Contrary to popular belief, your website About page is actually not all about you.
Yes, your About page is where your visitors and customer leads go to learn more about you and your business, its culture, and how you work. But, just like every other page on your website, it needs to be written with your customer’s perspective in mind. Too many websites forget this and the About page becomes a big bio and not the informative and trust-building page it needs to be.
Admittedly, this can sometimes feel tricky to execute. I have a lot of clients who initially think that if they sing their own praises they’ll come across as pompous, arrogant, or self-absorbed … and there are certainly About pages out there in which this is true. BUT, it doesn’t have to be that way.
When a website About page is written with authenticity and a genuine effort to keep the customer’s perspective in mind, it will simply highlight everything you bring to the table and help guide prospective customers to take action.
The Website About Page Checklist
The About page needs to do a lot of things. For instance, it must:
- Answer the “what’s in it for me?” question at the back of every prospective customer’s mind
- Reassure customers that you’re the best and right choice
- Confirm the benefits customers will receive if they buy your product or service
- Present a clear picture of what your business — and you — are all about, essentially give everyone an understanding of your company values and provide a peak into the culture of your business.
- Highlight leadership — people love to see the faces behind the scenes.
- Provide a Call to Action (CTA) so your customer’s path through your website doesn’t end here.
About Page Components
It’s best to approach your website About page in sections. This way, it won’t be overwhelming for your visitors — no one wants to walk into a wall of copy — and it’ll help them “skim” the page and still get what they need. This approach also helps you when it comes to organizing what content you’ll include and the actual writing of the copy (this is true whether you’re writing it yourself or you’ve hired a copywriter.)
When I write About page copy for my clients, I tend to break the page down this way:
The What
Use language drawn from your Mission Statement (or actually provide your Mission Statement) so that you reiterate the benefits you offer customers. Your copy needs to help customers see that you are the best person to solve their problem.
This page can be more personal, even conversational, but it still needs to align with your brand messaging and the overall “tone” you use on the site. But think about this page as another opportunity to talk about how YOU bring something special to what you offer.
Again, keep the language customer focused … aka, make sure your copy is NOT loaded with a lot of “I.” I’m not saying you can’t use the pronoun — especially if you are the sole employee of your business — just that you must keep thinking from your customer’s perspective. What do they actually need to know about what you’re doing?
The Why
Your About page is the perfect place to give your visitors a deeper look into why you do what you do. Sharing why you started your business, what you love about it, and why you choose to do business the way you do helps them get to know you, so let that unique value proposition shine!
Share your company’s core values and how they inform how you do business. In other words, it’s another place to plant the seeds of curiosity, resonance, and perhaps the beginnings of trust in your website visitor.
Sharing your “Big Why” can be impactful. People love doing business with people who share similar values and ideals. When all other things are equal, an alignment in values can create the differentiation you need to make the sale. This becomes even more important as millennials enter the age and income brackets that give them even more buying power. Millennials consistently make choices based not just on a product or service but on the values of the company offering it.
The Who (Bios)
Last, but not least, are the actual bios. If you are a solopreneur or a small-number-of-employees business, you definitely want bios for everyone. If you’re a larger organization, you may only need to provide bios for your leadership. The point is, everyone loves to know who’s behind the curtain. We like to see faces and get to know who’s making decisions because this speaks to values.
In general, a bio highlights an individual’s experience, training, credentials, recognition, and education. This is the place to toot your own horn and show why you really are the best choice because you have everything you need to solve your customer’s problem.
Keep It Aligned
When it comes to the design and layout of your website’s About page, there’s really only one big rule of thumb: keep it aligned with your overall brand and website design. Make sure the tone and visuals of this page don’t jar with the rest of the site. For example, if your site content is sprinkled with your humor, play that up on the About page. If your company thrives on creativity and fun, get creative with your About page. If your years of experience or some professional recognition you’ve received are a vital component to showing your value to the customer, maybe make it a graphic.
How the About page is presented depends heavily on who your customer is. When you understand WHO you’re speaking to, it makes it easier to work with your web designer to create an About page that reflects you and your business accurately … which goes a long way toward building trust.
Does Your Website About Page Work Hard Enough for You?
About pages are often neglected or written in such a way as to not actually be helpful when it comes to a business meeting its goals. Additionally, a LOT of business owners are simply not comfortable writing about themselves. But that’s ok! There are copywriters available to help you out; I’d love to be a resource for you.
If you think your About page could be working harder for you and you know you need some help with it, schedule a call with me. We’ll create an About page that serves you and your business well.
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