{"id":965,"date":"2020-06-30T15:50:05","date_gmt":"2020-06-30T15:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extendthemes.com\/?p=965"},"modified":"2020-07-28T11:31:50","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T11:31:50","slug":"about-us-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/colibriwp.com\/blog\/about-us-page\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us Pages Earn Trust. Here’s How (to Write Yours)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In short, the “About Us” pages are often overlooked and misunderstood.<\/p>\n

Probably because oftentimes people are not really sure about their business voice, their vision, unique identity, and so on.<\/p>\n

The thing is, when someone lands on this particular page, it’s because they’re pretty interested in you.<\/p>\n

So, you’d better tell a compelling story there.<\/p>\n

Now that this is clear, let’s dig a bit deeper into the topic and find some inspiring “About Us” pages as well.<\/p>\n

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The role of an about us page<\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s like that because they play a certain role within a website, a role that\u2019s often underestimated<\/strong>. An about us page has the potential to not only attract users, but even to convert them<\/strong> to clients\/customers. It plays a role in simplifying the decision making. According to studies<\/a><\/u>, consumers were 86% more likely to choose companies with a higher decision simplicity score.
\nThat being said, do all companies need a strong about us page? Chances are few people visit the about us page of ebay.com, but a lot more visit the about us page of a lesser known company, such as a web design agency. In the latter case, the about page contributes to gaining trust, and pushing clients forward into the buying cycle.<\/p>\n

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About Us \u2013 What Information to Integrate in the Page<\/h2>\n

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This subchapter is intended to help you complete the creation of your website with a thoroughly designed about us page. Or, if you want to make improvements to your existing about us page, the information below should help you get the most out of it.<\/p>\n

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Carefully balance the <\/strong>use of \u201cwe\u201d and \u201cyou\u201d.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As the about us page tells from its name, the content should concern me, my company and my mission. However, there\u2019s a key component to take into account: while introducing yourself, you also have to interconnect with the reader, and address his\/her personal needs. The \u201cwe\u201d and \u201cyou\u201d need to become one and the same referral. \u201cWe\u201d empathise with the readers, and \u201cyou\u201d find yourself front and center into the company\u2019s presentation.<\/p>\n

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Address the readers\u2019 pain point.<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is the problem that your company manages to fade out, making their lives better; do not necessarily state exactly how you do it, rather just let readers peek behind the scenes. You are in the market for a reason. That main reason is to make a problem disappear or improve people\u2019s lives. In the example below, the title is suggestive of how good food finds its place into a more comfortable life:<\/p>\n

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Give away the secret of the company\u2019s existence.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tell WHY it came to birth and WHY its story found its path into the market. If you\u2019re about to customize a personal blog, let readers in on WHY you thought it useful to start a blog<\/a> and speak to them. The reason behind the company\u2019s existence should be blended together with how<\/em>, where<\/em>, when<\/em>, who<\/em>, altogether elements that set the scenes for telling more about the company. Which brings us to the next point\u2026<\/p>\n

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Tell the com<\/span>pany\u2019s story.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Specify what the problem<\/u> people faced before the company came into existence. Mention the climax, that is how you entered in conflict<\/u> with that issue and what made you react. Speak about the solution<\/u> you found for that issue, and how the company got its legitimate role on the market.<\/p>\n

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Add context to the story.<\/h3>\n

Add context to the story (speak about the company\u2019s history \u2013 years, figures, endeavours; tell some words about the present \u2013 current positioning of the company; and picture the company\u2019s future \u2013 plans, objectives, forecast).<\/p>\n

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Present the characters that play a role in the company\u2019s story (employees, CEO, founders, clients\u2019 testimonials). <\/span><\/h3>\n

Introducing the team members not only helps give shape to the brand story, but also helps telling the human story behind the brand. How every member has struggled to keep the company up, and how those members form a tessellated team, worthy of the readers\u2019 attention. In the example below, the team members change their look depending on who you put the mouse on, all watching in that direction.<\/p>\n

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Include the company\u2019s mission, vision and values. <\/span><\/h3>\n

These shape the brand identity in an about us page. As the brand\u2019s identity is shared by all characters involved in the company\u2019s story, the mission, vision and values are an underlying flow that has been driving the team into the wanted direction.
\nIn most cases, the about us page integrates with the company mission through branding. But it can also be supporting a social cause: for instance, an about us page for a HIV charity might serve to link to studies on HIV and its impact. In this case, the about us page helps define the mission of the organization.
\nIn other cases, the about us page is just a functionality-driven page, which brings together some important aspects of a website. E.g. a newspaper might use the about us page to show a list of its journalists, editors, etc.<\/p>\n

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Add authentic images and\/or videos to the about us page.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Photos of team members should add authenticity to the presentation. A video featuring the CEO should give a clear sense of what the company is all about. A photo of the entire team should cast some light on the human side of the company.
\nAvoid using stock photos, choose instead some real pictures of what\u2019s inside the company. It explains far better the personality of the group and what the brand stands for.<\/p>\n

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Add contact information for building trust in your company\u2019s real presence, and for giving directions. <\/span><\/h3>\n

When it comes to proofs in favour of your business credibility, nothing is too much. Profit from the about us page \u201creal estate\u201d to include contact information that will help readers get oriented towards your business. In some cases, the contact information will be present in a site-wide footer, so there\u2019s no more need to reiterate it specifically on the about us page.<\/p>\n

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Optional: add lead magnets (something you give for free, in exchange of email addresses for future follow-up). <\/span><\/h3>\n

In case you want to make the most out of the about us page, and profit from readers\u2019 attention to lead them towards a certain path of conversion, you might include some lead magnets: a white paper, a downloadable guide, a professional checklist, etc.<\/p>\n

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Optional: add calls-to-action, for mapping the users\u2019 road to taking action on the website. <\/span><\/h3>\n

Similarly to lead magnets, calls-to-action serve for conversion purposes. In case you want to take conversion benefits from the about us page and use the website potential to the maximum for generating such conversions, it\u2019s good to include a call-to-action button into the page.<\/p>\n

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Include links to social media profiles. And not only that. <\/span><\/h3>\n

For gaining a user\u2019s trust, use social proofs such as certifications, memberships, investors, regulatory compliance, in some cases, maybe even a hint of a portfolio. Most times, this information will be part of a site-wide footer, so you don\u2019t need to reiterate the items specifically in the about us page. However, if it isn\u2019t part of a site-wide footer, you should consider including them in the about us page, they really add value to your presentation: trust and credibility in the eyes of your readers.<\/p>\n

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Include your unique selling proposition.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Gives this the greatest visual weight to this information on the page. It\u2019s your major chance to state your uniqueness in a crowded market of goods and services that level up quality.<\/p>\n

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Style to Present the Information You Include in the About Us Page<\/h2>\n

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All the information listed above should be presented in an enticing way, to get users engaged with the content and keep them so even after they have finished to explore the about us page of the website.
\nHere\u2019s what you should consider when putting text content on the about us page:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Know your audience<\/u>, their way of speaking, their pain points, the reason why they search for you on the internet, their habits and how you can improve their lives. Putting yourself in the readers\u2019 shoes helps gaining a lot more authenticity in your presentation, and you can easily connect with them through an adequate tone of voice.<\/li>\n
  2. Be empathetic<\/u>. This means you understand your audience a lot better than other competitors, and you can speak with them directly, letting them in on how to find the exact solution they expect \u2013 to the issues they face.<\/li>\n
  3. Be authentic<\/u>. Bring the most of yourself in your writing. You shouldn\u2019t shy away from speaking about your true self, even with vulnerabilities. Use a conversational tone of voice and speak as if you were engaged in a discussion with the readers, right from the first line of text on the page.<\/li>\n
  4. Be conversational<\/u>, establishing an emotional connection with the readers. Use words in a way that shows you understand them, and you have something in common with them: you care for their lives, their worries, their comfort.<\/li>\n
  5. Avoid being fluffy<\/u>, and don\u2019t fill in the about us page with blabla text. Stray away from clich\u00e9s and hype, reduce them to the minimum, if none at all. People don\u2019t really care about your boastful presentation, they will decide whether your company plays a role for them if you identify their problems, and show you understand them well.<\/li>\n
  6. Be personal, be evocative, be you<\/u>. You yourself, and you in the shoes of clients\/customers. Use the first person (singular\/plural) to present your business, from a human point of view. Show the audience you are like them, and they should trust you for the better.<\/li>\n
  7. Be honest<\/u>. Above all, use sincerity as an appropriate medium of communicating with your audience. Don\u2019t ever lie to them, embellish the truth or complicate the discourse. Stick to facts, if necessary, include figures that support your statements, and stand by the truth, as it is.<\/li>\n
  8. Be original<\/u>. You can do this. You really are unique, and your business brings added value to clients\/customers. So, why not include some original copy into the about us page, and show people how you can play an important role for them? Originality can make you go the extra mile and stand out from the market, by getting closer to the audience.<\/li>\n
  9. Build trust<\/u>. This will ensue as a result of all of the above. If you apply these writing techniques, you will surely gain the readers\u2019 trust and they will decide sooner to get into business with your company. It\u2019s a win-win. You got the audience\u2019s trust, and they\u2019ll get better services\/products values by closing the deal with you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Templates of ideal about us pages<\/h2>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Although breaking the norm is the new norm, when it comes to about us pages, here\u2019s a starting point you can inspire yourself from, when designing one:<\/p>\n

    ABOUT US PAGE MODEL 1 (generic model)<\/u><\/strong>
    \n[OWNERS] started [COMPANY] because [EXPLAIN ISSUE PEOPLE FACED].
    \nThat’s why [YOUR PATH TO CREATING A SOLUTION].
    \nAlong the way, [X, Y, Z].
    \nWe want to be [WHAT\u2019S THE TARGET OF YOUR COMPANY\u00a0.<\/p>\n

    Add meaningful context to the presentation:<\/p>\n