About Page Copywriting Tips. It’s Not About You, it’s About the Customer

Have you checked your website’s stats recently? If so, you might have noticed that one of the most popular pages is the humble ‘About’ page. Why? Because visitors want to know who’s pulling the levers behind the curtain. They want to know why they should believe the slick sales pitch on the home page, and whether your business is legit.

So the About page is a vital part of the persuasion process. Unfortunately, this is something many businesses are blissfully unaware of based on the wasteland of creativity usually found on this page. Too often, it’s the last task to be ticked off in web copywriting project. There’s little discussion on what it should cover, and you just get handed some dull bios to try and wring some life from and ply out what really matters.

The reason why your personal history isn’t enough information for this page is because the About page isn’t about you at all. It’s about the customer. They pay for what you do for them. Not who you are.

But just to confuse things further, people also like to do business with those they know, like and trust. So how do you square that circle?

Here are come About page copywriting tips that can help solve this copywriting conundrum:

1. It’s the start of a conversation

Copywriting is at it’s most potent when it resonates on a human level. When it communicates in a straight talking, conversational way, rather than with regurgitated marketing cliches, it creates a sense of affinity. This is why the About page should be a place where you loosen your tie, grab a coffee and sit down to tell the customer what you’re all about. It’s where you relax and present yourself in an authentic way. It’s not about selling. But about why you’re here to help.

2. Give them reasons to trust you. Not empty boasts

People are visiting your About page to find out why they should trust you. What they can gain if they hire you or buy your product? Save the long winded personal history for the grandchildren. Focus on what what matters to the customer. There’s nothing wrong with listing your awards and achievements. Just make sure you focus on building trust, rather than polishing your ego.

3. You’re special. Tell the reader why

This page is perfect for showcasing the ‘reason why’ your company exists. What was the driving ambition, life changing event or burst of inspiration from which it was born? Ideally, this should be something more noble than making money. The reason why your company exists is because you believe you can provide a better service or product than anyone else. The reason why is what makes it unique and special. It’s what gives your brand deeper meaning and gravitas. Reveal the roots from which your business grew and from where it draws its lifeblood to flourish.

4. Be human

Providing a few lines about your hobbies and interests away from your desk helps the reader to relate to you. If you have a shared passion it may even be the clincher in choosing you over the dry corporate About page of your competitor.

So ditch the boring bios. Scrap the corporate jargon, and present yourself as real people with an authentic drive to deliver the best service possible. Give them reasons to believe in you as someone they can do business with and watch those conversions in your stats rise.