Direct Cremation-Independent or Co-op or Pure?

Direct Cremation-Independent or Co-op or Pure? Who would families in your area find online? And how would a family decide who to contact for a direct cremation?

This article is about content marketing, providing information on your website about the services you provide, helping Google to include you in search results. Create that content and families will have a chance to consider you as a trusted expert in direct cremation.

People are searching for direct cremation. The table below shows the top direct cremation related queries from December 2019 to December 2022.

How can an independent funeral director respond to national advertising campaigns?

I covered in an earlier blog article a discussion at the SAIF North East regional meeting in May 2021, concerning how independent funeral directors can compete with national providers for online search results in their area. The solution I recommended was by making use of an asset that they already own, their own website.

How would you search online? Direct Cremation-Independent or Co-op or Pure

Put yourself in your customers shoes, how do you search online? Most of us are wary of advertising and like to research a purchase before speaking to someone, that is the case even when we have been exposed to online or TV advertising. The advert will usually prompt us to do some research.

As an example, I have recently been interested in buying some outdoor LED lights. When an advert about this product popped up on my Instagram feed my interest was sparked. I didn’t however just follow through on that advertiser. I wanted to do my own independent research on the whole market and opened a browser to search for ‘outdoor LED lights’.

This is the age we now live in. People want to be in the driving seat, they want to do their own research and make an informed decision based upon that.

Google Trends

It is safe to assume that direct cremation is no different, we can see from the Google Trends graph on this page that both searches are increasing and that Pure Cremation and the Co-op are popular searches (‘direct cremation uk’ is more popular.)

Previous Article – Answering Questions on Your Website

How to Use Your Website to Answer Questions on Direct Cremation Funerals

It may seem daunting for an independent funeral director to prevail against organisations with seemingly huge marketing budgets. You will find however that it’s perfectly possible to achieve a significant and long lasting presence in online searches for direct cremation services by making use of your website.

Proof of concept

Let us look in hindsight, how since first discussing this topic at the SAIF meeting and in the previous article above, we have worked with three funeral businesses to prove the concept.

Content Marketing

The solution is a content marketing approach, going beyond online advertising such as PayPerClick. By discussing in depth on your website the advantages of speaking to an independent funeral director for a more personal and fulfilling funeral experience you can not only achieve page 1 results in Google searches, you can also help local families by explaining how direct cremation works and the advantages you offer.

Who are we hoping to reach? Perhaps a well known author?

Although, at the time of writing in November 2022, the UK is said to be heading for a recession with many people looking for cheaper options we would be wrong to assume that only people who can’t afford more expensive options will be interested.

The well known author Hunter Davies describes in his autobiography ‘A Life in the Day’ how he arranged a ‘Direct Cremation Option‘ for the funeral of his wife Margaret with his local funeral director Levertons, in Kentish Town. Although, as Mr Hunter is happy to point out throughout his book how he is careful with his money, he probably wouldn’t claim to be financially challenged having enjoyed a long and successful career, as did his wife.

What should your page include?

First and foremost the title of the page should be ‘Direct Cremation’ to ensure that Google and your visitors are in no doubt this is a relevant page.

You can then go on to outline all of the characteristics not forgetting to highlight the benefits of choosing your business. Here are some possible points to include:

Cremations will take place at a local crematorium
- As opposed to some national providers you are not cremated locally and your loved one’s ashes are posted back to you
Transport arrangements to crematorium using a hearse on the agreed date and time of cremation
Cremation at a local crematorium as opposed to another part of the country
Ashes will be available in the days following the cremation
Bearers to respectfully take your loved one to the crematorium
Is there an option to attend and if so is this subject to time restrictions?
Are cremation fees and Doctors fees included?

Also explain the difference between a direct cremation and a traditional funeral:

The deceased is taken directly to the crematorium without a funeral service
Unattended, meaning family and friends are not present
The crematorium, date and time are chosen by the funeral director

Trends in direct cremation

Case study – funeral director content marketing in action

Direct Cremation-Independent or Co-op or Pure?