Funeral notices, obituaries, intimations - they are all very similar in what they describe: announcing the passing of a loved one. But what is the best way to make this announcement? During the last century it was custom to place a notice in a local newspaper, but is this still an effective way to ensure every generation of family and friends are aware of the passing of a loved one?
Our answer to that is yes. Well we would say that wouldn't we? We have over 70 local newspapers throughout the UK and yes, people do still read and buy newspapers. What we also know is that making an announcement in a newspaper alone limits the potential audience. The best way to ensure your notices are inclusive of every generation is to make sure it is also published online.
With over 67 million UK internet users, and 57.6 million active social media users in 2022*, it’s clear the future is online. The internet is no longer solely the domain of younger generations. According to the Office for National Statistics report 'Internet users, UK: 2020':
"While there has been little change in internet use for adults aged 16 to 44 years in recent years, the proportion of those aged 75 years and over who are recent internet users nearly doubled since 2013, from 29%, to 54% in 2020."
With that number expected to rise each year, it makes sense to make use of digital notices for your families.
92% of adults in the UK were recent internet users in 2020
More and more families and Funeral Directors are choosing online-only (digital) funeral notices. An online-only notice does not appear in a newspaper and can be viewed along with millions of others on funeral-notices.co.uk. Every notice published in a newspaper also goes online meaning we publish hundreds of new notices every day.
An online notice offers excellent value to your families. At £30 + VAT they are considerably cheaper than newspaper announcements as they don't include the costs associated with printing a paper.
Online funeral notices may be viewed by anyone, anywhere in the world, at any time. This means anyone unable to attend the funeral can add messages of condolence or make a donation, perfect for friends and family abroad as well as your local communities.
An online notice may be published immediately. We have many prompts available to encourage friends and family to share their notice as soon as it is published online - helping make sure social media connections or family group chats can access the tribute page and begin adding to the legacy of their loved one.
If you've not yet had a free trial of online notices, complete the form below. We can offer you 3 months of free notices to help you understand the value they offer to families.
If you have had a free trial already, hopefully you have seen the benefits for yourself and are now confident to offer a notice at £36 to your families (the amount you pay us will include your discount).
New Online Partners can claim up to 6 months of free online notices. For more on that please get in touch.
Book an online notice today
here.
For more on increasing the audience for your notices, read our latest guide:
How to get the best audience for your funeral noticesPlease
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