They tend to be a bit boring – those “About Us” pages on company websites. But visitors do check them out if they haven't done business with you before. They want to know who you are, what your company is all about, and what value you might bring to them.
Surely, you can write all of this up and put it on the “About Us” page. But the whole process and the final look will be pretty tedious. And what you don’t want is being boring and tedious. It’s a huge turnoff, and no one wants to read all of that text anyway.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can create the “About Us” page that will give your visitors all sorts of information about your brand and present it stunningly.
As an example you can check out the original introduction video of Dollar Shave Club. If you want an amazing “About Us” piece which grab customers attention formt he first seconds, that's where you can find it. It covers all of the important elements of an “About Us” page in less than two minutes.
So, here are eight things to think about as you craft that page.
Make a List of What You Believe Visitors Will Want to Know
The key point here is not what you want to tell them, but what they will want to know.
Who are you? And what is your mission?
How long have you been in business?
What problem does your product or service solve? (value proposition)
Who is your team?
Is there a larger “social” picture? Are you creating jobs? Are you engaged in major charitable work? Are you promoting environmental sustainability? (Millennials and Gen Z’ers want to see this).
Where are you physically located? At this point, you are just a website address. When you a provide geographic location and other contact information, you generated added trust.
All of these things help to establish your brand identity in the minds of a consumer.
Target Your Audience
Of course, you have done the research and you know your audience. Are they senior citizens, millennials, or some other demographic? Part of that research is understanding what they value, what they need and want, what they appreciate in tone and style of content they read and view. Your “about us” page should honor all of these things. Most all demographics who search online for products or services want simple, quick information that is easy to find and digest. But they want that content delivered in a way that speaks to them, not to some nebulous, general audience.
Get Personal
Telling stories is always a “winner.” How did you happen to start this company? What do you do in your free time? Do you have team members that have their own stories? You can feature them at different times, as you update your page periodically. These are great places for photos and even videos.
The Value Proposition
This is a critical piece of your page, even though it may be repeated on other pages within your website. Get it in on the top of your page. People want to know right away how they can benefit from what you offer. If you understand their pain points and the solutions they seek, this is where you must address those things. If they don’t see value immediately, they will likely bounce and certainly not read/view the other engaging content you may have that will educate, entertain, and inspire them. Getting this right is critically important. If you struggle with engaging and creative writing, then get some help. There is several freelance creative writers on sites such as Freelancer.com or in copywriting departments of writing services, such as Trust My Paper, Writing Judge, and Wow Grade, to name just a few.
Show Your Enthusiasm and Passion
You started this business because you had and still have a passion for the product or service you offer. That needs to come through on your page. If you don’t transmit enthusiasm, your visitors will not relate either. This should be demonstrated in both your words and in any visuals you place on your page. Bland, boring explanations will not generate interest.
John Stieger, Marketing Director for Studicus, puts it this way: “As an academic writing service, we wanted all of our website content very formal, so that students would be impressed. We were so wrong. Once we re-wrote our content, especially our ‘about page,’ and changed the entire tone to show how passionate we were about writing, our heat map analysis showed much better visitor attention. And orders picked up too.”
Speaking of Visuals
The human brain processes visuals about 60,000X faster than words. And retention of what people see through visuals is far better than words. Words do matter, of course. But when you can say something in visual form, visitors will respond more positively and engage far better. Place as many visuals, even videos, on your page to show who you are and to demonstrate the value of your products/services.
For a great example of the use of visuals in an about page, check out Zappos.
State Your Values
Every company says it values its customers and the quality it offers. This really says nothing. When you place values within contexts that visitors can connect to, you are far more genuine.
For example, if your company supports specific causes or charitable efforts, you should show that support, with visuals if possible. If you have some genuine social proof from customers, you might want to periodically place one on your “About” page – this promotes trust.
Your Page is Not a Resume
Resumes are “stuffy.” They provide “about me” information for a potential employer. While you are providing information to a potential customer, you are doing so in a far more casual way. So, lighten up. Use a conversational tone and even add some humor that your audience will appreciate. The goal is to establish a relationship, not a business association.
To Sum it All Up…
For many of your visitors, your “About Page” is your way of introducing yourself. First and foremost, you want to speak to the “who” of you and your brand. Speak to who you are as a person, your background, your interests, your family or pets. The second most important element is your “journey” in starting your business. Here is where your passion, enthusiasm, and values can come into play. These two things will help to establish a bond between you and your visitor because it provides familiarity.
Beyond these, you need to demonstrate value to a potential customer. Consider what problem you will solve, or how you will make life easier, more efficient, or happier.
All of this must be done with your audience in mind – its demographic, its sense of humor, its values, and what it considers important when doing business with a company.
While not every visitor to your site will stop off at your About Us page, still it needs to be stunning, engaging, and relationship-building.
Written by our guest contributor: Kristin Savage
About the author: Kristin Savage is a freelance writer and content marketing consultant, as well as a member of the copywriting departments of Grab My Essay, Best Essay Education and Supreme Dissertations. In what little free time she has, Kristin raises border collies and volunteers with a local animal rescue organization.
