I see it all the time, about me pages that are as boring as waiting in line at the DMV, and realizing you forgot your phone and have nothing to save you from the long wait. When I go to a website, the about page is one of the first ones I visit. Why? Because I want to learn about the person behind the website. Often, I find a lackluster presentation of a bunch of bumbling garbage. Is your about page in need of a makeover? Turn it around quickly with these tips!
“Hi. I’m Kim. I live in Schaumburg, Illinois and have a daughter. I started my business because I have a passion for helping people, and want to litter a little part of the internet with glitter and free hugs. I love what I do! When I’m not helping my clients with their businesses, you can find me shopping, eating sushi, or getting manicures with my little girl. Thanks for stopping by!”
This is the general feel many about me pages have, and you can’t possibly be blown away by it. Not only is it fairly general, leaving the opportunity to feel a connection difficult, but there is no call to action, and when people come to my site, their main concern is not what I eat on date night. Their concern is how I fit into their life. How can I fill a void? What can I do to help them?
Check out my current about page, I hope you find it much more engaging than the paragraph above!
So, how can your about page go from boring to boom-shaka-laka? Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to wooing visitors (and that means a higher conversion rate- yippie!).
Lead with what people need to know- which is how you can help them
When it comes to searching for a product or service, we usually only have one thing on our minds. Is this a perfect fit?
I’ve waged war on premature wrinkles. I’m constantly on the lookout for the best anti-aging products. If the label talked about how pleasant the smell was, how it can be work underneath makeup, and will make my skin feel soft, I won’t buy it. Not because those things aren’t important, but because it didn’t make me drool with its promises of a wrinkle free forehead.
Your about page should tell visitors, in a personal way, why you are the perfect fit for them. Are you targeting busy moms? If you’re a mom yourself, lead with a short anecdote about your family, and let them know you understand how busy they are, but that by hiring you, it will make their life easier. If newly engaged brides are your thing, perhaps you want to talk about how when you got engaged you were filled with excitement and overwhelm about the planning aspect, and that you are there to deal with the overwhelm for them, so they can focus on being in love and sampling yummy cake.
Whatever makes you stand out, whatever problem you solve, make your about page about THAT, before you get into the reasons why you are qualified to be their go to gal.
Get Visual. Bonus points for being unique!
Your about page should stand out, not just be a paragraph next to your beautiful picture. Break up the text with some design elements, bold the parts of your text that you want to stand out, and infuse your branding into the page.
Check out this about page I put together for one of my fabulous client’s photography websites; I love that it’s different, and while it doesn’t tell a story, it is fun, and pinpoints the reasons why clients love her. It shows that she’s a loving mom, just like the clients she wants to attract are. She’s gotten a lot of compliments on it!
Share your story, in a way that people can relate to.
This is why knowing who your ideal clients are is SO important. Knowing how to share your story in a way that will resonate with your ideal clients makes all the difference in the world.
Do you see Tom Ford , boasting about his latest BOGO sale? No! Tom Ford’s website has images like this:
Honey, there is nothing BOGO about those models. Though, it would be nice. Check out his bags. They’re fabulous!
If you want to appeal to high end clients, that respect you and value your work, you need to design your entire website around feeling high end and valuable, and your about page is no exception.
On the flip side, if you’re trying to appeal to people in search of a bargain, a luxe feel is probably not what you want to be shooting for. Check out an image from Walmart’s home page, and notice how different just one image can make the brand feel:
See the difference?
Craft your story in a way that attracts the people you want to work with. Unsure how to tell your story? Try answering some of these questions:
- How would you describe your work? How do your clients describe your work?
- How did you learn how to do what you do?
- What experiences have shaped you into someone that is qualified to do what you do?
- Why do you do what you do?
- What, besides work, do you enjoy?
Create a clear call to action.
Link to your contact page, or anywhere else you want visitors to head next! On my page, I link to my Instagram account, so that people can get a glimpse into my personal life, and so I can gain some followers and connect with people there, as that’s my favorite social media platform!
You might be surprised how effective something as small as pointing people in the right direction can be! PPPssssst: calls to action are important on ALL of your pages!
Do you love your about page? Share it in the comments so I can love all over it! For ideas on how to spruce up your pages, leave a comment with your website URL, or head to my contact page and send me an email!
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