February 16, 2022

How to Write an About Us Page

By: Shelby Dias

Once a potential customer finds their way to your website, they might already be convinced of why they need to buy the product. What they may not be convinced of is why they should buy the product from YOU. This is why an About Us page is a key page on every website. All the info on this page reassures your visitors that you are the right choice.

The About page is not a space to simply brag about your business. It’s your opportunity to build trust through telling your story. The content on this page could be the deciding factor before a potential customer takes action – so it’s essential that you share the right content and frame it appropriately.

It’s Not Really About You

The biggest mistake you can make with an About page is writing it for yourself. This page is about you, but only in the context in which you help your customers. People navigate to this page to learn more about your business and the real people behind it. They are curious if you can be trusted to solve their problems.

Just like the rest of the pages on your website, the About page should be written with your target audience in mind. Do they care about your vision statement? Most of them do not. Do they care about the details of your career journey over the last 25 years? Not likely.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t share these details. It just means that you should consider how or why these details matter to your customers and make sure that is the focus.

For example, a carpet cleaner might share his biographical information on his About page. He could do so in two ways:

Many Details, Self-Focused:

“I started cleaning carpets in 2003 as a summer job. After I graduated high school, I spent 12 years working for a local, family-owned company. Sadly, the family sold their business. I continued to work another 5 years for a national carpet cleaner, but I was unhappy with the corporate structure. I finally decided to open my own business in 2020 so that I could serve my community and build a legacy for my kids.”

Key Details, Customer-Focused:

“After spending 15 years as a carpet cleaner in the area, I decided to open my own business in 2020. Big-company cleaners like to sell you everything on the truck just to meet their quotas. Starting my own business lets me focus on the quality of work I do for you, instead of the number of jobs I take on.”

The second example uses words like “you” and speaks directly to the visitor, even though it’s a biography. The potential customer cares about his experience because he has briefly and clearly explained why it matters to them.

Must-Haves for Your About Page

Your site visitors navigate to the About page looking for something specific. Maybe they are looking for real people, or maybe they want to confirm your expertise. If you first think about what they are looking for, you can provide the right information on this page.

The most important elements of your About page include:

  • Real People: Include your name, your photo, and photos of your team members.
  • Clear Language: Be transparent and specific. Avoid jargon and buzzwords that confuse your audience.
  • Facts, Not Hype: Only make claims about your business that you are able to back up.
  • Social Proof: Include credentials, testimonials, and case studies that verify your reputation.
  • Next Steps: Give your website visitors the opportunity to take action like contacting you or visiting a product page.

Easy About Us Page Template

Introduce Yourself

Think about how you would describe your business to someone face-to-face. Your About page should share this information as naturally as you would in a conversation. It starts with the highlights – who you are and what sets you apart.

In the top section, write a clear headline that explains who or what your business is. Include a short introductory paragraph that highlights your main selling points. Remember, this page is to convince potential customers that you are the right choice. Be sure to draw attention to your strengths and differentiators right away.

Tell Your Story

A great About Us page will not just tell a story, but will also invite your website visitors into that story. When you tell the story of your business, try to paint a picture of “the way things were” for you and/or your potential customers. Detail what the problem looked like and how you rose to the challenge and created a solution.

You should use your brand story as a vehicle to define who you are and what you are offering. But, don’t just talk about yourself for the sake of it. The point is to explain not just what you do, but also why that matters to your potential customers. You should make it clear that you understand their needs and can help.

Explain Your Business Model

For many companies, their business model is a part of their unique value proposition. If the way you do business is a differentiator, then you should go into detail about that on this page. It’s an important piece of your story and it’s relevant to the customer.

For example, a key benefit to choosing an independent insurance agent is that they operate differently from a company agent and can shop policies from several companies. An independent broker would take time on his About page to explain his business model to his potential clients and draw attention to the benefit it offers them.

Define Your Core Values

In most cases, your customers care less about your mission statement and core values than you do. This is because it’s not immediately clear to them how those things affect them. However, for nonprofits or cause-driven companies, these core values matter. For example, if all the profits of a coffee shop benefit a nonprofit organization, potential customers want to know who they are supporting and why it’s important.

Additionally, if the nature of your service is very personal, customers are more interested in how their values align with yours. For example, an About page for a marriage counselor would include details that show her as approachable and relatable as well as qualified.

Before you include your mission statement, company philosophy, etc. on your About page, consider if this information is a deciding factor for your customers to do business with you. If it’s excess information, it’s not necessary to include it on the page.

Verify Your Reputation

You should include social proof throughout your website, but especially on the About page. Including the following elements can help verify your expertise and trustworthiness:

  • Client Logos: This is especially helpful if you work with recognizable brands.
  • Testimonials: You can incorporate online reviews or testimonials that you’ve collected as long as it’s clear they are authentic. Testimonials will appear more authentic if you include a real photo, first and last name, and link to an external source if there is one.
  • Case Studies: The About page is a great place to share success stories. You can also give your website visitors a point of action to find more case studies on another page.
  • Awards: Include awards that will mean something to your website visitors. For example, local business awards can communicate how well-loved your business is in the area.
  • Organizations: Mentioning organizations you are a part of and other credentials can confirm your expertise.

Showcase Your Team

Think of the About Us page as a virtual substitute for meeting your potential customers face-to-face. Website visitors are more likely to trust a human than a faceless company. When you share photos of your founders or team members, it humanizes your business and showcases your company culture.

You are more likable (and trustworthy) if you show a friendly face and include a short, relevant bio. The photos and personal details you share in this section can give your potential customers a glimpse behind the scenes of your business.

Specify Concrete Numbers

You can use specific numbers to quantify the impact of your business, your products, etc. Including easy-to-digest and measurable information like this builds trust because it can usually be verified. You could mention how many years you’ve been in business, your Net Promoter Score, or the average amount of savings reported by your customers.

Give a Call to Action

Whenever appropriate on the page, you should direct the customer to their next action. This could be to read more case studies, find more details on your product or service, or fill out a contact form. If your About page is doing its job, it will sell your business as the right choice for the customer and they will continue with their appropriate next step.

Write a Great About Page

If you don’t have the time to write the words yourself, that’s ok. It’s what we do every day. Request 15 minutes with our team to discuss your website needs and we’ll help you sort it out.

 

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