Was the “About Us” page one of the last things you thought about when building your business website? While it may not get the same attention as your home page, your About page is likely to be one of the most visited pages on your site. Throwing a few paragraphs together to check this off the list is wasting an opportunity to drive business. The good news is that it’s never too late to make improvements! Here are some key elements to help write a good About page.
Your About page isn’t all about you. Really.
First of all, consider visitor intent and your ultimate goal. People visit About pages because they’re interested in your company for some reason and want to know if it’s worth learning more. Maybe they’ve seen an ad or social share or your company has been mentioned in a conversation or industry article. Or, perhaps they’ve identified you as a potential employer. Customers want to spend money with a company they trust and feel confident is able to meet their needs. Prospective employees want a job where their employer aligns with their values and is good at what they do.
Aligning with readers’ needs and values is key, and it’s also why writing copy for this page can be so challenging. Technically, this page is all about you — your company, your team, what you do, and why you’re good at it. But the magic happens when you’re able to put yourself in your readers’ shoes and show how all these things benefit them. You want to generate positive feelings and a desire to learn more…then provide a clear call to action that enables them to do so.
Answer the questions in your reader’s mind.
It’s tempting to start from the perspective of sharing everything you know about your company. But think about your own browsing experience. If you were considering a partner or supplier, what would you most want to know? This is your opportunity to show why the reader should do business with you, sign on as a partner, or join the team. Be proactive in your copy.
- Your main line of business – Concisely summarize what you do and how that helps customers achieve success.
- Why and how you got into this – Tell your story. What problem did you set out to solve and what changes have you made along the way? (If you have a deep history and lots of details and photos to share, create a separate History page or implement some type of carousel to keep your layout from getting too cluttered.)
- What you do differently or better than anyone else – If you haven’t figured out your USP (unique selling proposition), now is the time. This is an integral part of your marketing strategy.
- What’s important to you – Corporate values are especially key for prospective employees, but your customer audience may also be very attuned to this in their partner selection.
- Who I’d possibly be working with – Some companies show the executive team; smaller firms may show the entire staff. Photos and bios are a great way to engage and establish credibility for both prospective customer and employee audiences.
- Proof you know what you’re doing – Awards, certifications, and testimonials all add credibility and promote trust.
- What to do next – While this is not a sales page or a place for a pitch, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t proactively invite additional engagement. Include links to other relevant site pages, a form to subscribe to your blog or set up a quick consultation, or a button linked to current job opportunities. Readers should not be left wondering how to find out more information.
Keep it simple.
This sounds like a lot to cover, but it doesn’t have to be an endless page of type to scroll. The right headline and benefit-focused copy can tell a compelling story and inspire action in just a paragraph or two. Awards and certifications can be represented with logos and graphics, and you can use short excerpts for testimonials and link to a fuller version elsewhere on the site.
Keep it honest and concise but make it engaging — people visit this page for a specific reason. Answer their questions proactively. Focus on sharing what you’ve got, what it will do for your website visitors, and how they can take the next step to get more information. Effective websites speak directly to visitors’ needs and position the company as the solution to their problems. Your About page is an opportunity to build affinity and spark a desire to work with you.
If this seems overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. Let’s talk about ways to improve your website and write an About Us page that intrigues readers and drives business.