How to Write the Best “About” Page Your Audience Will Love

What do you feel is the most important page on your website?

Is it your contact page? Your home page? Or maybe the page that lists all your services or products.

Well, let me break the news. If your a small business owner or entrepreneur, your about page is one of the leading pieces of real estate on your website.

Data and analytics show that it’s one of the most visited pages on any website. So if visitors land on your home page and feel compelled to check out what you’re all about, your content needs to convince them to stick around.

Otherwise you lose out on a potential customer, potential moolah. Right?

So don’t neglect your about page or think throwing up a quick bio is good enough. Spend time crafting a page your audience will love.

So the good news is that your about page doesn’t need to be lengthy or updated on a daily basis. The bad news is, it isn’t easy to write. You may find yourself struggling with conveying the right tone, or striking the balance between professional and personal.

When you have so much invested in your biz, it can be hard to know when to hold back, or what info to share that will truly win your audience over. But that’s why I’m going to help you break it down, so you can write the best about page ever and attract the people you want to attract.

Let’s get started!

1. Provide value because it’s all about them, not you.

When someone comes looking for the type of service or products you offer, they’re most interested in how you can help them.

They don’t visit your website, or your about page, with a burning desire to know how many siblings you have, your new puppy’s name, or where you went to school.

And they don’t visit wanting to read all about how you’re an “Inc that” or “Ltd that” since 1985.

People want to know how you can help them.

It’s really important to keep this in mind when you’re writing your about page. For every sentence, every paragraph, your content should all tie into your business values and what you can do for people. What problem you can help them solve.

If you’re a portrait photographer, you want people to buy your prints or book you for photoshoots right? So in your about page, you have to tell your audience why and how you’re the best photographer for their needs.

Think about what kind of experience your clients will get out of that photoshoot. What’s your vision or inspiration behind your photography? What’s your shooting style?

Telling these details about your business will build trust and draw the right people in. It’ll show them you know what you’re talking about and how you’re gonna help them.

A tip to make it all about them? Write in the second person. So by using the word “you” more than “I.”

Instead of saying, “I create content like blog posts, articles, and website copy,” flip it around and say, “If you need help with blog posts, articles, or website copy, you’ve found the right person.”

Remember, make it all about your ideal audience, not you.

2. Know who you’re targeting.

Here’s the next challenge. Before you jump in and write that perfect about page, you have to know who you’re targeting.

Because you want to attract the right people, not all the people.

Narrow down your dream client and picture writing your page for that individual.

Some businesses go so far as to state who they’re targeting right off the bat like Shopify or GoodLife Fitness.

Even though those statements may sound general, they’re still only appealing to a certain group of people.

Shopify isn’t targeting big-box stores or huge brand name retail hubs, they’re targeting the people who need help with their online businesses–namely, the entrepreneurs.

On the other hand, GoodLife Fitness isn’t targeting the whole world to get fit, they’re specifically targeting Canadians who want to get fit.

Take the intro on my about page as another example:

My purpose is to help creatives and multi-passionates grow a business they love through genuine storytelling and taking inspired action towards their goals.”

When the right people land on my about page, I want them to know exactly who I help and what I do.

If someone reads my purpose and wants content with fluffy language, WORDS IN ALL CAPS, or exclamation points! Where there really doesn’t to be one! Then I’m probably not the right copywriter for them.

And that’s okay, because I want to work with people who understand the power of less is more when it comes to storytelling.

So when you’re thinking about revamping your page, get a little more specific about who it is you want to reach.

3. Make it look pretty and be human.

There are a few things that can either make or break your about page, so let’s talk about what doesn’t work. The big four are these reasons:

• Tiny, hard to read text
• Lengthy paragraphs
• No photos or visuals
• Boring content

If your page isn’t readable because of the small text or long paragraphs, you risk your reader skimming the content or leaving the page all together.

Here’s a look at what not to do for your about page.

First of all, I’m sure you can tell that the content here is plain, boring, and all corporate talk.

There’s no personality here at all.

I’m even willing to bet money on how you probably didn’t read the whole thing. Am I right? I sure didn’t. It’s a struggle to read the very first sentence.

Second, there are no visuals to break up the text. The text is small to begin with and adding the full URLs don’t help with readability.

Here’s a quick look at what GoodLife Fitness does when talking about its successes and reputation:

Compared to Toys “R” Us, the recognition visuals make the page pop. Also, doesn’t Patch, the founder, look pretty chill and happy?

Since people like to put a face to a name, include a photo of yourself on your own about page, or photos of your entire team. But not just any photo, a real photo–not a cartoon caricature or avatar.

Real photos will build trust and credibility with your target audience.

People will get a sense of who you are and feel more of a connection, which all works in your favour because your chances of someone making a purchase will increase.

Remember as humans, we’re drawn to stories.

Don’t underestimate the advantages of storytelling because it can truly help you attract the right audience to your biz.

4. Get personal, tell a story, maybe even boast a little.

Alright, so even though I said people aren’t going to your about page to learn about your new puppy or where you grew up, these tidbits can add a nice, personal touch if you can weave it into your story.

Say if you’re in the life coaching or mentoring biz. Chances are people would love learning about your home life, what you do for fun, etc.

If that potential new client feels like they have something in common with you, they’re also likely to think you can help them. How? Because you’ve already bonded over a mutual love for oreos, americanos, funny cat gifs, etc.

The end of your about page is a chance for you to get a little bit more personal. So go ahead!

Let you readers know how qualified you are to help them.

Do you have stats and numbers that prove your expertise? Are there certain experiences you can tell that led you to start your biz? Maybe a short timeline of how your biz came to be?

Dedicate a small section on your page to tell a piece of your story as it relates to your biz.

Going back to GoodLife Fitness (as a large company, I really do think they have a pretty decent about page), here’s a look at how they’ve displayed their successes using infographics and easy-to-read visuals.

GoodLife Fitness also showcases parts of it history using a clean visual timeline and highlighting the accomplishments of its founder.

Telling the story of your biz history can be a powerful way to draw your reader in. So if your biz is family-run or has been around for generations, let everyone know about it.

One thing to keep in mind though is you want to tell the best version of your history, not the entire history.

If you’re still struggling with how to actually write your about page, reach out to me and let’s chat!

5. Add a call to action.

Lastly, don’t forget to finish your about page with a CTA (call to action). This means getting your readers to do something, after they’ve read your about page.

Think of your CTA as a way to convince your reader to stick around instead of closing their web browser and forgetting about you.

You have a few options of what your CTA can be. Maybe you’d like people to subscribe to your newsletter so you can include a sign-up link at the end.

Want them to follow you on social media? Say so and link to your social media handles. Or maybe you want to direct them to your contact page or list of services.

Whatever CTA you choose, the important thing here is to end with gently directing them to take action. Don’t leave your reader hanging!

Need an example? Check out my about page or since you’ve made it to the end of this blog post, here’s my CTA.