Two days ago I wrote a post that went crazy viral. (updated link with one we’re allowed to share)
It was about motherhood and about those days that we don’t like to talk about – you know the days where we’re a bit overwhelmed and want to throw in the towel and we feel alone? Yes, those days.
Well I wrote about it. And it exploded on facebook last night.
Like totally exploded.
Like totally exploded that it crashed my site several times exploded.
And this morning? The post is gone.
Facebook told me that I had spammed people because it had millions of impressions in hours.
Well friends, those millions of impressions were moms.
They were moms just like you and me that needed to hear that they were not alone. It wasn’t spam. It wasn’t trying to sell anything – no quick tricks, no immediate solutions, no just do this now and this will happen. It was about hope. It was about talking about real issues and real days as moms.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for facebook. I teach facebook marketing in fact. This platform is a gift – it’s free – and it lets me communicate with many many different moms and to offer just a bit of hope and encouragement. But what happened was facebook removed every single share from facebook. Every one. I’m talking thousands and thousands and thousands of shares and thousands of shares.
That post was about life. Joy. And why moms are amazing.
Not spam.
I believe in motherhood.
So if you’re looking to read the post – here’s the link ->Motherhood Days that We Don’t Talk About But We Should
Thanks friends. I appreciate each of you. And maybe, just maybe, we can get facebook’s attention a bit. Maybe this one will go more viral and we can tell facebook this:
Motherhood isn’t spam.
#motherhoodbroketheinternet
~Rachel
ps. someone wrote me a comment that really got me thinking. If facebook endorses the naked rear of Kim Kardashian what in the world was it thinking when it shut down a post about the awesomeness of being a mom? This is where we can make a difference. Thank you for sharing this post. And if you’d like to be a part of our awesome facebook page where we talk about real motherhood the link is below. And – to receive my articles by email (and thus avoiding facebook) simply sign up here (and you’ll receive my 40 Motherhood Tips Ebook as a gift) -> Finding Joy by Awesome Email
17 comments
my guess is fb considered it spam because it was showing up in so many news feeds that “moms” /people started hiding it.. there is a rhyme and reason for everything. there had to have been such negative feedback for it to just be removed. negative as in people are hiding it/choosing not to view it. fb can be a frustrating tool.. but in this case i believe this is the case
It could also be that the post was reported as spam by more than one person because of how often it was showing in news feeds. It is sad to me that it happened though, no matter the reason. The post encouraged, comforted, and deeply resonated with me. Thank you for being a voice of encouragement.
Well, I loved your article and shared it. Once Facebook gets it’s act together I will share it again. Because I think it is so important to encourage each other especially on the rough days. Keep up the good work. We will keep reading despite Facebook!
Thank you for reposting the link because I missed it yesterday. Your post was exactly what I have been thinking lately. Facebook should be so embarassed to call your post spam. The KarTRASHian pictures and the attention it was given is a sad commentary on society. I stand behind you- you speak for me.
I think that actual people don’t pay attention in a lot of what’s spam and not. Unless after the removal people explain and ask questions. Its just part of the sites program. If a post goes I’ve x shares within x hours, remove as spam. It is only when people (us) point out what the post is about is the matter then assigned to a real live person to instigate and make a ruling on.
You can still take the URL from the other post and post it in your status 🙂
Loved the post. Will share it now on Facebook and again tonight on PPP. Xxxxx
Go Rachel Go. I haven’t read yesterday’s post. Yet. But I will! and I will share and I will celebrate raw motherhood with you. Thanks so much for keeping it real!
I shared the link this morning…still there. 🙂
Facebook is ridiculous! I already have issues with them since I reported that post of Kim Kardashian’s rear end and they refused to remove it saying it wasn’t in violation of their terms! What???? So any of our kids can just click on an image and see, what I think, is pornography. I also saw on Facebook, a few days later, a full-frontal shot of Kim. I was mortified! For them to remove your post just doesn’t make any sense. What’s their rationale behind their choices?! Anyhow, I read your post and loved it! I am a mom to a beautiful 4 year old girl and I can’t tell you how many days I’ve felt the same way. Your article is super relatable and, I would think, that’s why it went viral. It’s not rocket science Facebook!
I actually discovered your blog via a share through facebook on that particular post. I am very grateful I read it, now I have another great blog to add to my feed. Mothers need more posts like the one you wrote. I just discovered how therapeutic writing a blog is, almost as therapeutic as reading stories about other mothers sharing this crazy journey called motherhood.
It’s not that Facebook deemed it spams, it’s that readers saw the post and (like Angie said) hid it, but also reported it as Spam.
Facebook has streamlined organic reach of advertisers/publishers to declutter our newsfeeds – this is why you see more advertisements and sponsored posts in your newsfeed than ever before. To help regular Facebook users, they’ve given people the tools to say “This is relevant to me” or “This is not relevant to me” by allowing us to report things as Spam. If enough people report the content over reading the content than the Facebook algorithm is going to take the content down.
Note that headlines like the one you used here are considered to be “Clickbait”, sensational or provocative nature, whose main purpose is to attract attention and draw visitors to a particular web page. For good and bad content, Clickbait is the most popular publishing strategy among social media strategists, but an enemy to Facebook.
I absolutely agree… Definitely liked the comment about Kardashian in your post… really makes you think about our society’s values!
Great follow up post! Can’t believe motherhood broke the internet! but if anyone could- it would be moms! Moms are superstars in their own right!
I have 3 grown kiddos and there are days I still don’t want to be a mom! it is lifetime job, joy, heart walking around outside your body kind of love a commitment to be all in for the hardest and best thing in the world! Any honest mom will tell you she has days she wishes she wasn’t a mom…(it isn’t about the kids- its about us and needing to say, sometimes I want to be “just me” again… 🙂
of course moms broke the internet… they will probably be the ones to fix it too!
#honestyrocks
Thanks Rachel
I know. I kind of love it that moms broke the internet.
Thank you, Susie. 🙂
Moms are my She-roes!
My pleasure Rachel! I have shared this and the original post- with many and they are passing it on as well! You know the old saying about how to get the word out…telegraph, telephone and tell a woman!
Cheers!!
Unable to share this post. Says page is missing.
Sharing follow up post.