What Speakers Should Put on Their Media Pages

One of the first things I'll be adding to my new revamped website is a media page. It's just one more thing that sets professional speakers apart from the beginners. So even if you are just starting out, a good media page can make you look like a seasoned pro. Every speaker looking to land work should have a “media” or “promotional” page on their website. Here’s what to include on yours…

Your Bio

You want both a short biography (2-3 paragraphs) as well as a longer one (4-5 paragraphs). Ideally, you want to mention your mission statement, what you focus on, as well as any important credentials.

For example, if you’ve written a book that went on to become a New York Times Best-Seller, that information should be included in your bio. If you speak at conferences for marriage therapists, then mention that you’ve been a licensed marriage counselor for the past two decades.

Your Headshot

These should be full-resolution photos that would look good if they were printed in a magazine. You need a minimum of 2-3 headshots that you feel confident about and wouldn’t mind seeing plastered everywhere.

Keep in mind that you may need several headshots for different audiences. For example, you might speak at tech conferences and parenting ones, too. You’d have some headshots featuring you at work or on your laptop. But you’d also want a second set of images that show you relaxed and smiling at home with your kids.

An Audio (or Video) Clip

Your media page might be the first time an event coordinator has heard of you. You want their first impression to be that you’re capable and professional. So if you have some clips where you’re speaking, be sure to add them here.

You only need 1-2 videos or audio files and they can be short (think less than five minutes). Make sure this content plays in the browser as the coordinator may not want to download your big files.

Your Contact Information

Finally, you want to make it easy for hosts to book you. That means including relevant contact information on your media page. An email address is best for this task. If you’re worried about spam, try a special email like inquiries @ yourwebsite.com or speaking @ your website.com.

You may also want to add a contact number here as well. This helps coordinators who want to talk with you on the phone to get a feel for your personality. If you don’t have a dedicated phone line for this, try getting a Google Voice number. They’re free and they can be forwarded to your regular cellphone.

Designing your media page doesn’t have to be difficult. Just make sure to include the information listed above. Remember that you can always update this page as often as you need.