It is not news to most of us that the arena of professional speaking is quite competitive. It is competitive when you are looking for engagement, and it is competitive when you are promoting your new website launch. Establishing a robust online presence is more than a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Launching a new website marks a key milestone in this journey. All your marketing efforts are focused on driving your customers to this one place. Your new website should be spectacular – and you are excited to show it off.
As you prepare to unveil your website, consider incorporating a few of these tips to amplify your reach and engagement. Here’s a blueprint for professional speakers to make their website launch work for them.
1. Add an announcement line to your email signature
A simple yet effective and often overlooked tactic, adding news of your new website to your email signature can spark curiosity and direct traffic to your site. A dash of color and a friendly invitation can make this subtle nudge impossible to ignore.
Share your excitement over your new look and invite everyone to visit.
2. Harness the Power of Social Media
Your social media platforms are invaluable tools in the pre-launch phase. Create anticipation by sharing sneak peeks, engaging with your audience through polls about website features, or teasing new content.
Use hashtags and consider strategic tagging for clients or influencers to broaden your visibility, making your launch a communal event. Share snippets of your speaking engagements, have followers vote on the photography you are going to use, and share screenshots of ‘really cool elements’ to generate interest in your website and brand.
3. Engage Your Email List
Your email list is a goldmine of potential website visitors. Craft a compelling launch announcement with an exclusive offer for email subscribers that visit a certain page, or provide a custom opt-in for existing list members and send visitors a token of appreciation (an eBook or welcome video for example) for their visit. This personal touch can turn subscribers into website explorers and brand advocates. In fact – see point 4 😉
4. Host a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt as a part of your Website Launch
Inject fun into your launch by hiding “easter eggs” across your site—secret clickable items that reward the finder with free resources or offers. This gamifies the user experience, encouraging deeper exploration of your site.
5. Showcase Your New Opt-In
You likely would not launch a new website without a new lead-generating mechanism or quiz. Highlight your new lead magnet prominently to encourage visits. In fact – whenever I launch a new free opt-in gift – I send it to my current list. It is a great way to continue to provide value and maintain brand loyalty.
6. SEO Optimization
While your website would likely have already been built with SEO in mind, a website launch provides a fresh opportunity to refine your strategy. Tailor your content to include niche-specific keywords and ensure your site architecture is designed for optimal search engine visibility.
7. Collaborate with Industry Influencers and Colleagues
Identify and partner with influencers and colleagues who share your brand values. A co-hosted webinar, guest blog exchange, or social media collaboration can introduce your website to a broader audience.
8. Celebrate with a Website Launch Event
A virtual or in-person launch event can generate buzz and provide a platform to showcase your new website’s features. Inviting industry insiders, clients, and collaborators can multiply your promotional efforts.
9. Guest Blogging and Podcast Guest Appearances
Contributing to reputable blogs or being featured on podcasts can solidify your expertise and draw attention to your website. These platforms offer a direct line to engaged audiences looking for thought leadership in your area of expertise. Make sure your author box points to your new website – and wherever possible, utilize that shiny new opt-in to grow your list.
10. The Untapped Avenue: Interview Your Web Designer
Ok, this may feel a bit self-serving since I build websites and marketing material for a living – but consider recording a quick video or podcast with your web designer. Often the stories of ‘how you came to your brand statement’ or the reasons for the rebrand give clients insights into the ‘real you’ and allow you to showcase your expertise by having someone else ‘gush’ about how amazing you are. Sharing insights from the design process not only highlights your website’s value proposition but simply opens the curtain to reveal the ‘real you’ behind the brand. It becomes a conversation steeped in celebration – not a boast session.
Amplify Your Message
Remember, the effectiveness of these strategies relies on consistent and authentic engagement before your website launch. Sharing your news where you have not been active won’t help at all. It is like practicing your talk in an empty room. Good practice, but that’s about it.
Share your journey across all platforms where your audience might be listening. It’s not just about broadcasting your launch but creating meaningful interactions that draw people in.
Your website launch is just the beginning. Don’t forget to keep it current, add relevant content consistently, and keep it maintained. Go forth and conquer!
Lauren Pibworth
Pibworth Professional Solutions
Lauren Pibworth is an internet marketing strategist specializing in growing the business of professional speakers, trainers, coaches, and consultants. Lauren and her team of brand strategists, copywriters, graphic designers, web developers, and online product and course development specialists work with clients who want to diversify their revenue streams and move ‘beyond the keynote’ through smarter marketing solutions, delivered with care.
Lauren (an amateur sommelier) and her husband enjoy fine Ontario wines, and great food and travel to exotic, warm destinations where they spend the majority of their time underwater – scuba diving.
