Feb 11, 2013

What to Put on Your “About Us” Page

Potential customers exploring your business for the first time invariably check out the “About Us” page early in their investigation. As a result, the impression you give on this page is critically important. It’s probably your best opportunity to present your business the way you want to—describing your experience, your capabilities, how your product or service offers the benefits people are looking for, and how you do it better than your competition. The trick is, doing this the right way. That means avoiding hype or offering a long-winded resume of your background. Your goal is to create a well-crafted description of how you can solve the customer’s problem. Here’s how to do it: Make it about the customer. When people click on the “About Us” page, what they’re really looking for is something that’s “about them.” What are your customers’ needs? What solutions do you offer? Answer these and other questions your prospective customers are likely to ask. Stick to the facts. Don’t claim to be something you’re not. You run a small business, which comes with its own advantages (whether it’s personalized service, above-average response time, free delivery, etc.). There’s no need to defend yourself against the big boys. Provide statistics demonstrating the quality of your offering, as well as a handful of testimonials from satisfied clients. Be human and personal. In general, the most effective content for an “About Us” page is written in the first person. Using “I” or “we” helps forge a connection with visitors to your site, particularly if what you have to say also demonstrates a little personality along the way. Your language can be passionate, a little more informal and even humorous in places. Imagine you’re talking to someone in person. That’s what customers want to see. Share images. If you’re addressing visitors in the first person, they’ll be naturally curious to see what you look like. Include an image of yourself and maybe two or three relating to your business and employees. It helps humanize you and connects you with others. Use targeted keywords. As you do elsewhere on your small business website, be sure your “About Us” page contains targeted keywords to boost visibility on search engines. Include a call-to-action. After giving visitors a friendly look inside your business (with ample details about what’s in it for them), the next natural step is including a call-to-action. Where would you like prospective customers to go next—your product page or “Contact us” page? Include links to your Facebook or Twitter pages, where they can “like” your business or become a follower. A well-placed call-to-action button sends visitors to your desired destination. Review before posting. Once you’ve created concise, appealing and informative content, be sure to review it for any typos or misspellings. Better yet, ask a trusted friend to read the page and offer feedback. They might offer suggestions you hadn’t thought of. The “About Us” page is your opportunity to gives prospective customers a look behind the scenes and to demonstrate your commitment to serving them. It’s a vital part of that all-important first impression. NewtekOne can help design and develop a new or redesigned website for your business. We offer a full range of web-hosting capabilities to ensure that your site is always available to your client-base. Find out more.