How To Match Your Adoption On Instagram

If you are trying to self-match your adoption, you might be confused on exactly how to go about finding expectant parents. You may also be wondering if Instagram will really help you or how an expectant parent will even see your post on Instagram. I know you don’t want to feel like you are wasting your time there, am I right? That’s why I wanted to take some time to discuss how to match your adoption on Instagram.

Utilizing Social Media Matters

I think what we all want is an opportunity to share our story and not feel like an expectant parent will see it and that we aren’t just wasting our time and putting our heart on the line at every turn. I know that it feels tough right now, friend, but hear me say that it is possible. In fact, when I am writing this, my clients are seeing success with exactly what I am sharing with you today. I am recording this early in 2022, and I have had nine matches and one baby come home. Those that are already matched are due in the spring and early summer. These clients have used my step-by-step process from my social media workshop and the adoption profile masterclass. 

How Instagram works:

Before we dive right into how to match your adoption on Instagram, we need to make sure we understand how Instagram works.  

Your Instagram feed is the actual stuff that shows up for you to look at. It is driven by an algorithm that chooses what you would want to see. This is informed by your behavior on Instagram, Facebook, and your general search behavior outside of these platforms. The algorithm takes the signals from that behavior, looks for content similar to that, and serves it to you.

When the algorithm is looking for that content, it considers several different factors, and that list changes all the time as they are trying to improve the experience for their users. Now Instagram doesn’t publicly tell you what goes into that algorithm, but they give you clues. So it is the day job of marketers to really understand what the algorithm favors.

For example, right now, the Instagram platform is focused on the profile's name, the words in the profile, the hashtags used, and then the tactic that you are using to share your content (like reels, stories, videos, and things like that). It takes all of this stuff and decides what you should see or not see in microseconds.

Tips on How to Match Your Adoption on Instagram

You may be wondering why I am sharing all of this with you. It is because I want to help you understand how the Instagram platform works so that you can better use it. Don’t worry if all of that sounds way too technical; I will make this much easier for you. Here are four steps to matching your adoption on Instagram.

Step 1: Make it clear in your profile that you are looking to adopt.

This includes your name, contact information, photo, and bio. You need to make sure that your contact information is optimized. It has got to be super, incredibly simple to get in touch with you. You also need to give them a call to action on how you want them to get in touch with you. When choosing your profile picture, you need to have a photo. Don't put a heart note, put a baby's foot, don't put anything like that. You need to put your face on there to help with the connection.

Step 2: Create engaging stories about your family that make an emotional connection.

When using Instagram to self-match your adoption, you need to create engaging stories about your family that make an emotional connection. So this is my way of telling you what you share is incredibly important. And if you don't share a clear story about your family that makes an emotional connection, it doesn't matter what else you do, friend. You're not going to get past that initial scroll to a click to contact you.

Step 3: Use the right hashtags.

If you are unsure what a hashtag is, it is the pound sign with a word behind it. Hashtags help give you more weight to push you further down the funnel. The hashtags you are using give you way more significance and importance in sharing your content with an expectant parent. I could keep going on and on about hashtags, but for now, I want you to understand they are a way for the expectant mother to find your posts. 

Step 4: Consider ads

Utilizing ads is an optional step, but my clients have seen results with this step. My clients are even matching faster than the average couple or family at their agency. There's a right and a wrong way to do ads, and in some states, you cannot do ads. Later on, I will publish a blog that digs deeper into the ins and outs of using ads to match your adoption on Instagram. 

You don’t have to feel overwhelmed about using social media to match your adoption. I am here to help you every step of the way, friend. So go ahead and join my free Facebook group, where you can ask questions and sign up for my social media workshop. You will gain practical steps and a live Q&A to help you utilize different social media platforms to match your adoption. 

Hi, I Am Amanda

I am an adoption profile expert on a mission to help you create and share your family's story more affordably!