It is the norm that any business website has an “About Us” page or section. Most businesses will not give this section much importance when in fact this section will help convert visitors into customers. If a visitor finds you likeable, they are more likely to do business with you. Similarity boosts liking. If you seem to be members of the same group or have commonalities, it’s even easier to like you.
So, we have put together some top tips on crafting an effective and engaging ‘about us’ page for your website…
Include the story – “About ME”
You should be using your ‘About Us’ page to become more likeable, personable and relevant. By including individual information and letting users know the story behind your business, will humanise your brand. If your users feel like they can relate to you and feel as though your business is on their level, you have established commonality and an actual relationship with them which is highly valuable.
Building on that concept, think about personal interests likely to connect you with your customers. Sell motor products? Talk about your interest in motors, how you got started, and your favourite car.
You might think your interests are not relevant, but they are if they tell the story of how your business came to be. Tell the story and let your customers get to know you.
Include the people – “Our people/Our team”
Your about us page has the potential to establish a brand community. In order to do this, you need to tell your customers about your existing community, and this means including information about your staff. Try writing short snippets of employee bios, and these can include staff hobbies and interests, or how your employees came to work at your business.
All of this information tells potential customers that this isn’t a faceless corporation but a group of real people who have real lives and love their jobs! This humanises the company, increases likability, and builds confidence that the firm actually cares about the work they do so that customers feel they can place trust in them.
It is good to use images that match the content. Not every visitor is going to read the words, but even a quick glance at the photos will convey the message.
No Personal or Business Overlap?
Some businesses can more easily find common ground with their customers than others. You can try to find some common ground in other ways – write an about us page that tells customers why you are so passionate about something, and write it in a way that might make them understand you and maybe they will develop an interest in what you feel passionate about.
You should include sufficient depth to engage the reader a little. “Our team member Roberta likes cats, chocolate, and caffeine” is not enough. You don’t need to include paragraphs of irrelevant information, but give the reader enough information about your topic to develop a connection.
Will Personal Information Boost Conversion?
Robert Cialdini, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing, cited one study that had pairs of participants conduct a negotiation by email. Nearly a third of the negotiations failed because the parties couldn’t reach an agreement. When the negotiators first exchanged a few personal details by email prior to the negotiation the failure rate dropped to a mere 6%. While that’s not a perfect analog to a better About Us page, it certainly confirms that appearing more three-dimensional and human to another party can increase the chance of success.
So, whilst for many businesses, the ‘about us’ page on a website might seem mundane and pointless, it clearly has a purpose in conveying who you are, what you are all about, your interests, your story and your people. And that is important in reeling in customers and building relationships that last and convert.
If your company requires a professional online presence please Contact Us to discuss how we can help you, on Dungannon 028 3754 9025 or Belfast 028 9002 5050.
