We may be dating ourselves a bit at this point, but do you remember the game in elementary school when you had just a split second to jump inside a circle and come up with a witty rhyme to “introduce yourself” to those who encircled you? At 12 years old, it was nothing short of paralyzing. I could have taken days to come up with the right response. Instead, I had only a few split seconds to do the best I could—and it always showed. I remember one incident clearly:
“My name is Sterling,” (Yeah) “My eyes are brown.” (Yeah) “And when I flip,” (Yeah) “I go upside down.” (Alright. Alright. Alright!)
So, I could have done a little bit better. And, I would dare to say, the “About” page on your website should as well.
A brief look at your website analytics and you might be surprised to learn how many people click on your “About” page. In fact, when we complete our quarterly analytics reviews, we find it’s one of the most frequently visited pages on many of our clients’ sites.
Our reviews have also taught us that the quality of an “About” page often determines the remainder of the visit. Traffic either stops abruptly or visitors keep clicking on to learn more and dig deeper into the site.
It goes without saying that our clients who put the most thought and effort into their “About” pages are the ones that see this pay off in traffic. In fact, we’ve noticed a few qualities that the best ones share. So to help you “step in and introduce yourself” here are a few tips for writing a successful “About” page for your own website.
1. Share Your Story (And Include What Makes You Different).
We’ve all heard of the “5 W’s”: Who? What? Where? When? Why? These questions, and their answers, can provide the most basic guideline for introducing your brand, company or image online. Indeed, when you craft an overview of your story, each of these details will help readers get to know you well. That said, we argue that you shouldn’t just stop there.
At A-LINE we recommend that a successful “About” page should also answer “How?” In fact, the “How” often contains the most informative portion of your story and helps readers figure out what makes you different than other providers and competitors. It’s defining “How” that helps others discover what makes you, you—one of the main goals of successful branding.
2. Be Yourself.
Are you approachable? Professional? Innovative? A community supporter? The content throughout all successful websites should accurately convey your brand’s personality. A consistent, relevant, and authentic style of copywriting can transform basic information into an engaging storyline. Successful “About” pages—perhaps more so than any other content on a website—should set a tone and paint a picture about the company’s most defining characteristics. When an “About” page helps a brand’s characteristics really shine, readers feel connected and often are intrigued to learn more.
3. Show Yourself.
Photography can go a long way in helping visitors connect with you. Images of your workspace, your employees and even your company mascot help visitors feel more personally engaged with your brand. And while a quick snapshot can work, we can’t speak enough about the importance of professional images. Pictures speak 1,000 words. Make sure yours are saying the right things.
4. Lead Visitors to the Next Step.
This is the final—and perhaps the most important part—of an effective “About” page. Don’t only talk about yourself! Give visitors obvious ways to interact with your website further. Include a quick button to help visitors contact you, a blog feed that grabs their attention and gets them clicking further into your site, links to your brand’s social media profiles, and more.
It’s rude to introduce yourself and not ask anything of your new acquaintance, and the same rule applies online. Successful “About” pages give visitors obvious ways to further connect with your brand—which, is, perhaps, the whole point of your website to begin with.
—
If you’d like help crafting a perfect “About” page to resonate with your website visitors, contact A-LINE today. We’d be love to get to know you (we promise we won’t require you to chant in rhyme!) and then help your potential clients discover the “real you” as well.
