When it comes to building a strong online presence, your website’s About page is a crucial component. It serves as a virtual introduction to your business and offers potential customers a glimpse into what you’re all about.
Writing copy that not only introduces your brand but connects with your ideal customer and makes them fall in love with you can be a challenging task. But it’s vital to get it right if you want to make a great first impression on your audience.
That’s why I’ve invited Liana Pantalone, founder of Climbing Vine Co onto the blog. As a brand clarity copywriter for lifestyle brands, she’s sharing a helpful tip or two on the structure, content and elements that you can include on your About page to really stand out in a saturated market.
Re-iterate your value proposition
You never really know where people are coming to your website from… so in case they jump straight to your About page, make sure it’s super clear what you offer, who it’s for and what value or end transformation they can expect to get out of it.
I sometimes like to use this instead of a vision and mission statement, as these are a little more inward-focused. Although vision and mission statements are helpful for setting clarity on your personal goals for the business, a value proposition really does position what you do and why from a customer-need perspective.
Tell your brand story with empathy, authority and personality
Establishing trust with your audience is a lot more simple than you may think. It all comes down to showing your brand has empathy and proving it has authority, credibility and a track record to help them get results. Sprinkle that with some personality and your brand will be oh-so lovable in no time.
So let’s unpack these three elements further. When sharing your brand story on your page, don’t get too bogged down in the small details and elements of history that don’t really mean anything to your audience.
If you can make sure that it has elements of empathy, authority and personality in there, you’ll be on your way to a STRONG about page.
Empathy
Empathy is about explaining the why behind your business from a point of empathising with their frustrations, needs, and desires and showing that your brand has created the solution to these things in response to that.
For example, if you’re a health professional who has suffered from the same conditions, or you’ve created a beauty product as someone who also once had the same skin problems, a beautiful opportunity to show you can relate will immediately form a bond and emotional connection in your readers’ minds.
Authority
Authority is all about showing your credibility, and proving you are the best brand to help them get what they desire. If you have credentials, don’t be afraid to reel these off. Qualifications, certificates, awards, media appearances, podcast talks, testimonials, stand-out achievements… anything that boosts your wow factor – add it in baby!
Is there such a thing as showing too much authority? Remember that our minds only retain so much information at a time, if your less relevant achievements make the important information get lost, you probably won’t want to mention it. EG. Your high-school part-time job that has nothing to do with your career now probably isn’t worth a mention.
Personality
Think about the brands that really leave a mark on you… whether it’s Zoe Foster Blake’s Go-to Skincare and her playful language, Mailchimp’s conversational tone or Apple’s progressive, ahead-of-the-trend vibe that makes you feel like you’re smart, savvy and up-to-date simply by having their products in your hands… there is something about a strong brand personality that gets you sucked in and wanting to stay close, so be sure to find yours.
How your brand speaks, sounds and presents itself instils something in the audience… and your About page is the perfect place to let this shine.
For example, want to make your brand sound efficient, knowledgeable and capable of the job? Cut the fluff. Use short, sharp sentences that are clear and concise. Deliver the message and don’t waste your customers’ time. Show them you know them and what they need, by how you deliver the message.
Make your brand values clear
This may feel like something unnecessary, but let’s ponder on this a little more. Have you ever seen your own love, appreciation or respect for someone change when you realised the motives behind that person’s actions?
It’s the same when it comes to a brand. If you have a strong ethos or governing principles for why do what you do and how you do it… don’t be shy to state these on your website.
Capturing the value in one word and then following it with a one-liner on how you uphold that value in how you do business can be a wonderful way to show your audience how your values align on a much deeper level.
A good example of this is businesses that are eco-conscious or that do their part to contribute to sustainability. Another is brands that donate a percentage of their sales to charities.
For a service-based brand, it may be a fast turnaround, clear communication, and professionalism. These all say something about how the service will be carried out in a way that benefits the customer.
Showing these values with memorable icons can also help them stay in the customers’ minds.
Introduce the team and add photos
A small intro to the team can help build connections. Don’t go overboard, a simple role definition and fun fact about each member are enough to make it appear fun and professional.
Images of you and the team members are also so important for showing the face/s behind the brand. Make sure they are high quality and look professional.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, be sure to work with a copywriter who can help you find other strong ways to build that connection.
Don’t forget a call to action
Finally, don’t forget to strategically send people away from this page with a direct or secondary call to action. You may invite them to view your services or explore your products from here.
Alternatively, you may want to offer them a personal invitation to sign up for your most exclusive lead magnet or a free 1:1 call where you can get to know them and their needs.
They’ve just spent time getting to know you… so show them what to do next… don’t forget this VERY important step!
Ready to give your About page copy a facelift? Need some examples of strong About page copy or at the point where you just need a qualified copywriter to do it all for you? Book a call with Liana and get her expert help to articulate your strongest About page copy.
PSSST. Liana is offering a 10% discount on a copywriting service of your choice. Just tell her you found her through my blog, should you choose to book some copywriting with me.
