7 Mistakes You’re Making On Your About Page

I could talk about the importance of your About Page all day. Unfortunately, I don’t see many business owners using their About Page advantageously (if they even have one), and I want to change that. Because when your About Page is subpar, there’s a good chance your sales will be too. 

According to a study by Co-Marketing, 52% of people that land on a website want to learn more about the business owner or the company –and your About Page is where they can intuitively do this. So why not give your audience exactly what they are looking for?

That’s why I decided to highlight the seven mistakes you’re making on your About Page and how to fix them so you can make one of the most popular pages on your website work for your business rather than against it. 

1. Not focusing on your headline

Most web pages require a good headline to kick things off, even your About Page –and to be totally honest, 50% of your effort should be writing it. Your headline is the first thing your potential client reads when they land on any page and needs to capture their attention. So don’t skimp on it or write it as an afterthought. It should absolutely be your first priority when writing your About Page. 

If your headline sucks, why is your reader going to keep reading? Because you’ve given them a reason to. Your headline needs to capture your reader’s attention by telling them what they’ll get if they keep reading. A headline sparks their curiosity. 

2. Focusing on you and not your reader

Yes, it’s technically an About Me Page, but don’t put all the emphasis on you. When you tell your story (see next point), you want to say it in a relevant way to your reader. Here are two ways you can keep your About Page reader-focused rather than writer-focused. 

1. Point out who you’re talking to. Do you work with photographers, creative entrepreneurs, athletes, women-owned small businesses, yoga instructors, or women with small children? Whoever you specialize in, call them out, so they know you’re here to help them in particular!

2. Tell them why they are in the right place. What problems of theirs do you solve? How can you help them achieve their goals? What is in it for them?

Always talk about yourself in the context of how you help your clients.

3. Not telling your story

Now that you know that your About Page isn’t really about you at all, it’s time to learn how to tell a personal story that’s about your reader. Some business owners take this point way too far and don’t even write about themselves…at all, which can be just as bad as writing only about yourself. 

There’s a fine line to follow here, but really, your readers want to learn about you…in relation to how you can help them. Introduce yourself!  Tell your reader who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Don’t tell them your mother’s maiden name, your favorite childhood toy, or what car you currently drive —unless it’s relevant to how you can help your reader. 

Here are some great questions to answer in your copy:

How did your company get started? Why did you start your business? What are your core values? What motivates you as an entrepreneur? What credentials make you the OG in your field? 

Who do you help? What makes you different from your competitors? Why should the reader choose to work with you? What’s in it for them? What should they expect when they work with you? 

Share your hardships and obstacles related to what your readers are struggling with but always end it with a high note. Explain how you achieved success (and how they can too). 

4. Zero personality

Remember when I said your reader wants to connect with you and your brand? Well, to establish that connection,  you need to set yourself apart. An amazing website design and aesthetics will only get you so far. Do you know what gets you further? Your personality. 

Your personality is 100% unique and 100% yours. The people who land on your page are looking for a connection, and they can’t establish a connection with a robot who says the same things all the other online entrepreneurs say.

Jazz up your copy with your personality. Lose the jargon and write like you talk..in your voice. Give a couple of fun facts about yourself or share a getting started story. Let your authentic self shine and try not to write like a cookie-cutter entrepreneur.

5. No social proof

You need to have some sort of social proof or credential that shows your audience that you know what you’re doing. Social proof builds trust because you’ve demonstrated that you’ve successfully taken others through your process, which, in turn, impacts your conversions. 

You can highlight testimonials from clients, recommendations, brands you’ve worked with, or features in publications that you’ve appeared in. You can also show off stats or even use images to show you speak at a summit or Tedx. Show your audience that you are credible, an expert in your field, and can get them the results they’re looking for.

6. Not having a call to action

When your reader lands on your About Page (or any page on your website), you need to tell them what to do next. What’s their next step to working with you or learning more about your brand? It can be Booking A Discovery call, reading your most popular blog posts, checking out your services, listening to your podcast, downloading your freebie, signing up for your newsletter, and so much more. At the very least, link to your most popular page. 

You want your reader to stick around and learn more about your brand — but they can’t do that if there is no call to action. Because if you don’t give your reader the next step, they’re probably either going to press that back button or click off your website entirely. And we don’t want that to happen.

7. Not giving your name!

Even if you’re an organization, your potential customers search for connections when they land on your About Page. Having your name (even just a first name or pseudonym) loud and proud makes it much easier for them to establish that initial connection and see the human behind the brand. A name (and picture) makes your brand that much more real.

Hopefully, by now, you know how to identify these common mistakes found on About Pages and fix them so you can make this page convert your readers into customers on autopilot! 

Did this post help? Or do you have any questions about how to write your About Page (or any website page)? Contact me here, and I would be happy to help you! If you’re ready for someone to write your website copy for you, I do that too. You can check out my services and see if we’re the right fit.