Creative Spotlight: Why Your “About Us” Page Isn’t Really About You At All
Did you know that your “About Us” page is the second or third-most looked at page on your website? That’s right, after your home page, the “About” page is the first place most customers go to check out who the face behind the business is.
People like to buy from people they know, like, and trust. This is common knowledge in sales, but when it comes to websites, the number of people who overlook their “About Us” page is surprising because they consider it a background page that people don’t often look at.
Nothing is further from the truth. Creating a personal brand, or “selling yourself,” is as critical today as it’s ever been if you want to create a foundation of trust.
Plus, it’s fun. There are many things you can do with your “About Us” page to make it more engaging, such as telling a story, providing social proof, or making a fun video. But first, let’s look at the number one sin website owners commit when writing their “About Us” page copy.
You Make the “About Us” Page all About You!
Take a look at any small business’s “About Us” page and you’ll probably find it’s is all about them. You might not find this very surprising. It is, after all, an “About Us” page. Remember, people visit your site because they are looking for something. They have a problem that needs to be solved, and they are looking for something that solves that problem.
People are pretty self-centered by nature. This is especially true when it comes time to hand over cash for something. If your page doesn’t address their problems and present a solution, visitors are probably going to ignore it because your customers don’t care about you, they care about what you can do for them.
Enough About Us — Let’s Talk About You
Image via Pixabay by geralt
Imagine you see this example on a website for a local business, “We are a professional team of hole diggers who have been digging holes for over ten years.” Now compare it to the example, “Summer’s coming and you really want to give the kids a kiddie pool. But there’s simply no time to do the preliminary digging. No problem, we at Holes R Us have you covered.”
The second example is by far the better one. Why? Because they have identified a common problem their typical customer has, and have directly stated how they can solve it. You can talk about yourself a little after you have established yourself as the problem solver. After having their own issues addressed, most people will want to know a little about who is actually going to do the work.
Know Your Why
Simon Sinek, author and leadership consultant, said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.”
Share with your customers why you’re in business. The purpose, cause, or belief that inspires you to do what you do can resonate deeply with other people, and once you form this deep connection with others, they’re more likely to be loyal to you. When customers form this kind of attachment to a brand, it becomes difficult to separate themselves from that brand and form an attachment to another one. The easiest way to do this is to share your beliefs or values.
Statements like these resonate with people on a deep level and foster a sense of trust in you and your brand.
- “We believe small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They can be at the forefront of innovation and be a force for change.”
- “We believe every child has potential, which is why we offer programs for some of the most disadvantaged children in the country.”
- “We believe access to healthcare is the right of every American.”
Find Your Unique Voice
You don’t need a therapist to tell you that you are an individual, so don’t disappear into the ether with a lot of corporate speak that hides your true personality. Let it shine. Most people, however, find it difficult to talk about themselves, let alone discover their unique voice. A simple trick to help you get past that is writing as you speak.
Remember when you started your business and went around passionately telling everyone about what you did? That’s the voice you want to capture. Practice speaking with a close friend before you start writing and get some feedback. Once you move your mind away from “I have to write an About Us page,” you’ll find the ideas start to flow.
These things also work in your favor:
- A sense of humor is nice, but don’t overdo it. You’re showing that you’re easy and approachable, not a stand-up comedian.
- A personal story about what made you start your business can work really well, but you need to craft a story that works. Marie Catribs’ page is an excellent example of good storytelling.
- A video of yourself speaking directly to your audience is especially effective. It can be you speaking face-to-face to the camera, or you can use Animoto to create something even more visually appealing. However, don’t rely on video exclusively. Your carefully crafted words combined with video will have a better effect on the audience.
- Infographics are all the rage, and they have great visual impact. CopyPress has its own infographics service that is great for summarizing quick facts or creating timelines in a beautifully visual way. Simple banners are also good for jazzing up an otherwise boring photo of yourself.
But Where’s The Proof?
Social proof is one of the most important things you can have on your “About Us” page. If you have helped others achieve success and/or you have facts and figures to support your business, include them. These are best presented using either an infographic or worked into the theme template. It’s proof of how great you are without you having to brag.
If you think of your ‘”About Us” page as your pre-sales page, you’ll realize what an important job it has to do. However, if you treat it as a chore, it will come across in your message. Follow these guidelines and have some fun with it. Remember, if you still have trouble writing one of the most important pages on your site, you can always hire a professional to do it for you.
CopyPress writer
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