Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your professional speaker business is a bit different than SEO for traditional businesses because of the order in which speakers are hired in relation to any particular Google search.

When someone searches online for a specific product or service, for example, a list of businesses appears in the search results. The searcher clicks on one or more links to research the product or service and then considers the company behind the item before making their purchase.

When a Speaker Hiring Agent (or SHA, the name I use to generalize a bucket full of titles of people who hire speakers, such as meeting planners, event planners, event program organizers, program directors and anyone else who chooses speakers to speak at events), searches Google for a speaker, the person is usually already aware of the speaker’s name due to:

  • Seeing the speaker speak at a prior event.
  • Obtaining a referral to the speaker from someone else who has seen the speaker speak.
  • Receiving a pitch letter or email from the speaker asking for consideration to speak at an upcoming event.

The SHA then searches Google for the speaker’s name and maybe the speaker’s name + their speaking topic for social proof. 

Speaking Business SEO Tip #1: Plan to Position Your Name

Okay, so it doesn’t always happen that way. But, having served on the board of two national conferences, conversing with literally hundreds of meeting and event planners over the past ten years, and, most recently founding Speaker Theater where I’m constantly researching speakers for our events, I can assure you most speakers are not typically discovered by searching a topic + the word “speaker.”

There are exceptions to the rule of course. One of my speaker clients once sent a very excited email to me saying he was asked by the Tony Robbins crew to speak in England. They told him directly that they were searching Google looking for a speaker specific to his topic.

More commonly, an SHA will acquire or schedule an event, look within her or his CRM or stack of one-sheets and pick from sure-thing speakers; those speakers with a strong track record the SHA can rely on.

After that shortlist is exhausted, the speaker hiring agent will then search within her or his network of referrers.

If a speaker (or multiple speakers) for the event cannot be found, then the SHA will turn to Google and begin searching for topical experts.

Speaking Business SEO Tip #2: Position Yourself as a Topical Expert

Speakers are pitched to people who hire speakers and then those authorities research the speakers after their names have becomes known to them.

When SHAs land on your speaker website, they will invest about five seconds for a mental confirmation that your name and your website are part of the same speaker they intended to find. Then, it’s off to the videos!

Simply put, you have to have at least one video to showcase your speaking on your website. The best place for it is the Home page so that the SHA can quickly and easily find your video. The bonus is that video is one of the components Google is looking for on your website. So, I’ll assign video as your third SEO tip.

Speaker Business SEO Tip #3: Include Video on Your Home Page

Google displays its search results based on what website visitors expect to see when they arrive at selected websites. If Google does its job right, a person will search for something, find what (s)he is looking for, and then engage with the website in some sort of action by clicking on something.

By following these three tips, your speaking business website will be properly equipped to run through my SEO Checklist for Professional Speakers.