How To Optimize Your "About Us" Webpage

How To Customize Your About Us Page
 
3 Simple Steps to Transform Your About Page Into a Customer Generating Webpage
 
Most of the about pages on the web can be summed up by one of these words; Boastful or Boring, maybe even a combination of the two.
 
What do I mean? Here’s a real world example of what I am talking about.
 
Example One:
 
As a socially-responsible, global leader in design, manufacturing, distribution and aftermarket services, Flextronics is unique in its ability to provide end-to-end solutions through its innovative and proprietary systems—all to enhance customer competitiveness and success.
 
Example Two:
 
SEO Consult is the specialist search engine optimization division of Click Consult, who are a leading provider of search engine marketing solutions in the UK. Through a range of innovative, organic and ethical techniques, Consult have helped their 325+ clients reach highly targeted traffic, delivering a healthy ROI for both niche businesses and highly recognizable brands.
 
Let’s analyze this. Notice the sort of language that was used: leader, unique, solutions, innovative, proprietary, leading.
 
In other words puffery – well it is my opinion that it is simply puffery.
 
Is there a real purpose in using these types of words? Vanity maybe, as the only purpose I see is to attempt to try and make the company sound as good as possible.
 
So I’ll ask you. Do these types of words make the company sound great even if they are flat out vague and convey no clear meaning?
 
What exactly does innovative, organic and ethical techniques mean, when there are no supporting sentences to explain how they relate to the company offerings?
 
And who doesn’t instantly relate to end-to-end solutions, right?
 
From a consumer’s perspective, we should remember that it really isn’t all that difficult to shop around on the web. So if you are not going to take advantage of the simple three step process to improve your about us page then try telling me and your consumers with simple nouns and verbs what you actually do.
 
You don’t want your consumers and website visitors to think that you’ve strung together buzzwords into some sort of bureaucratic boilerplate.
 
Think of it this way. You would never want someone maybe even your competitor to simply copy your text and swap out your company name and no one would know the difference.
 
If that is you, please know that you have successfully positioned yourself and your online identity or business into the irrelevant category.
 
When your web copy is boring and conveys no clear information it tells the reader that you have a boring company.  I would guess that most of us don’t really like to invest our time or money on boring things.
 
Let’s explore this concept even further.
 
Why Do People Read Your About Page?
 
I’ll tell you that based on my experience of more than 15 years in the multi-media branding industry it is NOT to know whether you are a leading provider of solutions, or an innovative distributor of systems.
 
Believe it or not, people also don’t want to learn all about the history of your company, as many businesses out there seem to think.
 
So why do people read your website’s about page?
 
The answer is actually for the exact reason that people want to know more about anyone they’re considering forming a relationship with or giving money to.
 
They Want To Know They Can Trust You
 
They want to know that you are good at what you do.
 
They want to know that you are the right business to buy from.
 
They want to know that you will not rip them off…and so on.
 
So here’s another marketing take-away for you. When you use verbiage like what we covered earlier, with all the fluff words…people will mostly think and feel all the opposite things you want them to.
 
They won’t know they can trust you. They won’t know that you are good at what you do. They won’t know that you are the right business for them to build a relationship with and they won’t know that you will not rip them off.
 
People are not stupid. They know that if you use fancy language to describe something, without saying anything clearly at all, that you’re probably being less than honest.
 
We’ve all been exposed to politician’s right? It’s the same concept.
 
It is important that if you care about your business. And clearly you do since you are listening to this podcast. You’ll want to take a dramatically different approach. Think of it as a face-to-face conversation with a new client, customer or prospect.
 
This is one of the digital media branding rules that applies across all platform from your own website to your social media posts, web videos and mobile strategies.
 
If you would not say it out loud to a customer or client in the real world, it should never be published or posed anywhere on the web.
 
You Must Open Up To Your Customers
 
Sounds a bit scary right?
 
Most businesses out there are terrified about being open with their audiences or flat out think it is unprofessional to be human.
 
This of course makes no sense.
 
Being human is the only way to connect with your prospects. The really is that your prospects are human. You should not strive toward having people buy from you. You should work toward building your customer base and that requires a relationship, a connection…a human connection.
 
With that let’s talk about the three simple steps toward making that human connection through your about us webpage.
 
Step One - Tell A Story
 
Stories are how we think, how we learn, and how we relate to each other.
 
Remember this, your story does not have to follow the 3-act structure to be interesting.
 
The important ingredient to your story is that it must tell. Tell us about your company, your customers and how it is that they’ve benefited from your service, product or information.
 
 
Step Two - Make it About Something Interesting
What do people find interesting? People find real people interesting. We are particularly interested in people when they are in situations similar to ours or have gone through processes or steps that we are considering. Our interest is most stimulated when we have lots of clear, concrete details we can latch on to.
 
Taking this approach will help your story set itself apart in the minds of your website visitor, making it seem real, genuine and unique.
 
Make sure to pack it full of details that are relatable so that your prospects can visualize it and remember to tie it back to your product, service or content offering.
 
Step Three – Don’t “Photoshop” It
 
As tempting as it is to try and cover up, or make your company appear to be flawless and perfect…remember who your customers are and know that they are probably less than perfect and more importantly, they don’t expect that there is a perfect company or brand out there.
 
How can I say that with any certainty?
 
Easy, we all know there is no such thing as a perfect business.
 
In fact, it would be more beneficial to you to showcase how you overcome challenges.
 
When customers know you’re real…it makes it easier for them to trust you and as an added bonus it will make your company stand out.
 
Authenticity builds relationships, customers and trust. As people, we all crave authenticity.
 
There it is, my formula for optimizing your “About Us” webpage.
 
How does your about us webpage looking right about now?
 
Does your “About” webpage humanize your company and inspire trust?
 
Do you have any changes you’d like to make after listening to this podcast?  Or perhaps you have a different point of view. If you do, I’d love to hear about it. You can email me at or visit and leave your feedback there.
 
If you find any of this information useful, please subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, share it with a friend or leave a review.
 
I’m Carlos Quintero owner and founder of Media On Q and the Digital Media Branding Podcast.
 
Join me next time where we’ll continue to explore how to compete in today’s web economy through a variety of digital media branding techniques.
 
Thank you for listening.