Many believe that Michael Jackson expressed his growing concern for the environment in his hit “Earth Song.” However, if you have any experience with building a website, you probably know that Michael’s “What About Us” cries during the chorus refer to the various challenges of writing an awesome ‘About Us’ page.
A good ‘About Us’ (or ‘About Me’) page serves as a firm handshake and a charming opening line at a networking event, while a bad one is more of a stain on your jacket and a piece of parsley stuck between your teeth. This page allows you to showcase your business’s strengths, provide essential information about your activity and generally summarize your company’s unique identity. Afraid this process might be too difficult for you? If you follow the 9 steps mentioned in this article, it will be as easy as using a website builder to create your website.
Here are our nine tips for creating an amazing ‘About Us’ page with a nod to great web design at the same time:
Structure your ‘About Us’ page
Just like construction workers don’t pile up bricks before there’s a detailed plan for the entire house, you should have a general idea for the structure and design of your ‘About Us’ page before you start pouring content into it like a concrete mixer. ‘About Us’ pages are vulnerable to becoming the leftover dinner of your website, adding up to an incoherent mixture of content you didn’t know where to place.
When addressing the structure of your ‘About Us’ page, try to decide in advance:
What kind of information you’d like to include on the page – and which details you want to omit.
How you will structure the page – how many strips, pictures, paragraphs etc.
How the style of the page will reflect your company’s spirit.
Which photos you will use.
If you’d like to add videos.
How to connect the ‘About Us’ page to other pages on your site and your social channels.
Tell a story
Every story has a beginning. Customers visiting your site will be happy to know when, where and how your business came to life. Bureaucracy tales or introducing your own odyssey are two ways to send your readers somewhere else, but if you remember some cute anecdotes that don’t collide with your business’ image and you’re comfortable with revealing – why not share them with your readers? If your great-great-grandfather opened the family social media managing business in 1904 – that’s a fact worth mentioning. But be careful not to abuse the anecdotes: they are like spices. If you add them in the right measure, they’ll give more taste to your story. On the other hand, too much might just destroy your plot.
On a more serious note, make sure you emphasize the interesting part of your background. If you have few years of experience in your field – make sure it’s somewhere in the text. Opened your business yesterday and still waiting for the first gig? Focus on your new and innovative style. The bottom line is – tell your story, from the beginning, while shedding light on the most important and relevant parts.
Think of the present
Showing off your roots is a good thing, but don’t neglect your current activity. The flow of the text should exhibit growth and development, from the starting point to the present. However, while describing your latest operations, remember not to share information that might make you lose potential customers. Don’t highlight projects that will make some viewers seek other options, don’t expose too many details about previous customers (even if you were allowed to, make sure you’re not perceived as a “kiss and tell” kind of company) and don’t exaggerate when describing your products (no, there’s no chance Sting, Oprah Winfrey and Queen Elizabeth said that your foot lotion is the best thing that happened to them).
Use the ‘About Us’ page to tell readers what you’re offering. Even if other sections of your site contain a full review of your products and services, this page is the place to include a short and clear summary of your company’s enterprises alongside a list of all of its pros.
Use the voice of your company
There’s a certain style to the content you publish, a type of language that people are used to hearing from you. This special tone can be found in the text on your site, in its design, in the content you choose to upload on social media channels and in the smell of your keyboard. Okay, maybe without the last one (your salty snacks preferences can and should remain private). These Wix website examples will show you what we mean.
Besides staying in line with the voice you developed for your brand, try to think in advance about the most fitting writing style for the ‘About Us’ page. Obviously, if you run a small financial consulting business, don’t go with the wording from the more familiar end of the spectrum. On the other hand, don’t stick to legal writing while describing your new food truck. Think about the vibe you want to cast and how it will serve your business.
Throw photos and videos in the mix
This one is pretty simple. Photos and video provide a vital visual aspect when presenting your company. In addition, studies in neuromarketing show that visual content humanizes your brand and reinforces trust. This type of media show the real people behind your business and breaks the distance between your team and your visitors.
It’s ideal for you to include photos and videos from your actual workplace, and not shiny, boring stock photos that come with the smell of a fake company. If using a camera isn’t your strong side, consult with friends and colleagues. The final outcome needs to be aesthetic but it doesn’t have to look like an award winning photo.
Make sure there are no spelling errors or grammar mistakes
We know, we know – this is one tip you should follow whenever you write, but sometimes, after you worked on the ‘About Us’ page for ten days in a row, there’s a strong urge to just type in the final period, click publish and run to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones. It’s difficult to resist, but we can’t stress how important re-reading your text is. Invest 15 minutes in going through your content and it will be as profitable as investing in Steve Jobs when he still worked in his garage. On top of that, make sure you a have spell checker like Grammarly, or any other similar tool, to help you in a time of need.
Do your SEO homework
The ‘About Us’ page doesn’t float in a different dimension, separate from the rest of your site. You need to make sure that the page will serve as another boost for your website on the search results ladder. All the rules of SEO – Search Engine Optimization – apply here as well:
Use relevant keywords, but don’t force them.
Optimize your images and videos.
Make sure your text and your site structure are Google friendly – here you’ll find a full guide to boosting your SEO under one hour.
Link to your social channels
It’s time to get that red and blue outfit from the closet and start calling yourself Peter Parker because you’re about to spin a social web! The Contact Us page is often home for links to your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., however, an ‘About Us’ page isn’t a “no social links” zone. Showing your wide social presence is another important aspect of your company’s activity. Take inspiration from this beautiful Contact Us pages.
On a similar note, ensure that the About sections on your social profiles and pages aren’t just the outcome of the art of copying and pasting. The content doesn’t have to be completely different, but you should try to tailor it to the social platform it’s on.
Show off your reputation
Even if on a daily basis you’re a modest mouse, when it comes to your business, don’t hold back with exposing your street cred. The ‘About Us’ text isn’t an advertisement, but it should present your company in a positive light, highlighting unique services and products and inspiring trust. The best ways to do so are:
Customer Reviews and Recommendations – Reviews are a great way to introduce your business as a trustworthy and reliable establishment. However, reviews can sometimes turn into a double edged sword. If you’re worried that angry customers might taint your review sheet, you can handpick praising reviews or collect positive mentions on social media.
Testimonials – These customer statements are a bit different than reviews. Being more detailed and frontal, they can appear as text or a video, establishing trust and boosting the credibility of your brand. Adding the customers’ names and photos will just enhance the testimonial effect.
Press – Last but not least, media coverage. We all know the power of the “As Seen on TV” spell. TV, radio and print media aren’t what they used to be 20 years ago, but they’ll still help with positioning your company as a reliable and trusted one.
Bonus tip: present numbers and infographics
Think of your readers. Don’t let them face the masses of text you’ve created without some refreshment breaks. Just like the water bottles given to runners during a marathon, including interesting figures about your company through eye-catching infographics and illustrations is a great way to give folks a break, and add important information in an easy-to-read style. Icons can also serve as the scarf that brings out the “eye color” of your text. If you want a good example of an ‘About Us’ page, just check out ours.