Deciding what to include in an online memorial can feel overwhelming for grieving families, particularly in the days immediately after a loss. This checklist-style guide is written for bereaved families, close friends and funeral organisers who want a clear and practical overview of the content that makes an online memorial meaningful – from photos and videos through to tributes, life timelines, service details and privacy settings. Forever In Our Hearts provides all of these features in a single, lifetime-access Australian memorial platform.
Last updated: 8 May 2026
TL;DR
- An online memorial typically includes a profile photo, biography, life timeline, photo and video gallery, guest book tributes, funeral service details and optional extras such as donation links and a grave location map.
- You do not need to include everything at once – start with the essentials and add content over time.
- Privacy settings let you control who sees the page: public, invite-only or private family access.
- AI content moderation means guest book contributions are reviewed before they appear on the page.
- Forever In Our Hearts includes all of the features on this checklist in a one-time $59 AUD payment with lifetime access.
- Australian grief support services such as The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement can help if the process feels too difficult to manage alone.
A page for everyone who loved them
Creating an online memorial is one of the most meaningful things a family can do after a loss – and one of the most practical. It gives everyone who loved the person a single, lasting place to remember them, whether they attended the funeral or live on the other side of the world.
But the blank page of a new memorial can be daunting. What do you actually put on it? How much is too much, or too little? What if you forget something important?
This guide answers those questions. It is written for family members, close friends and anyone helping to organise a digital tribute who wants a simple, actionable checklist of what to include – and what to consider leaving out. It is also useful for funeral directors and celebrants who advise families on creating lasting digital memorials alongside the service itself.
If you are still in the early stages of managing a loss and need broader guidance, the Australian Funeral Directors Association publishes practical resources for families navigating end-of-life administration.
What to Include in an Online Memorial: The Full Checklist
An online memorial typically includes: a profile photo, full name and dates, a biography or life story, a life timeline, a photo and video gallery, a guest book for tributes and condolences, funeral service details, a digital order of service, a donation link, a grave or resting place location, and privacy settings. Most families start with the essentials and add richer content over time.
The checklist below is arranged roughly in order of priority – the items at the top are the ones most families complete first, and the ones further down can be added over time as more content becomes available.
1. Profile photo
A clear, representative photo of the person is the first thing visitors see. It does not need to be a formal portrait. A warm, natural photo that captures who they were – at home, on holiday, doing something they loved – is often more meaningful than a professional image. Choose a photo that family members feel proud to share publicly.
Checklist:
- A high-resolution, clear image (not blurry or heavily filtered)
- A photo the immediate family is comfortable sharing
- A backup second choice in case the first does not upload well
2. Name and key dates
This sounds obvious, but getting the details right matters – family members will see them every time they visit the memorial. Include the full name the person preferred, their date of birth and the date they passed.
Checklist:
- Full preferred name (including any nickname or middle name they used)
- Date of birth
- Date of passing
- Place of birth if meaningful to include
3. Biography and life story
The biography is the heart of the memorial. It does not need to read like a formal obituary. A warm, personal account of who they were, what they loved, who they loved and what made them memorable is far more valuable than a chronological list of achievements.
Many families write two to four paragraphs initially and then expand the biography over time as more memories and stories surface. You can include their career, passions, character, relationships and the small specific details that made them uniquely themselves – a phrase they always used, a tradition they kept, a hobby they pursued for decades.
For guidance on writing a full obituary, the Forever In Our Hearts FAQ covers what most families choose to include.
Checklist:
- A short opening sentence that names who they were and who they are survived by
- Two to four paragraphs covering their life, character, relationships and passions
- One or two specific memories or personal details – not just a list of accomplishments
- A closing sentence about their legacy or the way they will be remembered
4. Life timeline
A timeline adds structure and context to the biography. It gives visitors an at-a-glance view of the key moments in a person’s life: birth, school milestones, career beginnings, marriage, children, travel, retirement and any other meaningful chapters.
Timelines are especially useful for extended family members and friends who only knew the person at certain points in their life. They can quickly understand the full arc of the person’s story.
Checklist:
- Birth and early childhood milestones
- Education and career highlights
- Marriage, partnerships and family events
- Major moves, travels or life changes
- Community, volunteer or sporting achievements
- Date of passing
5. Photo gallery
A photo gallery is one of the most visited parts of any online memorial. Visitors return to look at photos long after the service – sometimes years later. Gather images from multiple family members to build a gallery that covers different life stages and relationships.
You do not need a large number of photos at launch. Ten to twenty well-chosen images across different periods of the person’s life is a strong starting point. More can be added over time as family members contribute from their own collections.
Checklist:
- Early childhood and family photos
- School and young adult years
- Wedding or major relationship photos if applicable
- Photos with children, grandchildren or close friends
- Hobby or interest photos – sport, travel, cooking, gardening
- Recent photos that capture them as their family will most remember them
6. Videos
Short video clips add a dimension that photos alone cannot – movement, voice and personality. A video of someone laughing at a family gathering, speaking at a milestone event, or doing something they loved can be deeply comforting for family and friends who miss them.
Videos do not need to be edited or polished. Candid clips from smartphones are often the most treasured. If the family has a tribute video or eulogy recording from the service, that is also worth including.
Checklist:
- Short candid video clips from everyday moments
- Video from milestone events – birthdays, weddings, celebrations
- A recording of the eulogy or tribute speech if available
- Any video the person recorded themselves – a speech, a message, a hobby demonstration
7. Guest book and tributes
The online guest book is often the section that grows the most over time. It is where family members, friends, colleagues and community members leave messages, share memories and offer condolences. These tributes become a permanent record of the love and impact the person had on others.
Forever In Our Hearts includes AI content moderation on all guest book contributions. Entries are reviewed before they appear publicly, so the family retains full control over what is posted on the memorial. See our guide on collecting tributes digitally for more detail on how to invite contributions and manage the guest book.
Checklist:
- Enable the guest book before sharing the memorial link
- Write and post an initial tribute yourself to set the tone
- Invite family members and close friends to add their own messages
- Share the memorial link or QR code with the broader network and invite contributions
- Use the moderation tools to review and approve entries
8. Funeral and service details
If the memorial is being shared before or during the service period, including practical service details turns it into a useful communications hub for everyone involved. Family members overseas, friends who cannot attend in person and community members who hear the news later can all access the same accurate information in one place. According to the Australian Funeral Directors Association, digital service communications – including online sharing of service details and livestream links – have become standard practice across Australian funeral providers in recent years.
Checklist:
- Date, time and location of the funeral or memorial service
- Address and directions if the venue is not widely known
- Livestream link if the service is being broadcast online
- RSVP or capacity notes if applicable
- Wake or gathering details if you are comfortable sharing them
- Any dress code or special requests from the family
9. Digital order of service
A digital order of service gives guests a clear outline of what will happen at the service, without the need to print and distribute physical booklets. It can include the order of events, speaker names, readings, hymns or songs and any other relevant programme information.
Forever In Our Hearts includes a digital order of service feature as part of every memorial. Our guide on digital order of service for funerals explains how to set this up and share it with guests before and during the service.
Checklist:
- Order of service events
- Speaker names and roles
- Readings, poems or prayers
- Music or hymn titles
- Any acknowledgement of country or cultural elements
10. Donation link
Many families ask guests to donate to a charity or cause that was meaningful to the person, rather than sending flowers. Including a donation link on the memorial makes it easy for visitors to contribute from anywhere in the world. The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission charity register is a useful place to verify that a chosen charity is registered and legitimate before linking to it.
Checklist:
- Choose a charity the person supported or that relates to their cause of passing
- Verify the charity is registered (ACNC register for Australian charities)
- Add the donation page link to the memorial
- Include a short note explaining why this charity was chosen
11. Grave or resting place location
A grave location map allows family and friends to find the resting place when they want to visit in person. This is particularly valuable for extended family who are not local, or for friends who want to pay their respects privately after the service period. The map pin can be as specific or as general as the family is comfortable sharing.
See our guide on finding a grave location online for more on how this feature works and when families choose to include it.
Checklist:
- Cemetery or memorial park name and address
- Plot or section details if available and appropriate to share
- Confirm the family is comfortable with this information being accessible via the memorial
12. Privacy settings
Before publishing, decide who should be able to access the memorial. This is a practical and protective decision, not just a technical one. Most families choose invite-only access, which means the memorial is only accessible to people who have the link or QR code – it is not publicly searchable.
The eSafety Commissioner offers guidance on managing digital content and privacy in sensitive family situations, which may be helpful if you have concerns about unwanted access to the memorial.
Checklist:
- Public: accessible to anyone with the link, appropriate for broad community sharing
- Invite-only: accessible only to those who have the specific link or QR code (most common)
- Private: restricted to family-approved accounts only
- Guest book settings: choose whether contributions are open to all visitors or invite-only
What you can skip – at least at first
Not everything needs to be on the memorial at launch. Many families publish a simple page quickly – within a day or two of the loss – and then build it out over the following weeks as more content, photos and tributes come in.
If you are pressed for time, start with the essentials: a profile photo, the person’s name and dates, a short biography (even just a paragraph), and the funeral service details. Everything else can follow.
The memorial is yours to build at your own pace. There is no deadline, and no content is ever lost once added.
How Forever In Our Hearts supports each item on this checklist
Every item on the checklist above is included in a single Forever In Our Hearts online memorial. The platform was built specifically for Australian families who want a complete, lasting digital tribute without needing multiple tools or subscriptions.
For $59 AUD – a one-time payment with no recurring fees – a Forever In Our Hearts memorial includes:
- Profile photo and full biography section
- Life timeline builder
- Photo and video gallery
- AI-moderated online guest book and tributes
- Funeral and service details section
- Digital order of service
- Donation and livestream links
- Grave and resting place location map
- Privacy controls (public, invite-only or private)
- Secure shareable QR code
- Lifetime access with no subscription required
You can browse published memorial examples at memorials.foreverinourhearts.com.au before you begin.
FAQs
What should I include in an online memorial if I have very few photos?
Start with what you have. Even two or three photos alongside a thoughtful biography and life timeline creates a meaningful memorial. You can invite extended family members to contribute their own photos through the guest book once the page is shared – family collections often surface photos the immediate family had forgotten existed. You can add more content at any time after publishing.
How long should the biography section be?
There is no fixed length, but two to four paragraphs is a natural starting point. Focus on who the person was, what they loved, who they loved and what made them distinctive. Specific memories and personal details are far more valuable than a list of job titles. You can expand the biography later as more stories and reflections come in from family and friends.
Can guests add photos and videos to the memorial?
Yes. Once you share the memorial link or QR code, guests can contribute photos, videos and messages through the online guest book. AI moderation tools review all contributions before they appear on the page, and the family administrator can approve or decline any entry at any time. This gives you full control over the final content while still welcoming contributions from a wide circle of friends and family.
Should I include service details on the memorial?
Yes, if the service has been arranged and you are comfortable sharing the details. Including the date, time, location and livestream link on the memorial turns it into a practical communications hub – guests can find everything they need in one place, and those who cannot attend in person can still participate. You can remove or update service details after the service has passed.
Is it safe to include a grave location on an online memorial?
Most families who include a grave location on their memorial use invite-only access, meaning only people who already have the link or QR code can see the map pin. If you have concerns about broader access, set the memorial to invite-only or private before adding location details. The eSafety Commissioner provides guidance on managing digital privacy in sensitive family situations if you need further advice.
Do I need to complete the entire memorial before publishing?
No. Many families publish a simple page with a profile photo, name, dates and a short biography within days of the loss, and then add content over time. The memorial can be updated at any point after publishing – there is no deadline, and nothing is locked once submitted. Starting with the essentials and building the page gradually is a very common approach.
How much does it cost to create an online memorial?
Forever In Our Hearts charges a one-time fee of $59 AUD with no ongoing subscription. Every feature on this checklist – gallery, guest book, timeline, service details, digital order of service, QR code, privacy controls and lifetime access – is covered in that single payment. There are no upgrade tiers or annual renewal fees to manage at a later date.
Start where you are, add what you can
Working through this checklist does not have to happen in one sitting. Start with the items at the top – a profile photo, the person’s name and dates, and a short biography – and publish when you are ready. You can return to add photos, videos, tributes and service details at any time.
The goal is not a perfect memorial on day one. It is a lasting, accessible home for a person’s story – one that grows as more people contribute and as the family finds more to share.
Visit hub.foreverinourhearts.com.au to start building a memorial, or browse memorials.foreverinourhearts.com.au to see examples of published memorials before you begin.
