Welcome to part three of my Website Essentials series!
In this installment, I’m revealing the right way to write the website page that gives you the greatest opportunity to connect with your customers—the About Me or About Us page.
This is your moment to shine—without making it all about you.
Confused yet?
Don’t be, because I’m going to break this down for you and make it easy to share your story with the world without coming off like a self-centered jerk or a boring corporate suit.
Now, the About page is different from the Home page, which we talked about last week.
On the Home page, you kept things short and sweet so that you could draw people in without overwhelming them and running them away.
But now, on the About page, it’s time for you to dig in and tell people the details of who you are and what your business is all about.
It’s Not About You
Yes, the About page is where you’re going to pull back the curtain on the person (or people) behind the business. But here’s the key: the focus of the About page isn’t about you at all. It’s a narrative that digs deeper into who you are and what you do, but it should come across in a way that’s focused on your customers, their needs, and their desires.
People want to know your “why,” the reason you do what you do. They want to know your company’s mission and vision because it helps them discern whether you have their interests at heart.
So, open up and reveal what drives you. What’s the thing that inspired you to start your business or that motivates you to serve your audience? Why are you the right person to serve the people you serve?
Why are you passionate about what you do? What is it about the work you do that gives you joy? In describing all of this, you’re letting your audience get to know you, but everything you’re sharing relates to them and how you can serve them.
Make it a conversation, as if your ideal customer is standing right in front of you and you’re sharing your story with them. To keep your story conversational, be sure to write in the first person. Keep in mind: this isn’t a resume or a speaker bio, so avoid writing your About page in the third person because it can feel cold and distant.
Tell a Story
People love stories. When you tell a story, it helps you connect with customers and relate to them. In essence, stories humanize you and your brand. And your story is unique—no one has the same experiences you’ve had in your life. And sharing it can distinguish your business from other companies out there that provide products or services similar to yours.
Your story should cover these three w’s: who, what and why. Tell people who you are, what problems you solve, why you do what you do, or what your mission and vision are.
In telling your story, you should share in a way that makes people feel like they can relate to you. They should be able to see themselves in your narrative and gain confidence that you are the right person to solve their problem or satisfy their desire because you understand them.
Share—But Don’t Overshare
I know we’re living in a time now when people tend to overshare online. But here’s the thing: your About page is not the place to do that. I know I said you should open up, and you should.
But while you do need to share some personal things about yourself so you can connect with your customers, you don’t want to go into so much detail that it overwhelms people or makes them feel uncomfortable.
The areas where I often see businesses oversharing are in discussions about family, hobbies, professional background and credentials.
It’s a good idea to share relevant information about your personal and professional life because it makes you more relatable and credible—but don’t get carried away.
Remember to make sure everything ties back to your customer. If the information you want to share won’t help customers relate to you and gain confidence in you as an expert, then you probably should leave it out.
Don’t Forget a Call to Action
By the time people finish reading your About page, they should be clear on what they can do on your website and what they should do next. But you still need to give them a nudge in the right direction, so make sure you end your About page with a Call to Action (“CTA”).
I’ve seen many About pages without a CTA, and that’s a missed opportunity to engage people and lead them to the next step you’d like them to take on your website. Instead of leaving people wondering what to do next, tell them.
Include a button or link with an action-inducing statement like “schedule a consultation,” “join my email list,” “start shopping,” or “download the eBook.” The CTA you choose will depend on your goal or the thing you want customers to do, so make sure your text reflects that. And make sure your CTA is prominent in size, color and location so people can find it easily.
Conclusion
If you’d like to see an example of all this About page goodness in action, click here.
Next week’s topic is the Products or Services page. These are the money-making pages, so you don’t want to miss next week’s post. If you’re not already on my email list, make sure you subscribe today so you can get the final piece of this website-building puzzle as soon as it’s available.
And if you already have a website, but it’s not attracting clients or making sales, head on over to my Website Audit service.
You’ll get my feedback on your entire website and an action plan so you can quickly make improvements without spending tons of money or endless hours trying to figure it out on your own.
by Jennifer Westbrook | JenWestWriting
