Guest Posting from The Genealogy Insider:

Have you started a family tree online? I became an avid genealogist back in 2008. On searching the web, I came across Ancestry.com. I found that they had the best family tree builder of the time.

Their immense collection of records made my search less time-consuming. Without the internet, you would have to drive to the nearest depository or make numerous telephone calls to order copies of these records.

The documents, sorted into categories, include census records, vital records (birth, marriage, death), newspaper articles, military and immigration records. There is also a category for Public and Private Family Trees.

The family tree category is useful if you want additional information not found in Ancestry’s records. Many family tree owners have scanned photographs and other documents that you can add to your family tree. If you see a picture that you would like to add, you can view it and select “save to my tree.”

Another excellent quality of this website is its viewing tool. You can select a document to look at and zoom in and out. Many records, though faded and worn with age, have been digitized and clarified for better viewability.

You can also use the Members Connect button found beneath the portrait photo on your ancestor’s profile page. The Members Connect menu shows other Ancestry.com users that have included your ancestor in their family trees.

The site also has an email section that I use when I wish to contact other Ancestry members. You can use this service to collaborate and share information concerning a common ancestor.

The last section I would like to mention is their “Comments” section. I use this when I hit a dead-end or want to pose a question to other members who view the profile page. I have posted such comments as “did she move to Australia?” or “did he die in the war?”

Ancestry.com is a full-service family tree website. Their most recent endeavor is DNA testing. With over 7 million tests sold, their database is immense. You can find out your ethnicity and connect with distant relatives.

I recommend Ancestry.com as a high-quality family tree website. If you would like to suggest another site that might compete with Ancestry, please leave me a message in the Comments section of this article. I would love to try this site out and make a comparison.