Your website’s About Us page: the page that is supposed to outline your brand’s meaningful story and inspirational mission. For many businesses, the unfortunate reality is that About Us pages fall far short of inspiring and may even wind up an afterthought.
Nearing the end of website design, someone is tasked with writing content to port into the about page. Text is grabbed from here and there – old brochures and newsletters… The results are less than stellar. Isn’t there a better way?
Yes! Here’s how to create an About Us page that is unique, refreshing, and anything but boring.
Your visitors do care.
Some businesses will dismiss the importance of an about page, assuming that users don’t care and are mainly just concerned about services and products. This couldn’t be further from the truth!
For most websites, the top visited pages are as follows: Homepage, About Us page, Blog, Contact Us page. As the second most visited page on your website, the About Us page certainly deserves some TLC.
Make your about us about them.
While it’s true your visitors do care to learn about you, it’s because they want to know how your brand will fit into their lifestyle and help them reach their goals.
Take a moment to list their pain points. On your About Us page, you should aim to address each that relates to your services and make it clear how you will help them overcome these challenges. Highlight the qualities you possess that make you an obvious choice over competitors.
Tell your story.
Why’d you start your business? Perhaps it was a no-brainer – handed down to you from your parents and grandparents. This doesn’t mean you don’t have a unique story. Here are a few tips to find it:
- Depending on your industry, a little humor could go a long way. Enlist your team to help you remember a funny story that illustrates what your brand is all about.
- Recount your humble beginnings. Everyone likes to help the underdog and a humble start will make your business feel more relatable.
- Don’t be afraid to share your challenges. We wouldn’t recommend this with controversial topics or big mistakes – shoot for problems you have overcome.
Introduce your stellar team.
Show who’s behind the scenes. Showing that your team is happy and works well together will make your business look a lot more attractive to potential customers. There’s nothing quite so disenchanting as being greeted with a gloomy, “How can I help?” when calling a business.
Pull in photos from social media of your team working on a project in the office. Snap photos at events, holiday parties, and even of employees goofing off.
We’d all like to believe we’re supporting people who actually enjoy their jobs and like working with us. A positive culture leads to better results for the customer.
Harness the bandwagon effect.
Your About Us page is a great opportunity to include tasteful bragging. Don’t go overboard, one section is really all that’s needed.
If you have an impressive number of clients, integrate a client counter like the one we have on our Services page. Ours reads ‘3,199,008 clients – They’re happy. We’re happy!’ The number is updated automatically as new clients join.
Testimonials never get old. To increase their credibility, tie in social posts from customers endorsing your business. This option also allows you to pick up more “likes” and followers.
Experiment with designs.
There’s no rule that your About Us page needs to stick with the same format that’s used on other pages of your website. Surprise visitors with a bold layout that stands out.
See Moz’s about page, for example. They take what could be a boring list of advances and bring them to life with an engaging timeline. You receive a playful overview of Moz’s history with a quick scroll down the page.
Show that you’re excited.
Excitement is contagious, after all. Whether you’re selling trips around the world or used vacuum cleaners, there has to be something about your business that you’re passionate about. Always use positive language and happy images of your staff.
Remember that you’re not writing a book.
Know someone who’s long-winded? These detailed individuals can serve as a wonderful asset, but they certainly shouldn’t be chosen to write your website’s About Us page.
Your about page is not the time to give a detailed account of your business’s history. By keeping content concise and to-the-point, you can assure users take in the important parts instead of abandoning your page out of boredom.
Incorporate stimulating imagery.
As any designer knows, simple text can be made inspiring when paired with the right image. If you own a restaurant, your about page shouldn’t just consist of blocks of text on a plain background. Invest a little extra to get professional photos taken of your most popular, visually appealing dishes.
Layer a short line of text on top of an image like ‘We’re passionate about everything fresh, savory, and unexpected.’ for mouthwatering results.
Use a variety of media.
In addition to imagery, videos and animations can go a long way in adding interest to your About Us page. It could be something as simple as recording your employees in their everyday routine – little clips to demonstrate how each member has an important contribution to the big picture.
Instead of including customer testimonials in text, ask for volunteers to share their experiences with your business on camera.
Write from your point of view.
Many small businesses write their website’s content in third person, thinking this will appear more professional. Unfortunately, this can actually result in giving a cold and corporate impression. Instead of writing in third person (they), use first person plural (we) or first person (I).
This is your About Us page afterall, the title itself is first person plural.
End with a solid call-to-action.
If you’ve created your About Us page effectively, by the end users should feel a stronger connection to your brand. Now is the perfect time to invite them to connect!
Wrap up your about page with straightforward call-to-action, preferably one that ties it all together. For example:
- ‘Now that you know us, we’d like to know you. Tell us about your business’s goals and we’ll help you get there. Contact Us’.
- ‘We want to hear your story too! Share it with us on Facebook’.
Ultimately, when designing and writing an About Us page for your business there are three main points to keep in mind:
- Use attractive, relevant images.
- Share what sets you apart.
- Make it about your audience.
With these objectives guiding you, your business can bid farewell to humdrum about pages for good!