6 Tips for What to Include in a Website About Page
One of the most important pages on your website is your about page. Your website about page is essentially your online elevator speech for your organization. When it is well-written, your about page can capture a visitor’s attention, inspire curiosity, and start to cultivate trust. Here’s our advice for drafting an effective about page for your website.
Website About Page Tip #1: Be Succinct
Create succinct, skimmable content. Chances are, potential readers of your abou” page are not interested in a documentary about your organization. Instead, they want to be able to quickly understand who you are and what you can do for them.
Website About Page Tip #2: Explain Who You Are
Clearly explain your organization’s identity. If you’re a solo act, briefly describe what you do (e.g., artist, business consultant, etc.), your experience, and your achievements. If you’re part of an organization, categorize your organization (e.g., science museum) and the work that it does (e.g., allows children and adults to learn about and experience science through hands-on exhibits). If you include any photographs, make sure that they are current.
Website About Page Tip #3: Stand Out From the Crowd
Outline your professional values in a clear value proposition. Be careful to avoid vague adjectives like “quality” that serve more as placeholders and that many people overuse. Explain what makes you unique and what you provide for your customers (or donors if you’re a non-profit). For example, a more precise way to indicate that you value creating quality products is to briefly describe how you listen to clients to create a custom product or experience that they are ultimately pleased with.
Website About Page Tip #4: Speak to a Specific Consumer
Describe your target demographic. Your target demographic is a reflection of who benefits from your organization and its values. Define your ideal customer (or donor if you’re a non-profit). And perhaps do some name dropping if you have permission to do so from your more high-profile customers.
Website About Page Tip #5: Show Proof
Demonstrate proof of concept. Build your reputation by providing your audience with evidence that you are who you say you are. For example, if you mention awards that you’ve won, include an image of your award or a stable link to the award website that cites you or your organization as an award winner.
Website About Page Tip #6: Include Photos of Your Staff
Consumers want to see the people behind the curtain. No matter what kind of organization you are, be sure you include high-quality photos of all your key personnel so people feel like they are dealing with real, live people, rather than an anonymous organization.
Reputation Matters
According to Blue Acorn, consumers who visit an about page of a company website are five times more likely to make a purchase from that company. As you’re drafting your about page, remember that it is just as important to spend time on brainstorming as it is to craft a cohesive statement of who you are as an organization. If you don’t spend adequate time reflecting on your unique attributes and goals, your about page will likely appear more like stock language than a compelling representation of yourself or your organization.
Compelling about pages take time and energy to craft. If you are struggling to create an about page for your website, seek the help of marketing professionals that can aid you in achieving your vision.
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