Autocomplete – What Are Consumers Google Searching About Funeral Homes?

Funeral Industry News Lighter Side June 20, 2017
Madison Ashby

Madison Ashby is a student at Ohio University studying Strategic Communication. She joined the DISRUPT Media team in 2017 as an intern and is a contributing author on ConnectingDirectors.com.


Autocomplete – What Are Consumers Google Searching About Funeral Homes?

Today we have the entire world’s knowledge at our fingertips. If you have a question that needs to be answered quickly all it takes is a Google search. With a few keystrokes we all can be knowledgeable about anything (because if is on the internet then it is 100% true). 

Google uses a neat tool called autocomplete that tries to predict what you are going to type before you even finish. These suggestions are based on what other users have searched.

We used autocomplete to see what questions people are asking about the funeral profession. To our amazement people search some very weird things about funerals and funeral directors – OK, we really weren’t shocked but we do wonder what are we doing as a profession to provide the correct answers?

Take a look at the list below to see what funeral related questions have been racking the brains of millions of internet users.

Why

  • Why do funeral homes wrap bodies in plastic?
  • Why do funeral homes cost so much?
  • Why do funeral directors bow at the coffin?
  • Why do funeral directors carry a cane?
  • Why do funeral directors have clocks outside?
  • Why do funeral directors walk in front of the hearse?
  • Why do funeral directors have to be licensed?
  • Why do funeral directors get paid?
  • Why do funeral directors like unicorns?
  • Why do morticians put hair in the mouth?
  • Why do morticians have nightmares?
  • Why do morticians have to go to school?
  • Why do morticians make good money?
  • Why do morticians remove gold teeth?
  • Why do morticians remove the brain?
  • Why do morticians work alone?
  • Why do morticians wear scrubs?
  • Why do morticians work in hospitals?
  • Why do morticians get drug tested?
  • Why do morticians get scared?
  • Why do morticians glue eyes shut?
  • Why do morticians see ghosts?
  • Why do morticians cover bullet wounds?
  • Why do morticians clean the body?

How

  • How do funeral homes dress bodies?
  • How do funerals help the bereaved?

What

  • What do funeral directors wear?
  • What do funeral directors do to prepare the body?
  • What do morticians do with the organs?
  • What does mortician most likely refer to?
  • What does a mortician do to your body?
  • What do mortician use under their nose?
  • What kind of makeup do morticians use on the deceased?

When

  • When do funeral homes expect payment?
  • When do funerals happen after death?
  • When do funerals start?

Who  

  • Who do you write funeral flowers to?
  • Who do send funeral flowers to?
  • Who do you thank after a funeral?

Where

  • Where do funeral homes store bodies?
  • Where do funeral homes dispose of blood?

Are

  • Are funeral expenses tax deductible?
  • Are funeral homes haunted?
  • Are funeral homes open on Sundays?
  • Are funeral homes required to notify social security?
  • Are funeral homes regulated?
  • Are funeral homes tax exempt?
  • Are funeral homes profitable?
  • Are funeral homes a good investment?

I’m sure these questions made you laugh, raise your eyebrows and even #facepalm once or twice. People seem have limited knowledge about what goes on in the funeral business, but at least they are asking the questions and that’s the important thing here. 

Yes, we think it is great consumers are searching the internet for funeral related questions – some legit and others just for fun but this leaves a huge opportunity for funeral professionals.

BONUS: Here is the opportunity: pull out a smartphone and video yourself answering every single one of these questions, ridiculous or not, answer them. Add them to your funeral home blog, Facebook Page and Youtube. There are 47 different questions here – that is almost an entire year worth of content. Need help to make this happen? Email our CEO and he will help you get it done: social@disruptmedia.co

Thank you, Google, for making our lives so much easier and giving us another reason to laugh.