A few years ago, when I created my Facebook profile, it was a real high seeing hundreds of birthday greetings flowing onto my profile page on my birthday.
Today, it’s like junk mail. Not quite as annoying as “poking,” but so commonplace that I find myself asking, “Why am I doing this??????”
It does nothing to further the conversation. It doesn’t position me as an expert. And knowing that my birthday greeting is being lumped in with hundreds of other greetings does nothing to set me apart from all the other well-wishers.
Actually, I delegate the task of sending birthday greetings to my virtual assistant, Christine Buffaloe. But I think there are far better ways for HER to be spending her time, too.
Within the last week or two, I read something from someone who said they prefer to send select birthday greetings via email, and only to those who they know well because it makes more of an impression.
What about you? Do you agree?
Have you stopped sending birthday greetings on Facebook? What other time-wasting tasks have you discontinued?
I had several international trips that kept me away from facebook and I missed many birthdays. When I returned there wasn’t time to catch up so I stopped and now only send emails to those I have a closer relationship with. Wall posting for 2 of 12 in one day can have someone feeling excluded. Hope your birthday was/is great Joan!
Joan, in your post, you wrote (regarding the sending of birthday wishes on Facebook), “It doesn’t position me as an expert,” which sounds like you are only using Facebook as a social media tool to market your business. In that situation, I wouldn’t send birthday greeting either, but I still use my personal Facebook account to send birthday greetings to those with whom I’m connected. I try not to make my posts generic, i.e., I try to personalize them by saying something that reflects the personality, likes, or location of the birthday boy/girl/man/woman.
I think birthday greetings still have their place for businesses looking to connect on a more personal level with their fans. I created an app that automates the process of sending a birthday message (and sending a coupon to encourage them to shop) which is a great way for any business to stay in front of their customers and get repeat business. And it allows customers to set their real birthday only within the app if they choose.
As with all social media tasks, you have to focus on automating as much as possible and finding ways to monetize the time and energy you put in. It can be a challenge, but it’s definitely possible!
Jennifer
I love sending and receiving birthday greetings – it’s the ‘social’ part of networking for me. It’s also an opportunity for me to say something that sets me apart from everyone else – by not just offering a plain old “Happy Birthday!” I think everyone likes to feel like a superstar once in a while. And even if they don’t read or remember my greeting, I believe that when someone gets hundreds of greetings on their birthday, it makes them feel good – even just for a minute. If I can be a part of that, I’m happy!
That’s a really thoughtful question — and one I think a lot of us have started asking ourselves lately.
I used to feel the same joy when dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of people posted “Happy Birthday” on my Facebook timeline. But over time, it became more about checking a box than making someone feel truly special.
That’s why I’ve started doing something a little more meaningful — especially for people I care about deeply, like my mom. Instead of just typing “HBD” on social media, I send a heartfelt image greeting — something personal and beautiful.
For example, I use “картинки з днем народження для мами” (birthday images for mom) — often in Ukrainian — to show love in a way that words sometimes can’t capture. A picture with the right sentiment, flowers, or a meaningful quote can speak volumes. It’s thoughtful, it’s unique, and it makes people feel something.
Honestly, even a well-designed birthday image stands out more than a hundred generic Facebook comments. It’s not about how much time it takes — it’s about how much heart you put in.
So, I wouldn’t call sending Facebook birthday greetings a complete waste, but finding better, more intentional ways to show you care (like through curated images or personal messages) can truly leave a lasting impression.