Your Website’s MVP
The About page is the true workhorse of your website, with the potential to convert more visitors into customers than your Home and Service pages combined.
Why?
Let’s say you’re a personal trainer. The people who land on your Home page from a Google search already know that they want a trainer. And they already know that you are a trainer. What they don’t know is whether they like you, whether they can trust you to do a good job for them.
So they see your main info and your introductory spiel on your Home page. Then they click on Services and see what kinds of workouts you do, and maybe how much you charge.
The ones who then click on your About page are already on the hook, they like your offering. Now they want to know more about you as a person.
I can’t tell you how many websites I’ve seen where the entire About page is a grainy old photo and a couple of soggy sentences. You know, where they went to school and that they like walking their dog.
On the other end of the spectrum are the ones with twenty giant, full-color photos of everyone they know. And paragraph after paragraph of the minutiae of their life.
Hoo boy. Both of these completely miss the mark.
There is a middle ground here, guys, a sweet spot. Share enough relevant information that visitors get to know, like and trust you. Provide enough information that they feel comfortable reaching out. And the key to that is this gem:
It’s should be about how you can help your clients, serve your customers.
On my About page, I share that I have a background in project management. My need to have things organized and efficient stems from it. I’m not afraid of nit-picky details, and I keep records of everything. Knowing these things about me and how I operate is important information for people. I have landed some clients – and lost some others – because of this information. And all that was as it should be.
Not everyone is my ideal client. And not everyone is yours.
Your About page doesn’t need to appeal to every single person who reads it, but it should appeal to and convert the right ones.
4 Updates You Can Make to Your Page Right Now
Include a Current Photo
Include a current photo or yourself (and if you have a team, showcase them, as well). And when I say “photo” I mean “professional, well-lit photo”.
Grabbing a snap of yourself from your friend’s Facebook page, blowing it up and cropping to your face does not constitute a professional photo. It will not do. Yes, I sound like a snob. Have you seen the internet? It’s full of snobs making snap judgements about your value based on photos, fonts and color choices. It’s absolutely brutal. Hiring a pro is money well-invested in your business.
Show people what you really look like. Are you a gardener, a tennis player? Do you adore old movies? Show who you are when you are not on the job. Share a bit about your life outside of your business. This will capture their attention, because you are real and infinitely more interesting than a stock photo model.
Highlight your Life Experience
The twists and turns or your unique journey is what makes it fascinating. The six months you spent working for a wedding caterer in Italy, or that time you got fired and it turned out to be the best thing ever. Even the business venture you started that was a flop and you had to move back home. All that is excellent fodder for letting people get a good idea of who you are.
Pick a thread or two from your past that relates to what you are offering on your website, add a photo from that time and you’ll have the perfect accessory that personalizes your business.
Include All of Your Contact Info
If you want people to contact you, then your website must include all the ways that they can reach you. Every time someone clicks on your invitation to subscribe, join, download, tweet, or follow you is pure gold – don’t waste that opportunity.
The email and phone number that you display on your website should not be your personal ones. Get a business number through your mobile carrier or use a virtual phone system.
You’ll want to protect your personal data from scammers, preserve your work/life balance, and have your company appear more professional to potential customers.
End with a Call-to-Action
You could list your phone number or email on your About page and leave it at that. But remember, the visitors on this page are likely coming from one of your other pages and are now at the end of your About page. They’ve stayed interested in you this long, so now is the ideal time to encourage them to take action.
The most popular options for a call-to-action (CTA) are:
- a “Call Now” button that is a direct dial to your business number
- a “Schedule Now” button that links to your calendar app
- a “Join Now” on an email signup form
- a “Get in Touch” contact form where they can email you directly
See the Difference
Compare the following pages. This first one covers all the criteria, and it’s fantastic. I wish I was shooting an action movie, just so I could call these guys!
The next page shown misses all the criteria. It has no soul – it seems to be an afterthought and I would click away after seeing this and not return.
I hope you see how your About page could be an incredible asset to your website. Perhaps it’s time to update yours.
WHAT’S THAT? TOO BUSY TO MAKE UPDATES?
Savvy Digital Design provides gorgeous & effective websites, web care plans, and digital marketing services for businesses just like yours. I’d love to discuss your project.