Key Points:
- An "about us" page talks about the company's history, details the business's operations, and profiles the key figures within the company
- Potential customers will have many questions about your brand and products, and the content of your "about us" page should address the most important of these
- Unique, colorful elements keep customers interested but don't overdo it on your "about us" page
The "about us" page is a very important part of your eCommerce website. No matter what your business niche is, this page is essential for drawing customers. You probably imagine that an "about us" page is just a company profile, talking about your brand's history and detailing the key people. But if you're doing it right, this is a prime opportunity to build a strong link between potential customers and your brand.
In most cases, your website has 10 - 20 seconds to make an impression on a visitor. In that time, a visitor will decide whether to keep looking around your website or move on to another one. That's why the "about us" page is so crucial. It's a way to shape your brand and showcase your unique position. Remember - this may be the first time a customer has come across your brand, so you want to make a good impression.
Here’s a closer look at how to write a unique "about us" page that really defines your brand for your visitors - and keeps them coming back for more.
Table of Contents
What's an About Us Page?
Traditionally, an "about us" page talks about the company's history, details the business's operations, and profiles the key figures within the company. Certainly, there are some cases where this may be exactly what's needed, especially for more corporate sites. But with increasing competition in the eCommerce space, a run-of-the-mill "about us" page isn't going to cut it. This is an opportunity for you to find lead generation, encourage customer retention, and offer a strong brand introduction.
The "about us" page should have enough key information about your brand and its founders to create a sense of trust so that the viewer wants to do business with you. eCommerce is a competitive industry and many online stores will be selling the same items you offer, sometimes with better prices and delivery options. You can develop a unique brand identity through a well-curated "about us" page that can encourage customers to choose your brand over others.
People want to know the story behind the brand, especially if it's an interesting one. But no matter what your story is, you need to tell it in a compelling way that engages the reader. This helps develop a relationship between your brand and your customers and can help encourage brand loyalty.
Why is an About Us Page Important For Websites?
As we've already mentioned, you have a very short space of time to capture a potential customer's interest. Because of that, the design and content of your website are very important. When a customer wants to know more about a brand, they go straight to the "about us" page, so a well-written one can help them feel more confident about your brand and company.
The "about us" page also offers a great opportunity for your brand to inform people about what you offer and how you treat your customers. Think of this as a sneaky customer service opportunity. Potential customers will have many questions about your brand and products, and the content of your "about us" page should address the most important of these.
Great About Us Page Examples
There are several companies who have got their "about page" absolutely right. These tell the brand story in a compelling way and start building a relationship with the customers. Here are just a few pages we think have nailed it.
1. Bentley Motors
This luxe car brand represents opulence and class, and its website's "about us" page is equally stylish and sleek. Each section talks about different parts of the company - like its history, latest ventures, and craftsmanship - but they come together as a beautiful whole that creates a compelling story for potential customers.
2. Molecube
Molecube has a fun and innovative website. But on closer look, it's the great "about us" page that really seals the deal - they don't come more innovative than this. The page starts with a brief company description and snippets of pet projects, but cartoon portraits of the team show they don't take themselves too seriously and encourage customers to join in the fun.
3. Yellow Leaf Hammocks
The best way to connect with people is to tell a great story, especially one that showcases humanity or a good cause. You'll find a great example of an "about us" page that does exactly this on Yellow Leaf Hammocks. The company is a charity that helps artisans that create hammocks, and their "about us" page cleverly encourages you to make a purchase by showing you how you will help the artisan and their family. The page showcases stories of the different artisans and their products, and the impact of this can't be underestimated.
4. Kero One
This "about us" page has an amazing feature that we think is a must for international eCommerce businesses. Kero One is a hip-hop artist and DJ from San Diego and his website's "about us" page is multilingual. The story of how he discovered his talent and built his career is told in several languages and is a smart way of engaging global audiences.
5. Refinery 29
Refinery 29 is another fine example of a solid "about us" page. Their message, mission statement, aspiration, and essence are all written in a matter-of-fact manner. They get right to the heart of the important stuff without long, rambling stories.
6. Cupcakes and Cashmere
This "about us" page is inspiring because it doesn't just give an introduction about the founder and team, but also showcases other achievements such as the books and blogs written by founder Emily Schuman. The most distinctive feature of the page is the inclusion of Emily's personal social media links, which allows customers to get in touch with her directly. The website is dedicated to fashion and lifestyle, and its "about us" page is perfect for its niche.
7. Doom Tree
This is a record label started by a group of friends-turned-entrepreneurs. Doom Tree tells their inspiring story on their "about us" page, and this is a great example of a motivational page. To further engage readers, the page also allows you to listen to the group's songs and meet the team.
8. MailChimp
MailChimp needs no introduction. Millions of users use this service to send and track marketing emails. And while the service is great, the "about us" page is even better. Since they're essentially a marketing company, they've brilliantly used their "about us" page to showcase their marketing and promotional skills in a fun, colorful format that grabs customers' attention.
12 Top Tips for Writing an About Us Page
Writing an about us page can be tricky, but if you keep these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way to writing a great one.
1. Your customers should be your focal point
It sounds counterintuitive, but don't make this all about you. Sure you can introduce your brand and talk about your milestones and aspirations, but be sure to make your customers the center of attention. Show them that you understand their needs and issues, and explain how your brand addresses these. After all, they're here because they need something, and showing how you can solve their problems or meet their needs will create an immediate link between your company and potential customers.
2. Add your success stories
It's all well and good to talk about how great you are, but most people won't completely take your word for it. To really prove how great your brand is, throw in a few reviews from satisfied customers. With short, practical testimonials from impartial sources, customers will be more inclined to trust your brand.
3. Use graphics and videos
Nobody wants to read long, boring chunks of texts, which is why using catchy videos and images is a great way to hold people's attention. Unique, colorful elements keep customers interested but don't overdo it. The graphics you use should be carefully chosen to represent your brand, so you should only use a few well-placed ones.
4. Add a human element
Don't forget to humanize your brand so that customers feel like they're dealing with people, not robots. Add pictures and descriptions of your team that showcase each person's unique personality. This shows you appreciate everyone that works on your company and is one advantage that smaller businesses have over bigger corporations.
5. Tell your story
Storytelling is an effective way of engaging people, but it has to be done in the right way. Tell your story in a way that visitors can relate to. This helps to make your company look human and builds trust with your customers. You may think your story is common and uninspiring, but trust us - every story is worth telling if you have the right person telling it!
6. Include contact information
Gaining your customer's trust is crucial if you want to keep making sales, and one way you can do this is to make sure all your contact information is readily available on your "about us" page and website. People want to know that if things go wrong, they have a way to get in touch and resolve the issue. So include emails, phone numbers, and social media handles.
7. Use simple, clear language
Words are the most important tool you have to get your message across, so choose them wisely. If you use a lot of technical jargon and complex words, people are going to get bored very quickly and leave your website. Ain't nobody got time to waste on reading complicated "about us" pages. People want, simple, easy-to-ready websites, so use clear, precise language and an engaging, conversational tone. If you must use a technical term, provide a brief explanation.
8. Make sure it’s industry-relatable
In trying to make their "about us" page unique, some companies forget who they are. Don't be like that. Always keep the purpose of your page in the back of your mind, and make sure it stays true to your brand and industry. It's fine to add whizz-bang effects and images and videos if it's appropriate, but at the end of the day, the page should really showcase your brand identity and fit into the industry you're working in.
9. Encourage them through a call-to-action
If you've got all the right design and content for your "about us" page, then you may want to think about adding a call-to-action that encourages visitors to your website to engage with your brand. This will help you get something out of a visit to your website. For example, you could get them to sign up for your company newsletter - even if they don't buy something, you'll have their contact email for future marketing purposes.
10. Be honest in your claims
Go ahead and describe your strengths and qualities, but don't exaggerate. There's nothing worse than a company that makes huge claims and doesn't deliver on them. Overpromising and underdelivering can put a huge dent in your brand image and value, so make sure that whatever content is on your "about us" page is honest and accurate.
11. Try hard - but not too hard - to look interesting
Everyone wants to appear interesting, but trying too hard? That's not a good look. Trying too hard can appear desperate, so make sure your brand image doesn't look fake or forced. Remember - authenticity is key. If you're creative, it's fine to show that off, but don't fake it because you think it'll get you more customers. People will respect you more if they think they're getting the real deal, so go ahead and be yourself.
12. Use facts to highlight your success and ground realities
Long, overly complex stories can bore the reader, but facts and figures can be easy to understand. Showing these facts in the form of graphs and infographics can be even better. Quantifying and visually presenting the benefits that people will get by working with you can be a great way to get people's attention. Just remember not to repeat things - seeing the same information, again and again, is plain boring.
Optimize Your About Us Page Today!
An "about us" page is not just a company history. Consider it your business's resume that your customer will read to decide whether they want to work with you or not. Just like a great resume will get you a good job, a strong "about us" page will get your customers.
This is a page that will introduce your business to potential customers and allow them to begin building a relationship with your brand. To keep their interest, keep the page precise, honest, and interesting. Balance creativity with information to create a useful "about us" page.
