Every week, artists come to us saying the same thing:
“My Instagram is gone.”
“Facebook disabled my account permanently.”
“I woke up and my profile just disappeared.”
They send screenshots that all look identical — Final Review, Decision Made, This account can’t be restored. And almost every time, they have no idea why it happened. Maybe they boosted a harmless clip. Maybe they commented something sharp. Maybe they didn’t do anything at all. Either way, the result is the same: years of followers, data, and ad history — gone. No warning, no suspension, no timeout. Just gone.
And here’s the truth: it happens all day, every day.
Meta and other platforms disable thousands of accounts every single day. Most bans are fully automated, triggered by filters that detect “inauthentic behavior” or “policy violations.” You might have shared a clip with background music that wasn’t cleared. You might have logged in from a new country while traveling. You might have been mistaken for a spam account because you posted five times in a day, used the wrong hashtag, or had too many links in your bio.
Once you’re flagged, an AI moderation system reviews your case — and the appeal is reviewed by the same system. There’s rarely a human involved. And because their system is designed to avoid liability, not preserve your career, the safe move for Meta is almost always to delete.
If you think it can’t happen to you, give it time.
It’s not an “if.” It’s a “when.”
That’s why artists still need websites — and even more importantly, email lists.
Because when your socials vanish, your connection to your audience shouldn’t.
Table of Contents
Websites Aren’t Dead — They’re Insurance
Most artists’ websites today are glorified link trees. A few photos, an embedded Spotify player, some social buttons — and that’s it. But here’s the reality: those “fancier link trees” only matter if they serve one function — collecting direct contact. Your website is the one piece of the internet you actually control. No algorithm, no moderation bot, no “final decision.”
If you’ve been relying only on social media, you’re building on rented land. Meta, TikTok, and even Spotify can pull the plug anytime — and they do.
Spotify will drop artists for “artificial streaming” if their tracks end up on a playlist that uses bots, even if they had nothing to do with it. Distributors like DistroKid and TuneCore do the same: they’ll take your money, but the moment something looks suspicious — even if it’s a false positive — you’re gone. Bigger distributors take 20% for a reason: they can sometimes fix problems because they have real humans on the inside.
A website won’t save you from that — but it gives you a foundation. It’s where you send traffic from ads, where you collect emails, and where you sell directly. Think of it as the control room for your career.
The Real Goal Isn’t a Website — It’s an Email List
An independent artist’s career doesn’t rest on their Instagram follower count, their Spotify listeners, or even their fancy site design. It rests on a CSV file somewhere on their laptop — a list of email addresses.
That list is gold.
If Meta deletes your account tomorrow, you can email your entire audience the next day. You can still sell merch, promote shows, and launch new music. You can even use that same list to rebuild your following faster — upload it as a custom audience in Meta Ads and invite everyone to follow your new page.
You don’t even need a website to start collecting emails. Linktree, Beacons, FeatureFM, Hypeddit — they all let you create landing pages that gather addresses. Every ad you run should either sell something (which automatically collects emails) or directly trade value for contact info — a free download, early access, unreleased track, anything. The goal isn’t a like. It’s an address.
Because an email address is forever.
It’s not rented. It’s not filtered by an algorithm. It’s yours.
What You Can Do If It Happens to You
If your account is taken down, don’t panic — but don’t wait either. Here’s what actually works:
- Appeal once, properly. Don’t spam the appeal button. Write a calm, factual appeal explaining you’re an independent artist promoting original content. Attach proof if possible (like links to your music on DSPs).
- Check Business Verification. If your page was linked to a verified Business Manager, you may be able to recover it through that dashboard. Verified business accounts get more priority in review queues.
- Don’t keep trying to log in. Multiple failed logins can trigger permanent locks. Wait 24 hours after submitting your appeal.
- Start rebuilding immediately. Create a new account under your name (variation if needed), reconnect your ad accounts, and upload your audience lists. Use your email list and website to re-announce.
- Future-proof yourself.
Set up two-factor authentication.
Connect a business email, not a personal one.
Keep your login history clean (no shared passwords, no shady devices).
Export your Meta data regularly (Insights > Download).
The reality is, once Meta decides your account is gone, it’s almost never reversed. The real insurance policy is having your own system — your own list, your own domain, your own store.
What to Actually Do About It
Now that you understand the risk, here’s what action looks like:
- Build a real website.
Don’t overthink the design. The essentials are simple:- Embed a Meta tracking pixel so you can retarget visitors later. More on that here.
- Add an email signup widget — use Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or Substack if you have to.
- Integrate merch or ticket sales (Shopify, BigCartel, or Squarespace Commerce).
- Make your email signup front and center. Every visitor should see a reason to subscribe.
- Adopt the email mindset.
“Follow me” is dead. “Join my list” is the new call to action.
If you’re running ads and don’t have a specific release or merch drop, run an ad to build your list. You can even run Lead campaigns directly on Meta that collect emails natively — no website required. - Rebuild with protection.
Next time you set up your accounts:- Add a second admin or trusted advertiser (like 360Promo) with full access. If you lose the account, someone else can still communicate with Meta. More on that here.
- Keep your assets (Pages, ad accounts, pixels) inside Business Manager, not tied to a personal profile. More on that here.
- Store all your audiences, pixels, and emails externally. Treat them like backups.
Because when everything burns down — and it will — you can rebuild in hours instead of years.
The New Rule of Independence
Social media isn’t the product. You are.
Your followers aren’t your followers — they belong to the platform that controls the feed.
So the rule is simple:
Use socials to fill your list. Use your list to fill your career.
If you’re not building an email list, you’re gambling everything on the hope that a trillion-dollar algorithm continues to like you.
If you’re ready to take action on this kind of strategy, check out our campaigns and services that address just this issue — starting with
https://360promo.net/digital-admin
360 Promo is a full-service music marketing, promotion, distribution and admin company. Learn more about us and what we do at 360 Promo, follow us on Instagram and contact us to tailor a plan that works for you.