The about us page is often the one that gets no love. It’s thrown together last and done with little enthusiasm, either because it’s uncomfortable to write about yourself and your business, or because it’s assumed no one will read it.
Your About Page is an opportunity to talk to leads, customers, and job candidates like a real person. It’s the ideal place for you to share why you’re in business, what’s different about your company, and the vision that drives you.
Here are a list of mistakes that businesses often make with their about us page and what to do about them.
No personality
Many about us pages are bland and boring. They’re written as if they’re addressed to colleagues in the field that use jargon or terms that the customer doesn’t understand. There are no photos or anything that shares the personality of the company. No matter how you read it, it comes out sounding monotone in your head.
How to solve this:
Leverage the art of storytelling. Tell a concise story about why your company exists and the vision for the company. What motivates you and your team to get up every morning and come to work?
Include photos of team members – or at least of key people– that capture their personality. You can write fun quotes about each team member or a short paragraph to give customers a sense of who’s behind the company. Give customers a chance to connect with you and your team.
Written without the audience in mind
Aside from using jargon, many about us pages fail to engage the customer. The about us page is written without taking into consideration who the target audience is, what resonates with them, and how to engage them.
How to solve this:
Think about your core customer. Who is he or she? What kind of problems does he or she have that you can mention to capture their attention?
Keep in mind the education level of your customer. Are they going to understand the terminology and words you’ve chosen? You can still be professional while sounding like a real person.
Too much fluff
Part of what can make an about us page boring and not genuine is being too fluffy. You know the kind of things I’m talking about– those about us pages that say a whole lot without actually telling you anything. They use words and phrases to sound better when in reality, it just sounds like a bunch of nice words.
How to solve this:
Be real. How would you explain your company to someone in person? What can you help accomplish for your customers? What results can you get for them? Listen to the words your customers use to describe you and how you help them. Use those same words so you’re speaking in their language.
Leverage testimonials to build trust and credibility. Avoid using testimonials that just say how great your company or your products are. Guide your customers by asking questions to answer how you helped them or their business, how they felt about the level of customer service you provided, and other detailed questions that show value.
Sound too generic
A lot of about us pages end up sounding the same. If your about us page doesn’t explain what makes you different from your competitors, how should your customers know?
How to solve this:
Write about your key differentiating factors. What makes your business different from others on the market? What kind of customers are you trying to attract? Why should customers choose you over them?
You can also write about what inspires you and your team. Talk about your culture. This helps to paint a picture in your customer’s mind as well as attract potential job candidates.
No social links
When reading about a company, it’s not uncommon to want to check them out on social media to get a better idea of what they’re all about and what others are saying about you.
How to solve this:
Make it easy for people to learn more about your company by including links to your social media accounts.
Too much about you
While the page is an “about us” page, often it ends up being too much about you and not enough about your customers. Some about us pages are too much about the company’s credentials and awards and not enough about what they can achieve for their customers. Does your about us page also answer WIIFM (what’s in it for me)?
How to solve this:
You can still mention your credentials, but turn it around to focus on the customer. What benefits can your customers gain by working with you, a company that has all these rewards or accomplishments? Why will your customers love working with your or buying/using your products? What can you help them do and what can you help them do better than your competitors?
Only reviewed internally
Don’t make the mistake of only having your team read and edit your about us page. You and your team already know what your business does.
How to solve this:
Get someone or a few people outside of your company to read it. Ideally you want someone that fits the mould of your core customer. After they read it, ask them what they think your company does in a nutshell, what makes you different, and what stood out or resonated with them.
Their answers will tell you whether or not your about page is on point. If there’s a particular part that stood out, consider using that in your initial statement above the fold to grab attention. It may also uncover a new angle to market your business.
If you’re looking for some killer inspiration, check out this list of 12 About Us Page Examples That Are Probably Better Than Yours.
Feel free to share your what you think of our new about us page. You can tweet us, hit us up on Facebook, or send us an email.
