A visitor to your site is about to make a purchase decision. But he also has tabs open for a few of your competitors, and can see that pricing, shipping and turnaround time are all pretty equal. None of you are local to him, so he turns to the section of your website that tells him a little bit more about your company and its philosophies. What will you say and show on the “About Us” page to sway the decision in your favor?
An “About Us” page is intended to give visitors a glimpse into the identity of either a person (an individual contractor, for example) or a business. If you know who you are and what your goal for your site is, the “About Us” page – sometimes dubbed the “Company” page at larger businesses – should come naturally. But that’s not always the case. If your forte is photography or software, for example, the words might not flow as easily as if your business was marketing services or copy writing. That’s OK. But you do need to know how to maximize your strengths to make the “About Us” page as compelling as possible.
It’s important to note that the “About Us” page is not just for prospective customers; it’s also a great tool for recruiting new employees, attracting potential investors, and providing information to media who cover your industry. It’s your best opportunity to open a conversation with anyone visiting your website.
Visitors to your “About Us” section are looking for reassurance that you are the right choice. They want answers to the questions:
- Who are these guys?
- Can I trust them?
- Do they know their stuff?
- How can I contact them?
Your website needs to answer these questions in a concise, believable way. A brief story of how the company was founded, along with explanation of its main offerings and objectives, is key. Keeping all this in mind, let’s go over five tips for making your “About Us” page as informative as possible:
- Be compelling: Every company has a story about how, when, where and why they got started. What’s compelling about yours? Did you see an inherent need in the market for the solutions your company offers? Were you just sick and tired of Corporate America and wanted to strike out on your own? Whatever the answer, that story is uniquely yours. Tell it in a compelling way and your page will shine.
- Be fun: Can you connect your “About Us” page to something different or unusual? Smaller businesses – particularly in the entertainment industry – can have a lot of fun with this, using graphics, pictures or even caricatures to tell their story.
- Be personal: Don’t be afraid to use the “About Us” page to “talk” to your audience. In a world of electronic transactions, anything personal connection will pay dividends. Short staff bios and photos of the team in action (instead of boring headshots) can bring a lot of your company’s personality to the page.
- Be proud: The “About Us” page is a perfect opportunity to show off a little, as long as you’re not too boastful. If your company or its employees have won industry awards, or your company was quoted in a prestigious publication, the “About Us” page is the perfect place to celebrate that achievement. Don’t make it a direct sales pitch; let visitors come to the conclusion on their own that you’re the company to do business with.
- Use a timeline: Not sure how to structure the page without making it too text-heavy? Consider using a timeline to showcase your company’s achievements. Potential customers should be easily able to tell how long you’ve been around and review the company’s milestones. By structuring data into a visual format, website visitors can quickly understand the high points of your company’s history, even if it’s a short one.
Don’t forget to include links to your social media presences for sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Google+. Also include a link to your company blog. By encouraging your visitors to interact with you, your company is more likely to be the one that walks away with the sale.
What unique angle did you take with your “About Us” page?