How to Write an About Us Page for Your Website
Today, face-to-face communication is often substituted for more efficient online communication. This, of course, helps save money and time, but it can often cause a company to seem impersonal. By creating an About Us page, you humanize your company and create a platform where trust can be formed and shared.
8 Questions to Answer When You Write an About Us Page
- Is my company big or small?
- Is my company public, private, or family owned?
- Who is at the head of the company?
- Where is my company based?
- How far away can I realistically do business?
- How long has my company been in business?
- What makes my company different from my competitors?
- What are the core values of my company?
If these questions are relevant to your company or your intended customers, be sure to answer them in some way on your page. Now that you have a base of what information is important, let’s look through some ways that you can develop your page.
10 Ways to Give Your About Us Page Personality
1. Be human.
A company is made up of individuals, but sometimes that is difficult for customers to remember when a company seems driven and economical. Introducing your team puts faces to your business and allows character to shine through. It gives customers a chance to understand your company on a personal level, making your company seem more trustworthy.
2. Be visual.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth probably half a million (give or take a few). Images add life and excitement, and art can explain emotion better than words can. Use pictures, graphics, charts and timelines to showcase what your company is all about.
3. Be emotional.
OK, don’t make us cry unnecessarily when we are scrolling through your page, but showcase the excitement and passion that your business has for its work. Excitement is contagious and builds connections, so utilize this. Don’t worry about seeming unprofessional. The About Us page is meant to show your humanity.
4. Be simple.
You may be tempted to show off your smarts in this section of your website, and while you want to show that you are qualified for you field, don’t overdo it. Skip the jargon and fancy talk. Your customers want to get to know who you are so they can decide if they want to do business with you. If you whip out all the words you have stored up in your vocabulary, your customers are going to be addled, flummoxed and befuddled. Think of it like this: why would they do business with you if they don’t understand what it is that you do?
5. Showcase your values.
If you have a killer mission statement or clear values, show those prominently on your website. They show your customers that you care about more than just money and getting business, and that is always a good thing to show.
6. Tell a story.
Our last blog on storytelling has lots of tips for writing a compelling, genuine company story and explains why it is so important to be personal. Your story can help customers remember your company better, and if the story is worth sharing… you just created some really inexpensive advertising!
7. Let your customers talk about you.
It is one thing for you to brag about yourself and another to have others bragging about you. Sharing positive reviews or raving quotes is a great way to showcase your fabulous qualities without sounding overdone.
8. Let your employees talk about you.
If your employees love coming into work every day and if they drive your company (as we would suspect they do), why not let them share how much they love the company? Bonus: add pictures of the employees for a personal touch.
9. Tell a story about an individual.
Did your founder have struggles while developing the company? Did the current owner shake things up to solve a problem that recently became relevant? Sharing a more personal story (and adding humor or satire to it) gives personality and, again, makes your brand more memorable.
10. Shoot a video.
Videos are a great way to share what your company is about in a quick, compact way. Videos also open the door for humor, because you can show nonverbal cues in a video in a way that you cannot do with words. Bonus: link this puppy to the ol’ YouTube, and you’ve made yourself relevant on that platform.
Choose the route that is most real and compelling for your company. Remember to be genuine and human.
5 Tips for Writing Your About Us Page
- Avoid superlatives. One should never use them.
- Avoid bragging. Tell, don’t sell.
- Quantify the benefits you offer. Data is more compelling than a perfectly worded sentence.
- Lead with the best information. That thing that makes your company stand out? Yeah, that: showcase it.
- Use first person pronouns “I” and “we.” Be personal!
If you have questions about your About Us page, please reach out to us. We are happy to help you answer these questions and many others.