Having a website is cool and fun

As people talk about moving away from social media and look towards other paths to community on the web, I have been thinking about how many people and businesses have forgotten about the importance of making their own websites.

I know plenty of people who promote themselves online but don't have any web presence beyond social media. For a couple of years, even I let my website fall into neglect.

Like most other musicians, DJs, and business owners, I've felt like leaving social media is nearly impossible. It's where I announce shows, promote my projects, connect with like-minded people, and have fun. The idea of moving away from it is terrifying... what if all those connections disappear?

But the connections we build through Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter are not entirely our own. They filter through obfuscated algorithms that dictate what people see. We worry about getting "shadowbanned" or wonder why our event flyer isn't getting as much engagement. We re-structure our speech and our content to try and satisfy the algorithm. Meanwhile, we're fed addictive content, often at the cost of our well-being. If we step out of line, we risk our content being removed or fading into digital obscurity.

I always have gone to the web for connection and for fun. But this? This isn't cool or fun at all.

The solution isn't just hopping over to a new platform. Substack is not just a way to send newsletters, it's another social media platform that does not ban Nazis. Medium is a terrible platform to read on. And even though I use Bluesky, it's just Twitter methadone. We can't trust platforms to stay good.

We can only make the web better by doing it ourselves.

Make a website. Make a blog with an RSS feed. Start an e-mail list. Visit your friends' websites.

Be cool. Have fun. 😎