About Us pages are usually one of the most visited pages on a company’s website. According to a KoMarketing Associates report, 52% of visitors want to see About Us information after visiting the homepage. Unfortunately, for many businesses, this page is often an afterthought and not optimized for its main purpose – namely to tell visitors as simply as possible what your company is all about in terms of its mission and values.
Making your brand accessible and understandable to consumers is an important challenge to overcome to attract and win over potential customers. So, I wanted to share some things you should and shouldn’t do when creating this key page.
DO: Focus on Your Customers’ Needs
Your About Us page should be as much about your customer as it is about you. Explain your mission and broadly how you aim to help customers. In addition, customers increasingly care about more than just the solutions you offer. They also want to support companies that share their values. So, consider adding the values that guide your company and the people in it.
DO: Be Clear and Concise
Quickly and clearly communicating who you are and what you do is crucial. Using complicated terms and industry-insider language won’t warm people to your brand. Visitors simply want to know who you are, what you do and how you do it. Write conversationally to be more accessible.
DO: Tell Your Story
People love stories and it can make your brand more human. Share your own tale of where you came from and how you arrived at where you are now.
DON’T: Write a Novel
Consumers don’t have time to read long stories about your company or endless details about your product, especially if they’re using a smartphone. Keep it short and sweet and provide more detailed information for your main selling or product page.
DO: Present the Facts
People are visiting your “About Us” page to discover more about you, so there’s nothing wrong with “proving your worth” with some high-level stats. This could be anything from the number of awards you’ve collected to the number of clients you currently serve.
To build their credibility, Tumblr’s “About Us” page features real-time stats, including the number of blogs on their network and their employee count.
DON’T: Use Superlatives
Is your business really world-class, cutting-edge, outstanding or revolutionary? Pages loaded with superlatives may actually hurt your credibility so avoid them.
DO: Provide Testimonials
Testimonials build credibility, which can make your About Us page the perfect place for them. FortyOneTwenty, a video production company based in San Diego, let their testimonials take center stage in a full-page slider. They include customer photos too, which instantly builds trust.
DON’T: Forget Calls-to-Action
Ultimately, you want people to take further action whether it’s calling you, buying something from your product page or filling in a form. Decide what action you want people to take when they finish reading your About Us page and include a clear call-to-action. On the Qzzr website, they include two buttons near the end – one for job opportunities and another to learn about pricing.
DO: Make It Visually Appealing
Photos, videos and infographics can help to engage those with shorter attention spans. For example, the Moz About Us page features a large scrolling graphic timeline of their company history, which is more readable and eye-catching than a paragraph of text.
DON’T: Use Stock Photos
Always use photos of real people and places. Anyone can spot a stock photo and it could weaken your credibility. Rather, show a group photo of your team, either at work or at an event. It not only humanizes your company, it can adds flavor to your brand.
MailChimp’s About Us page not only shows friendly images of their leadership team with bios, it also includes fun photos of employees. Each photo also links to an Instagram page where you can learn more about each employee.
Always a Work in Progress
Be sure to update your About Us page regularly so that it reflects your current company character. Also, don’t be afraid to ask others for their opinion about your page as they will often spot something you missed. At the end of the day, a well-written About Us page that explains your value and shows your personality can make all the difference in converting customers.