Before I can tell you how to write your About page, there’s something I need to talk you out of.

Whatever you do, don’t make it sound like LinkedIn. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

Websites are like first dates, and you wouldn’t go out with your crush for the first time and immediately begin reading off your resume, so why would you do that on your About page?

LinkedIn-ish info has a place: on LinkedIn. Leave it there. 

You can—and should, if it’s relevant!— still tell people about your professional background and experience, but you don’t have to button it up all proper and perfect and stuffy like you do over there. 

Despite popular opinion, your About page doesn’t actually have to make you sound like a boring robot with no actual human personality. 

Shocker, I know! 

The parts of your About page that will stick with people—and ultimately help them get to know you, start to like you, and decide to trust you—are not the “professional” details.

They’re the seemingly irrelevant details that make you relatable to your audience.

Wanna know the #1 thing that makes my leads convert?

The part of my About page where I say “I’m a chocolate addict with no intent on seeking recovery.”

People quote that back to me on discovery calls all the time, telling me it’s the reason they chose to reach out. Some people even mention it in their inquiry form, and reference it when they share with me how they want their website copy to be that conversational, too. 

The 2nd-most commonly referenced detail from my web copy is the part where I say I’m a “hoe for italics.” 

(The people love the fact that I said ‘hoe’ on my website.)

Neither of these random facts have anything to do with me being a good, experienced, trustworthy website copywriter worth investing in.

But they ARE relatable.

They’re relevant to my personality, not my profession. 

& that’s a perfectly good reason to include them on my About page—because that specific page of your website is allll about CONNECTION. 

How To Write Your About Page

While your About page will—and should!—be different from anything else out there on the Internet, that doesn’t mean you can’t use a checklist of must-have sections to your advantage.

Whenever I’m writing a client’s About page, I always reference the following list of what I call “Definitely Includers” (aka the things we definitely need to include).

#1 — Attention-Grabbing Headline. 

I literally forbid you from writing About Me, Meet The Team, Our Story, Get To Know Us, or any other cop-out headline. You can do better, I swear. 

(Pro tip: write this last, when you’ve determined the overall vibe for the page, and use the headline to sum up the overall message once it’s done.)

>> Click here to learn how to write better headlines

#2 — Value proposition. 

Kick things off by telling them what you do and why you’re unique. (This could also serve as your headline!)

Don’t get too tripped up about this section, though — I find that most people really overthink this one, because it’s hard to figure out what makes you different, or why you stand out.

So, instead of freaking out about making yourself sound cool, think of your About page as a one-on-one conversation you’re having with a friend. One friend, just the two of you. Take the pressure off a bit!

(You can even ask your friends to help you. Ask them for feedback!)

#3 — Am Addressed Elephant. 

What’s the thing they’re hoping to gain; the problem of theirs that you’re qualified to solve? The reason that they’re spending the time searching for someone who does what you do? Mention that.

Address the elephant in the room & help them feel like you understand what they’re going through.

#4 — Differentiator. 

Now, tell them what makes you different from your competitors.

Is it your specific approach? Is it your client process? Is it your unique first-hand experience dealing with what they’re dealing with? Is it your experience in the field? Identify your differentiator, and make it simple.

>> This BTL Client About page does a good job explaining why she’s different from her competition.

#5 — The You-And-Me Intro. 

Readers are inherently selfish.

So, you’ll want to share introductory details about yourself, but make it the ones that your readers actually care about learning up front — aka the ones that relate to them, and make you feel like you could be a kindred spirit for them.

Here’s a BTL client About page that does a good job of proving that she knows precisely how the reader is feeling, making them feel understood, and helping them to understand that she’s been in their shoes.

Here’s a BTL client About page that does a good job of speaking to exactly what the reader wants (and has been struggling to find).

Here’s a BTL client About page that does a good job of addressing the reader’s main objections, and proving that she’s the right person to offer them a solution.

#6 — The More-About-Me Stuff. 

Continue on to tell them more about your background / expertise / why you love what you do… anything still-important-but-kinda-secondary to what you already shared.

#7 — Social Proof. 

Back up your ‘I’m cool you should hire me’ speech with some good old-fashioned social proof. 

89% of customers check online reviews before making a purchase—the stats are basically begging you to include testimonials.

>> Click here to learn how to get great ones from your clients!

#8 — The Fun Stuff. 

Personal detail time, baby. Hit them with some quirky facts, or an engaging timeline story of your biz, or a funny, relevant story…

I like all of these examples.

#9 — Call To Action. 

Your About page’s job is to direct your reader to the next step. They’ve checked “get to know the human behind the screen” off their list, now they have two options: X out of your site, or move onto where you want them to go. 

I recommend sending them to Services or Contact—and since we’ll be talking about how to write those 2 pages (with conversion in mind!) over the next 2 weeks, you’ll be golden!

Need some more help writing your About page?

As self-proclaimed website copy queen, nothing would make me happier than to help you. 😇 Here’s how I can do that:

1. Done-for-you website copywriting services, where I write your entire website for you, so you don’t have to lift a finger (or freak out about what the frick to write about yourself)
   
2. Done-with-you website copy audits, where I review and revise your current site along with you (and teach you about website copywriting along the way!)
   
3. The wicked easy web copy template, designed to help you learn the basics about web copy (with 70 mins of training vids!), develop your target audience, and actually write your site with an easy-to-use template 

And, of course, my website copywriting course has everything you need to write the BEST website EVER (along with a complete Copywriting Basics education, and all the tips you need for launching your website successfully).

Or, if you’re more of a DIY-for-free girlie, read these About page blog posts:

• How to make writing about yourself suck less
• 6 things you need to know before writing your About page (this post has an easy About page formula for you to follow at the end!)
• The “not about you” About page formula
• The art of the “mini about”
• What dating apps can teach you about writing better copy
• How to write headlines that make people want to keep reading

And if you’re looking for more copywriting tips…

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