Regardless of what kind of funeral services you have for your loved one, there may be a feeling that you’d like to do more to commemorate their life. Creating a memorial website is one way to let people know about the person’s death as well as enable near and far friends and family to comment, tell stories, and share memories. 

Guide to Designing a Memorial Website

1. Choose a Platform

There are a lot of platforms to choose from: WordPress, Wix, Square Space, and more—even social media sites can work. The best choice to make is one that you (or whoever is setting up the site) can easily use. Platforms like Wix or WordPress have templates that are relatively easy to set up and may have a memorial website template. Of course, you can pay a designer to build a customized site, but keep in mind that this will take more time and cost more. If you are comfortable with Facebook, it’s possible to set up a page specifically for the deceased loved one. Bottom line: choose what is easiest and fits your budget.

2. Use Media

A compelling way to make the website personal is to include photographs from all stages of the person’s life. Video is another great way to share memories and can be embedded in most platforms quite easily. You may be able to allow others to post photos, audio, or video from their life with the decedent, depending on the platform. This is especially useful for people who can’t get to the funeral service to share memories in person.

3. Create Good Privacy Settings

Most website platforms and social media sites offer ways to screen comments and posts and manage privacy settings. This is important because the site will contain people’s vulnerable feelings and precious memories. Designate someone in the family, if not yourself, to approve and manage incoming comments. All platforms have some kind of technical support that can help you navigate settings.

4. Invite People to the Site

You can use the funeral service announcement to invite people to the memorial site. Or, send a separate group email or create a newsletter to let others know that the site is up, how they can access it, and how they should interact with it. Encourage stories and photos—whatever you have created space for and would like to receive. 

A digital memorial is a wonderful way to let others commemorate a loved one’s life, even if they are far away. At Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, here in Trumbull, CT, we understand that there are many ways to grieve, heal, and celebrate life. We offer funeral services for both cremation and burial, pre-planning, assistance with obituaries and death notices, and the entire process of planning a funeral. Call (203) 373-1013 to make an appointment or visit our website for resources and more information.