Why Publish Your Own Website?

Although many family history programs are able to generate web output, these are often highly restrictive in terms of the information they use and how it is presented. Most commercial packages generate little more than a list of dates and it can be difficult for the inexperienced user to customise the output to include non-standard events, pictures or stories.

A bespoke family history website offers total flexibility, allowing you to combine standard genealogical data with other information such as articles, photos and maps. Not happy with the colours or typeface? Our template-based approach enables site-wide changes to be made quickly and easily. Similarly, the use of a content management system (CMS) allows you (and others if you wish) to add, edit or remove data as often as necessary.

You are able to share as much or as little as you want. The site could be fully open (so that users can see all your findings anonymously) or fully restricted (so that users have to register with you before viewing any or specific data). You could choose to manage all uploads yourself or allow others to edit and add to the information.

Unlike the big commercial sites, publishing your own website enables you to keep full control over the ownership and access to the information. You will own the data rather than signing it away to a commercial provider, as their terms often dictate.

We appreciate, of course, that not everyone is tech-savvy. Full training will be given on how to maintain and update your site as your research grows.

 

Websites for Societies

Today, it is more important than ever for voluntary societies to have a credible and professional online presence. The days when a local history or genealogy group could get away with an amateurish looking site put together by a member who 'knew a bit about computers' are gone.

In our digital age, the website is (or should be) central to any Society's activities. It has to serve a number of different audiences and fulfil various functions:

• a forum for communication with and between members;
• a means of engaging with the press, the local community, and people around the world;
• a tool for recruiting new members;
• a means of collecting subscriptions;
• a shop window for selling data, publications or event tickets; etc.

We work with local and family history societies, helping them to organise and present historical information in an engaging way as well as raise revenue through online channels. Our sites are easy to use and maintain. Access can be set according to a variety of criteria. So, for example, members can be authorised to view special areas and content not available to non-members. Certain users can be nominated as 'editors' with upload privileges in order to maintain and update the site.

Our Websites for Local and Family History

Here are some examples of sites that we have developed and continue to maintain. All contain substantial historical datasets.

• Bromsgrove Branch of the BMSGH
• The Bromsgrove Society
• Romsley & Hunnington History Society
• Wheelwright Online - my own family research

 

Please contact us to discuss your web-based project.