Not every website has an About Us page and many of the sites that do, fail to take full advantage of them. This is unfortunate, as these are some of the most frequently visited pages on any website and, when well written, can have a key role to play in customer acquisition and retention.
In this post, we’ll share some of the most effective techniques for creating a killer About Us page so that you can turn yours into something that has far greater impact.
- Rethink the meaning of Us
For many businesses, the Us in About Us, is taken to mean the company. As a result, the content which follows is usually an inward-looking description of the business: a sort of dry, potted biography. This who we are, this is where we came from, this is what we do now. This is not the purpose of an About Us page.
An About Us page is there to build a relationship with your visitors. And the best way to get your head around this, is to think of the Us not as the company but as the company and its audience: the community around your brand. This way, rather than looking inwards, the page reaches out; it’s inclusive. The visitor feels a sense of belonging and this can help them feel connected to your brand.
How do you achieve this? Simple. Open the page by referring to your audience. Show that you understand why they have visited your site and what you are doing to help them. For example, We all know that finding great children’s clothes at affordable prices can be challenging. We’re parents too. We think all children deserve to look good and feel comfortable and that’s why we’re striving to find you the best outfits at the best prices. How does that compare to, Kids Clobber was set up in 2010 by Sharon and Mark Smith in Bromley? Exactly.
Remember to use inclusive pronouns in your content, e.g., us, we and you. - Make the page visually appealing
To increase user engagement on your About Us page, use a range of visual media: images, videos and infographics. Not only do these make your content more appealing, they can help establish your brand identity. So, for example, if you think it important to tell the history of your business as part of your brand story, do it with an illustrated timeline rather than a block of text.
One way you can use images to develop relationships is to show photos of your staff. However, make sure the photos are in keeping with how you want to come across to your audience, for example, you could show your team members interacting with customers. Alternatively, instead of showing people looking officious and unapproachable in the office, show the human side of the company by using photos of a them at a charity event.
Video can take things even further. You can capture the atmosphere of your workplace, your caring tone of voice, the stunning nature of your products or even knit things together into an endearing narrative that can hook visitors and convert them into loyal customers. - Tell your brand story
Talking of narratives, telling a brand story is a technique that many companies use to help visitors find a connection with the business. Your brand story should show the human side of your company and feature something that your audience can relate to on an emotional level. No-one does this better than Lloyds Bank, whose recent advert shows the company, represented by a horse, being helpful for the last 250 years. It shows it’s a brand that stands the test of time and is always there to help. The images at the end, of the horse being followed by children, indicate that it will help the next generation too. Clever stuff. Take a look.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=PAoZQjagOy8
You don’t need video to tell your brand story, you can use a mixture of text and images or even create an infographic. - Explain your values
If you are old enough, you may remember the time that many people boycotted Barclays Bank because it wouldn’t stop investing in its South African subsidiaries during the apartheid years. It was a clear example of a company whose values were at odds with its customers and lost out. There are numerous other examples: hardly anyone reads The Sun in Liverpool because of its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster, the fashion brand Zara had to remove fur products from its stores because customers were leaving, Nike suffered financial and reputational loss in the 1990s because it used third world child labour to manufacture its products.
On the opposite side of the fence, people have values which attract them to brands. They go out of their way to drink Fair Trade coffee, eat organic, GM-free food, buy products that come wrapped in recycled packaging. Tesla is a brand built on an eco-friendly philosophy that many of its customers aspire to. The Body Shop thrived because its products were not tested on animals.
If your company has values that appeal to the beliefs of your customers, your About Us page is the place to say it. Putting these beliefs out there can be a great way to foster brand loyalty and this can mean customers come back to buy from you over and over for years to come. - Explain your mission
Your business is on a journey and if you want to take your customers with you, you should take the opportunity to explain what your mission is on your About Us page. So, if you want to create the perfect beer, create the best child care centre in your town, change people’s lives with your inventions, say it. Just like your values, your mission will appeal to people and make them want to stay loyal to you. - Back everything up with social proof
You can write anything on your About Us page. The aim is to make sure that your visitors believe in you. They want to trust what you say about your values, products and services and the best way to ensure this is to provide evidence.
The best evidence is that which is provided independently, preferably from those who are already customers. For this reason, customer reviews and testimonials are key elements of your About Us page. In addition, you could include links to newspapers or websites where you have been mentioned or display images that show what you say is true.
Conclusion
As you can see from this post, there is much more to a great About Us page than most businesses realise. If it is done correctly, its effect on your brand can build long-term relationships with customers that can sustain your company well into the future.
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