4 Rules for Announcing Your Engagement on Social Media

                              

Social media nearly gives you limitless options when it comes to announcing your engagement. But with more ways to show off that ring and wonderful man, you can also make a lot of social media mistakes — not the least of which is letting your announcement get lost on the wrong platform. Make your message stand out by avoiding these missteps.

1. Don't choose the wrong platform

"Avoid sharing your engagement announcement on business related social networks or forums, such as LinkedIn," says social media expert Shannon Belew, author of The Art of Social Selling. "Instead, wait until you're married and have to make an official name change on your profiles and use that opportunity to share news of your nuptials with your professional contacts."

2. Don't get too personal

"When announcing the engagement, some new brides-to-be have the urge to share every single detail of the proposal, including what happened before, during and after he popped the question," explains Belew. When you dish on so many details, you can unknowingly offend someone. "Offenses include things as simple as disclosing those pet names you have for each other, to that uncomfortable description of the 'best kiss of your life' after you said 'yes,' or including details about those more salacious celebratory moments. Choose to omit or limit some of the more intimate details that may have been part of the proposal, and save those stories for a more private offline chat with friends or share on your next girls' night out."

3. Don't be tacky

"Admittedly, we are used to sharing just about every detail of our lives on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other networks," says Belew. "But your friends and family really do not want you to broadcast how many carats your engagement ring is, or how much it cost your fiancé. Seriously, it's a bit pretentious and totally tacky."

4. Don't post until you're ready for everyone to know

"The downside of social media is that it is super easy to spread news, fast! You don't want to get stuck monitoring your Facebook timeline for news of your engagement before you've announced it and then trying to do damage control," reasons Belew. "So either go ahead and post a few quick pictures and follow up with something more elaborate later, or keep the news to yourself until you have a chance to make the proper rounds with the announcement."

Written by Jillian Kramer