Shutdowns & Cancellations Have Made Speakers’ Blogs More Essential Than Ever

Shutdowns & Cancellations Have Made Speakers’ Blogs More Essential Than Ever

I’m here to remind you that you’re going to get through this downturn and save your speaking business. One of the key parts of the plan rests on going back to the basics.

Basic information outlets. Basic tools of the trade. Basic ways to make happen what everyone is lacking and seeking most right now …

Connection

I’m going to be bold and predict that things in the speaking industry will never be the same again after the pandemic passes. I am hopeful it will pass, but who knows when and what things will look like once it does. What we do know right now is that event planners and meeting managers are dealing with overwhelming issues of keeping audience and attendees engaged through “live online” events, or by paring down their lists and shifting to much smaller events – mostly.

But that is okay for you, the well-positioned Speaker, who has your finger on the pulse and is up-to-date on guidelines and contract issues surrounding COVID-19 and how it has changed the field of public speaking and getting booked.

Here are some ideas on how you can boost your blog to give you more visibility and build your authority.

Shutdowns & Cancellations Have Made Speakers’ Blogs More Essential Than Ever

My longtime readers and Members will tell you that I am a huge fan of blogging for speakers, or anyone really, who wants a surefire way to build a business. There is often still a response when I tell people to start blogging, where they freeze up and think – “What would I write about?” You might be feeling the chill yourself right now. But stay with me. There are some simple strategies to help you get the word out and build your following, and email list, with a blog you update only twice per month. I know this for a fact. Because it has worked wonders for me and my business here at Charli Jane Speakers.

1. Writing consistently about what you know is more important than writing infrequently as a technical expert – unless you’re only trying to be read by other technical experts, of course. Short bursts of insight, tips, how-tos and connection-building info is really what you’re after here. A good post can be as short as 800 words. That’s definitely doable when you’ve got an idea to share. And the sky’s the limit on ideas. More on that in a moment …
2. Don’t be afraid to get personal. Now is the time to share on a more personal level. As I said, people are craving connection and they want to see and hear from you. They really do. Some of my favorite bloggers that I don’t want to miss start each post with a personal slice of life and then launch into the business side of things. Some post regularly from a totally personal perspective in one post. What ever your comfort zone is, stretch a bit more and get a bit more personal.
3. Pro-Tip: Use Google searches to reveal insights into what your readers, current and future, are searching for. You know your message, so Google your main points or big ideas. Then, and this is really where the magic happens, look at that little line that says “people also ask”. Click those down arrows to reveal a treasure trove of more topics. If you were to do this for separate 20 searches, and you found your way to 10 sub- or associated topics, you’d have 200 blog topics by the end of the day. Simple math here: do this for 37 separate topics and you’ve got a year’s worth plus a few to spare. Write this all out freehand as leaves on a tree or use mind-mapping software to create strings of topics. Write a few top-level posts where you position yourself as an expert and then link back to them from these shorter, quick posts to draw, and keep, readers on your blog and website longer. The longer they stay, the more likely they are to book and buy.
4. Let’s face it, some people might be the most dynamic and engaging when speaking on stage, but their writing is … Hey, that’s okay! There are plenty of talented people out there that can write for you. Blogging can be quite different than delivering a speech or TedTalk. Find someone who will take the time to understand your business, personality and message well enough to write for you. The investment for a good post can be anywhere from $35 to $150+ depending on experience, length, complexity, graphics and other factors. If you invest that and get the traffic and build your list from it though, you can see a return that makes that feel like pennies. Remember, you’ve got to leverage your time so that you can focus on the things that only you can do. Outsource the rest, even your posts, and reap the rewards.
5. Make sure you interrupt the text often enough to give the readers’ eyes a chance to rest and refocus. You do this with white-space, and by including interesting graphics and images. Short GIFs or even video clips are fun, or touching, and engaging, too. Get creative and see your list grow.
6. Cross-promotion is essential, too. You may have heard this next tip as the “rule of 3”. Once you have your post perfect, promote it on at least 3 other outlets online. Use your social media presence to drive traffic to your blog which “lives” on your website where you have your planner friendly Book Me page and a prominent Products, Courses, or Store page. You can also approach other blog owners to submit your post as-is as a guest post, or tweak it slightly, to work for their audience. Don’t get hung up on a boastful author blurb or insist on backlinks anymore. If readers like what you’re saying and it resonates, they will click to find you. All you really need to do is ask if the blog owner will link your name nowadays. Be sure once you’re published on someone else’s blog or site, to link to their blog and tag them with a huge thank you on your social media. Before you know it, you’ll have tapped into their following, and helped them tap into yours. There are plenty of connections to be made, so be generous and open, and watch your business, and reputation as an expert, grow and grow.

If you’re looking for even more helpful ways to get noticed and grow your speaking business, then be sure to check out our Facebook group “Grow Your Speaking Business” for more useful tips.