A tribute on social media can let an extended group of friends, family, and acquaintances know about the death.
From our experiences, there is no right way to deal with death on social media. However:
- Posting to social media is recommended only after you have already let close family members and friends know in person or over the phone
- Give the family the time and space to post first
- Make sure to get your facts straight
- Honor your loved one’s wishes
Common things to include in the tribute are:
- Picture(s)
- Their name – you can tag the person’s profile
- Location and date of death
- Some people include cause of death
- Location, day, and time of funeral or memorial service (if public) or say that they will be private
- List if you’d like donations made to a charity or to the family instead of flowers, for example “In lieu of flowers, please consider…”
- You can also include biographical information or information on your personal relationship
Once you are ready to post, share the tribute to the social media sites the deceased used frequently (e.g., Facebook, Instagram).
For more tips on how to post a tribute or other information about illness or death on social media, click here.
