The power of words: why website content matters more than ever     

In today’s digital world, it’s important that your website creates a good first impression.  Clear, compelling, and strategically crafted relevant content not only increases visitor numbers and improves usability but also builds trust and credibility with your audience.   

In this article MuchLoved’s website expert, Kate Walker, offers some tips to help you create compelling content. 

Create a good first impression  

Your website is often the first place a grieving family turns to for guidance.  At one of the most difficult times in their lives, families are looking for: 

• Compassion and reassurance that you understand what they are going through 
• Straightforward guidance without jargon 
• Confidence to trust that you are the right people to help 

The words and images on your website shape that first impression.  By using warm language you can start to build a connection, whilst generic phrases risk pushing people away.  

The must-have pages and what they should say

Statistically, you have around 9 seconds to impress a real person on your website.  We say ’real person’ as you have just under 4 seconds to impress an AI tool like ChatGPT.  In essence, every word and every image counts.  Here are some tips for key sections of your website:  

• Homepage - Keep it clear, welcoming, and human. Use friendly fonts and photos of real people from your team.  Colour photographs are more engaging than black and white.  Testimonials will showcase your service and reputation.   
• About Us - Potential clients want to see more than qualifications, so highlight your team’s interests outside work to show that you’re approachable and part of your community.   
• Your services - Describe the services that you provide and how families can personalise their choices, with a link to your price list for transparency. 
• What to do when some dies -This page is especially useful for people who have never arranged a funeral before.  You should offer clear guidance, FAQs, or a simple checklist. 
• Funeral notices - Your funeral notices are likely to be the most visited pages on your site.  By using a service like MuchLoved, you can quickly and easily create funeral notices which are automatically displayed on your website. 

How to create engaging content

Our top tip is to write as if you’re sitting across from a grieving family.  Be empathetic, clear, and helpful. By doing so, you’ll naturally create engaging content which not only appeals to visitors but will also boost where you appear in search engine results. 

5 Easy wins

1. Humanise your website - Use warm words and real photos 
2. Answer real questions - Turn common queries into helpful content 
3. Keep testimonials fresh - Don’t rely on reviews from 10 years ago, update regularly.  A reviews service like MuchLoved will make this easy 
4. Showcase your people - Write engaging staff bios that highlight their expertise and their interests 
5. Use strong headings - Make all titles clear, inviting, and relevant 

Some other considerations

We know that there are issues and challenges with creating website content, such as time constraints and not being used to the format of writing. It's also important to understand what people want to read and be aware of relevant CMA guidelines, Advertising Standards and more.

Tools like ChatGPT can save you time by generating ideas and helping with structure, but they can’t replace your voice or your expertise.  Ensure that your content is accurate and personalise it so that it reflects your knowledge and personality. 

Finally, it's worth noting that building trust through community involvement is just as important as online content. If you'd like some ideas for creating connections offline, read our article on community engagement. 

Your website should be a digital space that feels supportive and trustworthy for families at a difficult time.  It can also help to promote your business to potential clients.   If you'd like more information and advice, watch our webinar on why website content matters, and take a look at our article on using AI for more practical tips. 

About Kate Walker – Manager, Funeral Director Websites 

Kate has 15 years’ experience in creating search-engine optimised websites and has worked with the Funeral profession for over five years. She has a long-established background in IT Training and Technical Project Management and enjoys sharing her knowledge with Funeral Directors and Funeral Arrangers and our MuchLoved team.