Domestic Infant Adoption
Facebook has over a billion users worldwide which makes it an effective tool to market yourself to prospective birth mothers. One of the first things you should do is create a dedicated adoption Facebook page; never use your personal Facebook page for this purpose. By having two separate pages, you keep your personal life private. The Adoption Facebook page should have a title such as “Loving Family Looking to Adopt.”
The next step is building your Facebook page. You will need to put content on your page such as blogs talking about your adoption journey, quotes about adoption, and pictures of you as a couple. You can find some great ideas for pictures and quotes on Pinterest! Make sure to use good quality photos of you as a couple! If you have also created a website, make sure to include your website link on your page. Consider including an email that is set up for this specific purpose (to talk with prospective birth mothers). Or you can direct birth mothers to message you on Facebook messenger. If a birth mother does contact you, have an initial conversation and then direct them to your adoption professional to do a formal assessment.
There is no hard and fast rule on how often you should post to your Facebook page. The quality of posts is the most important, not the quantity. Remember to keep your posts only about your adoption journey and not post anything that could be divisive or controversial.
The final step is getting your Facebook page noticed! You can start small by having all of your friends and family like and share your Adoption Facebook page. However, to be able to reach out beyond your immediate circle on social media, you have to engage in some paid advertising. Some paid options that Facebook offers are: Promote Your Facebook Page– you click “promote” under your profile picture and select “promote your page” and in the window that appears you can choose your audience, budget, and how long to run the promotion. Boosting a Facebook Post– If you create a single post with a great photo and caption that you want to reach more viewers you click “Boost Post” in the lower right hand corner of the post. The window that appears will allow you to choose your audience, budget, and how long to run the promotion.
I have had several past adoptive parents who have connected with birth mothers by using Facebook. It allows you to be active in your adoption journey and not just feel like “I am waiting.” I am always here to support you in your journey and provide guidance.
