How to Create an Online Funeral Guestbook: 5 Steps

Sam Tetrault, BA in English

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Sam Tetrault, BA in English

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Nothing is more difficult than facing a loss as a family. With grief and other emotions running high, it’s hard to stay organized in times of crisis.

Having a way for loved ones to share their thoughts and kind words with the bereaved family can be a great source of comfort, whether paying respects from afar or in person.

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An online guestbook creates a safe, accessible platform for those who want to support the family and leave memories of the deceased to do so. Like with online memorial sites , an online guestbook is an easy way to turn the funeral into a lasting memory. It serves as a reminder of one’s impact both on earth and beyond.

If you’re planning a funeral for a loved one, here’s how to create an online guestbook in just a few steps.

What is an Online Guest Book?

First, let’s define what an online guest book is, specifically in relation to a funeral. It’s very similar to a social media platform in that users can leave messages and comments on a digital book or wall. It’s not unlike a memorialized social media profile.

While it’s not uncommon to have a physical guestbook at the funeral for guests to leave messages, it’s becoming more popular to make a digital guestbook instead. This makes the guestbook accessible to all who might benefit from reading through the messages. Users often leave things like:

Online guest books can be found on popular memorial websites, social media platforms, and guestbook sites. They’re easy to set up, and they make an effective alternative to traditional guest books. If you’re planning to use an online guestbook at a funeral, follow these steps below.

Step 1: Choose Your Guestbook Platform

Before you begin creating the guestbook, you need to choose your service provider. There are many free options to choose from, and each service offers something a bit different. Consider your specific goals and needs before deciding on the best option for your loved one’s funeral.

Think about your budget range (if any) and any additional features you might want (photos, videos, etc.) in your funeral guestbook. From there, sign up and get started.

Step 2: Personalize the Online Guestbook

Next, it’s time to personalize the guestbook. Your online funeral guestbook for your loved one will likely reside on some type of online memorial website like the ones listed above. This is where you get to share a bit about your loved one, their legacy, and what made them special. You can personalize this as much or as little as you wish.

Remember, this is something everyone will see when they visit your loved one’s memorial website. Make sure it’s special by including any of the following:

Step 3: Spark the Conversation

Finding the right words to say in a memorial service guest book is often a challenge. While you might have friends and family who are enthusiastic about contributing to your online platform, they might not know where to begin.

It’s helpful if you can offer a few words to spark the conversation. Invite your page’s guests to leave their thoughts, prayers, and memories. Sometimes a simple call to action like this is all you need to encourage kind words.

Step 4: Share Your Guestbook

Don’t forget to share your guestbook. You’ll want to make it as easy as possible for friends and family to leave their kind words. There are a lot of innovative ways to do this that simplifies the process:

Aside from the above options, you can also let friends and family know about your guestbook when you see them in-person at the funeral or memorial. Don’t be afraid to invite them to share.

Step 5: Save Your Memories

Last but not least, save your online memories by keeping an eye on your online guestbook. Set up alerts so you’re always in the know about new messages on the online profile. After a few weeks, you might want to save these memories somewhere more secure.

While you might have access to the online memorial indefinitely, it’s always a good idea to have your own copy saved. You could do this in several ways:

Saving your memories from the memorial website isn’t needed, but it is an important way to keep these messages secure. You never know what might happen to the online memorial, and you never want to lose the kind words from your loved ones.

Create a Digital Legacy

An online scrapbook is an inspiring way to showcase memories and kind messages from loved ones. Losing someone special is never easy, but your guestbook shows that you’re never alone with your grief. An online memorial is a simple way to encourage more friends and family to share support with each other and the bereaved family.

We’re entering a new era of digital legacy. It’s now easier than ever to memorialize loved ones online as well as in-person. An online funeral guestbook is one of many many ways the internet brings people together after a loss.