Your About Page is an unsung hero when it comes to creating a website. If your website was a home, this page would be the photos on the fridge, the books on the nightstand and the scribbled shopping lists; all the little details that show your guests you’re a real human being, and a trustworthy one at that.
In fact, 52% of people head straight to a website’s About Page before any other page. It’s what starts to establish a relationship with your customers, informing them both about what your business offers and the story behind it.
It doesn’t end with building trust, either — improving your About Page has been shown to generate more conversions. How’s that for a golden opportunity? Unfortunately, not enough people creating a website make the most of it.
An About Page is not a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a must. At State Creative, we’re in the businesses of creating websites, so we thought we’d explore the power of the About Page in maximizing your website’s potential.
Simply having one is good, but taking your About Page from bland to compelling is what will really drive results.
Whether the goal of your website is to drive ecommerce sales, generate leads or engage people in your not-for-profit, there are a few key elements you’ll want to nail to let the essence of your business shine through.
This is your chance to tell your business’ story and communicate your values — in your own authentic voice. Remember, at the end of the day, people want to feel connected to you in a human way before they engage with your business. In fact, 60% of customers feel more positive about a brand after reading content from and about it.
The greatest thing about this page is that you just get to be yourself. Inject some character and personality as you invite your visitors in and show them around. This is where your ‘why’ comes in – what drives you and your business?
Settle in around the campfire and dust off your storytelling skills – it’s time to tell your customers how your business came to life, delve into the journey and its successes, and explain what gives it that special something.
You can either tackle this content on your own, or bring in experienced writers to help find and craft your voice.
Remember back when we were talking about how many people head straight to a website’s About Page? Well, a lot of the time they just want to know what your business does. Make sure to strip it right back.
This is your ‘What’ – what exactly do you offer your customers? What makes you different? Whether you sell boutique jewelry, offer kickass digital services or are a mobile mechanic, make sure nobody leaves without knowing exactly how you can help them.
Include reviews and testimonials to help boost your credibility – after all, 84% of customers will now trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.
Looks aren’t everything, but imagery is crucial to bring any About Page to life. It allows your customers to start forming a real-life picture from the virtual reality of your website.
Whether they’re photos of your bricks-and-mortar shopfront, headshots of your team members, or old school pictures of the early days, images say, ‘Hey, we exist as real people.”
Mystery might be a drawcard in the dating game, but if your About Page is hard to find, your customers aren’t going to stick around for long.
Seamless navigation and user-friendliness that makes your About Page really easy to engage with will put you in a whole new league. It’s about keeping your customers with you – over-complicated web design has been shown to drive visitors away.
Once your customers are there and have read your brilliant content, you’ve got to give them somewhere to go. In other words, something that lets them take their interest a step further Here are a few examples of effective Call-To-Actions:
A well-designed website will allow for seamless connection with your customers, on your About Page and everywhere else.
Ah, mistakes. Everyone makes ‘em, but we’ve been around the web design game for long enough to help you avoid some common ones.
While this page is to educate and inform visitors to your site, remember to keep it customer centric. Tell your clients what they will gain from your products or service, and include the details of your story that highlight the best of what you offer.
There’s no need to make sensational claims or repeat what you’ve got on your homepage, unless it really needs clarifying.
While you should take the opportunity to talk to your customers about what makes you stand out, keep it real and avoid being too salesy on your About Page.
You’re talking to real people here – and many of them for the first time – so when creating a website, keep it simple and accessible.
Think of your About page like the modern-day version of inviting your customer in for a cuppa (or a cold one) and just good ol’ fashioned getting to know them. Have fun with it, get creative and let a bit of humour in if it feels right for you.
