This is part two of a two-part series on website pages. You can read the 7 features your home page should have here.
The about page of your website is like a caddy at a golf course.
He or she may not get a lot of attention or fame, but they do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Writing an about page seems straight-forward. People assume they just need to drop a photo of them and their family, give the highlight reel of their background, and call it good.
If you are doing it this way, you are not taking advantage of one of the most read pages of a website.
There are some ways you can use your about page to increase conversions on your website so that it isn’t just a static calling card, but instead part of the funnel that helps people go from apathetic to interested.
Most people think their about page should be about them. That’s what the title of the page says, right?
An effective about page actually is really about the reader and how you help them, while still weaving in your story and your strengths.
Here are a few of the elements you should have to help make your about page work for your website (with examples!).
1. A benefit-driven headline.
Instead of topping your page with a simple, “About us” what if you used that real estate to grab attention and call out what you can do for the reader?
The headline is the centerpoint of any page. So make it count.
Focus on the thing that your customers want and what it is about you that can bring that to them.
Take Amy Porterfield’s headline on her about page. Instead of saying, “About Amy” and launching into her story, her headline says, “How I went from overworked ‘yes girl’ to helping thousands of online entrepreneurs build a life and business they love.”
This headline does a few things at once. She ties in her story in a way that is relatable. She gives some impressive results (Thousands of entrepreneurs!). She invokes curiosity. (How did she do that?). And, if you are an online entrepreneur, doesn’t it make you pause and think about how YOU want a life and business you love?
2. Copy that tells a story but also shows how you solve a problem and how you are different.
The words, or copy, you use on your about page should do a dance. You don’t want it to fall too much in the “autobiographical” category, where it is simply giving your life story and your accomplishments. This is not a resume.
At the same time, you don’t want it to leave you or your company out completely. Especially if you are a soloprenuer, you are part of your brand.
Your copy needs to walk a fine line of incorporating a story of what you overcame or what you offer that is different, while involving the reader.
There are a lot of ways to do this. But the primary goal should be that you make sure and help your reader picture how you can help them.
For my client, Imagine it Done, I started with their customer's pain points, and then shifted into how the business can help overcome them. The copy is directed at the reader, but it also gives tidbits describing what makes Imagine it Done stand out in its industry.
It says,
"Sometimes you feel like our life in in shambles. It’s hard to manage a career, family, and other day-to-day obligations when your drawers are a jumbled collection of random items. You are constantly rummaging through stuff struggling to find the one thing you need. You want to get organized, but you don’t know where to start or how to maintain it when you do. The idea of diving into such a big project seems daunting.
That's where Imagine it done comes in ... We are an exclusive organization company based in NYC, with proven systems and methods to help you not only organize your home but keep it that way. We will teach you how to edit your belongings, keep what you need and love, while discarding what you don’t. Eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary will speak. "
Or take the About page on Social Curator, which is a social media content tool by Jasmine Star. The page is called, “About Jasmine,” and yet, if you see the copy at the top of the page, it’s really about YOU.
"Meet the founder of Social Curator, your social media lifesaver. I can predict your future if you let me. (No, I don't have a Magic 8-ball, it's just the truth.
There are millions of reasons why you could talk yourself out of pursuing your big, scary dream, BUT YOU WON’T.
You won’t let another year pass without taking life by the horns and say, “I’M READY... AND I’M NOT BACKING DOWN... I’M GONNA DO THIS AND YOU BETTER BE PREPARED FOR MY AWESOMENESS.” Sounds easier than it is, right? I know the exact feeling.
Now, if you scroll down, you’ll see where she ties in her story (and it’s an amazing one by the way). But she starts with her audience and where they are at.
3. Personality.
Make sure your about page is capturing your unique personality. Maybe that is through humor. Maybe it is with a story of how you overcame the problem in your unique way. Maybe it is with photos. But somehow, your personality should shine through.
People buy from people. So incorporating that into your page will help shape a personality that people will like and trust.
This about page for photographer Lindsey Roman has a slide show of “fun facts.” They are light, fun and help you get an idea of who she is.
4. A short bio.
This is not something that should be front and center, but it is good to include a short bio that hits on the highlights of parts of your background that are relevant. Be succinct, to the point and only add the professional background that ties into what you are doing now. (No one needs to know about your summer job in college, unless it is the reason you are doing what you are doing now).
You can also add a few little fun facts or tidbits that add some dimension and show that you are a real person. Maybe you add a few hobbies or random facts people wouldn’t normally know about you.
This is a great place to add in more personality.
5. Beautiful visuals to break it up.
Make sure your about page isn’t one long stream of text. Especially in digital form, it’s hard to keep people’s attention with a block of text. Break up the copy with photos of you or stock photography that is relevant to your niche. Use bullet points, photos, sub-headlines or boxes to separate out certain points.
Add in a couple testimonials or some logos from outlets you have made a guest appearance.
Coming back to Amy Porterfield, I love how her page is broken into different sections, but it still flows well and tells her story in a beautiful, minimalistic way.
6. A call to action.
This is another thing people often skip.
Now that people have read your story, related to it and seen how you can help them, what is the next step? Do you want them to view your portfolio? Sign up for your newsletter? Book a call? Show them through a button that guides them to that place.
Make sure that button is clear about what exactly they should do. This is not the time to be witty or coy. People often need to be told what to do. Tell them.
When it comes to calls to action, more is not better. You don’t want to overwhelm people with options. Keep it to one or two.
Here is a section of funnel stylist Jenn Robbin’s about page. Her copy is about the reader and she gives them one, very clear next step. Bonus points that it is high energy and makes you want to click.
Results is my middle name.* Ok results isn't ACTUALLY my middle name. It's Bryand (my maiden name). But I'm incredible focused on getting results for my clients.
"You see, I'm a recovering accountant. As in, I have a BBA in accounting from OU and worked in public accounting for years! So I know the ins and outs of financial statements, the importance of a sound budget, and how crucial ROI is for small businesses. (Not sure what ROI is? That stands for Return On Investment. As in, what do you get from working with me.)
My goal is to deliver the highest possible ROI for my clients.
Like the client who hired me for ONE HOUR and saw a 70% conversion rate on her landing page. Or the one who hired me for half day to rework her website and made $10,000 on her free summit. Or the one who hired me to rework her funnels and then had her first SIX FIGURE WEEK.
WANNA SEE THAT KIND OF ROI?
It can be tempting to neglect your about page and focus on some other flashier pages on your site. But if you do that, you could be missing a great opportunity to connect with your website visitor and make it clear how they can’t live without you.
Want to make sure ALL of your website pages are working for your business? Download my website audit checklist.
OR skip the DIY and get my eyes on your site by booking a Website Renew Session.