What Is a “soft Launch” of Relationships and How to Implement It?
The decisions about when and how to post a new (or not so) partner on social media are surprisingly weighty. It may seem easy to dismiss: who cares? Instagram is not real life . The thing is, Instagram is real life. Social media has become an integral part of who we are and how we communicate who, what, when, where and how to post is very much reflective of how we actually feel.
For proof of how serious the Instagram exposure is, look at the case of Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson. While the paparazzi repeatedly took photos of them together for several months, her ex-husband attacked Davidson online and in songs, and Davidson vaguely mentioned his “girlfriend” in interviews a few weeks ago until Kardashian posted a photo. about him on Instagram that they are considered “official”. It only happened a few days ago, and after that, Kardashian reached out to Ellen , where she said, “I guess it’s not official until you post.”
Kardashian admitted in the same interview that because she hadn’t been involved in dating for a long time before the divorce, she wasn’t sure what the unspoken rules of a new partner’s posting were. You may not know either, so before you upload your sweetheart’s photo to your grid, read on.
What is a “soft start”?
There are several ways to indicate that you are not in the market using social media, but they all come down to two categories: overt and covert. A “soft launch” or vague recognition of a relationship by one or both posters is subtle but hard to get right.
Previously, you could simply change your Facebook status to “in a relationship”, ask your partner to change theirs, and get hyperlinks to each other’s profiles for all your friends to see. It definitely falls into the “open” category. Of course, you can still do it, but right now it’s not as powerful as Instagram makes it out to be.
These days, open relationship updates include posting to the grid. There, in your permanent feed, is a picture of your partner that hopefully acts as a scarecrow to keep pests from invading your DMs. To the older generation, this may seem like a laughable indicator of commitment, but it’s the modern day version of wearing someone’s classy ring to show you’re walking steadily. Anyone who looks at your profile will see another person and realize that you are really busy. Bonus points if you tag your partner.
Cassandra Henriquez, a certified dating and relationship coach, said she waited a year after starting a relationship with her current husband before they “launched” it on social media, which they called their “press release.”
“We uploaded all our travel photos and all the fun things we did last year, and people were shocked,” she recalls. “The exes came out of the woodwork and some people weren’t as happy, but we knew that and so we took our time to build a solid foundation before we decided to let things slide.”
Social media has certainly evolved to reflect in real time what’s going on in our lives, but that also means they can be an indicator of what’s going wrong . Among those who meet on dates, there is a reasonable fear that reporting a new crush too quickly or sincerely will only lead to embarrassment if and when the relationship ends. For this reason, many social media users prefer the soft launch method. We see software launches all the time and, depending on how curious we are, we may not even realize it. A woman you went to college with might post an unassuming Instagram story about her lunch, but is it a second plate and a glass of wine after her? The guy you dated briefly posted a video of a woman sitting on his couch. Is she a friend, cousin or girlfriend? Two of your colleagues can upload photos of a sports match that, if you stop and think about it, will look like they were taken from the same spot in the arena. Are they there together ?
There is a plausible rebuttal to each of these soft launches. As they say, no face, no deed; if the relationship doesn’t last, it doesn’t matter since you just posted some vague indications that you may have spent some time in the evenings with someone anonymous. On the other hand, slowly accustoming followers to getting used to seeing someone else in the old story can make it easier to fully commit to publishing on the grid.
What does it mean to start a social media relationship?
Henriquez said that a social media post announcing or even implying the existence of a romantic partner is full of meaning. This means that you require another person, make commitments and even think about the future with him.
This can be a fun part of the commitment process and you shouldn’t look at it as stressful. If you’re feeling stressed, ask yourself why – the cause of your discomfort is likely rooted in the relationship itself, not social media ads.
“Watch when you’re thinking, ‘Oh wait, I see two plates… I see them holding hands…’ It’s a escalation of the question ‘Who is this person?'” Henriquez said. It’s nice to admit that you’ve found someone you’re serious about (and it’s fun to watch other people reveal their relationship online).
However, the meaning is different for everyone and you should discuss this with your partner before either of you posts. If you feel safe and thinking about the future, make sure the other person feels the same way before you broadcast it. Similarly, if you’re not so sure about them but they keep trying to post you, start a conversation that lives up to expectations. No heartbreak is fun, but what plays out online through premature deployment is particularly humiliating.
Finally, if your partner doesn’t post you, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not committed to you, acting suspicious, or considering other options on the side. This could actually mean that they just don’t post a lot, which is fine, but if it makes you upset, let them know. Relationships in which one person is more “online” than the other are fairly common. You need to communicate why the posts are important or not important to you and figure out what their posting style means, how they feel about you, if that means anything about you.
When should you post your significant other?
Of course, there is no right or wrong time to post about your relationship, but there are a few things to consider. Are you really devoted to them and ready to break off relations with anyone who can wait in the wings? Are you sure this relationship will last? Are you comfortable when other people know and make assumptions about one of the most intimate parts of your life? Is there anything about this person that could negatively affect you professionally or socially?
“I tell my clients, ‘Look honey, there’s no need for a press release if you’re not sure,'” Henriquez said. “Most of the women I work with dream of a long-term relationship or marriage, so debuting to every ear is just not right.”
During an interview Kardashian gave after the publication of Davidson, whom she has been dating for about half a year, she admitted that she wanted to share their photos for a while: “I have the cutest photos of ours and I want to say, ‘Oh my God, we so cute,” but then I’m like, you know, “Don’t get desperate.”
This is a great exploration of social media relationship launches because Kardashian and Davidson met each other’s families and built a foundation before posting, which is key. They reached other relationship milestones as well, such as taking a vacation together or, in Davidson’s case, getting commemorative tattoos before going out in public. Ideally, this is what you want to do before posting (maybe with the exception of tattoos). You need to establish yourself in a relationship, no matter how long it takes you, and this person should be a significant part of your offline life. To be clear, Instagram is not the best way for your closest friends or family to know that you have ongoing activities.
Henriquez cautions his clients against “bunker dates” or keeping a new partner away from friends and family without giving them a chance to appreciate and contribute. She recommends getting your loved ones involved “so they know who you’re with before the whole world knows.” As important as social media has become, it’s important to remember that it has a glossy surface, and by design we hide imperfections in it, presenting only the best versions of our lives. You also need feedback from people who see daily relationships, not just likes from your followers.
Finally, don’t rush to post just because you have something to prove. It doesn’t matter if all your friends are married and you are the last single man left alive, or if your family can’t find a partner. These are not good reasons to rush into the initial stages of a relationship, and they do not provide a solid foundation for a partnership. Remember that times are different for everyone and what you see on other people’s Instagram accounts is very selective and not the whole story. Fight the urge to keep up with the Joneses or, literally in this case, the Kardashians.
What happens if you break up?
We would never want you to make your relationship choices based on the fear that you will end up breaking up. This defeatism is what robs you of the chance to fully embrace something that could be truly joyful and impressive. Relationships can be wonderful and valuable, even if they end . In an ideal world, old photos of your partner would be a reminder of this, but we don’t live in an ideal world, so you’ll be forgiven if you want to destroy all evidence of his existence in your life. .
It’s embarrassing when your social media becomes a shrine to someone and that person suddenly leaves your world. You can just safely delete and archive all the photos, which is what many young single people do. Just be aware that this leads to speculation in other people’s group chats. Depending on your tolerance for gossip or scrutiny, this may suit you, but Henriquez said you should leave the way you came: fasting.
“I really think this announcement is necessary because people think about it anyway, so if you had a ring on your finger and now you don’t have it, people will notice and then it will just be weird,” she said. “Just like the press release you made to say ‘we are together’, I really believe that your audience – whoever it is, from close friends to your social networks, if you have them there is—must have it there, because people will ask.”
The ad may seem humiliating, but you can also gently run it if that makes it better. Post a story asking for a breakup song recommendation or a dating app. Share a meme about being single and ready to connect. Soft launch is a subtle art, but you’ve already mastered it. In addition, the announcement, however small, may serve another purpose: Henriquez pointed out that it may simply be a signal that a new potential partner was waiting for before contacting you. Maybe they are… and you’ll have to start strategizing for a whole new soft launch.