Why you Need a Strong About Page (and How to Create One)

Your about page is one of the most important pages on your website. It’s also one of the most difficult to get right—a fine balance between introducing yourself to prospective customers and selling your products and services, but not driving people away by rambling on about yourself incessantly.

All too often, about pages are thrown together haphazardly, a bit of an afterthought after perfecting your landing page and product or service pages.

If this sounds all too familiar, you have some work ahead. But don’t fret—we’ve a guide to help you out.

Why you Need a Killer About Page

Check your website stats on Google Analytics and you’ll probably find your about page is one of the most frequented pages on your website. The reason for this is simple. As human beings, we desire deeper connections with people, so if we’re going to buy your products or services, or follow your blog, we want to know more about you. What makes you tick. What you can offer us.

Your about page gives you the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself and position yourself as an expert in your field. Get it right and you’re on your way to building a strong brand and inspiring your audience to trust you. It can enhance your online presence, attracting new followers and resulting in more conversions. It’s a place to show your personality and build a rapport with your visitors that will help turn them into customers.

The Biggest Mistake on About Pages

There’s one hitch with this: It’s not all about you. When visitors rock up to your about page, they’re generally there because they’re seeking a solution to a specific problem. So they don’t want to wade through a load of egocentric nonsense to find out whether you’re the right person to help them.

Instead, when they land on your about page they need to see, immediately, what you can do for them and why you’re the right person to do it. Which is why, in essence, [twitter_link]your about page is really more about your readers than it is about you.[/twitter_link]

Before you write a single word, you need to consider who your target audience is and think about your website goals. Once you’ve got that firmly in mind, incorporate the following elements to create a strong about page.

1. A Catchy Headline

And I don’t mean “About Me.”

You’ll probably use “About” on your navigation menu, and that’s fine. After all, the page needs to be easy to find. But once you have your visitors in the right spot, you need a catchy, benefit-driven headline that sums up what you’re offering. Your headline needs to grab your visitors’ attention and make them want to read on.

2. An Introductory Section Focused on Them

This is where your homework on your target audience comes into play. Your introductory section needs to address the reasons why they’ve landed on your site, and focus on how you can help them.

You need to highlight what your site offers, and demonstrate how it will solve their problem or issue. And it needs to reassure them they’ve landed in the right place. Dedicate this short section to your audience’s objectives and challenges, and demonstrate you have their needs in mind.

3. Your Story

Now it’s time to tell your story. Begin by explaining who you are and go into a little more detail about how you can help your visitors. Then move onto your backstory. This is vital because it helps you to earn their trust, plus you can use it to highlight the USP of your business.

Try to weave a good story that will build a connection with your visitors, and use a conversational tone—dull, corporate speak will have your audience bouncing away in droves. Make it engaging; demonstrate an enthusiasm for your business and a passion for your work. Above all, let your personality shine through. And please, cut out the jargon!

Don’t be scared to highlight a few bumps along the path to success, if you’ve experienced any – people appreciate honesty and this will help to build their trust. And do use emotion-driven words—help instead of assist, give instead of donate, etc.

4. Visual Elements

A picture is worth 1,000 words and can help to add to your story and your personality. Dull images of your office building are a big no-no. If you’re a one-man band, a personal picture will help people get to know you and build trust and credibility. Or you could use engaging pictures of your enthusiastic employees at work—anything to help to establish a personal connection with your audience (which is why stock photos are generally a bad idea here).

You don’t have to stick to photos either—incorporating an introductory video or an infographic of your company background will help to catch people’s attention and break up blocks of text.

A quick word on color here too; your choice of colors will have a significant effect on your visitors’ behavior and buying decisions. So choose your colors wisely and make sure they’re in line with your branding to maintain consistency.

5. Social Proof

Word-of-mouth marketing is the very best kind, so don’t forget to include some on your about page to prove you deliver on your promises. Add your client list, some testimonials from happy customers, or even a case study or two to demonstrate you practice what you preach. Reassure your readers, once more, that they’ve come to the right place.

6. Call to Action

Don’t forget to include a CTA at the bottom. Many people include CTAs on their landing pages and product or service pages, only to leave it off their about page. Which is madness.

You’ve dedicated an entire page to build a rapport with your audience and detail your company’s function and values, so this is the perfect opportunity to capitalize on that and add a subtle CTA. What you choose is up to you—it could be an opt-in form, a link to your product or service pages, or you could ask them to subscribe to your blog. Whatever you choose, just make sure your CTA offers value to your readers.

Putting it Together

When organizing your about page, ensure you include the most important elements—your headline, introductory paragraph, and preferably an image—above the fold. The aim is to grab people’s attention and compel them to read on.

Your page should be carefully planned and executed to engage your visitors and demonstrate your values. Think like a storyteller—make sure your story has a beginning, middle, and end, and that it reads in a logical order. And use your images to break up the text and keep things interesting.

Finally, don’t simply write it and forget about it. Treat it as a work in progress. Check your analytics and look closely at the bounce rate, average length of time people spend on the page, and the volume of traffic it attracts, and continue to tweak it until it’s performing well and drawing lots of free, organic traffic your way. And as your business grows and develops, remember to update your story so it remains fresh and relevant.

What elements do you include on your about page, and how successful is it in attracting new visitors and generating conversions? Tell us below.