Your website’s about page is arguably the most important piece of content you’ll produce. It’s where your site visitors learn who you are, what you value, and why they should choose you over the thousands of other businesses like yours that they can find online. A well-written about page will lead to more conversions (new sales). A not-so-well written one can turn customers away.
No pressure, right?
Take a deep breath. We have some simple tips to help you write an about page that effectively tells your story. It’s well worth spending time crafting your about page to get it just right; it could hold the key to your organization’s success.
Tell the Story of How You Help Others
It’s tempting to use your about page to brag about yourself by listing awards, accomplishments, and significant clients. While these can all help you build credibility, they aren’t the only things people are looking for on an about page. You can add these as a section in your about page. For most businesses, though, it doesn’t make sense for them to be the main focus.
The most effective about pages shift the focus from the website author or organization to the customer. Instead of telling your readers how great you are, show them! Prove that you understand who your customers are along with their major pain points. Then, explain how you can solve these pain points through your products or services.
About pages vary from one industry to another. Here are some ways companies in different industries might approach an about page based on their target audience.
Consulting Firm
As a small consulting firm, your about page should personally connect with your audience. Your audience probably includes business owners or managers who are overwhelmed and need help with a specific project. They’re visiting your about page to determine if you’re up to the task at hand. They also want to see if your business objectives align with their needs.
Your about page may start by discussing the specific problems, or pain points, that you’re solving for your customers, using specific information about the types of projects your firm handles. It might also include images and a short bio of each consultant, including their specialties and personal interests.
Service Repair Company
If you’re in the business of repairing things, your website visitors want to know that you have the qualifications and skills necessary to fix their car, appliance, hardware, or other items. Your about page, then, should discuss your qualifications. You can still do this in the form of a story. For example, you can include some history about the founder(s) and a short timeline of how your company has grown and added services over the years.
Your about page should also talk about why you’re different from other service companies. Talk about what types of services you offer that competitors don’t, and list any relevant certifications that you or your technicians have that can build trust and help you stand out from the competition.
eCommerce Website
When your business is solely online, it can be a challenge to convince people to give you their money. Your about page is where you can show potential customers how you’re different from competitors. Tell your story and demonstrate how you understand your audience’s challenges. Then, discuss how your products will solve your customers’ problems. Keep your audience and their interests in mind as you highlight your products’ unique features.
Focus on why you started an eCommerce site and what makes your product selection different from competitors. You could include images and bios of the people behind the business to add even more credibility.
Nonprofit Organization
Every nonprofit organization should have a compelling about page that tells the story of who they are, what their mission is, and how they are achieving that mission. The audience for a nonprofit’s about page is likely a combination of potential donors, who want to know that their funds will be put to good use, and volunteers, who want to make sure their time will be spent serving a mission they care deeply about.
Include images and descriptions to tell your nonprofit’s story. Focus on who you're helping and how the people visiting your site can contribute their time, energy, and money to your cause.
5 Steps to Writing a Compelling About Page
Every company’s about page is different. There are some basic guidelines, though, that you can follow when writing your company’s about page, no matter the industry.
Here are five steps to help you develop your about page.
1. Know your story
What’s the point of your website? It’s a deceptively simple question. Your answer could be “to generate donations,” “to inform the public about our services,” or “to provide information for our customers.” These are all excellent places to start. To write a truly compelling about page, though, you need to dig deeper. Why do you do what you do? Who do you help? How did you get to this point?
By developing your story, you get to the root of who you are as an organization and, more importantly, what your organization has to offer. This is the story people are looking for when they read an about page.
2. Know your audience and purpose
Once you have your story, you need to figure out how to frame it so it connects with the people who will be reading it, otherwise known as your audience. The impact your about page has will depend largely on whether or not you effectively write your about page for the right audience.
To write an about page that connects with your audience, you’ll need to have an idea of who they are and why they’re looking at your website. You don’t need fancy data for this part; you can start with assumptions. For instance, people who are looking for an appliance repair company are probably homeowners who don’t want to spend a lot of money. If you’ve been in business for a while, think about who some of your repeat customers are, and write your about page as if you’re speaking directly to them.
3. Include images
It’s always a good idea to include images on webpages. Your about page is no exception. This is a great place to share images of your office and employees to build trust with your audience. You can also add high-quality pictures related to your product or service to give potential customers a sample of what they can expect from you.
4. Include a "call-to-action"
Give your readers something to do after they read your about page. It could be a "call" to contact you, to connect with you on social media, to make a donation, or to view a list of your services or products. Embed links to make it as easy as possible for your readers to take that next step toward becoming your customer.
5. Be sincere
Consumers are savvy. They know a sincere about page when they see one. Be open and honest about who you are, what your organization does, and what you have to offer customers. Authenticity will go a long way toward building trust and turning leads into customers.
Your about page is your chance to shine! Be authentic, be real, and be open about everything you have to offer for your customers. Get creative and use this opportunity to show the world all you have to offer.
Kate Williams, Founder, People First Content
Kate's the founder of People First Content and has a passion for helping businesses provide value through the content they share. She has a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Tulsa where she teaches business writing. She's been writing and editing digital content for 10 years and specializes in researching complex topics and making them easy to understand.