A Seniors Guide to Genealogy
Virginia Grant
This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
Genealogy is more than just a hobby—it’s a way to explore family history, uncover hidden stories, and preserve a legacy for future generations. For many, it also becomes an opportunity to turn years of research into something more.
This book is designed for seniors who want to dive into genealogy with purpose, whether as a personal passion, a meaningful retirement project, or a way to generate income. It covers essential research tools, strategies for tracing family history, and practical methods for organizing findings. It also explores various ways to share and monetize genealogy expertise, from offering research services to writing family history books, creating genealogy-related products, and teaching others.
With a friendly and conversational approach, this guide helps readers navigate the rewarding world of genealogy while balancing personal enjoyment with professional opportunities. Whether researching for family, teaching a new generation, or building a side business, this book provides the knowledge and confidence to move forward with purpose.
Duration - 6h 18m.
Author - Virginia Grant.
Narrator - Digital Voice Michelle G.
Published Date - Thursday, 23 January 2025.
Copyright - © 2025 SD ©.
Location:
United States
Description:
This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. Genealogy is more than just a hobby—it’s a way to explore family history, uncover hidden stories, and preserve a legacy for future generations. For many, it also becomes an opportunity to turn years of research into something more. This book is designed for seniors who want to dive into genealogy with purpose, whether as a personal passion, a meaningful retirement project, or a way to generate income. It covers essential research tools, strategies for tracing family history, and practical methods for organizing findings. It also explores various ways to share and monetize genealogy expertise, from offering research services to writing family history books, creating genealogy-related products, and teaching others. With a friendly and conversational approach, this guide helps readers navigate the rewarding world of genealogy while balancing personal enjoyment with professional opportunities. Whether researching for family, teaching a new generation, or building a side business, this book provides the knowledge and confidence to move forward with purpose. Duration - 6h 18m. Author - Virginia Grant. Narrator - Digital Voice Michelle G. Published Date - Thursday, 23 January 2025. Copyright - © 2025 SD ©.
Language:
English
Introduction
Duration:00:21:06
1. Understanding Genealogy
Duration:00:00:59
More Than Just a Family Tree
Duration:00:01:02
Why People Get Hooked on Genealogy
Duration:00:01:24
What Genealogy Is Not
Duration:00:01:07
The Emotional Side of Genealogy
Duration:00:01:01
The difference between genealogy and family history
Duration:00:01:33
Genealogy: The Foundation
Duration:00:01:17
Family History: The Storytelling
Duration:00:01:42
Why Both Matter
Duration:00:01:10
The Unexpected Twists
Duration:00:00:54
Common reasons people get into genealogy
Duration:00:01:03
Finding a Sense of Identity
Duration:00:01:20
Proving or Disproving Family Stories
Duration:00:01:27
Connecting with the Past
Duration:00:01:15
Building Something for Future Generations
Duration:00:01:03
The Thrill of the Hunt
Duration:00:01:12
A Hobby That Grows with You
Duration:00:00:40
2. Tools of the Trade
Duration:00:00:29
The Workhorse: A Reliable Computer
Duration:00:01:04
Capturing the Past: A Good Scanner
Duration:00:01:05
Staying Organized: Notebooks, Binders, and Digital Notes
Duration:00:01:02
The All-Important Research Log
Duration:00:00:56
A Comfortable Workspace
Duration:00:00:37
The Right Attitude: Patience and Curiosity
Duration:00:00:48
Keeping Everything Backed Up
Duration:00:00:52
Free vs. paid genealogy websites
Duration:00:00:53
The Allure of Free Genealogy Websites
Duration:00:03:15
When It Pays to Pay
Duration:00:03:08
How to Decide What’s Worth Paying For
Duration:00:01:04
DNA testing and its role in genealogy
Duration:00:01:17
The Different Types of DNA Tests
Duration:00:04:13
Choosing the Right DNA Testing Company
Duration:00:01:17
The Surprises—And Sometimes, the Secrets
Duration:00:00:59
Using DNA to Build a Better Family Tree
Duration:00:00:55
Best software for organizing research
Duration:00:01:15
Why Genealogy Software Matters
Duration:00:01:01
Family Tree Maker: The Longtime Favorite
Duration:00:01:47
Legacy Family Tree: The Researcher’s Power Tool
Duration:00:01:50
Comparing the Two
Duration:00:00:53
Other Notable Mentions
Duration:00:00:53
3. Starting Your Family Tree
Duration:00:01:12
Start with Yourself and Work Backward
Duration:00:01:06
Gather Documents That Already Exist
Duration:00:00:59
Talk to Family Members—While You Can
Duration:00:01:46
Check Family Bibles, Scrapbooks, and Heirlooms
Duration:00:00:57
Compare Notes and Look for Gaps
Duration:00:00:58
Talking to relatives and collecting stories
Duration:00:00:47
Starting the Conversation
Duration:00:01:36
Tackling the “I Don’t Remember” Response
Duration:00:01:04
Sorting Fact from Family Folklore
Duration:00:01:02
Recording Stories Before They Disappear
Duration:00:01:11
Following Up and Filling in Gaps
Duration:00:00:42
Organizing information
Duration:00:01:07
Starting Small: The Basic Structure of a Family Tree
Duration:00:00:57
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Duration:00:00:48
The Paper vs. Digital Debate
Duration:00:01:28
Keeping Track of Sources
Duration:00:00:53
Color Coding and Other Organization Hacks
Duration:00:01:21
Recognizing Patterns and Missing Pieces
Duration:00:00:34
Keeping track of sources
Duration:00:01:04
Why Source Tracking Matters
Duration:00:01:02
What Counts as a Source?
Duration:00:01:23
Best Ways to Track Sources
Duration:00:03:25
What to Do When a Source is Missing
Duration:00:00:44
4. Finding Records and Documents
Duration:00:01:10
Where to Find Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates
Duration:00:02:21
Understanding Birth Certificates
Duration:00:01:24
Finding Marriage Records
Duration:00:01:37
Finding Death Certificates
Duration:00:01:33
Census records and how to use them
Duration:00:01:12
Why Census Records Matter
Duration:00:00:57
Where to Find Census Records
Duration:00:01:05
Understanding Different U.S. Census Records
Duration:00:03:30
How to Use Census Records Effectively
Duration:00:02:10
Immigration and naturalization records
Duration:00:01:14
Understanding Immigration vs. Naturalization
Duration:00:00:51
Where to Find Immigration Records
Duration:00:01:34
Passenger Lists: Following the Journey
Duration:00:02:09
Naturalization Records: Becoming a Citizen
Duration:00:02:00
Alternative Immigration Records
Duration:00:00:55
Military records
Duration:00:01:10
Why Military Records Matter
Duration:00:00:57
Where to Find Military Records
Duration:00:01:38
Draft Registration Cards: The First Clue
Duration:00:01:38
Service Records: Tracking an Ancestor’s Military Career
Duration:00:00:59
Pension and Benefits Records: Hidden Family Details
Duration:00:00:57
Military Cemeteries and Headstones: Final Clues
Duration:00:00:35
Alternative Military Records
Duration:00:00:32
Newspapers and obituaries
Duration:00:00:43
Why Newspapers Matter in Genealogy
Duration:00:00:53
Where to Find Old Newspapers
Duration:00:01:25
How to Search Newspapers Effectively
Duration:00:01:21
Obituaries: More Than Just Death Notices
Duration:00:02:06
Beyond the Obituary: Other Newspaper Gems
Duration:00:00:58
How to Preserve Newspaper Finds
Duration:00:00:44
5. Monetizing Your Genealogy Skills
Duration:00:01:20
Becoming a Professional Genealogist
Duration:00:02:37
Teaching and Consulting
Duration:00:01:15
Writing and Publishing
Duration:00:01:23
Creating and Selling Genealogy Products
Duration:00:00:45
Forensic and Legal Genealogy
Duration:00:00:43
Turning Genealogy into a Business
Duration:00:00:44
Offering genealogy research services
Duration:00:01:00
What Does a Genealogy Researcher Do?
Duration:00:01:26
How to Set Up a Genealogy Research Business
Duration:00:05:31
Expanding Services Beyond Traditional Research
Duration:00:00:42
Writing family history books and biographies
Duration:00:01:02
Why Family History Books Matter
Duration:00:01:06
Types of Family History Books
Duration:00:01:01
Offering Family History Writing as a Paid Service
Duration:00:02:31
Structuring a Family History Book
Duration:00:01:09
Publishing and Selling Family History Books
Duration:00:01:05
Selling genealogy-related products
Duration:00:01:15
Why People Buy Genealogy Products
Duration:00:01:13
Types of Genealogy Products That Sell Well
Duration:00:02:30
How to Create and Sell Genealogy Products
Duration:00:03:12
Teaching genealogy classes
Duration:00:01:11
Why People Pay to Learn Genealogy
Duration:00:01:06
How to Get Started Teaching Genealogy
Duration:00:01:41
Finding Students for Genealogy Classes
Duration:00:01:27
What to Teach in a Genealogy Class
Duration:00:01:20
Setting a Price for Genealogy Classes
Duration:00:00:57
Creating an Engaging Learning Experience
Duration:00:01:01
6. Becoming a Genealogy Researcher for Hire
Duration:00:01:12
Who Needs a Genealogy Researcher?
Duration:00:01:23
Where to Find Genealogy Clients
Duration:00:05:15
Setting Yourself Apart from the Competition
Duration:00:01:03
What services to offer
Duration:00:00:47
Different Levels of Genealogy Services
Duration:00:07:10
Offering Custom Packages
Duration:00:00:42
Setting prices for your services
Duration:00:00:42
The Challenges of Pricing Genealogy Services
Duration:00:01:19
Common Pricing Models for Genealogy Services
Duration:00:04:07
Additional Factors That Influence Pricing
Duration:00:01:49
How to Handle Pricing Conversations with Clients
Duration:00:00:49
How to present findings professionally
Duration:00:00:52
What Clients Expect in a Final Report
Duration:00:01:11
Choosing the Right Format for Presentation
Duration:00:02:52
Making Findings Understandable for Clients
Duration:00:00:59
Using Visuals to Enhance Reports
Duration:00:00:59
Organizing Supporting Documents
Duration:00:00:56
Communicating Findings to Clients
Duration:00:00:57
7. Writing and Publishing Family History Books
Duration:00:01:21
Finding the Best Structure for Your Family History Book
Duration:00:03:18
Sorting Through Research to Build the Narrative
Duration:00:03:02
Adding historical context
Duration:00:01:00
Why Historical Context Matters in Family History
Duration:00:00:45
Finding the Right Historical Context
Duration:00:05:22
Using photos and documents
Duration:00:01:03
Choosing the Right Photos and Documents to Include
Duration:00:02:38
Restoring and Enhancing Old Photos
Duration:00:00:57
Organizing Photos and Documents in a Family History Book
Duration:00:01:02
Telling a Story Through Photos and Documents
Duration:00:00:58
Handling Fragile or Unavailable Photos and Documents
Duration:00:00:58
Printing and Formatting Considerations
Duration:00:00:43
Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing
Duration:00:00:52
What Are You Hoping to Accomplish?
Duration:00:00:50
Traditional Publishing: The Pros and Cons
Duration:00:02:46
Self-Publishing: The Pros and Cons
Duration:00:01:21
Best Platforms for Self-Publishing a Family History Book
Duration:00:01:21
Choosing the Right Option for Your Book
Duration:00:00:32
Selling on Amazon, Etsy, and personal websites
Duration:00:01:10
Amazon: The Powerhouse of Online Book Sales
Duration:00:02:16
Etsy: A Unique Marketplace for Genealogy Books
Duration:00:01:56
Selling Through a Personal Website: Full Control, More Work
Duration:00:01:42
Which Platform is Right for You?
Duration:00:00:23
8. Blogging and YouTube for Genealogy
Duration:00:01:06
Why Start a Genealogy Blog?
Duration:00:00:52
Setting Up a Genealogy Blog: The Basics
Duration:00:01:59
What to Write About? Finding Your Blogging Niche
Duration:00:02:11
How Blogging Attracts Clients for Genealogy Research
Duration:00:01:00
Turning Blog Posts into a YouTube Channel
Duration:00:00:37
Creating video tutorials on genealogy topics
Duration:00:01:06
Why Genealogy Videos Are So Effective
Duration:00:00:53
Getting Started: Choosing Your First Video Topics
Duration:00:01:15
What Equipment Do You Need?
Duration:00:01:00
Creating a Genealogy Video: A Simple Framework
Duration:00:02:04
Editing and Uploading Your Video
Duration:00:00:37
Growing an Audience for Your Genealogy Videos
Duration:00:00:36
Monetization options
Duration:00:00:50
Can You Make Money from Genealogy Content?
Duration:00:00:52
Advertising: Earning Money from Views
Duration:00:01:27
Affiliate Marketing: Earning Commissions on Products You Recommend
Duration:00:01:46
Sponsorships: Partnering with Genealogy Companies
Duration:00:01:11
Selling Your Own Products: The Best Long-Term Strategy
Duration:00:00:50
The Smart Way to Monetize Without Losing Your Audience’s Trust
Duration:00:00:40
Turning a Passion into a Profitable Hobby
Duration:00:00:37
Best platforms for building an audience
Duration:00:00:58
Where Do Genealogy Enthusiasts Hang Out?
Duration:00:00:46
1. Google (SEO for Blogs & Websites)
Duration:00:01:19
2. YouTube (Best for Video-Based Content)
Duration:00:01:07
3. Facebook Groups (Best for Community & Engagement)
Duration:00:01:15
4. Pinterest (Best for Driving Blog Traffic)
Duration:00:01:02
5. TikTok & Instagram (Best for Short, Engaging Content)
Duration:00:00:52
6. Reddit & Genealogy Forums (Best for Deep Discussions)
Duration:00:00:38
Which Platform is Best for You?
Duration:00:00:54
9. Joining the Genealogy Community
Duration:00:01:05
Where to Find Genealogy Communities
Duration:00:04:43
How to Make the Most of Genealogy Groups
Duration:00:02:41