When writing your own web copy, your About Page can be the hardest page to write.
You don’t want to sound like you’re bragging.
You don’t want to sound boring.
You don’t want it to sound like a dating site profile.
You don’t know what to include and what to leave out.
In short, you simply don’t know what to say so overwhelm and procrastination set in.
Talking about ourselves in print is very difficult.
Talking about ourselves in order to attract business can be halting.
Just what should you do and not do on your About Page?
By avoiding these 3 common mistakes and knowing what to do instead, you’ll create an engaging About Page that will have people eager to learn how to work with you.
Top 3 Mistakes People Make On Their About Page
(and how to fix them)
Mistake #1:
Skip the About Page altogether
I know! It sounds crazy, right?
But I’ve seen it – many times.
When creating their own websites, some people decide to simply delete the About Page altogether.
Maybe they don’t want to share anything personal.
Maybe they don’t know what to put on their About Page.
Maybe they feel who they are doesn’t play a role in what they sell.
I’m here to tell you this is WRONG!
The About Page is the second most visited page on a website, after the Home Page.
People want to find about the wizard behind the curtain!
Your About Page is a valuable piece of website real estate. It can be the thing that makes or breaks whether someone works with you.
Your About Page builds the all important know-like-trust factor.
Now that you know not to skip it, don’t make this next mistake…
Mistake #2:
Use your About Page as a sales page or contact page
I hate it when I go to someone’s About Page and all they are doing is sending me to other pages on their website.
They are using this valuable page to sell me something.
As I said above, the reason we go to your About Page is because we want to learn more about you. Who is the person behind the business?
We’re curious.
We’re cautious.
Today, there are many businesses offering the same type of service. We want to know why we should choose you.
We want to know what makes you different.
Your About Page in the best place to do that.
If we want to know what you’re selling, we’ll go to your services page to see what you offer.
If we want to know how to contact you, there’s a page for that too.
Don’t waste this chance to connect with your prospects.
There is no other page on your website where you can create the kind of connection you can create here.
This is where you can build your credibility and authenticity.
Your About Page creates the difference between sales and so-long!
Be sure to include an About Page and let us get to know you. Just don’t do this…
Mistake #3:
Treat your About Page like your resume.
When writing your About Page, your temptation may be to try to sell yourself by listing your credentials and achievements. But all that does is make your reader’s eyes glaze over.
If there is one sure way to make people click away from your website in a hurry, it is creating an About Page that reads like a resume.
If that’s true, then why do so many people still do that?
Because it makes them feel safe and it makes them feel credible.
When you’re starting your own business, you take a head-dive into a pool of self-doubt. And believe me, it’s a deep pool that can take you a while to swim out of, especially if your business is a departure from what you were trained in or have been working on for the past number of years.
You may be feeling like you’re not standing on solid ground.
You may be feeling like a fraud trying to pass yourself off as someone you are not.
Leaning on your past accomplishments allows you to feel you have proof that you’ve been busy with other things and have been succeeding. But to your readers, it’s boring.
So what are you supposed to do if you aren’t supposed to list your past work?
The About Page Fix:
Tell a story.
Yup, that’s right. Of course, it has to be a truthful story.
Tell the story of WHY you’re doing the work you are doing today.
What brought you to it?
Careful! Don’t make this a chronological account from birth to present day. That’s even more boring than your resume!
Find a moment in time or a pivotal moment that brought you to this work and zero in on it.
If yours is a journey story, take us on some of that journey, targeting and highlighting the important moments.
If you’re on a soapbox determined to make change, tells why you’re fired up.
Get into the details and make us feel like we are right there with you, keeping it as concise and to the point as you can.
But Wait! Only share stories you are ready to share.
Some of your stories may be to painful to share just yet. Some may affect other people. Never feel you need to share anything you’re not ready to share.
“What about all my credentials? I worked hard for those. Can I talk about them?”
If your credentials add to why you are the one to work with, add them briefly at the end to solidify your story.
Don’t worry though if you’re doing something new and/or don’t have designations to add to your name. The story of what brought you to this point in time is enough to connect us to you and convince us that you are the person we want to work with.
Your story brings us out of our heads and into our hearts. After all, isn’t that where the best and lasting connections are made?
Tell us your WHY story and we’ll be eager to explore the rest of your website to see just how we can work with you.
Happy storytelling!
If you have any questions about your About Page, feel free to contact me.