Writing a funeral website that families trust

Practical advice for independent funeral directors on the words, pages and details that help a family trust your website and pick up the phone.

A family visiting your website is not browsing. Someone they love has died, or is dying, and they are trying to work out who to call. They may be reading on a phone in a hospital corridor. They may be the one relative who has been handed the job of finding a funeral director.

With 10 years of experience in the funeral profession, I know that families decide very quickly whether a firm feels right. On the phone, that comes from a calm voice and a kind word. On a website, it comes from the words you choose, the details you share and how easy you make the next step.

This guide is about the writing. Design matters, but the words do most of the work of earning trust.

Start with what a family needs to know

Before writing anything, think about the questions a family brings with them:

• Can you help me now, even at night?
• Are you near me?
• Who will be looking after my loved one?
• What will it cost?
• What happens next?

A trustworthy website answers these quickly and plainly. Your phone number should be visible at the top of every page, and on a phone it should be possible to tap it and call. If you answer through the night, say so in simple words: "We answer the phone day and night, every day of the year." Only say it if it is true.

Write as you would speak to a family

The best funeral websites read like a good arranger talks. Warm, unhurried, respectful and clear.

Use plain words

Families are often exhausted. Long sentences and formal phrases make reading harder. Write simply "your loved one", rather than euphemisms that may confuse. Explain any terms you use, such as "chapel of rest" or "direct cremation", the first time they appear.

Avoid sales language

Phrases such as "unbeatable service" or "the best funeral directors in the county" tend to make families wary. They have no way to check them, and they sound like advertising at a time when people want care. Instead, describe what you actually do: that you will visit at home if a family prefers, that the same person will look after them from the first call to the funeral, that the deceased stays in your own care at your own premises, if that is true.

Write in the first person

"We" and "you" feel more human than "the company" and "the client". If you are a family firm, say so, and say which generations are involved. Real detail is more convincing than adjectives.

Show the people behind the firm

Families want to know who will be caring for their loved one. A team page with real photographs and a few sentences about each person does more for trust than almost anything else on the site.

Good team pages include:

• names and roles
• how long each person has worked with the firm, if they are happy to share it
• something human, such as a connection to the local area
• professional qualifications, where relevant

Avoid stock photographs of people. Families can usually tell, and it undermines everything else on the page. Photographs of your actual premises, chapel of rest and vehicles help families picture what to expect.

Be open about prices

Many families feel anxious about cost, and some worry about being embarrassed by asking. Being open about prices is one of the clearest ways to show you are trustworthy.

It is also a legal requirement. Since 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority's Funerals Market Investigation Order has required funeral directors to display certain price information online, including the Standardised Price List and an Additional Options Price List, along with certain terms of business. I have set out what is required in my CMA funeral price rules checklist.

Beyond the legal minimum, think about how prices are presented:

• Link to your price page from the main menu, so it is never hard to find.
• Add a short introduction in plain words explaining what is included and what might vary.
• Explain third party costs, such as crematorium or cemetery fees and doctors' or officiants' fees, so families are not surprised later.
• Mention that you are always happy to talk costs through, without obligation.

Explain what happens next

Uncertainty is frightening. A page that explains, step by step, what happens after someone dies can be a real comfort. It also shows that you know what you are doing.

When someone dies at home

Explain that the family should contact the doctor or call 111 if the death was expected, or 999 if it was unexpected, and that they can call you at any time. Describe what will happen when you arrive, and reassure them there is no need to rush.

When someone dies in hospital or a hospice

Explain that the hospital or hospice will guide them, and that you will liaise with the bereavement office on their behalf.

Registering the death

Explain in simple terms that a death usually needs to be registered, and link to the official GOV.UK guidance for England and Wales, or the equivalent for Scotland and Northern Ireland, rather than restating rules that may change.

Arranging the funeral

Describe what an arrangement meeting is like, where it can take place, and what a family might want to bring or think about. Tell them it is fine not to have all the answers yet.

Let other families speak for you

What other families say about you is more convincing than anything you say about yourself. Include genuine reviews on your website, ideally with a link to where they appear on Google or another independent platform so families can see they are real.

Never write or edit reviews yourself, and always ask permission before quoting a family by name. A first name and a town is usually enough. If a family has written you a card or letter, ask before using any of it.

Keep it honest and up to date

Out of date information damages trust quickly. Check regularly that:

• phone numbers, addresses and opening hours are correct
• team members who have left are no longer listed
• prices and price lists are current
• links work, especially to price lists and documents

Make sure your contact details match those on your Google Business Profile and other listings. I explain why this matters for being found in funeral director near me searches.

Make contact easy and gentle

Not everyone wants to phone straight away. Offer more than one way to get in touch: phone, email and a simple contact form. Keep forms short, asking only for a name, a way to reply and a message. Tell families when they can expect a reply.

If you offer prepaid funeral plans, or a guide to planning ahead, keep that clearly separate from the help for families who need you now. Someone whose mother has just died should not have to scroll past a plan offer to find your number.

Think about the phone screen

Many families will read your website on a phone. Check every important page on a phone yourself:

• Is the phone number visible straight away?
• Is the text large enough to read without zooming?
• Does the page load quickly on a weak signal?
• Can you find the price list in two taps?

If the site is slow, Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool will show which pages need attention.

Where your website fits in your wider marketing

Your website is the place every other channel points to: your Google Business Profile, your ads, your social media, your local adverts. My funeral director marketing guide covers how these fit together, and if you use paid search, my guide to Google Ads for funeral directors explains why the page an ad leads to matters so much.

A short checklist

• Phone number visible and tappable on every page
• Honest wording about when you answer the phone
• Plain, warm language with no sales claims
• A team page with real photographs
• Prices easy to find, with a plain introduction
• A clear guide to what happens next
• Genuine reviews, used with permission
• Details checked and updated regularly
• Pages tested on a phone

Frequently asked questions

How long should the pages on a funeral website be?

Long enough to answer a family's questions, and no longer. The home page should be short and calm, with the phone number and the main reassurances. Guidance pages, such as what to do when someone dies, can be longer as long as they use clear headings.

Should we show photographs of coffins and vehicles?

Many families find it helpful to see options, especially on pages about choices and prices. Keep photographs respectful and well lit, and use your own rather than stock images where possible.

Is it right to talk about our history?

Yes, if it is told simply and honestly. Families often value a long local connection. Share real facts, such as who founded the firm and which families still run it, rather than general claims.

Do we have to show prices on our website?

Yes. Under the CMA's Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021, funeral directors must display certain price information online. Check the CMA's official guidance or my checklist for the details.

Can we copy wording from other funeral websites?

It is best not to. Copied text can raise copyright issues, it does nothing to help you stand out in search results, and it will not sound like you. Families respond to words that reflect your own firm.

How often should we update our website?

Check your contact details and prices whenever anything changes, and review the whole site at least once or twice a year.

If you would like an honest read through of your website from someone who knows the profession, we are always happy to help.