Building a professional speaker website: The ultimate guide

Having a strong online presence is a must for every professional in the modern world. If you're a professional speaker, this is even more important. A well-crafted website can be your digital calling card, helping you showcase your work, connect with audiences, and open new avenues for career growth. In this blog post, we'll guide you through the steps of building an impressive professional speaker website.

1. Define Your Brand

Before you dive into the process of creating a website, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your brand. Think about your speaking style, areas of expertise, target audience, and unique selling propositions. These aspects will serve as the foundation for the design and content of your website.

2. Plan Your Website's Structure

Structure plays a crucial role in ensuring your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly. Consider these core pages for your website:

• Home: This is where you make your first impression. The homepage should have a compelling headline, a brief introduction, and a clear call-to-action (CTA), directing visitors to book you for a speaking event or view your work.
• About: The about page should contain your biography, your speaking journey, and what makes you unique as a speaker. Remember, this page is about establishing a personal connection with the visitor, so add a professional photo and make sure your text reflects your personality.
• Speaking Topics: Outline the topics or areas you specialise in. Describe what you can offer to the audience and how it will benefit them.
• Testimonials: Testimonials provide social proof. Display feedback from event organisers, attendees, or colleagues. If you can, include photos and names for added authenticity.
• Portfolio/Events: Showcase your past speaking engagements here. Videos are particularly powerful - if you have recordings of your speaking events, definitely include them.
• Contact/Booking: This page should provide clear instructions on how to book you for a speaking event. Make it easy for the visitor by including a form they can fill out directly.

3. Choose a Website Builder

Next, decide on the platform you'll use to build your website. WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace are popular choices due to their ease of use, customizability, and built-in SEO tools.

4. Designing Your Website

When designing your website, keep your brand in mind. Your website's look and feel should align with your professional identity. Also, ensure that your website is mobile-friendly, as many people browse the internet using their phones.

5. Create Engaging Content

Now, it's time to fill your website with compelling content. Focus on making your texts engaging and personable, reflecting your speaking style. Don't forget to optimise your content for SEO to improve your visibility on search engines.

6. Incorporate Multimedia Elements

Images, videos, and audio clips can make your website more engaging. Include high-quality photographs, clips from your speaking events, and if you have, podcast episodes or interviews. These can help your visitors get a better idea of your speaking style and presence.

7. Include a Blog

A blog is a great way to share your thoughts on industry trends, provide insights, and establish yourself as a thought leader. Regularly updating your blog also helps with SEO.

8. Add a Newsletter Signup Form

Email marketing remains a powerful tool. Include a newsletter signup form on your website to gather email addresses of visitors who may be interested in your work. You can send them updates, new blog posts, or upcoming event details.

9. Test and Launch Your Website

Before launching, test your website on multiple devices to make sure everything looks good and works properly. Check all the links, fill out the forms, and ensure your site loads quickly.

10. Promote Your Website

Once your site is live, share it on your social media platforms, in your email signature, and any other marketing channels you use.

Remember, building a professional speaker website is not a one-time task. Keep it updated with your latest speaking engagements, new blog posts, and testimonials. With time, patience, and effort, your website will become a powerful tool for growing your speaking career.