Creating a family history genealogy website can be a powerful way to preserve and share your family’s heritage. It allows you to compile historical documents, a family tree, photos, and stories in one location. A website can also connect you with relatives and other researchers who are exploring the same lineage and family. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to create a family history genealogy website using Weebly, a user-friendly website builder that requires no coding knowledge. Weebly is now a part of the Square product suite.
Step 1: Sign up for Weebly
Create an account
- Visit Weebly's website and click on "Sign Up".
- Enter your name, email address, and create a password.
- Or, you can sign up using your Google or Facebook account.
Choose a plan
- Weebly offers various plans, including free and paid options. For a basic family history site, the free plan is probably a good place to start, but consider a paid plan for more storage and advanced features once you are comfortable with what you want that website to contain.
- Select the plan that best suits your needs and complete the registration process.
Step 2: Select a template
Browse templates
- Once you’re logged in, you’ll be prompted to choose a template. Weebly offers a range of templates designed for different types of websites.
- Look for a template that offers a clean layout suitable for displaying text, images, and possibly videos.
Customize Your template
- Click on the template you like and select "Start Editing".
- Customize the template to fit the theme of your family history website. You can change colors, fonts, and the overall design to match the tone you want to set.
Step 3: Set up your pages
Home page
- The home page is the first thing visitors will see, so make it welcoming and informative.
- Add a brief introduction about the purpose of the website and what visitors can expect to find.
Family tree page
- Create a dedicated page for your family tree.
- Use Weebly’s drag-and-drop feature to add a section for your family tree chart. You can use images of your family tree or embed a chart from a genealogy software.
Biography pages
- Create individual pages for prominent family members or ancestors.
- Include photos, birth and death dates, historical records, and personal stories or anecdotes.
Photo gallery
- Create a photo gallery page to display old family photos.
- Use Weebly’s gallery options to organize images by albums, such as different branches of the family or historical periods.
Document archive
- Add a page to host historical documents, such as census records, birth certificates, and letters.
- You can upload PDF files or images of these documents.
Blog or News page
- Consider adding a blog or news page to share updates on your genealogy research.
- Post articles about new findings, upcoming family reunions, or interesting historical facts.
Step 4: Add content
Text and images
- Use Weebly’s text and image widgets to add content to your pages.
- Drag and drop these elements onto your pages and start filling them with your family history data.
Embedded content
- Embed content from external sources, such as family tree software, YouTube videos, or maps showing family migration patterns.
- Use the embed code provided by these external services and insert it into Weebly’s embed code widget.
Links and downloads
- Add links to other genealogy resources or family history websites.
- Provide downloadable content, such as detailed family trees or genealogical reports, for other researchers.
Review your site
- Before publishing, thoroughly review your site for any errors or omissions.
- Ensure that all links work and that images and documents are correctly displayed.
Publish your website
- Once you’re satisfied with your site, click the "Publish" button.
- Weebly will prompt you to choose a domain name. For a professional look, consider purchasing a custom domain (e.g., www.yourfamilyhistory.com).
- Share the link to your website with family members via email or social media.
- Join genealogy forums and social media groups to connect with others researching your family and share your site.
Conclusion
Creating a family history genealogy website with Weebly is an excellent way to preserve and share your family’s legacy. By following these steps, you can build an online resource that connects your family and helps others in their genealogical research. Happy family history hunting!