What is a Family Website?

A family website is a type of social platform that allows members of a family to communicate and share information with one another, or to share information about their family with the outside world. As in the world of blogging, there are numerous host sites that provide templates to make it easy for a person to log in and create a family website. Some families, however, prefer to purchase their own domain and build a website from scratch. Once created, family websites can be password-protected so that only family members can participate, or they can be open to public access for anyone interested in a family’s status and whereabouts.

Family websites can be a convenient way to keep close friends and extended family up to date on pertinent family information. Rather than individually call everyone in their social network, people may find it easier to use a family website to post updates on recent happenings and significant events. For the same reasons, some families enjoy posting family newsletters online rather than mailing out multiple copies of the same letter to different addresses. Some have even taken to posting video blogs on their family websites, to create an atmosphere of more direct communication.

A family website may also be completely private to outside friends and family, accessible only to a small circle of family members. This is rather easy to do when using host sites that offer templates. Creating a protected family page using such sites is as easy as signing up and creating a password. Building a protected website from scratch takes a little more work, especially for those who have never done it before. It may also cost a little money. Fortunately, there are numerous help guides available to aid the process. A password-protected family website is a convenient tool for family members who enjoy a sacred domain to communicate exclusively with one another.

Family websites communicate using a wide array of mediums and technologies. They can use e-mail chains and text messages so that all family members receive the same updates, or they can use blog-style family posting. Pictures as well as video recordings can be shared in a common area, and families can even use such websites to host online video chats and phone calls. Really, when it comes to today's family website, there are few limitations for how family members can choose to communicate information with one another.