Raise your hand if you thought your website’s About Us page wasn’t an important part of your content strategy. 🙋♀️
If you thought of your About page as unnecessary or just a place for a snooze-worthy history of your company, think again.
When someone visits your About Us page, they’re looking to learn a bit more about you beyond the products you sell or the services you offer. Yes, consumers are interested in details like where you’re located and what you sell, but they also want to know who you are as a company.
When today’s consumers are deciding whether or not they want to do business with you, they want to find out who you are, what you value, and, most importantly, whether or not you’re trustworthy.
That means your About Us page has some heavy lifting to do. So it needs to contain more than another ad about how great your company’s products or services are; it needs to inspire trust. Without building trust, you’ll never convince a prospect to bite.
And do you know what the best way to build that trust is? Telling your story.
That’s where business storytelling comes in. Let’s take a look at what exactly that is, why telling your story is so important, and how to use your story to write a more effective About Us page.
Which do you think would be more effective — listing a bunch of facts about your business, or including those facts in the context of a story?
It’s pretty obvious that a memorable story is going to get your point across much better than a list, right?
Business storytelling involves telling the story of your business in your communication with current and potential customers…rather than reciting your resume at them.
Your story should include details like your company values, what you do, and why you do it. Ultimately, your story should show what makes you unique — what sets you apart from the competition.
And if you’re thinking, “our ‘story’ is pretty typical — there’s not really much to tell,” think again. Every brand has a story to tell.
Think about it: You could have started any number of businesses in any number of industries, but there’s a reason you chose the one you did. That’s where your story begins.
To write your story, try answering the following questions:
You want to tell the story of who you are, what you do, why you do it, how you meet your customers’ needs, and how your business has grown over the years.
This is your business’ story. And your website’s About Us page is the perfect place to tell that story.
Your About Us page needs to be more than a mission statement for your company…it should give readers an idea of not just what you do, but who you are.
Here’s why:
Telling your story humanizes your brand and starts a conversation with your clients and prospects.
People are hardwired to connect with stories. Stories engage our brains, building connections and prompting engagement in a way that bare facts and data simply can’t. Stories also engage our emotions, leading to a deeper, more lasting connection.
When a customer resonates with your story, it leaves a lasting impression. So when they need the product or service you offer in the future, they’ll think of you.
Telling your story also shows authenticity and builds trust with your audience. Customers are more loyal to brands they trust (62% more loyal, according to one study), so it’s well worth building trust with them.
On your About Us page, you want to answer some of the big questions a website visitor might have about your business. Visitors to your website will typically look at your About page for answers to questions like:
…and so on. Telling your story builds trust, displays credibility, and demonstrates empathy. It also shows how your growth over the years positions you as an expert on the topic and someone who is perfectly suited to deliver the solution your customer is looking for.
One of our favorite ways to build a brand story is by using the StoryBrand framework. If you aren’t familiar, StoryBrand is a storytelling framework that helps you utilize the principles of storytelling in marketing your business.
It’s a process that helps you craft a clear, compelling message with your customer in the role of the hero and you as their guide.
Click here to learn all about using StoryBrand to create copy that connects with your audience.
Your brand story is what sets you apart from your competitors. It shows prospective clients what is unique about your business. Even if you feel like your story is less than exciting, keep in mind that no one else has the same story you do.
When you write your brand story for your About Us page, include milestones in your company’s history, such as:
In addition, keep your story simple and concise. Today’s consumers have short attention spans, and the last thing they want to do is read paragraph after paragraph of dense text. Stick to the highlights that help show who you are and why you do what you do.
In today’s world, people do business with companies not just because of the products they sell or the services they provide, but also because they share the company’s values. So make sure to include your company’s core values on your About Us page.
This is where you answer the question, “Why?” — Why you chose this industry, why your product or service is important to you, and why you believe in it.
People tend to make decisions with their emotions, and sharing your brand’s values can help you connect emotionally with potential clients. Your About Us page is the perfect place to share your values and help people relate more deeply to your brand.
Another way to connect with the emotions of your website visitors is by sharing your vision for your business. Share your hopes, dreams, and expectations for where your business is heading and how your growth will benefit your customers.
Talking about your vision like this shows website visitors that your company is dynamic and growing, and that you’re confident about your future goals and committed to reaching them.
As you’re writing this part of your story, try to answer questions like:
The copy on your About Us page should relate to your ideal customer and show how your company addresses that customer’s specific needs.
Think about the type of prospect you’d like to see visiting your website and imagine what their wants, needs, and objections might be. Consider what aspects of your products or services will generate excitement in that customer.
Once you’ve determined these things, then make sure your website copy speaks their language and invites them to take action.
Team member bios and photos help your website visitors get to know you and your team. They bring a whole new level to the humanization of your brand.
Including team bios gives your team members a chance to describe who they are and what they do in their own words. Beyond the basic details of their job and qualifications, make sure to include a few unique details about each person: Do they like salsa dancing? Traveling? Basket weaving? Are they in a band? Or fluent in multiple languages? ...and so on.
And don’t forget to include photos!
The human eye is naturally drawn to faces. Including both individual and team photos on your website puts faces to the names of people your prospects might speak to on the phone or exchange emails with and makes those prospects more likely to reach out to you.
And while stock images can work for other areas of your website (in moderation), the About Us page isn’t the place for them. Use real photos of you, your team, and even your facility to give readers the opportunity to get to know you better.
Whatever you do, please don’t write your About Us page (or any page of your website, for that matter) in the third person! It should be written like a dialogue — as if you’re speaking directly to the reader.
When you write from the perspective of a third party (i.e., “The Whosits and Whatsits Company was founded in 1912 and their focus is on whosits and whatsits…”) it can come off as stiff and insincere…and that’s the last thing you want.
Writing in the first person (i.e., “We founded the Whosits and Whatsits Company in 1912 because we wanted to bring whosits and whatsits to the masses…”) makes your copy sound much more personal and conversational, which is more inviting to a prospective customer. It’s like you’re saying, “Hey! This is who we are, come on in and get to know us better!”
Also, skip the jargon, corporate-speak, and fluffy, flowery language. Language like this can come off as insincere and pretentious. Keep your copy straightforward, authentic, and conversational.
Finally, don’t miss the opportunity to direct your readers to connect with you further!
While the About Us page is NOT the place for a sales pitch, you do want to give your readers some direction for next steps.
Think about what you want website visitors to do after they read your About Us page, and include a call to action that shows them what to do next. For example, you could direct them to:
When a prospect gets to the bottom of your About Us page, they’re actively engaged with your brand. It’s the perfect time to invite them to connect further.
Ultimately, your About Us page should give customers and prospects a look at what goes on behind the scenes of your company, including the what, how, and why of your brand. And that’s exactly what business storytelling can help you do.
How does your About Us page stack up? If you think yours could use a makeover, the team at Wild Fig can help! Our awesome writers (*cough*) will help you tell your story in a way that clearly shows who you are and engages readers to connect with you further. To learn more, click here to schedule a free exploratory call.