How To Match Your Adoption Using Social Media

If you are self-matching your adoption or even working with an adoption agency or adoption attorney that told you to find an expectant parent to match with on your own, you might be feeling a little confused about how to get started. And it is totally ok if you are worried that you might never find someone to match with. I want you to hear me say that it is ok to be worried, but I want you to know that it is possible. So, today, I am going to share with you a proven path my clients have followed to match with expectant parents through social media by sharing a few adoption stories with you.

Ways to Match Your Adoption Using Social Media

Before we dive into the stories, let’s first discuss some terminology. There are 4 different ways people can match through social media. The first is through an adoption-specific Facebook page. The second is through adoption-specific Facebook groups. The third is through social media ads used on both Facebook and Instagram. Finally, the fourth is Instagram itself and having an adoption-specific Instagram profile. If you're not familiar with those, then head over to the Adoption Coach Facebook group and post the question, and I'll share some links with you as examples within that, just so that you can make sure we're on the same page.

The most effective way to match using social media

Social Media Ads: The very most effective thing that my clients have used over the past 12 months to match their adoption would be social media ads. I have had a couple dozen clients take the profile I created for them and amplify it with social media ads to match over the past year. The clients matching faster are using video as a key part of their profile and ads strategy. In fact, one couple matched in 2 weeks using the profile video we built for them through social media ads.

Now it is important to note that you can’t just set up ads and hope to match. In fact, expectant parents tell me that when they first see an ad, they will click back to your Facebook page to learn more about you, and they scroll through looking at the pictures, then if they want to learn more they want to go to a website where they can see everything in a more organized way. So, it is important to think about your profile as a collection of things, not just a page or an ad, to understand how the entire ecosystem works together.

Facebook Groups: The second most effective way my clients match is through Facebook groups. You want to make sure you are posting in adoption-specific Facebook groups. There are particular ways that you want to share your profile, and there's a particular type of profile that you want to use to stand out from the crowd and make that first emotional connection with an expectant parent when they're looking through thousands of albums. You must be clear on what to post in those groups to stand out from the crowd. Expectant families tell me that they will read your post when they are in those Facebook groups. They’re going to look back to your Facebook page, and they're going to take similar actions to those that found their families through social media ads. They're going to scroll through that Facebook page, they're going to get to know you a little bit, and decide whether or not they want to get to know you a little bit more. If so, they’ll click back to that website and read more about you. Then, if they are interested in you at that point, they will send you a direct message. 

Instagram: Finally, let’s address the elephant in the room, Instagram. The truth is, not a lot of people match on Instagram. Now, it's not to say that Instagram is impossible to match on not saying that at all. I've had a handful of clients over the past couple of years match on Instagram. But those clients were really kind of goingfor what I call "above and beyond" as it relates to their content and Instagram. I am often asked if it is worth it, and my answer is "yes". You can schedule content to run on both platforms simultaneously, so it doesn’t really cost you extra time; therefore, I think it is worth it. If you really want to match on Instagram, it can be done, but it takes dedication to create A LOT of content, specifically a lot of video content like reels with trending music.  

I trust that this overview of how to match your adoption using social media has been helpful. If you have additional questions, you can drop them in the comments or ask them in the Facebook group. Or, if you are ready to dive deeper, you can check out my free adoption profile training. Remember, anything is possible with the right plan and support, and I am here every step of the way. See you soon, friend!

Hi, I Am Amanda

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