Tiffany Stewart is currently a graduate student at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas and expects to complete a Masters in Counseling in 2011. Her areas of interest include geriatrics, caring for families affected by Alzheimer?s and the death-care industry. ?I decided to intern with ConnectingDirectors.com because they are at the forefront of news, trends and transitions within the death-care industry and that is exactly where I want to be.? Tiffany is also a competitive cyclist and enjoys outdoor activities. Connect with Tiffany on Facebook.
How Are You Using Social Media to Benefit Your Funeral Home?
Social networks have begun to gain traction over web-based obituary and memorializing sites.
Memorializing loved ones has really become popular on Facebook, mostly for younger generations, many of whom are already a part of the social networking scene. With over 400 million users (120 million in the US alone), coupled with the aging Baby Boomer population, friends and loved ones who have passed away will increasingly be remembered on Facebook. While social media acceptance and usage is on the rise, up 82% last year, Facebook and Twitter have begun to dominate the market.
While online obituary and memoralization services are expected to become more popular, the future pales in comparison to social network sites. The major players for online obituaries and memoralization are Tributes.com with about half a million viewers per month and Legacy.com with about 13 million viewers each month according to Quantcast.
While Legacy.com has created its own memorial site, they provide no option to connect with friends and loved ones. Tributes.com?like Facebook allows one to view obituaries, and then post comments, pictures and effectively communicate with loved ones for months and even years to come.
Baby Boomers have drastically altered or obliterated many other longstanding traditions and it appears that traditional obituaries will be no exception. In the case of one recent death posted on Facebook, there were over 33,000 postings?many of which were from individuals who never knew the deceased. Along with keeping up with living friends, it appears social networking sites may become the grieving and emoting choice in the not-so-distant future.
How are you using social media to benefit your funeral home? Please share with us in the Comments section below.
