Are You Making These Mistakes On Your About Page?

Mar 8

Writing your own About page should be easy. But it isn't. In fact, even writers struggle to strike the perfect balance that hooks your dream client, instead of sending running to the next website.

Surely, it can't be that difficult. You just talk about yourself, right? It's like a bio. You list all of your qualifications, education, and experience, right?

Wrong, my friend. So wrong.

What are the biggest mistakes you might be making on your About page? (For the record, I made these mistakes too.)

1. IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU.

You might be thinking, "Umm. It's my About page? Who's it supposed to be about?"

I get it. It sounds illogical, but your About page shouldn't be all about you.

Yes, your reader should learn about you on the page. But the main purpose of the About page isn't to tell your life story or list your accomplishments.

“The number one job of your About page is to make your dream client feel understood.”

It's about you in relation to your dream client.

Here's how that translates on the page:

Who's the person reading your About page? (Your dream client. Write as if you're having a conversation with that ONE person.)
What do they want most and what's stopping them? (Keep this in the context of your business.)
Why do they want that thing? What is the emotion behind it? (Acknowledge their feelings.)
How can you help them get that thing? Why are you the right person to help? (Be specific!)

After you lead with this focus on your ideal client, their hopes and frustrations, and your solutions, then you can introduce yourself and give a bit of background information.

Takeaway 1:

Always make it about your reader/client. Your business exists to serve your clients. Write to them and with them in mind.

2. IT'S BORING.

That subheading burned your eyes a little? Sorry about that, but there's no easier way to say it.

If writing your About page was like plowing a field old-school style with a mule, it's going to be just as hard to read.

Don't make your readers work to get to the end of the page. Unless there's a great incentive waiting, they won't. They'll stop reading as soon as it feels like work.

“Reading your page shouldn’t be like plowing a field. (Painful.)”

Here's how to bore proof your page:

Edit ruthlessly. Unnecessary words won't survive. (The key is to cut the fluff not the personality.)
Read it out loud. The places where you stumble will likely be sticking points for your readers too. Fix them.
Have a conversation. If it's not a stuffy corporate bio, don't write it like one.
Get other eyes on it. Ask your biz besties to give feedback, or hire an editor.

Takeaway 2:

Don't make the reader work for it because they won't. Be clear, concise, and conversational.

3. YOUR FACE, NAME, OR OTHER BASICS ARE MISSING.

When a would-be client clicks on your About page, it's for a specific reason. They want to learn more about you and what you can do for them.

It's one step closer to hiring you or buying your product. But you know what might stop them in their tracks? A lack of basic information.

Example: "Hi! Thanks for visiting My Happy Sample Website! I hope you find what you need. I'm a mom of 3 and an avid happy sampler."

So many questions:

Who are you?
What do you do again?
How can you help me?
Why should I care?

While your About page shouldn't be your memoir, it also shouldn't be missing YOU.

Takeaway 3:

Don't leave your dream client hanging. Make sure the basics are covered: Your face. Your name. What you do. How you can help.

4. YOU THINK IT'S NOT SALES COPY.

A compelling About page can be an important piece of the buying puzzle.

Think about it. If you're considering buying a service, program, or product from an online business, you'll check out their About page.

“What you find can either close the sale or give you cold feet.

No, the About page isn't technically a sales page. More importantly, it shouldn't feel like a sales page to the reader. (I'd argue a masterful sales page doesn't feel like like it's "selling" either.)

Just like a sales page, your underlying purpose is to show an understanding of the need/want and to offer a solution.

Takeaway 4:

Treat your About page with as much respect as your sales page, and it will help convert browsers into clients.

5. THERE'S NO CALL TO ACTION.

Every piece of content should be strategic. Your About page is no exception.

The very basics of strategy: Each piece of content should lead to something.

What do you want the reader to do next? This is your call to action.

Examples of calls to action:

Schedule a free consult call.
Work with me.
Read my blog.
Sign up for my free email course.

The wording I use above isn't exact. It's just to demonstrate the actions you might ask your reader to take.

Experiment with your CTA wording. Focus on benefits. Use brightly colored buttons for calls to action, instead of text links.

Takeaway 5:

Always ask the reader to take the next step. It doesn't have to be a huge step, but it has to move them to action.

THE CAVEAT...

There's really not one right answer for the perfect About page. Your business is unique, and so are you and the clients you serve.

Templates and do/don't lists are guidelines. Pick and choose what works for you.

If something doesn't fit your brand or doesn't feel right, nix it.

PRO-TIPS

Keep a list of About pages you love and note WHY you love them.
Create a template based on an About page you love.
Take bits and pieces from other About pages, mix it up, make it your own, and find what works for you and your dream clients.

HEY, I'M MELANIE SPARKS.

I'm a conversion copywriter for digital course creators, experts, and service providers who have hit 6 figures or more and want to scale by staying in their zone of genius.

I help you go from Offer to Empire™ by nailing your offer, messaging, and strategy, then layering on the conversion copy.

Want to know how we can work together? Click here.