mysteriously, Facebook turned my account back on. They never did explain what happened.

So, yes, your email list may be the only thing you have left someday. It’s yours and some social media company can’t take it away from you.