A customer’s first impression of any company is the About Page. It is just as important as a first interview and needs to stand out in order to wow an audience It is a critical element of each website. Every About Page should include factors such as a description of the company’s mission, the company’s history, and what makes it unique. However, to grab the attention of an audience use these methods below.
1. Speak to your customers.
Every About Page describes the company’s purpose, but not every page stands in the shoes of the customer. Further entice an audience by meeting their needs off the bat. To do this it’s important to understand what solutions the company provides. A local pub might say, “if you are interested in trying numerous local craft beers and unique beers on tap, head to our pub”, versus “our pub offers numerous local craft beers along with unique beers on tap.”
Every audience is concerned with their own problems. The sooner their headaches are relieved, the easier it is to earn their trust.
2. Add creative media.
There are a few ways to make an About Page visually stand out and media is one of the top methods. Since most pages include a large text and a few photos, consider using videos, charts, and unique employee or customer photos to stand out. A short video (under three minutes), describing the company’s mission is unique and visually appealing. Photos of creative workspaces, holiday work parties, or employee pets are also attention-grabbing. Or, consider displaying a timeline of the company’s growth like Moz.com does on their About Page.
3. Make your backstory relate-able.
Although every About Page should touch on the company’s backstory, not each story is entertaining and sympathetic. If we’re being honest, most businesses don’t have an incredible startup story. Many business owners run into luck or money, have extra time or ambition, or the business is passed down from a family member.
Use the factor most unique and relate-able from a backstory and expand on it. For example, maybe you loved ice cream as a child and hence decided to open an ice cream shop. To sum it up, a relate-able story will win the sympathetic vote with an audience.
4. Speak in layman’s terms.
This may seem obvious but unfortunately many websites use terminology that is unfamiliar to their clientele. This applies to all businesses regardless of their products or services. The worst thing you can do on an About Page is to confuse potential customers. For example, words as simple as cataplana, (frying pan mainly used to cook shrimp), may be unfamiliar to some customers and might deter them from visiting a restaurant.
5. Include customer testimonials.
Customers largely rely on customer feedback from sites like Yelp and Google reviews when researching a company. Therefore, adding reviews to an About Page saves the customer a step and allows the business to monitor the reviews they have access to. Even if a company has received a few bad reviews, making the great reviews standout will reassure the audience’s nerves. Make sure the reviews are up to date.
6. Highlight products or services.
Do you offer a specific service or line of products? Your About Page is a great place to highlight what is available to your audience. This element on an About Page provides easy access to customers and depicts their relationship with a business. For example, the owner of a local bar, might highlight specific events regularly scheduled. Or maybe there are certain cocktails or food items that are unique to the restaurant. Brag about the business and highlight key products.
Other things to add
The list above is intended as a guide to make About Pages unique. They aren’t necessary but will help any business stand out. However, there are a few elements that each About Page needs to incorporate such as a mission, a backstory, and a method to contact your company.
The word responsive has many meanings, but in our industry, it is a word that is critical to your online presence. In fact, it is essential that we make it easy for our clients to use our sites regardless of the device they are using; a phone, tablet, pc, or laptop. Stay ahead of your competitor and make sure your site is responsive. Want more information on what all that means? We are a phone call away, email away, text away – we have the answers to your questions.
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