The goal of traditional advertising methods is to always keep your business in the minds of potential clients so that they think of you first when they need to buy. Marketing a funeral home with traditional advertising methods is a serious challenge. Funeral homes are in the business of offering a service that the vast majority of people would rather not think about. Very few want to be reminded of their own mortality or that they will lose a loved one.

Funeral home advertising often evokes unpleasant thoughts and feelings so it tends to be ignored or blocked out by many. Yet the truth is, choosing the right funeral home for a loved one or themselves is of vast importance to most people. To successfully market your funeral home, non-traditional advertising really is your best choice. 81.3% of all funeral planning begins online, probably for the very reasons we just explored. These people searching online have an immediate need for your services and are online to research and decide whom they are going to call and ultimately purchase from. Instead of trying to keep your business in the minds of potential clients so that they think of you first, for funeral homes it makes the most sense to market and advertise to those who have demonstrated an immediate need for these services, just before they buy.

With 81.3% of all funeral planning beginning online, common sense leads us to the conclusion that funeral home marketing must include online advertising. People all across North America in both large and small towns and cities are searching online for funeral services. Examples of the Google search numbers for funeral homes are as follows:

• Mesa AZ – 258 people search every month for a funeral home
• Newmarket ON – 192 people search every month
• Augusta GA – 411 people search every month
• Surrey BC – 166 people search every month
• Frederick MD – 241 people search every month
• St. John’s NFLD – 259 people search every month
• Andover MA – 117 people search every month
• Columbus MS – 124 people search every month
• Detroit MI - 1448 people search every month

For many funeral homes, the only online funeral home advertising they have are listings in directories. Being listed is a start but the problem with directories is that your listing is the same as every other funeral home. Directories provide very little or no opportunity to highlight why you are the best choice, or to personally connect with the prospective client.

A web site is a wonderful way to market your funeral home online but very few funeral home web sites are found on the first three pages in a Google search for funeral homes in their town/city. A web site only serves as an important marketing tool if people can find it when they are looking and searching for funeral services in your local area.

The internet is the dominant place people look for funeral services – 81.3%, it is logical to make sure that your funeral home has a strong online presence so people can easily find you when they search.

Funeral homes can utilize an optimized online video commercial to affordably showcase their business in a professional and compassionate manner. With a professional, optimized online video, your funeral home can come up multiple times in the top 30 results of a Google search in your local area. Without a doubt, multiple appearances of your business name in a top 30 Google search is effective and very powerful funeral advertising.

Including an optimized video in your Funeral Home marketing strategy effectively gives you a strong online presence, provides prospective clients with information that will positively influence their buying decision and allows you to form a personal connection with them.

Online video commercials used to be reserved for the very few that had massive adverting dollars to spend, but new technology has made online video commercials affordable and has leveled the playing field. Competing with the industry giants is now possible with a modest marketing budget.

Below is a 60 second video that advertises online video to funeral homes.  Watch it and see for yourself how effective video can be.  Just think what showcasing your business to the 81.3% of the people looking to buy funeral services in your town/city will do for your business.