For many websites, the About Us page is an afterthought, a minor link tucked away on the bottom of a page that leads to a bland paragraph about the company. This is a mistake. The About Us page is an opportunity to tell your company’s story. It’s a chance to humanize yourself and put a face to your business, to show your customers your business model, your company ideals, who do you serve, and answer the customer’s number one question, why should they buy from you?
About Your Company History
Even if your company is just starting out and there isn’t any history to your company yet, you can tell the backstory of how you created the idea for your company. Everyone has that moment when they see an opportunity or come to a conclusion ‘this is what I want to do!’ So tell the world about the steps you took and things you might have had to overcome to get to where you are now. Explain how your goals and ideals might have changed as you changed and gained experience.
What are your values? What is your culture like? These kinds of things might not seem like a big deal but consider this; say there are multiple companies that sell light bulbs. These light bulbs all work the same and cost roughly the same but one particular company has a strong commitment to developing green energy technology. You might find yourself drawn to buying from that company.
About You, Personally
A short biography of your professional life shows what you have done. But if you are concerned about your privacy and do not wish to put yourself out on the web you do not have to share these things. Personal details add an extra layer of authenticity but they are not the only way to sell yourself.
Details that you could share include:
- Where are you from?
- Where you graduated from high school, college, or trade school?
- Do you have any college degrees?
- Where have you worked previously? Have you worked for other companies in your industry or maybe you have some interesting or impressive job titles on your resume?
- Are you married? Do you have children or grandchildren?
- Do you have any pets, hobbies, interests, unusual skills, or talents? Favorite sports team?
The kind of business you run and the customers you serve should affect what kinds of personal information you provide. If you are trying to sell yourself as a legal, medical, or business professional then focus on professional details like your schooling and degrees. But if your company sells quirky novelty items or you are trying to show your restaurant has a fun and relaxed atmosphere, more casual personal details might apply.
What’s the Purpose of an About Us Page?
It is important to note not to overload it with too much information. Keep your facts about yourself focused on your professional accomplishments. You don’t want a dry bulletin point list of facts about you and you don’t want to come across as bragging, the goal of the About Us page is to get people to like you.
Another use of the About Us page is to provide that critical social proof, that internet-age word of mouth recommendation. So reach out to your clients, colleagues, businesses, and provide some stunning testimonials, endorsements, certifications, awards, charitable works. Let everyone know who trusts your business.
Once you have made your good impression it is time to capitalize on it. Finish your About Us page with a call-to-action. Whether it is a button to request a consultation, call for an appointment, join an email subscriber list, complete a survey, or provide a link to some of your best content. The important thing is not to ask and help them make that next step.
During the initial client onboarding process, the X(US) Hosting team can help walk you through creating this section of your page by having you complete a questionnaire. We’ll use this information to write a professional, yet conversational, About Us section of your page that helps sell not only your products and services but yourself as well.
