Everything you need to know about soft launching your partner on your social media

One of the first things I did after going through the most significant breakup of my life was scrub my social media to remove all traces of my ex. This is a morbid but universal ritual done by people trying to nurse a broken heart. But have you ever wondered if this could be avoided if you simply didn’t upload any photos with your significant other? But then, of course, this could have them questioning your commitment. It is complicated but there’s a simple solution—a soft launch.

You’ve probably seen tons of images on Instagram that show a girl sitting at a restaurant table holding a boy’s hand. His face isn’t in the frame so there is no way to find out who the boy is. This is just one example. Think—shadow selfies, beach photos of someone standing in the water with their back to the camera or even a photo of them with someone’s hand resting on their knee. Obviously, you know whose account it is but there is no tag of this other person and the captions are generally vague. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what is called a soft launch.

It’s not a new concept, but it is an important relationship tool. Nowadays, people are making the soft launch even softer by including an Easter egg of their partners in the dump. The intention here is to tell the world that you are off the market without revealing too much—a teaser of your relationship if you will. 

We know what you're thinking—why soft launch your partner when you can just post a direct photo with them, aka hard launch them (pun not intended)? The point of this is not to hide who you’re dating but to keep a little mystery and value your and your partner’s privacy. 

Benefits of soft launching your partner

A lot of the time, social media can make us feel as if every aspect of our lives is on display to be judged and commented upon by the rest of the world. Especially if you have a large number of followers. Here is why one of the biggest benefits of soft launching your partner is maintaining a sense of privacy. Just because you want to make your relationship official by putting it out there that you’ve found someone special doesn’t mean you want everyone to know the details. Here is where a soft launch helps; it allows you to control how much you want to reveal about your partner and how much you want to keep between you. These shared memories that are just yours help build intimacy and make it easier to open up to each other. 

Not to mention, one of the worst things about a new relationship is putting added pressure. And this is exactly what a hard launch will do. As soon as you put up a cutesy image with your new partner, everyone knows and everyone will have questions. And then, when that relationship ends, you’re left to explain the breakup to numerous people.

On the other hand, a soft launch allows you to post lovey-dovey photos without added pressure. You are giving this new relationship some time to grow and allowing yourself to explore without the looming questions of where this is going. It’s a necessary breather, and everyone needs that. And when you’re sure that this relationship is moving to a more serious phase, by all means, post your best photos with them in the frame. But doing this gradually is always recommended.

Ways to do a soft launch with your partner 

Now that we’ve discussed what a soft launch is and why it’s beneficial, let’s talk about a few creative ways you can do this. 

A video of your date walking in front of you 

An easy way to soft launch your partner on your Instagram is to take a video of them walking in front of you while you are on a date. This will let you document a cute memory and leave everyone guessing the identity of your new someone.

A photo of you hugging someone, but their face is covered 

If you’re wondering whether such an open display of affection counts as a soft launch even when their face is covered, we’re here to tell you that it does. Not only do these poses look super adorable, but they will serve your purpose! 

Dessert date

Think: doing cheers with two ice cream cones or sharing a pastry with someone whose hand is visible. These images with a vague yet cutesy image will drive your point across without giving too much away. 

Feet in the waves 

One of the cutest ideas is dipping your legs in the sea and taking a video of the waves crashing into you. This video lets people know that it’s new and it’s fun.

Feature image credit: Pexels

Also read: 5 red flags you should watch out for in the initial dating phase

Also read: Are your poor dating choices affecting your self-esteem?