Any website worth its salt will have an about us page. They’re part and parcel of every website, no matter what it does, sells or practices. But some are much more effective than others.
An about us page is the window into your business, who you are and your core principles. There are tons of different ways people format and take on an about us page, but what are the must have things to include in one? And what design elements can be integrated into them to be more effective?
Start With You
People visit an about us page first and foremost to find out who you are. Therefore it should be the first thing you address. People want to know about who you are, which will often cover the following:
- History of the brand/experience
- Core principles
- Services you offer
Within these, you should be clear and concise, particularly when it comes to the history and how your brand has progressed down the years. There are many ways you can showcase this information, such as Integrating bullet point snapshots and pull-outs.
A good example to check out is the about us page by Duda.co. Notice the simple to read structure and the way that they highlight key pieces of information so users can scan read, but still, get a good idea of who they are and what they do.
Additionally, more and more brands are selling themselves on this page through the use of video.
Meet The Team
People also want to know about the people behind the brand, and that doesn’t just mean the owner. Including a meet, the team section will add personality to your business and also make it very clear that there are real humans powering what you do.
The most effective way to include a meet the team section is through little pen pics or profiles, where you can get quick snapshots of who the person is, their role within the company, and then frequently add a little bit of novelty insight into themselves as people.
More and more businesses are also beginning to add video into this, or GIFs with members of the team pulling wacky faces. Of course, if your business is a little more formal, then it’s important to stick to that, and produce meet the team profiles accordingly.
Testimonials
People want tried and trusted when it comes to parting with their hard-earned money, and what better way to get that across than with testimonials.
You only need a couple across a homepage or about us page and you can really help sell your business. They only need to be short snippets of information, usually bitesize quotes from previous customers championing your services.
A good idea is to link through to further pages with more in-depth customer reviews or case studies which can delve into the detail of exactly why the customer enjoyed your services or products so much, again just packing that extra punch to get a sale over the line.
Simple Design
An About Us page is ultimately what it says on the tin and while there are certain aspects of content you should cover, the design should also follow certain protocols, most commonly keeping it simple.
You don’t need any extravagant design to tell your story, keep the design clear, concise and emphasize the key points with your design.
Cover The “Aha” Moments
When browsing the About Us page, people are actively looking as to why they should choose you for business. While testimonials will certainly help, shouting about major success in short sharp spurts will help your cause.
People have a tendency to skim read, so making the big moments in your business history and your USPs stand out is incredibly important. Think about what makes you different and then ensure that among the most visible aspects of your About Us page.
Don’t Fill It With Jargon
Anyone reading an About Us page is at the very start of their journey with your business. In many cases they will be complete novices to what you do, therefore it’s important to keep language simple, especially with B2C businesses.
Instead of filling your page with industry jargon, focus more on yourself and showcase personality. This will not only make sure it’s understandable, but authentic too. What’s more, it’ll take away that more corporate air and make you sound like a real person and ultimately more approachable as a business.
Know Your Audience
Similarly, know your audience. If you have a specific target audience in mind then appeal to those within your About Us page. Consider the language your audience would use, what they like to see visually and build your page based upon that.
For example, if you have a younger audience, short, snappy digestible content is preferred. Think about integrating gifs or video to sell your story and add more personality. If your audience is B2B or you’re selling something a little more formal, then you need to keep the language and design more formal.
Keep It Humble
While you should be showcasing the best of what your business does and offers, it’s important to keep your businesses feet on the ground. Honesty and humbleness can play a major part in this. An About Us page full of brags can come across as arrogant and potentially off-putting for potential customers.
Contact Us
Finally, while contact us pages are valuable in their own right, after having read all about you, potential customers may then have some questions for you. Therefore within the about us page, there should be some way in which people can get in touch.
This could simply be a call to action which directs people to the contact page, or something in which a user can contact directly from the about us page, whether it be a contact form or a live chat widget that customers can open up and contact you instantly. This can increase sales significantly, as well as enhance your reputation for customer service and satisfaction.
