Hi, I’m Kaleigh Moore, Founder of Lumen Ventures, LLC. By day, I’m a professional copywriter and content strategist, and I’ve written for publications like Inc., Entrepreneur, and many more.
I spend my days writing copy that has a charming human element — and that drives sales for businesses in the SaaS and eCommerce industries.
Today, I’m going to share my best tips for writing an About Us section (like a copywriter would) so you can transform the copy on this page all on your own.
Let’s start out by talking about why this page is so important.
Related: How to Write Awesome Product Descriptions That Sell
Why the About Us Section Matters
The About Us section of your website is a place for your visitors to learn about who you are, what you do, and what made you launch your online store.
Beyond being a place to educate and inform curious shoppers, it’s often the first step toward establishing a relationship with new customers. Think of it as the place where you get to introduce yourself as the face behind the brand for the very first time.
No pressure, right?
Because the About Us page is so important, many shop owners feel the need to hire a professional copywriter to nail the words on this specific page — which can be expensive.
However, with the following tips, you can master the copy on this page without spending any extra money on outsourced help.
Make it customer-centric
It’s true that the About page is where you’ll talk about yourself and your personal journey to opening your ecommerce
Why take this approach? Because this isn’t a place for you to build up your ego and sing your own praises. It’s one more opportunity for you to connect with a potential new customer and to build a sense of trust and respect with that person. Instead of going on and on about yourself, relate your story back to the customers you serve.
For example, instead of saying:
I launched this store to fulfill my personal dream of selling my jewelry designs and becoming a leader in the industry.
you could say something like:
I launched this store to provide customers around the world with high quality, handmade jewelry that they cherish for life.
Notice how the first one is all about the shop owner and his/her personal goals, while the second one focuses on delivering value to the customer. Remember to consider your audience when writing this page and to keep them in mind while you write copy that resonates with them (not you).
Next, let’s look at a
animalrescueinc.org
The copy here is focused not on the accomplishments of the organization or even the people who started it. Instead, it’s completely focused on their goals, the animals they care for, and the hope of getting these furry friends new forever homes.
Read also: How to Write a Good Return Policy for
Tell a story
It’s also a good idea to approach writing your About Us page from a storytelling perspective rather than using bullet points or a
This doesn’t mean you need to write a novel, however. Edit your story down to the most interesting and compelling elements, and make it as concise as possible. Some research indicates that the average reader’s attention span only lasts about 15 seconds.
Leave out the technical language or business lingo, too.
For example, instead of saying:
We value customer service. Our goal is to provide personalized printing solutions to
You could say something like:
Each and every print order we receive is carefully handled from start to finish by a single representative. We want all of our partners to work with the same friendly face each time they bring us a new job.
While jargon or business lingo might be familiar to you, they can alienate your visitors if their definitions are unknown. They don’t improve the quality of your story and can often lead to ambiguity that makes you look out of touch with your audience. Write like you speak naturally and use simple, common words.
The About Us page for SheaKardel Designs shows this executed well:
www.sheakardel.com
Notice how this copy is
We also love this example from online retailer Georgina Sasha:
www.georginasasha.com
This About page tells the story of how her business has evolved over time and how it ties in with the shop owner’s life and personal journey. Don’t you feel like you intimately know and understand this store owner after reading this?
Both are excellent examples of
Related: How To Write A Welcome Email That Sells
Incorporate your personality and voice
The About page is also a great place to let your brand voice shine. Even though you’re using simple language, you can still add some personality to make it more engaging.
An easy way to approach this is to start out by explaining what you’re NOT all about. Talk about how you’re different from your competitors, share your brand culture, and play up the unique elements that make you and your products stand out from the crowd.
Doing this will help visitors quickly understand the heart and soul of your business and allows them to connect on a more personal level if your values align.
LessFilms does a great job of adding personality to their About page. They write:
lessfilms.com
In just a few sentences, you can fully grasp what the people behind this brand are like — and you can appreciate their unique,
Include a photo
You know the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” That’s true for your About Us page, too. And when you’re trying to keep your copy short instead of rambling on, the image you include on this page can help add context and help build a connection without adding extra words.
Be sure to include a photo of you, your team, or maybe even your pets to this page to let people see the people behind the brand. It helps add a nice human element to a page that can otherwise feel a little stale. Just make sure it’s a
Taylor Family Farms does a great job of adding relevant images to this page:
taylorfamilyfarmtn.com
In this example, you can see the people behind the business as well as what daily life looks like for them, too. These photos help you better understand the hard work they pour into the brand every single day.
Have a call to action
If a site visitor has made it to your About page, you need to give them something else to do once they’ve finished reading. Without a call to action (CTA) on this page, you risk customers leaving.
This page can be extremely engaging if your copy is
Longship Leather captures leads on their About Us page by including an
www.longshipleather.com
Write Your About Us Page with Ease
With the tips here, you can easily improve the copy and content on this extremely important site page in no time at all — and without hiring the help of a pro. Just remember:
- Make it about the customers
- Tell a story
- Incorporate your brand voice
- Add photos
- Include a CTA
If you can cover all of these bases, what once was a purely informational page can become part of your larger sales strategy.
Read also: The Importance of a Blog and How to Start One for Your Store
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