You get only 2 seconds to convince your visitors about your relevance. If you fail, the visitor clicks the back button and leave your site for good. Here’s how you can stop it.
Neil Patel wrote a post on how to create the perfect About page. The post is extremely exhaustive and arguably, one of the most definitive resources on the Internet.
As per WordCounter, the post has a massive 3846 word count.
Depending on your reading speed, it should take you anything from 15-30 minutes. However, the post also contains many images, charts and links to external resources that may as well consume additional time to digest.
In short, the post may need an hour to fully comprehend if you have the tendency to check each and every resource included in the post.
Nevertheless, it’s totally worth your time and guide you can always come back to from time to time in future.
What I’m trying to do here is present the same information in a way that you can digest in much less time. However, it’s strongly recommended that you should read the full article as soon as you get a chance.
So, here we go:
Myths around About Page
Myth #1: It should be about yourself.
Truth: It should be written to solve the problems of a reader. Present your skills in a way that gives your audience a feeling of assurance. Tell your personal story but focus on how your knowledge and skills will resolve the challenges they’re facing.
For Example: “…source of inspiration for those who refuse to settle for anything less than an extraordinary life.”
Myth #2: Use minimal design
Truth: It depends. If you’re a content writing, you could use a minimal design approach because your audience is more interested in words. But if you’re a web design professional, you’re better off showcasing your creativity on your About page. Here’s a good example.
Key Elements of a Successful About Page
Essentially, you should combine your personal story and the unique selling point (USP) to create an impact on your audience in a way that compels them to convert and take the intended action.
#1: Write a simple, clear, benefit-driven headline. The default headline in many websites is “About Us”; either you can change it or add a sub-headline to explain the benefits of your website.
Here’s what Twitter’s about page looks like:
Still wondering how to write a persuasive headline? Use these tricks to write catchy headlines.
#2: Let your story address the challenge your reader is facing. Think of yourself as a doctor and the reader wants your attention to resolve her problem as quickly as possible. Whatever you say should build a tone of empathy and assurance. Remember the key is benefits for the readers.
#3: Use an image, a logo or video to spice up your about page and keep the audience engaged.
#4: Use your about page to tell a story. Don’t boast too much or it might backfire and create credibility issues. Try to be as honest with your readers as possible – it works like no other.
#5: Use a call to action strategically. This is an opportunity to allow your readers to opt-in or sign up for more. Don’t leave them hanging. Be sure it provides value to the readers.
#6: Make it easy for your visitors to find your about page. A good practice is to put it right next to the home on your navigation menu.
#7: Replace rational words with emotional words. For example, use help instead of assist and give instead of donate. Here’s a list of emotional words you can use.
#8: Make sure the most important information appears above the fold and it does the job exactly the way as explained in the previous points. Most readers have a short attention span and they don’t bother going below the fold if the stuff above the fold doesn’t excite them.
How to Eliminate Challenges on Your About Page
Oftentimes, your potential readers look at your page with their pre-conceived reservations. This may happen to anyone who has come across too many boring pages. Your job is to avoid those potential challenges and win their attention from the word go.
Here’s how:
#1: Add testimonials to your about us page to boost their readers’ trust immediately. Don’t use fake testimonials – it may damage your reputation.
#2: Give freebies. It could be anything from a free downloadable e-book to a free discount coupon.
#3: Include a video to stand out, build trust and effectively eliminate objections. Ramsey Taplin, the founder of Blog Tyrant is the best example of this.
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