If there’s one website page business owners struggle writing, it’s their about page. Many have no idea what to say. Some say too much and it becomes a long boring page that few people read till the end. Some about pages sound so generic, lacking any personality or distinction.
Your website’s about page is one of the most important, but also most challenging to write copy for.
Use this simple tactic to write a more captivating about page for your brand.
Outline sections before writing any copy
The best way to start is to not jump in to writing immediately! A blank Word or Google doc is intimidating. Let’s avoid frustration by starting differently.
Think of how you can break up the page into short sections. Each section communicates something different about your business using imagery and words.
As your starting point, simply describe what sections you want the page to have. This guides your writing – you’ll have a much better idea of what needs to be communicated. Once finalised, you can then start writing the words for each section.
Example sections you could include on your about page:
Section 1: Your Why / Your Mission
Most product-based businesses have a powerful reason for why they started. A reason for being.
- You saw a gap in the market.
- Passion or purpose drives you.
- Your product solves a problem for your customer. Or for luxury brands, helps them achieve a certain kind of lifestyle / aesthetic / dream / aspiration.
Communicating your reason for being is a compelling way to pull a reader into your story. Be specific. Avoid generalisms, jargon or technical language.
Starting with your why is a great way to begin your about page and immediately moves you beyond sounding generic.
Section 2: Your Values
Use icons or visuals to communicate the values that your business stands for / or the unique value-driven benefits of your products / customer service.
I’d suggest 3 – 6 values. Any more and you’ll overwhelm.
Use on-brand icons to add visual interest to the page. Include a short paragraph about each value.
Section 3: Your Journey, Your Team and Your Workspace
Your journey is the story of how you got to where you are today. It’s an extension of your why.
If you’re a start-up, communicating your journey might not be relevant or possible. In this case jump into introducing your founder / team members and workspace where the magic happens.
This section should have images and/or video showing your team, store / workshop / studio space.
Optional section to break up the page: Showcase a selection of customer reviews or a quote from the business’s founder.
End the page with a call to action
End with something that inspires action / leads to another important part of your website.
For example: showcase a selection of your favourite products.
Copywriting tips
- Keep it short, clear and engaging.
- Visualise one person (your target customer) and write for them.
- Write first then edit and shorten.
- Keep sentences short.
- Keep language simple. Don’t use marketing jargon or complicated technical terms.
- Details make stories more interesting and relatable.
- Once you’ve written your copy, send it through the Hemingway Editor to improve readability-
- https://hemingwayapp.com/
