Match Your About Page to Your Brand with These Easy Tips

Analytics show that the “About Us” page on a business website is one of the most often viewed. Yet is also one of the most often neglected. Many brands have no problem selling a product, service or experience, but when it comes to selling their brand, things get trickier.

It’s understandable. If you’ve ever tried creating an about page, you know there’s some major balancing to be done. Make the page too much about you and customers see it as spammy or pushy. Make it too much about them and it looks like any other page on your site.

How to Make a Good About Us Page

So how do you find the perfect balance? While there’s no magic formula, these 8 tips should have you well on your way to crafting an effective and compelling about page to drive your business’ online efforts.

1. About Us is Really About Them

When customers research products, services and businesses online, what they’re looking for is an answer to their problems or needs. If you’re not talking about your customers on your about page, you’re missing a prime opportunity to connect and convert.

Not sure what we mean? Check out the about page of Blog Tyrant.

From the start, the page emphasizes a relationship with the reader. As you read through the content, you’ll find a story and the usual bits. But what you’ll also find is the word “you.” In fact, it’s one of the most common words on the page—used a whopping 22 times.

If it doesn’t match your brand to be this casual, you can still offer a subtle customer-centric approach by start your page content by addressing the goals and challenges of your audience. This provides a sense that you’re in-touch with their concerns and ready to help.

Still can’t find a good balance? Sometimes simply stating the facts in an easy to scan and personable manner is the best choice for your brand. Tailor these facts to suit the needs of your audience. You don’t come across as pushing a sale and it’s hard to dismiss a good sample of data when targeted properly.

2. Highlight Testimonials and Relevant Awards

For earning customer trust, word-of-mouth referrals offer unparalleled influence potential. Your customer is expecting you to highlight the best parts of your business on your about page. If you can back that up with high-quality testimonials or relevant awards and accreditations, you’re on your way to converting.

To get the most from your testimonials, be sure to include a full name and details relevant to why they should listen to this person’s opinion or experience. If you can, include headshots or other images of the person with their testimonial to further add a sense of legitimacy.

The same goes for awards and accreditations. Link the awarding organization to make it easy for customers to research. Highlight your roles in the community or other local organizations. Include pictures that help create a positive image and association to your brand. If you can prove others believe in you, prospective customers will too.

3. Keep Things Interesting with Multimedia Elements

Your about page offers a powerful opportunity to capture the attention of readers and compel action. They’ve already clicked through to a non-essential part of your site to learn more.

Give them more.

From short videos and infographics to timelines and interactive elements, use the power of modern website design to help create something more than a wall of text. A great example of this is the about page over at Moz.

Be sure to include images of anyone highlighted on the about page. This allows readers to create an image in their head of your business. Match these to the overall tone and message of your brand. A legal firm wouldn’t use candid shots of a business party but stuff images on a charity non-profit won’t work well either.

If you’re short on time or design skills, simple videos—such as Vine posts—or a well-made SlideShare presentation offer a simple way to create dynamic content that will make your page pop.

While these elements might take a little more effort, the payoff for keeping readers interested and engaged pays off.

4. Weave A Good Narrative

Your business is more than a series of events and figures. Tell your story. Don’t be afraid to mention humble beginnings or rocky starts. Be honest and real. It allows readers to connect with your brand and builds trust.

In contrast, don’t just string together details. Keep it relevant to today’s reader. They don’t need to know every time you changed secretaries or moved offices.

A great example of this is the about page of ITS. Combining images with their story, you can watch the business grow.

5. Make Reaching You Simple

While this isn’t a contact page, listing your contact information—such as your address, Skype handle or phone number—adds a sense of legitimacy and transparency to your business. In an age where anyone can make a website in a matter of minutes, having a way to reach you can build trust with readers on the fence about converting.

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date. Not only could a disconnected number or bounced email result in a buyer going elsewhere, it could create a bad image for your brand.

6. Loose the Business Speak

Jargon is great for making you feel good about what you said. What it’s not so good at is communicating what you’re try to say.

If someone visits your about page, they’re most often looking for a simple and concise look at who you are, what you do and why you do it.

Present this information in a conversational tone. Your about page is about making a connection and tense, stuffy language isn’t connecting with anyone.

Use your brand’s voice to communicate your message and you’ll increase the chance of making the connection. A great example of this is the about page of The Adventurists. You find humor, references to their cause and a sense of comradery that spreads throughout their entire site. All while offering a read that is as entertaining as it is educational.

7. Get A Different Point of View

When you’ve worked on a brand for so long, it’s easy to lose sight of how people see your business in relation to how you think it comes across.

Don’t be afraid to get out and ask customers, co-workers, peers and friends what they think defines your brand or business. If what you find doesn’t line up with what’s now on your about page, assess if you’re focusing on the right elements.

You might even find a new angle or gain insight into your customer base you can use to further improve your business.

8. Test, Tweak and Evolve

Finally, remember that optimizing your about page is never truly finished. Markets and interests change. What works great today could be stale and boring in a month. Always keep tabs on your analytics. Never be afraid to try new things. Much like the rest of your business, your about page needs to adapt to stay efficient.

This isn’t limited to content. It also involves how you present your information. In a world filled with smartphones, tablets and other technology, ignoring mobile formats is a dangerous move. Don’t forget to polish your presentation for display on these smaller devices or you risk missing out on a growing chunk of your audience.

We’ll wrap things up with one last example.

With its multi-page layout, the about pages of Macmillan prove that effective planning and design can turn an intimidating amount of information into a tool that drives customers to learn more. It doesn’t use a bunch of fancy features to do this. Just simple videos, short text pieces and well-planned sections. More importantly, their presentation matches the voice and tone of the business.