Source: How to use your About page as a secret weapon to boost credibility and drive leads by Todd E Jones.
Most people really don’t want to talk about themselves.
Maybe we feel we are being self-centered. . . Maybe we think we are being narcissistic. Maybe our parents told us not to talk about ourselves too much.
We do, however, like to talk about the things we love.
There is something about sharing things that are important to us with our friends. And, we love to learn about what is important to others.
It lets us see a different side of them. It helps us connect with them on a different level.
But, so many businesses want to keep that at arm’s length. It’s a mistake.
The About Page is often underestimated.
The article below will show how your About Page can be your best secret weapon.
How important is that page anyway?
If you look at your analytics, you will notice that your About page gets a big share of the traffic. In most cases, it is the second most visited page on your website.
People want to know more about you.
They want to know who’s behind this website, who’s behind this company or blog.
It gives you a big opportunity.
Think of it this way, they are going to learn more about you before they ever buy from you.
Maybe you are selling a service, maybe you are selling products, or maybe you are selling a coaching program.
It does not matter.
If they are going to buy from you, they want to know more about who you are.
Add a value proposition at the top
Your value proposition is simply a message that succinctly states what really great X your prospect or customer is going to get from you that they can’t get elsewhere.
Thing is, the value proposition you come up for your company and use for your homepage headline will be similar to what you use for your About Page.
The key comes back to differentiation.
Determining your differentiation is hard. There are a few questions you can ask yourself that will help in that process.
“What pisses you off about your industry?”
“What drives you crazy about your industry?”
“What part of your industry do you want to see changed?”
Case Study Buddy does a great job of putting a value prop right at the top of their About Page (the call it “Why Us?”)
Case Study Buddy puts their value prop right at the top of their About page
Start your About Page with a concise and clear headline.
When in doubt, be clear, not clever. Default to being clear. Think about your mission regarding your business. That’s a great place to begin.
Stake your claim and tell the world.
Tell the story; your story
People love stories.
There is actually scientific proof that storytelling changes us.
UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Paul J. Zak observed the reactions in the brain people have when watching a compelling story. One of the things his lab discovered was the release of oxytocin. Stories literally change the brain.
Research shows that our brains are not hard-wired to understand logic or retain facts for very long. Our brains are wired to understand and retain stories .
Add your company story to your About Page. It is a chance to help your customers remember you, help them connect you personally, and finally, help them take action from its impact.
Don’t be vain about your page
Now, this is tricky.
After all, you are writing a page called the About Page. How do you do this and keep from sounding vain?
Very carefully.
Remember, this page is really for your website visitors. So, as you share the page that tells them about your company, remember the goal.
You might think your About page is about you and your company.
But your readers aren’t interested.
They want to know what you can do for them. How can you make them happier, richer, or more productive? Which problems can you take away? Which challenges can you help overcome?
One way to not do this is to use the word “I” and “We” a record number of times. One way to keep this on track is to start with your value proposition (see above).
Sure you are going to share your story, but it is only a part of the total page.
Another way you can keep this about your customer is to help them imagine a better version of themselves.
“How will your reader’s life be different when they buy/read/subscribe? What does that perfect life look like?”
Your customer is the protagonist in this story and you are the guide helping them.
Help them see a better situation. What do you help your customers do?
Give your page some personality
Giving your page some personality is another way of saying show you are human.
You might say, “But we are a company!” Of course, you are, but your reader is a human, not a sea of faceless bots. Besides, someone has to write your page, and they are human too.
We need to remember that behind everything in business, we are all humans.
And marketing is a series of relationships. So, how do you add a touch of humanity to your About Page?
Start with a quick intro. But never call yourself an expert, an authority or a guru. Instead, show what you know and how you can help.
If you want people to know you are good, then add credibility enhancers.
Can you mention well-known clients or show the logos of publications you’ve appeared in? Or can specific details demonstrate your knowledge and expertise?
You can show you are an expert without saying it. Show, don’t tell.
Then, add your mission.
Your mission is based on your values as a company. It’s the same thing as knowing your why.
Adding personality can also be something as fun as an interesting fact section. Take a look at the Five Fun Facts About Brittany section for entrepreneur Brittany Hodak.
In this section, you learn a lot of interesting facts about Brittany showing her personality. You see her at her first job as a mascot, a picture with Dolly Parton, and one with her son.
Add a smidgen of credibility
Why? You want people to know that you know what you are doing.
You want just enough for people to trust you, but not too much to seem vain.
Use a credibility enhancer instead of calling yourself an expert or guru.
Testimonials and logos to places you have been published make great credibility enhancers.
Have you won an award or written best seller book? There’s nothing wrong adding those.
Take a look at this section of the Drift’s About Page.
You can see a block of logos they use to showcase their customers. They also have a section that shows many of their awards.
The less known you are as a brand, the more you should think about adding some social proof. It can be one or two really good testimonials.
Amy Porterfield adds good credibility in a couple of places. First, she gives you a few facts about her including more fun things than businessy things.
Then she has a block that shows a few high profile places she has been featured
Likewise, WP Engine does a good job of adding credibility. Here you see three quotes from industry influencers in WordPress.
So, go ahead and add a smidgen of credibility. After all, you’ve earned it.
Explain your Why, your mission
Having a mission for you and your company is one of the most important things you can do.
The most charismatic person in the room is the one with a mission. People are attracted to that person. The same is true with a company.
A mission is like a compass and it sets the direction for you and for your business.
Call them to act! Give them your best offer
Your About Page is a sales page. It’s hard to argue with that because you have their attention, you have told them who you are, and what it is you can do for them.
At this point, if everything is going well, you have built up your credibility and have your customer at the edge of making a decision.
They are warmed up.
Ask yourself: “What ONE thing do you want readers to do after reading your About page?”
Another option is to link to some of your best content. Regardless, the idea is to introduce them to something else, to more of what you have to offer.
You can also have a final call to action for your email list.
At this point, you have convinced them that you can help them, so it’s time to get them on your list to get more of your information.
An About Page that does not try to get your reader to take an action is not an option for you.
Conclusion
As with any project, context means everything. You could put all of these elements in an About Page, but they may not all be necessary.
However, your page will flow better when you lead with your value proposition.
At its core, your About Page should contain your story, credibility, calls to action, and a little personality .
If you start with these core elements and build on those, your About Page will become your secret weapon.
PS. How about me? I love basketball and reading. By “love” I mean “playing 3-4 times a week” and “reading 50 books a year”.
