Building a Better “About Us” Page

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Did you know a recent study showed that 52% of users said the first thing they check out on a new site is the About Us page?

This makes perfect sense in the wacky world of eCommerce because we don’t get a chance to meet our customers face to face. They don’t want to give us money because they don’t know us yet. It’s one of our first opportunities to make a connection with our customers.

Courtesy of Canva

Basically, it’s really important.

It’s a huge mistake to overlook the power of the About Us page. Not only is it prime real estate, it could be the start of a beautiful relationship between us and our customers. So if our About Us page has become an outdated relic, it’s time to think about a redesign that our customers will love.

Beyond the “We’re Awesome!” Story

No one likes to read how awesome we are.

Sure, we need to explain why we’re a great business and why someone should buy from us. But that doesn’t mean it needs to feel boastful or over the top. One of my favorite About Us pages tell a simple story in an interesting way. People want to learn more about us but get turned off when it’s all about how amazing we are.

Instead, find a new way to tell the same story. My husband and I have owned a karate school for over 23 years. Instead of the boring: “We are the best karate school in town” page, we opted for a different approach. We say a little about how long we’ve been there but we also added something fun. We always get asked martial arts questions, so we list our favorite martial arts quotes, heroes, movies and our proudest moments. Be creative and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Example: 500px

500px is a social site for photographers and their About Us page is both unique and interesting. What better way to tell their story than a history with pictures?

500px About Us page screenshot

Make It Interesting!

When someone tells us we have to write our About Us pages, we think in terms of actual words. And yes, of course we need to use words. The point is we are not limited to words. In About Us & Shipping Information Page Templates, Andrew Roach shares a few ideas of what we can incorporate into our copy:

Interesting infographic
Cool introductory video
An inspirational startup story
Conceptual pictures and graphics

Regardless of our budgets, we can find engaging media to include on our pages. Sure parallax scrolling is super cool. But so is a live video or infographic.

Example: Tim Ferris

Tim Ferris is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek and popular podcast host. Along with the expected author biography, his About Me page includes a link to his latest podcast episode and his social media feed. If our About pages are to introduce us to the world, this one excels at its mission.

Tim Ferris About Us page screenshot

Make People Care

One of the old business sayings is: people do business with people they like.

Sure, sometimes we have to do business with a cable company we dislike because it’s our only option. But we would rather do business with people we like, trust and admire. Our About Us page is how we turn visitors into prospects into customers.

Think of an About Us page as a 30-second sales pitch. Of course, we would introduce ourselves but we would also want to tell them the best parts of our business. People will connect with us if we hit on shared values or common interests. We want to put what makes us special front and center in a way that feels warm and inviting and never preachy.

Example: Yellow Leaf Hammock

Yellow Leaf Hammock’s About Us page is listed on several of the top About Us page lists for good reason. It’s engaging, interactive, and visually appealing. It’s clear about it’s sustainable social change but it’s also about embracing naps! Who wouldn’t love that?

Yellow Hammock About Us page screenshot

Remembering Our Prime Real Estate

Sometimes we forget the most basic web page in our quest to get customers on our email list. We forget that our About Us page is a key component in a customers journey. Either we don’t put a lot of thought or effort into that page or we write an ode to our magnificence that no one will ever read.

Instead of overlooking this prime piece of internet real estate, taking the time to completely overhaul our stale and outdated About Us pages. Focus on engagement and make it interesting. Create a page that is more than a boring story about how we’re awesome. Take everything that makes us and our business special and build one amazing page. If that sounds a little overwhelming, just remember the About Us page Golden Rule:

Create a page that someone would actually enjoy reading.

Liesha Petrovich
Liesha's a writer by day and Kyokushin Black Belt by night. She's the author of Killing Rapunzel: Learning How to Save Yourself Through Determination, Grit, and Self-Employment (her mother hates the title - but it's a metaphor mom!). She talks freelancing adventures at Microbusiness Essentials.

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