Your “about us” page probably won’t be the most popular page on your website but it will become one of the most important because people who decide to check out your about page out are actually interested in what you’re doing.
So in this guide, I’ll walk you through my formulaic process on how to write an about page that won’t be embarrassing and will actually help convert visitors into subscribers.
What to Include in an About Page
All “about us” pages should include some specific elements. It does not matter if it’s high traffic blog on coffee, a personal development blog for women or an ecommerce store selling bowling balls.
All “about us” pages must have the following:
- Share the narrative of your website, store or blog and why you started it.
- Describe the people you are targeting with your company and the purpose it serves.
- Explain how to navigate or use your website.
- Add pictures of the people behind your brand by featuring the team members.
- Include appealing material (e.g., an explainer video, data visualizations, links to blog articles) that may otherwise clog up your homepage.
- Include a call to action
About Page Breakdown
An effective short about us page should welcome users to the website and let them know the unique selling point of the website as well as why the website was started and why the website is valuable. Next lead into an guided tour of the website and inform users how best to use and navigate the website.
Close the about us page with a clear call to action to subscribe to your email list, buy a product or to contact you. Whatever action is most important in your professional opinion. My own about page for this blog is created in this sort of style. I’ll break it down for you.
Share the narrative of your website, store or blog and why you started it.
On my about page I quickly establish that I’m an experienced, trained professional with respect to what my blog topic and YouTube videos are all about. I establish that I’ve helped tens of thousands of people (verifiable based on video video views, blog traffic and comments) and I link to my freelance page on Fiverr which shows almost one thousand 5 star reviews.
Then I lead into why this blog exists by contrasting it with other websites that are large faceless brands that hire writers in mass to create generic, mediocre content that’s dated and biased and how my blog is better organized, honest and helpful.
Describe the people you are targeting with your company, or the purpose it serves.
After you establish your authority and why the blog exists quickly transition to who it is for and how it helps them. In the next section I focus on how the quality of my blog and videos are created with a specific goal to help you “plan, build, promote and profit” (my trademarked tag for my Teachable powered website).
The target audience being professionals who want to build a minimalist business with a blog, ecommerce store, niche topic blog and so forth. A minimalist business I describe as any operation that has 10 or less team members with high margins and low over head costs.
Explain how to navigate and use your website
Simple enough, this is your opportunity to explain to you visitor how to best explore your website. What comprehensive guides should they view? What features does your website have?
Do you have any products for sale that they should be aware of? A podcast or YouTube channel that compliments your website? What about an email list? Last, make sure all of this ties together with the purpose of your website.
Explain how your products are made (for ecommerce websites)
Running an online store that sells a physical product? Let the visitor know all the cool details that go into the craftsmanship, design and detail of your products.
If you’re a drop shipper of multiple products this is not important but if you are selling a unique offering explain the story and process behind it and what problem your store is solving.
Add pictures of the people behind your brand by featuring the team behind the website.
People want that personal connection as it helps them connect more with the content. Choose pictures that are appropriate for your website. If you’re a lawyer then you need to look the part. A suite and tie all the way. If it’s more casual, then a nice t-shirt or dress is fine.
Just make sure the picture quality is acceptable and the picture you choose is not small and grainy where it’s a bit blown out. My bio image was shot with my Canon 90 with the 10-18mm lens. Nothing fancy, but definitely a step up from a phone.
Include appealing material
Consider including additional material like videos, data visualization such as a business timeline or anything that would not fit on the homepage due to causing too much clutter.
For my own page I have a dedicated “about/media” section that is specifically about me from a professional point of view. Again, though this website is my name it is actually a 6 figure business with a strong focus on helping people. It’s not a personal hobby blog.
Include your struggle (for personal development brands)
If you’re going to be positioning yourself as a coach, fitness expert or giving financial advice it’s helpful to include your previous failures and the lessons learned as you overcame adversity.
I personally don’t do this on my about page. But I could add a section if I wanted and title it something like “From Being a Broke English teacher in Thailand to 10K a Month Digital Nomad ” where I talk about the difficulty and determination it takes to become self employed.
This type of content is most useful to someone who is struggling with something and you’re able to show how you understand and can help them.
Press, testimonials, social proof
Press mentions, customer reviews, or any sort of impressive fact you can point to can all be included on your “about us” page to demonstrate how you’re making a tangible difference that’s being recognized.
James Clear does a masterful job at this. Short, sweet and to the point:
In addition, consider including social proof if possible. There are several methods to incorporate social proof into your about page like including your top performing social media profile, displaying the logos of publications that have written about you, and adding a line from a client review.
Milestones, such as mentions, accolades, and other victories, are typical examples of markers for story midpoints.
Include a call to action
A call to action (CTA) is where you direct a visitor to take some action. What action that may be depends on the website. But typically it’s to subscribe or buy something.
Your about page is an excellent spot to include a call to action to subscribe to your email list or a product or service you highly recommend. At a bare minimum, at least direct the visitor to another page on your site when they get to the bottom of the about page.
Additional must know tips for writing about us pages
There are a lot of best practices for writing an about page. If you do nothing else, make sure to have some type of call to action on this page. This call to action could be to subscribe to the website, checkout your YouTube channel, or read a specific blog post.
Your about page has the power to win over visitors because anyone who clicks it is interested in the reason why behind the website. This your chance to add a personal, but professional touch to your website to help visitors understand the value your website provides.
The about us page is not about you
An about page is never about you personally. It’s about the website and why it exists. Even if you want to create a more personal and longer story driven about page, everything you mention has to tie back into why the website exists, what gives you the authority to write it and why it was started.
There is no right way to to do this other than to focus on the essentials that readers need to know to trust the website. The wrong way is to get a bit too personal and verbose. Going on and on about how you like long walks on the beach and how you went to Mexico that one time.
Establish your unique selling point
In other words talk about your unique selling point, your reason why anyone should care. This may involve the journey you were on that lead you to start the website. Don’t devolve into talking too much about yourself, keep it strictly about why the website came into being.
Also, your unique selling point should not be some millennial nonsense about changing the world or how your website will save humanity. Take it down a notch and just layout how you help people in some small way. By helping people in a small way, even if it’s a coffee blog you do end up making the world a better place.
Just call it and about page
No need to get cute and clever. In your websites menu bar just call the about page “about.” Put it in the main menu at the top or the footer menu (or both). The reason you would want to put it in the footer but not the main menu is to keep the amount of links in your menu bar to a minimum.
Also, the ideal URL structure should be /about and the SEO title should be something like About This Website | Name of Website. Avoid overly complicated URL structures like about-name-of-website.
Why should anyone listen to you?
Key focuses about you personally should revolve around why you are qualified to write what you’re writing. Remember, no one cares about you until after they’re a fan. If they’re reading your about page then likely they are a new visitor.
Throw in any “featured in _____” or any credentials you have. If no credentials, what about results or feedback from your audience? You need to include something in order to build trust.
Use a photo of yourself smiling
Within reason. No need to have a full on goofy smile, but an inspiring picture of you looking happy and doing something cool makes people feel that you have things together and have the answers to success (even if you don’t). Try to be in shape too.
Also, make sure the picture is taken with a proper camera and not your phone. It does not need to be a studio shot, but it does have to be of respectable quality to invoke trust.
Know your audience
You have to have some idea of who will be visiting your website. Are they rich or poor, young or old, religious, moral, immoral. What do they struggle with? What language do they use to describe the problems they have? Use this language in your about page to convey that you understand and can help.
When you’re able to use phrases to describe the problems your target audience faces, it’s incredibly effective at conveying that your website has the solutions to the problems your audience has.
How to write an About Page Conclusion
Your about page will not be the most popular page on your website, but it will be one of the most important. It helps new visitors better understand your website, the value it provides as well as how to navigate it quickly and easily. You need an about page for any type of website so if you don’t already have one, get started creating a helpful “about us” page today.
