I’d be willing to bet “HOW TO WRITE AN ABOUT PAGE”, “ABOUT PAGE TEMPLATE”, and “BEST ABOUT PAGE EXAMPLES” are probably at the top of the Google copywriting search rankings, right up there next to “HOMEPAGE COPY TEMPLATE”.
About pages are one of the most difficult to write because:
1) you feel awkward talking about yourself
2) you struggle to narrow down your story — the winding path that brought you to where you are today.
But, here’s why your potential clients WANT and NEED to hear about you and your story:
Your clients aren’t just buying your services.
They are buying you.
You are part of the package and if you’re a service-based business, people ARE going to look at your About page and judge whether or not they know, like or trust you enough to pay you dollah’ dollah’ bills to get the job done.
The About Page Framework
Ground rules:
As you’re writing your copy, keep the formula YOU + ME = US in mind. After every paragraph, ask yourself why what you just wrote is relevant to your reader and consider spelling it out for them — tell them directly, “this is important to you, because…/this allows you to…/when this happens you get…”. Remember to speak to your reader directly (use “you” instead of “some people” or “clients”.)
Framework:
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Hero Headline
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Tell them who you are OR sum up how you would describe yourself in a client-focused way.
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If it is safe for you to do so, give your first AND last name. Some copywriters will tell you not to start your page with “Hi, I’m Courtney…” but IMHO, it’s an About page for heaven’s sake! There is no reason to try and be cute or clever when a simple introduction is exactly what your readers are expecting.
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Sub-Headline (optional)
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Reassure them they’re in the right place, in one line.
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Intro Section
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Remind them about their problems and foreshadow that you are the solution to those problems.
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Your Brand Story
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What’s your brand story? Grab my About Page Primer in the Brand Strategy MEGA Questionnaire for the complete list of questions your story should address and how to narrow down your journey in a concise and compelling way.
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This section is allowed to go into a little more detail than the rest of your copy BUT you’ll still want to edit ruthlessly. Don’t meander. It can help to bullet point the plot of your story and delete sub-plots that your audience doesn’t need to know in order to get to know you. Then turn those bullets into sentences and don’t elaborate much more.
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Social Proof #1
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Testimonials, credentials, logo banners, case studies, etc.
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Your Differentiator
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Make it clear why I should work with you rather than someone else in your field. You don’t have to be the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) or the first/original. What’s the perspective you hold when it comes to your practice? You want your client to read this and think, I like the way they think or I want that approach!
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Social Proof #2
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Testimonials, credentials, logo banners, case studies, etc.
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Fork In The Road
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Tell your readers what to do next (Learn more about services, read a blog post, subscribe to your newsletter, etc.)
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How To Adapt Your About/Bio For Other Pages On Your Site
Your About page isn’t the only place where your bio makes an appearance.
You need to strategically insert yourself back into the conversation on your:
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Homepage
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Services page(s)
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About page (duh)
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Possibly even in a boilerplate. (I’ll explain this one in a sec.)
Sure, you could have one standard bio you plop onto every page of your site, but if you’re selling a highly custom or personal service, seeing the same bio over and over doesn’t give your reader and potential paying client a feel for whether your style and vibe are going to be a great fit. This is insanely important if you’re providing a high-touch, 1:1 service or promising a white-glove client/customer experience.
If you expect clients to plonk down 4+ figures for your services, you need to tailor each version of your About bio to the goal of that particular page.
So, “which pitch” version of your About Me bio should you use on each of your core website pages?
Let’s break it down…
Your Homepage Bio
The pitch: The broadest version of your bio.
The Goal: Give me the TL;DR version that tells me your perspective, your promise (pinpointing who you serve), and why the heck I should care. What’s your big-picture perspective and what’s your promise for people like me? Transformation? Money? Belonging? Support?
Client Example: Amy Geach of The Connection (Homepage)
Client Example: Barbara de la Torre of Third Opinion MD (Homepage)
Client Example: Ali Gunn Jewelry (PRODUCT Homepage)
Your Services Page Bio
The Pitch: The credibility checkbox.
The Goal: Paint a picture that explains why you’ve got the chops or experience to help me with my problems or this particular offering. Were you in my shoes once? How did you acquire your knowledge or skills? How does this link up with all of the other services you’re offering?
Client Example: Amy Geach of The Connection (Services page)
Client Example: Courtney Fanning of Big Picture Branding (NEW Services page SNEAK PEEK!) – My full page is coming soon!
Client Example: Kelly Childress of Kelly Childress Coaching (Services page)
Your About Page Bio
The Pitch: The WHY behind what you do.
The Goal: Tell me your “magazine feature” brand story. Typically, this is your origin, adversity, or purpose story.
Client Example: Amy Geach of The Connection (About)
Client Example: Misty Molloy of CoCreative Interiors (Services page)
Client Example: Ali Gunn of Ali Gunn Jewelry (PRODUCT About page)
What’s a Boilerplate Bio?
Boilerplates are standardized descriptions of your business, usually no more than a few sentences. Boilerplates are typically used at the end of press releases but have found their way into the footer copy on some websites. Your boilerplate is the ideal place to pinpoint the geographic areas you serve, as well as your specializations. It can also be a great place to insert some SEO keywords (but remember, keep it human.)
Example: Big Picture Branding provides brand strategy and copywriting services for creative entrepreneurs worldwide.
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