What’s one of the first pages you click on when visiting a website for the first time? I’ll bet it’s the About page. You want to know more about the person or business so you can judge whether or not to spend your precious time on their site or give them your business.
If you’ve tried to write an About page for your website you know that it’s not as easy as it seems. We want to make a great first impression. It’s one of the most visited pages on blogs and business websites. No pressure there!
Writing an About page is often where website owners get writer’s block. They think they have to write a glowing, witty, and engaging blurb about themselves. That’s difficult for most people. Stay with me here; I’m about to let you off the hook.
When I started my website last summer, I struggled with how to write my About page. After scouring the web for a few examples of About pages, one thing became crystal clear. A compelling About page isn’t about the website owner or their business.
The good news is that knowing that fact will make it easier to write your About page. Your website’s About page isn’t about you, so you don’t have to write things that you think will impress your audience. It’s about your readers or your ideal customers. Some websites get this right and the ones that don’t are missing the point.
Your website’s About page is where you tell your readers that what you offer is the best option to solve THEIR problems. Your About page isn’t about you; it’s about THEM.
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What Your Website’s About Page Isn’t About
Let’s begin with what an About page isn’t about. It’s not about you, your experience, your training and education, your family, or how many cats you have. Your readers don’t want to read your life story. If you have a business site, you don’t want the converse either where it’s all business. Your About page shouldn’t begin with “We are a company that specializes in‚Ķ”
You want to welcome your readers into your world and build a relationship with them. Let your personality or your company’s voice come through in your writing. If your About page is all “I, I, I,” you’re missing a huge opportunity to tell your readers how you can help them and build their trust.
Elements of a Great About Page
Have you heard of the “feel, felt, found” method of communicating? It’s particularly useful in sales. It goes like this: “I know how you feel. I felt the same way. Here’s what I found.” A stellar About page begins with empathizing with your readers. What problem did you experience that you have in common with your readers? How did it make you feel? How did you know you had to find a solution to the problem? What solution worked best and why? You’re telling your story, but in a way that’s relatable to your audience.
You are the hero of the story, and they are the benefactors of your unique solution to their problem. Talk about yourself, but in the context of how your services or product serves them and meets their needs.
What to Include in Your Website’s About Page
Your About page is your opportunity to build an authentic connection with your readers and potential customers. Write in your own unique voice. People like to do business with real people they know, like, and trust. Here’s your chance to build the foundation for that relationship. Share your story in a compelling way and make it easy for them to connect with you further.
Here are a few key elements your website’s About page should include:
- Begin with being human and relatable
- Tell the story of the problem you and your readers have
- Share how you developed the solution to their problem
- Add social proof and testimonials of how you’ve helped others
- Include social media follow buttons and contact form
- Include your photo and full name
One last tip that may or may not be common sense – Title the page About and make sure that you’re using About on your website’s menu. Don’t make people work hard to find it.
Now you have a few tips on how to write your website’s About page. Let us know if this makes it easier for you to write yours or if you’ve taken a look at your current About page and tweaked it to make it more relevant to your audience and their needs. We’d love to hear how this has helped you so drop us a comment below.
