And all of this time, I thought it was About Me…
Well, not actually.
But I’m not surprised that most business About pages on the internet are biographies and history lessons.
Can you really blame them (us)? What else should we put on the about page?
The About Page is About Gaining Customer Confidence
The about page is often the second or third most visited page on your website. Most users visit the homepage, a service page, and then the about page.
Why do so many users visit the about page?
People want to work with people they know, like, and trust. More importantly, people want to work with people that understand them.
Users head to your about page so they can determine if they know, like, and trust you. They need to know you understand them and their problem.
92% of users will visit your website for the first time without intent to purchase. These users are window shopping and doing their research. You need to be on your best behavior. Let’s not bore them with your life history.
Are You a Legitimate Brand? Using Your About Page So Users Know You.
If your homepage is impressive enough, your visitors will likely click over to your about page.
They want to know if you are legit.
Yes, your history and years of service are important but please don’t shove it down our throats. Longevity and experience can be stated quickly.
What we really want to KNOW is if you can solve our problem.
Your experience is only important if you can prove you are a viable solution.
We only care that your family owned business if you can promise exceptional service.
The size of your team only matters if that enables you to provide better service.
Please tell us about your experience, your team, and your personal commitment – but make sure you let us know how it benefits us, the user.
Show Some Personality. Use Your About Page to Help Us Like You.
Step one. Insert a real picture.
A real picture. Not a stock photo of a handshake.
An owner, an employee, or even a customer. Look into the camera and take a picture. Make sure that picture is on your about page.
It’s amazing the power of one photograph. That one image will humanize your brand and your business.
Images of people work.
Don’t believe me. Go on Facebook and post a photo of you. How many thumbs up and hearts will you get? Far more than if you posted a photo of a building or a “handshake”.
Personal Brands – Scatter in Some Fun and Interests
Personal brands and single owner businesses – there’s no reason why you shouldn’t leverage your interests and personality.
Coaches, consultants, and professional services – people will choose to work with YOU. Your about page can showcase more of your personality because your personality will be a selling point.
Star Wars fans will likely choose to work with a Star Wars accountant.
If you like to travel, hike, shop, or play board games – it’s worth a casual mention.
Don’t underestimate the power of fandoms.
Who You Work With. Use Your About Page to Prove People Can Trust You.
Let’s not get carried away with name dropping, but there’s no harm in showcasing some of your “friends”.
Social proof works.
If you’ve worked with notable individuals and companies, drop a logo on the page.
A picture can say a thousand words, but I would take 30 words from an actual client. Yes, get a testimonial instead.
The about page is a great place to add a small carousel of client logo, names, or testimonials.
Even though users are highly skeptical of reviews left on websites (third party websites are more transparent), giving users a glimpse of a satisfied customer is a positive move.
Be bold and link directly to your Google review page.
Story’s Sell. Use Narratives to Show You Understand them.
Who is your ideal customer? Who have you been able to help time and time again?
You run a successful business. Tell your stories.
A potential customer landed on your about page, ready to decide if you are the business and person that will solve all of their problems.
Speak their language. Empathize. Guide them.
Case studies sound intimidating, but they are simply examples of success stories.
They don’t have to be miraculous, just real.
I’ve never saved a life by making a website, but I’ve helped countless businesses acquire new customers online, thus helping them pay bills, send their kids to college, or take a wonderful Disney vacation.
We all do good work and solve problems. Think back and tell your stories.
We will read these stories, realize that we are just like the person you helped, and we will want to be the NEXT success story.
Know, Like, Trust, Understand – Your About Page
There’s no specific word count, image count, or secret formula to make a perfect about page. If you can convince your customers that you are worth working with by adding one sentence or a single image, great! It’s about building confidence with the user and guiding them along.
You do not want the about page to be the exit page.
Do your job and convince the user you will solve their problem.
Guide them to the contact page.
About the Author
Eric Hersey
Eric is your Ohio Valley Web Design and a Content Marketing Specialist. Eric’s main goal is to Make a Better Web for the Ohio Valley. Eric helps local businesses and brands create content calendars, social media strategies, and provides guidance on what pages and topics to create that will deliver RESULTS. Eric has published hundreds of original articles over the past several years (web design, SEO, content marketing, and branding).
