Have you ever tried to sit down and write about yourself, and suddenly felt like you had nothing to talk about? Everything you’ve done seems unimportant, and you aren’t sure what you should actually be writing anyway?
That’s how most people feel when it’s time to write the ‘About Us’ page for their website. In fact, it’s one of the reasons most about us pages are a bit naff. Some businesses don’t even have them at all! But if you want to build that connection with your audience and position yourself as an industry expert, it’s something you need to just grit your teeth and do. Writing one isn’t the easiest thing in the world, the benefits it will bring are worth it. Since we’re firm believers that if you’re going to do something you should do it right, today we’re going to walk you through how to write a killer ‘about us’ page for your website.
What Makes A Good About Us Page?
First off, this is not just a longer version of your contact page. In fact, it’s not really a sales page at all. This is the place people go when they want to know more about you and your company. So ditch the sales jargon and just be yourself for this one. At their core, about pages are for telling the reader a little bit about you, the company journey, and some of the company values you’ve developed through that journey.
A great about page will go one step further than that. It won’t just give a timeline of events, it will take you on a journey through the company history by telling you a story, and making you feel as though you’ve known the people and the company forever. It makes you feel approachable and unique, and gives the reader a glimpse into what working with you might be like.
To that end, your about page should be as much about you, the business owner, as it is about the business itself. It should pull back the curtain just a little so that customers can get a sneak peek at who they would be working with, and give them a chance to connect with you on an individual level.
In short, your about page tells website visitors who you are and why they should choose your business.
What Info Should I Include In My About Us Page?
When we put it like that, you might be tempted to pour your life’s story onto the page in the name of making a connection. But that’s going a little too far in the other direction! Instead, you should aim to include a few specific bits of information, and weave a story around them. Typically a good about us page includes:
- The history of your business, and why you started it.
- What makes your business unique.
- How your business works or how your products are made
- Photos! Of yourself, your team, your HQ – anything that personalises your business and puts some faces to the names.
- The core values and beliefs of your business
- Why customers should choose you
Now, you can include as many or as few of those points as you like, as long as you are still getting across that main message. This is your founding story and you should make the most of being able to tell it.
How to write about us content for a website
‘That’s all well and good, but how do I actually write one?’
Glad you asked. Some people are able to just sit down and write pages like this right away, and that’s fantastic. But others need a bit more structure to get it done, so if that sounds like you, here’s a step by step process to writing your about us page.
Decide on your style
As we mentioned before an about us page should be genuine and approachable, which means you need to choose a style to write in. Conversational works best here, as it helps you write more informally and allows readers to relate to your brand better. Avoid technical jargon at all costs on this page (it’s about you, not your products), and if things are starting to feel too long, don’t be afraid to split it out into multiple pages. Values and beliefs are the most common choice to move to their own page.
Use headlines
Just as with every other page on your website, you should make sure you include headings in your about us page, Not only does this break up the page and help customers find what they want to know more easily, but it’s great for SEO and getting your page found.
Start with the customer
Ultimately the customer wants to know you have them in mind when building your solutions. A great way to do that is to start your about page off about them, not you. Even if it’s just one sentence talking about the challenges and objectives of your audience, showing empathy and understanding can be hugely useful in keeping readers on the page and engaged in what you have to say.
Go back to your roots
Start at the beginning. Not just at the beginning of this business, but when you first felt that spark to do what you’re doing now. That might have been when you were 10 and baking cakes with your mum, or it might have been 5 years ago when you were working for another company and realised you could do it better. Your business story starts with that spark, so that should come first.
The ‘Aha’ moment
Make sure to include the thing that made you realise you wanted to set up a business, and that there was a demand for what you do. That ‘aha’ moment when it all clicked into place for you. That’s likely to only take a sentence or two to say, but it’s very important to build up that relationship with readers.
The Evolution of your business
Give a highlighted account of how your business has evolved since the beginning. You don’t have to go into granular detail here, but a quick pass over the big milestones and how you’ve grown to where you are now.
Include your keywords
Once you have your about page written, go back through it and make sure you’ve included some of the main keywords for your business. We say this because when someone Googles your name or your business name, the about page should be the first thing that comes us, so you want to make sure it has the best chance of ranking highly.
In other words, tell your brand story! If you’re struggling, sit down with a friend and have them ask you questions about what you do and how you started – it’s often easier to get the ideas out to a person rather than the page at first!
Examples Of Amazing About Us Pages
Still not sure how it all holds together? Let’s look at a few examples of amazing about us pages.
MailChimp
MailChimp has always been a brand that’s full of joy and colour, and that definitely comes through in their about page. They kick things off with the story of the founders, showcasing their experience in web design and email spanning over 20 years. That quickly flows into how they set up and grew MailChimp into the giant it is today, before taking a look into their culture, their corporate citizenship and their vision. And throughout the page, you’re never in doubt about their values and their mission to support the underdog in the world of email marketing.
This page ticks every box we mentioned above – 10/10
Yellow Leaf Hammocks
The folks at Yellow Leaf Hammocks change lives with what they do, which makes a hell of a good story. Their about us page is an inspiring tale of the need they identified and how they not only solved it but delivered a world of good to hundreds of people in the process. Each short section looks at a different part o their business (which is ‘not a charity’ as they describe it) and how they support the Mlabri Tribe, all while telling a compelling, feel good story. Stories like this are ‘sticky’, which means people are more likely to finish reading and then share them with someone else.
Heart-warming and effective, 10/10.
Ocelot
The pair behind Ocelot Chocolate started their business in the back of their kitchen just two weeks after getting married, and have grown massively in just 8 years. We know this because it’s all in the first sentence of their about page! It’s short and sweet, but it hits the spot for everything an about page should include. And their last paragraph paints such a picture of eating their product that it makes your mouth water and your fingers look for the order button.
Short, effective and packed with information, 10/10.
Conclusion
Still not sure you can do your about us page justice? Let us help. At Lion Spirit Media we specialise in crafting web pages that not only perform on Google, but tell a story that entrances readers and builds a bond with them before they’ve even met you. Our goal is to get your target audience interested in learning even more about you, which means picking up the phone and starting a conversation. We have over 15 years of experience in writing copy for about us pages, so if you’re struggling, we would love to help you. Just get in touch with the team today to book a call.
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