What to Know about Memorial Websites

Memorial websites are relatively new. They offer convenience. But it’s important to see the whole picture.

Advantages

Space: Online memorials allow much more content than a newspaper obituary
Format: Elaborate memorials with photos, video and music can be created,
Guest book: One of the greatest benefits of an online obituary is that it can include a guest book that allows comments to be added. Family and friends can connect and share both their sorrow and their happy memories of the deceased. Writing about grief can be therapeutic and can contribute to the healing process.
Funeral notification: Another benefit of an online obituary is that it can be used to get the word out about funeral arrangements or a memorial service.
Access: Online memorials tend to be accessible as long as the website is in business.

Disadvantages

Spam: Online obituaries may be defaced by trolls or spam. Before posting an obituary to a memorial website, inquire about anti-spam measures.
Scams: Another negative aspect of online obituaries is that personal information that’s included in an obituary can be used for fraudulent purposes. There have been cases where the name and birth date of a deceased person were used to obtain credit cards. There have also been cases of home robberies that occurred during a funeral or memorial service. Thieves obtain the home address of the deceased and the date of the service from the obituary. Avoid online obituary scams by limiting the amount of personal information included in an obituary. For example, instead of the month, day and year of birth, include only the year. Visit MSN Money for additional information about obituary scams and the creation safe obituaries.
Passivity: People must be notified of the existence and location of the online memorial.
Impersonal: Expressing condolences in a public forum is less personal than a private letter or face-to-face meeting. There’s a risk that people will take the easy route by adding comments to an online guest book instead of communicating directly with the family of the deceased.

Survey of memorial websites

With technology affecting so many aspects of modern life, it’s hardly surprising that it’s shaping the way that many people deal with death. Creating an online memorial is one of the newest ways to pay tribute to a deceased person. Several companies provide the tools and hosting that will allow you to create a memorial website. In addition to commemorating a loved one’s life, a memorial website can provide a way for friends and family to post comments and share memories, creating an online support network. Here is a brief survey of some of the leading memorial websites.

Legacy is a leading obituary website which hosts obituaries for newspapers as well as providing tools for individuals to create fee-based online memorials. Legacy.com hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70% of all deaths in the U.S. and is accessed by more than 10 million visitors each month.
Memorial Websites is a division of Legacy.com, the leading online obituary website. For an annual fee of about $40, you can create a customized memorial page and add personal tributes, photos, videos and music. Tools for creating a biography and timeline are provided. A guest book allows website visitors to record their remembrances.
Remembered Forever is another website that allows you to create a memorial page that includes the life story of the deceased along with personal photos, videos and music. The website can be either public or private (password protected). Creating a memorial website that’s displayed for 5 days is free. An additional $98 ensures that the memorial will be permanently displayed.
Valley of Life is a free website that lets you set up a life story page for a deceased love one. Once you’ve registered on the site, an instructional video takes you through the steps of writing an obituary or tribute and then adding photos, videos and audio. . A guest book is also available for sharing stories and memories. Slideshow memory albums can also be created and sent to friends and family memories
Tributes.com is another website that supports the creation of fee-based online memorials. It was started by the creator of Monster.com, a job search website that has replaced newspaper classified ads for many job seekers.

Vetting memorial websites

If you have decided to use a memorial website, you will want to know how to assess and compare available sites.

History: how long has the site been in business
Longevity: how long will the memorial be live
User interface: is it easy to enter, format, edit and view information
Spam prevention: what measures prevent or remove inappropriate comments
Hosting environment: is the server reliable so that the memorial will be accessible

Resources

Read more about online memorials in the NWI Times article Death in the Digital Age.