It's no secret that people love learning about the companies they do business with. In fact, most internet users say they take the time to read an About Us page before making a purchase or engaging with a company.
So, if you're running a business, it's vital to have an About Us page that is informative and engaging. Here are some tips on how to write an About page that will keep your customers coming back for more:
Table of Contents
- Why You Should Care About the “About Us’” Page
- 5 Critical Components of an About Page
- 5 Tips for Writing the Best About Page
- 8 Companies that Nailed It
Why You Should Care About the “About Us” Page
You might be thinking, "Why should I care about the About Us page on a website? Isn't that just a place to talk about the company and what it does?"
While it is true that the About Us page is a great place to learn more about a company, there is a lot more to it than that.
For starters, the About Us page is often one of the most visited pages on a website. This means that it has the potential to make a big impression on visitors. If done right, this page can give visitors a positive impression of the company and its products or services.
It also provides an opportunity to show that the company is transparent and trustworthy, which can encourage people to do business with you.
Finally, the About Us page can be a great marketing tool, especially if you use it to highlight the company's unique selling points and to persuade visitors to learn more about the products or services offered.
5 Critical Components of an About Page
There are a few key components that every great About Page should have:
- A strong headline: Your headline should be attention-grabbing and accurately reflect the content of your page.
- A clear message: Your about page should communicate who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Be clear and concise in your writing.
- A story: People love stories! Share yours on your About page. What led you to start your business? What are your company's core values? Why do your customers love working with you?
- Evidence of your expertise: Your About page is the perfect place to showcase your credentials, awards, testimonials and other forms of social proof. Help your visitors see why you're the best at what you do.
- A call to action (CTA): What do you want people to do after reading your about page? Make it easy for them by including a clear call to action, such as signing up for your newsletter or scheduling a consultation.
5 Tips to Writing the Best About Page
1. Keep it short and sweet.
An About Us page should be brief and to the point. Users want to know who you are, what you do, and why they should care—all without having to wade through a ton of text.
So, make sure to include only the most important information about your company.
2. Use images and videos.
Including visuals on your About Us page is a great way to break up the text and add some personality to your site. You can use pictures of your team, your products, or your office space to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at what you do. And don't forget about using videos! A short video clip can be a great way to engage users and convey your company's story in an interesting way.
3. Write in the first-person.
When writing your About Us page, it's essential to use the first-person point of view—meaning that you should refer to your company as "we" instead of "they." This will make your page sound more personal and approachable, which is what you want visitors to feel when they read it.
4. Be honest.
Your About Us page is the perfect place to share your company's story, values and mission statement. And while it's important to put your best foot forward, you also want to be honest about who you are and what you do. So, don't be afraid to share the good, the bad, and the ugly about your business—it'll only make you more relatable and trustworthy in the eyes of potential customers.
5. Use calls to action.
Once you've finished writing, include calls to action throughout the page. Including CTAs will help keep visitors engaged and moving through your site—which is ultimately what you want them to do.
By following these tips, you can write an About Us page that is sure to engage and inform your site visitors. Just remember to keep it short, sweet, and honest—and you'll be well on your way to success.
8 Companies That Nailed It
Again, a good About Us page is simple, straightforward, and to the point. It doesn't try to sell you anything; instead, it just tells you what the company does and how it can help you. There's no sales pitch, no attempt to convince you to buy anything. Just information about the company and what it does.
Here are eight companies with an About Page every business should emulate.
1. Human
Not to toot our own horn, but with our website's recent revamp came a reboot to our About page. Here’s a quick preview of our new, dynamic page that showcases our team, our mission as a company and the values we strive for every day.
2. Yellow Leaf Hammocks
Yellow Leaf Hammocks sells handwoven hammocks. Each sale empowers the weavers and their families to “break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future.” Because their mission is based on philanthropy, their About page heavily emphasizes the people who benefit from a Yellow Leaf Hammock purchase. Additionally, their eye-catching graphics and their use of video add a lot of value to the aesthetic of their page.
3. Huel
Huel is a company that makes nutritionally complete meals that are meant to be convenient, affordable and sustainable. Because they sell a consumable, their About page is geared more towards education around their product and why Huel can and should stand out in a saturated health foods market.
4. Google
Google’s About Us page is an excellent example of a site that needs no explanation; everyone who uses Google probably never needs to visit this page to know what they do. Yet, even this search engine giant doesn’t neglect its About Us page.
5. MailChimp
MailChimp is an email marketing service; their bread and butter is helping businesses send newsletters, automated emails and other types of communications to their customers. What’s most impressive about their About page is the MailChimp story—a fun, engaging way of highlighting how the company got its start.
6. Slack
Slack is a messaging app for teams. Their About page does a great job explaining their product and how it can help. They’ve also done an excellent job infusing the page with social proof using numbers that showcase items like their number of paid customers and their global presence.
7. Clif Bar & Company
Clif Bar & Company makes healthy snacks for the everyday and for sports performance. Their About Us page is a great example of how to tell your story without being too heavy-handed. Clif Bar’s page starts with a brief video that tells the story of how the company got its start.
What’s also impressive is the way they’ve managed to capture their company culture in such a short amount of space. By clicking through to other pages, you can get a more in-depth look into the company’s values, aspirations and culture.
8. Propeller Industries
Propeller Industries is an enterprise-grade financial services company. Their About page is a great example of how to make use of whitespace and negative space. The page is clean and easy to navigate, with each section clearly delineated. The use of photos and icons helps break up the text and makes the page more visually interesting.
No matter what type of business you have, your About Us page should be a top priority. These seven companies have set the standard for what a good About Us page should be—informative, engaging and reflective of the company’s values. If you need help getting started, our team at Human can assist you in creating an About Us page that hits all the right notes.
Need some additional help bringing your brand to life? Human's ecommerce branding services take your business through all the right steps to help you conceptualize or fine-tune your brand and present it to the world. You can also check out our blog on how to create a buyer persona or download our complimentary Brand Voice and Style Guide!