When we meet someone, we always endeavour to put our best foot forward so as to create a good impression on the other person – after all first impressions do carry some weightage! When entrepreneurs meet someone in person, for the first time, they share their visiting card along with a brief, verbal introduction about themselves. However, what happens if the meeting is virtual? Here the ‘about Us’ page of their website serves as the much-needed introduction! The About Us page is one of the first supporting pages you would likely create for your website, so as to let the ‘visitor’, know who you are and effectively communicate the story of your business and what are the services you can extend to your clients. The main aim of your About Us page should be to give your visitors a glimpse into who you are, personally and professionally. How much you wish to disclose about your personal self and how it will stand you in good stead as an entrepreneur, is for you to decide.
Previously, the ‘About Us’ page would more often than not, be shoddily written – where a link at the footer would be the tell-tale signs of the aim being merely to grab clients! However, with the process of digitization having been initiated and now accelerated due to the lockdown triggered by COVID19, the ‘About Us’ page has become essential more than ever. Organizations are using it as a tool to describe to the customers the cause which their business serves, explaining their business model and products/services. In a way this page gives a ‘face’ to your business, thus driving away the fear of the unknown, unseen from the minds of prospective clients.
No doubt, the ‘About Us’ page should be an attractively informative one boasting about your credentials and successes; but it is wise to strike a balance between fun and approachable and reliable and informative, while conveying your idea. You want to present facts, which are relatable, not hyped, far-fetched ideologies! The following points thus need to be considered while creating your ‘About Us’ page:-
- It should be useful – As people discover your brand, they need to know everything about it. The ‘About Us’ page should answer the- who, what, where, how much and why questions erupting in the mind of users. In short, your About Us page is a home for your founding story, a place to show off your business wins, and a sales page that answers the most pressing question new customers have about your business
- It should be able to hold the attention of users- Incorporating persuasive content (e.g. an explainer video, data visualizations, links to blog posts) will serve in holding your prospective client’s attention a wee bit longer, while he/she thinks about engaging with your brand. Also, these materials might otherwise clutter your homepage, so it is best to put them in your ‘About Us’ page.
- It should be user-friendly – Easy to navigate pages are most browsed by users. Keeping in mind that you are trying to reach out to one and all, will prompt you to create an easily navigable ‘About Us’ page. Further, making it easy to access on any device will further improve the user-friendly quotient.
- It should contain social proof – In a world where cyber crime is growing by leaps and bounds, every one wishes to be safe while interacting virtually. Your page should therefore contain testimonials, and some personal information that visitors can relate to, such as education, family, reviews by existing clients which reiterate the authenticity of your brand and services.
Through your ‘About Us’ page, people need to be told what sets you apart from other brands/organizations and makes you… you! Thus, finding the right balance between compelling content and a design carefully planned to look the part is the secret to create a worthwhile ‘About Us’ page. If you know who you are and your goal for your site, the About Us page will come naturally.
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
