What is a memorial website?
Online memorial websites are a way to commemorate a loved one who has passed. Memorial websites have become increasingly popular over the years, as they allow people to honor the deceased regardless of geographic, social, cost, or time constraints. Not everyone may be able to attend a funeral, but anyone with Internet access can participate with an online memorial website. Most memorial websites allow you to include photos and text as a tribute to your loved one, but many also have space for videos, music, or even event information and invitations.
How to build a memorial website
Building a website sounds complicated, but there are plenty of online services that make the process easy. The first step is just picking the right one. When it comes to choosing a memorial site for loved ones, there are several options to meet a variety of needs. Some websites act more like guest books, while others offer full-service virtual events.
Choosing an online memorial service provider
It is important to consider what role the memorial website will play in the commemoration of your loved one. Have social distancing restrictions reduced your guest list, so you’re looking for live streaming options? Or do you want a place online to celebrate your loved one’s life that anyone can visit at any time?
Types of memorial sites for loved ones
Online memorial websites usually fall into one of the below categories:
- Guest books are a place for friends and family to sign their names and write a kind message.
- Virtual funeral hosting is designed to replace or supplement an in-person event.
- Invitations and RSVP sites are created to help you share information about the event.
- Memorials are meant to be a lasting webpage to commemorate the deceased.
Common features
Once you have defined your goals and figured out what type of memorial website is right for you, you can consider what features you find most important. Consider how easy the site is to use. A beautiful page that is easy to navigate will make for the best experience for online visitors. Some sites also offer a donation feature, while others may allow guests to upload photos and videos. Be sure to review all the features available, as well as the costs, security, and customer service associated with them as you research each memorial website.
Best online memorial websites
To help you in your search, we’ve made a list of the best online memorial websites to meet your needs and your budget.
Free memorial websites
Forever Missed is a cost-friendly option for those who want to collect and share memories of the loved one they have lost. This user-friendly site offers a variety of templates and background music to help you create a custom memorial website. Simply log in with your Facebook account to get started. Once your page is up and running, you can decide whether it is public or private, and allow visitors to leave virtual flowers and lights. While the basic plan is free, users can gain access to additional features by subscribing to the monthly ($6.99), yearly ($64.99), or lifetime ($124.99) plans. The paid plans allow for unlimited photos and videos, illustrated stories, and multiple site admins. Regardless of the plan you choose, the site will never run ads on your memorial pages.
Keeper is a popular option for its flexibility, interactivity, and robust features, even with a free account. Keeper’s free memorials allow you to write and share your loved one’s life story, add pictures and videos, send and receive tribute messages, and even build a family tree. Keeper also allows for unlimited guestbook entries where friends and family can share condolences, dedications, and photos. If your loved one held a charity close to their heart, or if the family has arranged a donation fund, you may add a donation link to the page as well. And perhaps one of the most unique features Keeper offers is cemetery and grave location services. Loved ones can more easily navigate large cemeteries with walk-to-grave directions.
Ever Loved is an excellent choice for those who want to share stories, organize events, and collect memories. While the site offers premium plans, its free version is robust enough to make sharing your event plans and collecting RSVPs a simple process, as well as collecting photos and stories to memorialize online in the future. Building a memorial site on Ever Loved takes only three steps. First, enter key details about your loved one like their name, photo, and obituary. This will make it easy for others to find. Second, input the event information and share it with friends and family anywhere online. And finally, create a memorial page where you can invite others to share photos, offer donations, and write personal messages.
We Remember, created by Ancestry, is like a digital scrapbook for your loved one. This is a great online memorial option for those who have friends and family scattered across the country or around the globe. The service is completely free and allows you to upload unlimited photos and leave comments on each one. If privacy is important to you, you can also set the page to allow guess only, and you can block unwanted guests at any time. The site is easy to navigate, and the more people you invite, the more photos you’ll collect.
InMemori is another online memorial website for gathering and sharing memories to pay tribute to your loved one. The free site offers a clean, simple template that is easy to navigate. Users can create guests books, scrapbooks of photos, write condolences, share stories, and more. InMemori is also a great supplement to your funeral invitations as it allows you to share information by email or SMS to everyone concerned. If you want to take it a step further, you can even purchase a personalized book from InMemori to keep a physical trace of all the messages shared.
Never-Gone is another free online memorial website that allows you to create an everlasting presence for your lost loved one. Never-Gone is a popular option for its variety of features and unlimited photos, videos, and music. Visitors can also leave tributes and candles, write memories and condolences, and sign a guest book. As an added feature, you can link the pages of lost loved ones together to create an interactive family tree. There is also a place to add funeral service details, and, of course, privacy settings to help protect you and those dear to you.
Paid memorial websites
GatheringUs is a great free choice for those looking for virtual funeral services. The site takes care of the planning and logistics of technology so you can focus on connecting and supporting friends and family during the service, as well as sharing stories and honoring your loved one. Plans start at $750 and include a dedicated event planner to guide you through the process, a facilitator to ensure a smooth service, and technical support to help you along the way.
Whether you use their virtual memorial service or not, you are welcome to create a free memorial page on the site as well. GatheringUs’s free memorial pages allow users to share photos and videos, raise funds for the family or a charity, and share event updates to keep guests informed.
If you like the idea of a timeline of your loved one’s life or even the whole family, Memories.net might be a good choice for you. The timeline format allows users to stitch together their loved ones’ life stories that have shaped who they are. At the same time, it allows others to contribute stories to create a more rich and varied perspective. The site is easy to use while it still protects your privacy. One of its most unique offerings is a feature called “future messages,” which allows you to schedule messages to loved ones in the future. Future messages can be scheduled for a special date and/or to a certain person to offer wisdom, support, humor, and words of love. While the site offers 1 GB of free memory, there’s a good chance you’ll want more. The premium plan costs $6.99 per month and offers unlimited storage, but the lifetime plan is the most popular, at a one-time fee of $199.
Whether you’re planning to live stream a funeral service or supplement an in-person one with an online memorial website, our professional staff can help you sort through your options. Please contact us with any questions about our services.
Recent Comments