How to write your website’s About page.
Writing about your work can be a daunting task for any entrepreneur. It can be difficult to find the right words to accurately describe you and the work you do. Adding to the challenge is that the About page is often considered the most frequently viewed page on a website. The pressure is on!
Whether you're DIYing your own About page, or if you want to assess your existing About page, writing your About page is an opportunity to showcase what makes your brand unique and authentic; it is an opportunity to spark a fire under your customer.
How would you greet a welcomed visitor to your home? What would you say? What would you offer them? As you read on, I invite you to envision yourself welcoming your ideal customer to your house, and consider how you would engage with them. Consider this simple visualization as you read the following tips and suggestions of how to draft your About page.
1. Offer a warm welcome.
Start by greeting your visitor. It sounds obvious, but so many websites neglect to include a greeting, which usually results in their business coming across as generic, and the language transactional or sterile. This is your opening statement. Make sure it’s welcoming and that draws in your visitor. It can be clean and simple or fun and quirky. The important thing is to make sure it sounds genuine.
2. Introduce yourself, and let your personality shine.
Don’t be afraid to be personal. You’ve probably heard that “people like to buy from people” and they like to buy from people they like. They want to know that investment is worth their while, and if you can make them feel comfortable, heard, and understood the chances of them purchasing your product or hiring you for your service greatly increases.
3. Know your audience.
How can you really draw in your visitor without having a better idea of who they are and what they need? To do this effectively, think about what your customer is seeking. Consider your ideal customer. Who are they? How do they spend their day? What sparks joy for them? What is their greatest challenge? What do they desire? What problem or issue do they need solved?
4. Establish a connection with your reader.
Once you have identified who you’re addressing, you can think about how you want to connect with them. What do you think is important for them to know about you? How can you engage them? What questions does your visitor have? How can you answer their questions and address their concerns? By doing this you can build trust, establish a rapport, and make your customer feel heard and understood. Simply put: you have them in a place that feels comfortable.
5. Share more of your story.
Your About page is another opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Consider adding a personal anecdote. Share a story of how you got to where you are. Were you in a grueling corporate job that left you feeling numb and exhausted? Were you traveling overseas and inspired by the craftsmanship of Indian artisans? Did your grandmother’s cooking inspire you to start a cafe? Did witnessing a friend’s health challenge motivate you to work in the wellness field? Spend some time reflecting on how it is you got to where you are, and then share some of that on your About page.
BY INCLUDING MORE OF YOUR STORY AND YOUR INSPIRATION, YOU SHOW YOUR READER THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, YOU MAY HAVE SHARED VALUES WITH YOUR CUSTOMER, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT YOU’RE A REAL PERSON. YOUR VISITOR THEN BECOMES MORE INVESTED IN YOUR STORY AND INTERESTED IN YOUR BRAND.
6. Write like you speak, and just be yourself.
A common question and concern of entrepreneurs is, “How do I write about my work without sounding sales-y and fake?”. The answer is simple: just be yourself. Talk to your reader as if you’ve just met them at a friend’s dinner party and you’ve started to naturally hit it off. Use language and terms you frequently use. How do you describe your work, product, or services to your best friend? Do you use a specific word or phrase a lot in conversation? Do you say ciao or cheers when waving goodbye? Write like you speak (while, of course, checking grammar) and you’ll instantly sound more like you and less like a car dealer.
7. Give them a direction. Lastly, wrap up your About page with a clearly defined directive. If you had a visitor to your home you wouldn’t just offer them a glass of water and then leave them in the living room, would you? The same principle applies to a visitor to your website. What’s the call to action? Tell them what to do--- Shop Now, Sign-Up for a Free Consultation, Download the Ebook, Get a Coupon Code. Don’t leave your visitor hanging. Pat them on the back and show them around your house, or send them on their merry way.
IF YOU’RE FEELING TONGUE-TIED, AND SHORT ON IDEAS OF HOW TO CRAFT YOUR ABOUT PAGE, TRY REFLECTING ON THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING:
- What do I really want to get across to my customer?
- Why am I saying what I’m saying?
- What is the point of my message?
- Why is this important to me?
- Why is this important to my customer?
- How would I describe my work I do to a close friend or colleague?
- What kinds of experiences (challenging, rewarding, inspiring) have lead me to do this work, providing these services, or creating this product?
- What keeps me inspired to do the work I do?
- What do I want my customer to do once they’re done reading this page?
- How do I want my customer to feel after reading this page?
If done intentionally, writing your About page can help you to explore your story and how and why you do the work you do. Consider your inspiration, challenges, and your grander vision for your work. Uncover the authentic and unique corners of your business personality and then make it shine on the page.