If written well, your About page will encourage perfect strangers to trust you, and consequently, do business with you. Make no mistake; people genuinely want to discover the person behind the pixels, the brains behind the business, and the scene behind the screen.
DO think about your customer
Write your About copy after answering this simple question: If I were the customer, what questions would I ask about the person or people behind this business?
Address those questions with clarity, personality and conciseness and you’re on your way!
DO write in the third person
Write your About page in the third person. In other words, don’t refer to yourself as ‘me’, ‘myself’ or ‘I’. Using ‘he’, ‘she’ or your name helps to build credibility.
DON’T use too much jargon
Avoid using excessive amounts of business jargon, even if your target audience is likely to understand it. Everyday language is much more intimate and accessible than business jargon, which may bamboozle some of your prospects.
DON’T be too general
Tell your personal story rather than writing something general that gives no real insight into who you are.
People in micro business often remove the personal aspects from their websites in an attempt to appear larger and attract corporate clients. But remember, the larger the client, the more research they’re likely to do before they make contact.
Be specific rather than secretive.
DON’T be long-winded
Sharing your story doesn’t mean you need to share every twist and turn of the journey. Save the long-winded life histories for your great grandchildren, and keep the copy on your About page concise.
DO feel free to follow this example
Sarah Smythe provides French language tuition in people’s homes. Questions potential clients may be asking about Sarah while visiting her About page include:
- What are your qualifications?
- Are you a native speaker?
- If not, have you lived in a French-speaking country for any length of time?
- How old are you?
- How much teaching experience do you have?
- What are your interests?
So Sarah might approach her About page like this:
Born in Paris in 1965, Sarah graduated from the University of Paris with a degree in languages. She spent most of her adult life teaching French in schools and pursuing her hobbies of cycling, Scrabble and extreme shopping.
After a brief trip Down Under in 2000, Sarah decided to move to Australia permanently after falling in love with the country - and one of its handsome occupants!
Sarah has been teaching French to children and adults in their Sydney homes for over three years, and she absolutely loves helping people just like you learn to speak French fluently.
An About page inspires action from your website visitors, whether it be good or bad. Share your story in an interesting, personal and effective way, and it’s bound to have a happy ending!
So, do you agree that the About page is one of the most important on your website? Or is it all much ado about nothing? Share your website copy tips for writing your About page.
“ Write your About copy after answering this simple question: If I were the customer, what questions would I ask about the person or people behind this business? ”
Lucinda Lions is a professional copywriter who specialises in writing business slogans that sell. She is the owner of Slogan Creator, and its chief sloganeer.
