Editor’s note: In this post, Jade Craven from BloggersToWatch.com compiles the best tips to enhance your blog’s About Page
On nearly every website, the About Page is among the most visited pages. This one page can influence whether or not someone becomes a fan of your blog.
It is easy to write a mediocre About Page and slap it up on your blog. A compelling About Page can be difficult to write. It’s hard to know what information to include and what order to place it in.
In this post, I’ll walk through some of the ways you can make your About Page shine.
1. Tell them why they should care
All About Pages need a narrative. That much is a certain. However, many bloggers are so focused on telling their story that they forget to think about what the reader wants.
Share your story, but guess what it isn’t about you! Everything you tell them about you secretly must reveal something about them. Stand in the shoes of the person you’re talking to and tell them something that’s going to make them give a damn. Why might they care about this? If the connection between you and them isn’t clear, delete it.
Jane Copeland, How To Write A Killer About Page
This can be difficult if you aren’t a copywriter. Here are the top tips from my community:
- Belinda, from Copywrite Matters, suggests that you link “all your expertise back to how you can help the reader with their particular issues.”
- John Haydon recommends that you “speak to them – as if they’re sitting across from you at a coffee shop. This person sitting across from you – what questions will they have about who you are and what you do?”
- Rae Hoffman says that this is “your chance to tell the reader what they can expect from your content and why they should want to read it on the regular. And why your blog is different than the hundreds or thousands of others out there on the same topic”
More ideas – Steve Kamb thanks new readers at Nerd Fitness before sharing his goal to help his community. Debs explains how her site can help readers of Learn with Play at Home by describing why she started her blog.
2. Show the the best of your blog
Once you’ve stated why they should read, next show them what to read. Use the second part of your About page to provide plenty of opportunity for a visitor to dive in and experience your blog.
Amy Lynn Andrews, How to write a Killer about page
This is an opportunity to really hook the reader in. You want to direct them to content that will show them your best work. You can:
- Highlight your best posts.
- Link to your ‘start here’ page
- Answer FAQs or link to an alternate FAQ page. Jenny Blake and Torre De Roche both did this.
- Link to blog posts telling key parts of your story. Joanna Penn does this masterfully on her About Page. You can expand on this by using these posts to create a ‘guided tour’ through the history of your blog.
- Expand on your blog categories. Jo-Lynne Shane does this at Musings of a Housewife
I love the About Page for Stuck in Customs. Trey Ratcliff highlights his best content as part of the overall story of that page. It’s brilliant.
3. Show your personality
People need to know more about the real you. Facts alone don’t persuade. Make your website a window and not a wall.
Bernadette Jiwa, 10 Rules For Writing A Compelling ‘About Me’ Page
People often make instinctive decisions about bloggers based on whether or not they feel a connection with the person. Your personality can be your biggest marketing tool. Just look at Ashley Ambirge from The Middle Finger Project.
Sometimes it can be hard to create a written personality, especially if you are in the early stages of your blog. Alexandra Franzen gave several tips about writing an entertaining bio at 5 cheat-a-licious tricks to finish your ‘ABOUT ME’ page, already! I also recommend Heidi Cohens 9 Tips To Develop A Winning Blog Personality.
4. Use photos to tell the story
Your “About” page tells the reader more about you and the goals of your blog/company, so placing a photo of yourself on this page can enhance the experience of your readers. By including a personal photograph, you are able to connect to your readers on a more personal level.
People enjoy being able to put a face to the person behind a blog or a business, and this is one of the most effective ways you can use images to not only increase the credibility of your blog, but help establish trusting relationships with your readers
Brian Gardner, 5 Ways You Can Use Images to Enhance Your Blog
I believe that photos are vital for a compelling About Page. If you have a photographer friend, consider a photoshoot for some high quality photos. Tip: Photoshoots outdoors or on-location in your home/office may be more affordable than studio shoots. High quality photos really stand out. Look at the About Pages for Rock N Roll Bride and Heartmade.
You can add words over the photos, like at In Spaces Between. Alternately, you can use the image to tell part of the story. Chantelle, from Fat Mum Slim, created a really cool infographic on her About Page. Neil Patel has a cool cartoon. How can you make your images stand out?
5. Social Proof
Don’t be shy about showing your readers your stuff. If you have posts that you’re particularly proud of because they’ve received lots of comment love, backlinks, or are just plain groovy in your humble opinion, then by all means, list them in your About Me page. And if you’ve created some applause worthy products, showcase them as well.
Francesca Banducci, 10 Ways to Dazzle Readers With Your About Me Page
Social proof is very important. Many people find bragging uncomfortable, yet they still want to know why you should be trusted.
There are many ways you can leverage social proof on your About Page.
- You can list other sites that you’ve written for. You don’t have to mention whether these were paid opportunities or guest posts
- Select testimonials, keeping in mind that people are influenced by similar people. You can then direct visitors to a separate testimonial page
- Link to high profile interviews that you’ve given
- Website and social media stats
You can create combine some of these examples to create an ‘As Seen In’ media box.
6. End with a call to action
Your About page is a great place to encourage those who’ve stuck with you until the end of the page, to keep going… but you do need to give them some direction. This goes hand in hand with the point above: once you’ve determined what you’d like your About page to do for your site and your readers, make sure you end strongly by giving readers pointers about the next steps to take, should they be interested.
Lea Woodward, How Your About Page Can Make Or Break Your Blog
Jamie gives the following suggestions at Suddenly Marketing:
- Recommend they read your best/most popular blog posts
- Direct them to your hottest new products
- Invite them to download an ebook or other piece of content
- Suggest they sign up for your mailing list
- Ask them to subscribe to your blog
- Encourage them to connect with you on other social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.
She also recommends that you present the call to action in the context of the visitors needs. Molly Mahar does a great job of this on the Stratejoy About Page.
I recommend that you read Conversion Strategy Results and the One Page You MUST Include an Opt-In Form On by Pat Flynn if you are considering placing an opt-in form on your About Page.
Over to you
So now you have some excellent tips from top bloggers about writing an excellent About Page. Time to start writing!
What About Pages do you love? Let us know in the comments.
