Next to your home page, of course, did you know that the about page is the second most visited page on your website?
The reason this is true is that visitors to your website are curious about you and want to build trust with the people they’re potentially doing business with. Your about page allows you to create a relationship with your readers and build that trust.
The about page gives you a chance to introduce yourself to prospective patients or clients, build your brand, and position yourself as an expert in your field. This page may also include you and your team’s biography information, photos, or videos that introduce them to your brand.
The good news is that the about page doesn’t need to be lengthy. Typically one to two paragraphs is fine.
It does, however, need to be effective. So, choose your words carefully and decide what’s the most important thing you want to share.
Stories build connections, and that leads to trust. An about page allows you to inform others about your brand or services using a more personal connection.
But, again, since it’s one of the most highly visited pages on your website, if you don’t have an about page, you may be missing out on opportunities to meet new patients or clients.
Most people don’t like writing about themselves, and because of this, they may want to avoid adding an about page. However, if you change your perspective and consider that you’re not really writing about yourself, but rather how you can help other people, the about page becomes a valuable tool to help you connect with others.
Here are some things to keep in mind when writing your about page.
People love stories and hearing how others have come to be where they are. Stories connect us and help us feel like we’re not alone in the world. So, tell your story.
Consider answering questions like:
Storytelling allows your prospective patient or client to connect with you, so don’t miss this critical opportunity to tell your story. Take a look at this example of about page storytelling:
Telling your story is not meant to sound arrogant or salesy, but rather to let your readers know how you can help them.
Consider sharing things like:
Remember, if you don’t show your reader how you can help them, they will move on to the next website and a provider who will. It’s not about you, but about your reader and how you can positively impact their lives.
As mentioned before, the about page doesn’t need to be very long. It’s typically best to keep it to around 300 words, or you can use a short video that is one to two minutes maximum. Keeping your content brief ensures that you don’t lose your reader’s attention.
Since the about page will be short, you need to be as impactful as possible by using powerful words or adjectives (words like passion, creativity, valuable, or extraordinary) to help create emotion for your reader when you describe how you can help them.
You can also use certain words to invoke emotion in your reader. For example, some comments have more emotional power than others, such as help instead of aid or assist. Check out this list for ideas on how to use inspirational words.
Your business is ever-changing. You may have new team members or offer additional services or new products to your patients or clients. For this reason, it is essential to take stock of your about page and update it from time to time.
Keep it fresh, exciting and engaging so your readers will be inclined to do business with you.
Now you understand why an about page is essential and what you should think about when writing or designing it. So, let’s get into the actuality of writing it and what you should include.
One thing that will inevitably make your about page fail is if your website isn’t formatted correctly for desktop and mobile users, which results in slow page loading. If your website is slow to load, your reader will likely “bounce” or leave and visit another website that meets their needs.
These days, most people are actually visiting websites via their mobile devices. So it’s critical to ensure that your website can support both types of users, so you don’t miss any opportunities to meet new patients or clients.
Create a benefit-driven headline that highlights how you’re going to help your client or patient. For example, ‘We Offer Solutions to Help You Manage Myopia’ is a headline an optometrist might use.
You can also optimise your about page by including keywords and geo modifiers in your headline and throughout your content. For example, ‘We Offer Solutions to Help You Manage Myopia in Sydney.’ This headline pinpoints the treatment you offer and where your practice is located.
Write or share your story with a high-quality video. If you use a video or embed one from YouTube, be sure that it’s appropriately formatted for both desktop and mobile users. A video that’s slow to load may cause your readers to bounce and find what they need from other websites.
Consider including a video since many people today prefer to watch a video rather than reading text. This is especially true of digitally savvy millennials and Gen Zers.
When sharing your story, remember that the about page is a place to cultivate a relationship and a connection with your patients or clients. This is not the place to hard-sell your products or services to them. A hard sell may turn readers off and send them elsewhere.
If you’re not using a video to tell your story, be sure to include images of yourself, your team, your logo, or something that relates to your brand. Pictures grab attention, and readers respond to photos more than they do to text. So, don’t forget to add an image or video on your about page.
Photos of the company’s founder help inspire trust since most people like knowing more about the people they choose to do business with.
Keep in mind that your photos don’t necessarily have to be professional portraits. For example, you might include a photo of the business founder engaged in doing what they love. You can get creative with your pictures, and don’t be afraid to show your personality to your readers and what makes you unique.
Remember that when you’re crafting your about page, you’ll want to include the most important and engaging information first, so it remains at the top of the page where it can grab your reader’s attention. If your reader chooses not to scroll down your page, they could miss out on essential content if you don’t provide it at the top of your about page.
Consider reviewing your about page on different devices to see how it looks. Are you sharing your most compelling information first? Again, ensuring that your website is optimised for both mobile and desktop users is critical here.
When your prospective client or patient is done reading your about page, what do you want them to do next? Contact you, of course!
Be sure to invite them to do this at the end of your about page. Provide your contact information, a link to your contact page, an opt-in form for your newsletter, or whatever it is you would like your reader to engage in next.
Don’t overwhelm them with a multitude of options; however, keep it to one type of action you would like them to take next and leave it at that.
Now you’re ready to go and craft your own effective about page that reaches your readers and converts them into patients and clients.
If you don’t have the time to create an effective about page, consider seeking the help of a marketing agency that can do the hard work for you.
Your team at PractiPro offers several types of website design and marketing services designed to take the guesswork out of online marketing, which allows you to focus on what you do best – serving your clients or patients.
