Putting audio samples on your website
Many coaches are finding it helpful to put audio content on their web site.
This doesn’t mean using music or other non-coaching related material; rather, it means using audio samples of you as a way of making the site more personable. When a potential client can actually listen to your voice and hear a sample of your speaking style, it can be a huge first step toward creating the comfort and rapport so necessary for a coaching relationship.
Why use audio?
Audio is useful because it offers so many benefits to both you and your potential clients. For instance, because you will do a fair amount of coaching over the phone, the client has an opportunity to hear your voice and form an initial impression about you. It is also beneficial for you because it allows you to express yourself with feeling, inflection, and tone of voice, rather than with just written words on the page. Your voice, in other words, conveys much more than the written word.
Before putting any audio on your web site, prepare and practice so the recording sounds the best possible. Write out your script and then read it aloud before recording it. Remember, something that reads well on paper often sounds just a bit off when spoken aloud. Record yourself reading the script a number of times; practice, practice, practice until it sounds smooth and professional.
The technical side of audio on your website
On the website itself, make it very clear and easy for visitors to access the audio recording. Remember, too, that in the UK you are required to make your website fully accessible for visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing. This means your website must also contain a written transcript of the spoken audio.
One of the easiest ways to get audio up and running on your website is with Instant Audio. This very simple solution doesn’t require you to have any programming or coding knowledge. You simply record the audio, upload it, create a button, and place it on your website. It also gives you the flexibility to choose whether the audio starts automatically when the page is loaded or if visitors must click on the button to start it.
© Copyright Hannah McNamara
