I used to write/publish photo stories at Exposure.co. It’s a nice website, and it’s a great place to see other people’s work, but it locks your content and locks you into paying every year to have access to your content. I’ve had a good engagement over there. I only have four stories there, but they each have 33,000+ views, which is a lot for my work. With that being said, I don’t do the things that I do for views, clicks, or money. 

I’ve been moving my digital life to cliff538.com and have downloaded my data for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Today, I focused on Exposure. How much does it cost a year? Can I download my stories? Do I want this anymore? Keep or delete. 

Over the years at Exposure I’ve been paying $99/year, the lowest tier now is $149/year. I decided to export my content and move it to cliff538.com. Well, guess what, you can’t. The only export option is a PDF, only if you pay for Pro Plus, which is $319/year. If I want to export PDFs of my photo stories, I’ll have to upgrade my account, download the PDFs, and close my account. But, they throw in some nice warnings; if your stories are over a specific size, you have to be on the business plan at $999/year to export your PDFs. Two, they warn you that the PDFs may not even look good due to pagination issues and that they are working on it. 

PDF exports don’t help me much because I need to build a web page to recreate my photo stories. This makes me unhappy and reinforces why I’m making this move. Own your content, control where it is, and have full backups. Don’t be locked into price increases, a lack of export options, or business failures. 

So what to do? Well, I’m stuck; luckily, there are only four medium-sized stories. I have all the photos; I used Obsidian Web Clipper to clip the pages, which gives me the text between the pictures. Reimagining the stories into web pages for my blog will be time-consuming, but the beauty is that it will be the last time. I’ll control how it looks and where it lives.

I thought about just deleting it but the stories really do have meaning for me. They are from a different time in my life. I wouldnt write the stories the same way today or use the same pictures (some of the HDR makes me cringe) but back then I did, and sometimes it’s good to see where you came from.

Note: below, you will read A.I. taking a crack at giving you reasons and risks. It’s polished, clean, and well done, but it feels soulless and generic, like reading a technical manual. I may be a lousy writer, but at least it’s real; it tells my story. I’m leaving the A.I. stuff just because it’s good info, a little novel, and maybe just a little bit for posterity.

(warning A.I. written text below)

The Risks of Relying on Third-Party Platforms

If you’re publishing your work exclusively on platforms like Instagram, Medium, or Facebook, you’re playing by someone else’s rules. While these platforms provide convenience and exposure, they come with significant risks:

1. Platform Dependency: What happens if the platform changes its algorithm, shutters its services, or bans your account? In 2024 alone, over 60% of creators reported revenue losses due to algorithm changes.  
   

2. Monetization Barriers: Platforms often take a significant cut of your earnings. For instance, YouTube takes up to 45% of ad revenue, and Instagram’s monetization options are pay-to-play.

3. Data Ownership: The data you’re generating—your audience insights, contact lists, and engagement metrics—belongs to the platform, not you. They profit from it while you’re left in the dark.  
   

4. Censorship and Restrictions: Platforms can impose restrictions on what you publish, often limiting creativity and expression. If your content doesn’t align with their guidelines, it can be removed or suppressed.
   
   
   

The Benefits of Owning Your Platform

Debunking the Technical Barrier Myth

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Call to Action: Own Your Digital Future

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