Facebook was built for my son

I remember the day very clearly. It was a rainy Tuesday morning my senior year of college. I was at a friend’s apartment and he showed me something online. It wasn’t porn, it was better … it was Facebook. I made a very important decision that morning. I was going to skip class to build my Facebook Page.

This was back in the infancy of Facebook. Before news feeds and timelines. Back then you had to be a college student to even have a Facebook account (no moms, tweens or creepers aloud). It was a great time full of silly groups, party photos, liking things and poking people (sounds like the 70s).

As Facebook grew up, so did I. My page changed. Once upon a time it was a way to post silliness and keep track of high school and college friends. The occasional status update so everyone knew I was still alive sufficed. But as I have aged, a transformation has happened to my Facebook news feed. It went from being a frat party to a scrap booking party. Everyone’s posting wedding albums, baby photos and inspirational quotes. Blah!  What happened to my cool, online hangout?

Then I had a son and I understood what Facebook was really for. Nothing I have ever posted before my son got much more than a few comments. The meaningless dribble that I posted, letting others know I was off to go hiking, enjoying a beer with friends, or the fact that I ate a really good sandwich, was never important enough to solicit more than a like or two.

day 1 – First Facebook photo posted of the boy. This probably got more comments and likes than every other thing I have ever put on Facebook combined.

But when I posted the first photos of my son in the hospital the response was overwhelming. Everyone I knew, or had ever known, came out of the social media woodwork to comment, like, and share my son all over the interwebs. This phenomenon continues with updated photos, blog posts and status updates, broadcasting to the world his eating, sleeping and pooping scedule. It seems that the Facebook world can not get enough of this little guy.

It’s not just my son, this holds true for every baby on the planet being posted from their proud parents Facebook pages.

It has opened up a whole new world of marketing opportunities for companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Baby Einenstien and Huggies. Who the hell would have ever thought that people would broadcast to the world that they like a company that sells a product designed to be crapped in? Not me.

There is an whole world full of Facebook marketing for new parents who will undoubtedly be spending a sizable fortune on clothing, feeding and protecting their offspring.

So now I understand what Facebook is really here for, and what the audience really wants, so moving forward there will be less me and more baby. You wanted the best, you got it. Oh and by the way – go to the Gerber cute baby contest and vote for my son.

 

 

Pat Lemieux

About Pat Lemieux

Pat has it all, family, big old house, dogs, a young son and a quarter-life crisis. He blogs about trying to be who he has always been and be who he now needs to be. He enjoys 90's grunge metal, tasty local brews and the outdoors.