The world is changing at a fast pace. Hand-written notes have paved the way for texts. Announcements, including birthday and death announcements, are now being made on social media. We even have the heads of states who communicate with their nation via social media. Though the announcement medium has changed, the etiquette and traditions are the same. Death is still a sensitive subject that everyone wants to treat with sobriety and formality. Here is how you can honor a loved one on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Be Respectful of the Deceased
When announcing the death or commemorating a loved one on social media, note that it isn’t gossip, but sharing of sadness. So, assume that the deceased’s family will view anything you post online. As such, it is crucial to use respectful language and tone that can befit the occasion. Note what to include and what not to in your announcement. The deceased’s family might not want the announcement to include the marital status or the cause of death. The concerns of the dead and the family come first at this sensitive moment.
Get the Facts Straight
Nothing can be worse than getting the details of the funeral arrangements or life of a deceased wrong or misspelling their name. Like negative news, miscommunication can spread like wildfire and cause havoc as far as death announcement is concerned.
Use Transitional Language
The transitional language that alerts the reader to the gravity of the announcement can help ease them into the news. After all, no one wants a friend or family member in a sporting event or work meeting to read the blunt announcement of a loved one’s death. Using transitional language can allow people to delay reading the announcement until the appropriate time. Some people often go overboard by posting photos of the deceased. That can cause more grief, especially among close relatives and friends.
Notify the Family
It is inappropriate for close friends and relatives to learn about the death of their loved one on Facebook or Twitter. Consider contacting the person that might be so close to the deceased either in person or by phone. While Twitter and Facebook are convenient media of announcement, they are not personal enough for announcing death to a friend or family member. Not notifying close friends and family by phone or in-person could deepen their grief and hurt them.
Nearly everyone has a social media account. The continued innovation of social networking platforms has changed the way people interact. Death announcement and memorization has been one of these changes. Social media outlets are now being used for announcing the death and honoring departed loved ones.
Once death, forever death