Quick question: when did you last actually read your own About page? Not skim it while feeling slightly guilty for having that headshot from 2019 still there: properly read it, the way a potential customer would?

If the answer is “err, never”, you’re not alone. The About page is one of the most visited pages on any small business website, second only to the homepage in a lot of cases, and it’s also one of the most neglected. It gets written once, usually a couple of days before the website launch, and then nobody touches it again for years.

The trouble is, this is the page where visitors decide whether they trust you. So if it reads like a slightly dull CV, you’re missing a huge opportunity to build rapport with your future clients.

Tell a story, not a job history

A sequence of events is not a story – especially when you tell it in a passive voice. 

“Steve’s Widgets was established in 2016 to provide high quality widgets to a wide range of customers”.

SNOOZE.

“Hi, I’m Steve. In 2016, I saw for myself the poor quality of most widgets my customers were buying and I decided to do something about it.” 

Now I’m interested. (Sort of. I mean, they’re still widgets.)

As Simon Sinek famously pointed out, people connect with your why not your what. They can find out what you do from your product and service pages. Your About page is where they go to make a connection with you and your business: your why becomes very important here.

So instead of the usual “Founded in 2015, we offer a range of services including…”, try starting with the problem that made you start the business in the first place. What were you frustrated by? What gap did you spot? What does your business aim to do better than anyone else’s?

Lead with that.

Show your (real) face 

Most small businesses compete against larger ones on the basis that they provide a more personalised service. Yet often their About pages lack decent founder/ team photos and biographies.

Now, we love AI, but please don’t use an AI headshot on your About page! If people can’t trust you to show a real photo of yourself, they may not trust you to deliver on your promises either. It’s worth the time and investment to get a decent set of photographs of you and your team – and you can use these across lots of marketing channels, not just your website. 

Try and tell some of the “people stories” too. Detailed information about the company is one thing, but sharing a few relatable fun anecdotes about the people who are going to interact with your customers is what builds trust. 

We practise what we preach, too: just look at this banger on our About page! You’re definitely going to buy from these people aren’t you!! Especially once you click their photos and hear their stories (or you’ll think Gary is just quite sad for his Bon Jovi obsession).

Bring in the social proof

Show don’t tell! Your About page shouldn’t just be you telling people you’re awesome: you need to prove it. Remember that most people won’t try something unless someone else has tried it first.

Testimonials from happy clients, a feed of your Google/ TrustPilot reviews, a logo strip of businesses you’ve worked with and/or your awards and accreditations are all good examples of social proof. They help to reassure potential clients that other people have taken the leap already and had good results.

Tell people about your business

In amongst the lovely photos and engaging founder stories, don’t forget to include solid details about what your business actually does and who for.

Our About page places this section above the details of our company’s history, awards and certifications:

The reason we lead with it is because people have to know why our business is relevant to them before we can expect them to be interested in our founding story or what other people think of us.

So, in summary, your revamped About page needs:

• A cracking founder story
• Decent quality non-AI photos of you and your team
• Strong social proof
• Specific details about what you do

Remember … people buy from people (even in the B2B world) so make sure your personality and your credentials shine through on your About page. This is how you’ll stand out from all the other similar businesses who say all the right things, but forget to make a real human connection.

If you’d like more help spicing up your online marketing, come along to one of our digital skills masterclasses, or get in touch for a chat.