When it comes to the development of a website, the about page does not get the recognition it deserves. This appears somehow in contradiction with the fact that this page is one of the most visited pages in a website (high rank). Why is the about page so important? The answer is simple.
The Internet has advanced to the point where it has become a large platform for interaction, which means that the competitions has increased tremendously. If the audience is not engaged in a friendly manner, it might impossible to separate from the competition.
There are two main purposes for which the about page is designed. First, we are talking about drawing the attention of potential visitors to the website in question. Second, there is the informative purpose, which will guarantee the loyalty of these visitors. If the website is designed for business purposes, this page has a critical role, as it guarantees an efficient way of reaching prospective customers.
In short, the about page is what will set you apart from other specialists in the field. So, you can see, why designing a good about page is so important.
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The purpose of the about page
Without any doubt, the main purpose of the about page is to inform people about the kind of website they are visiting. However, you have to understand that there will be a lot of reasons why someone will visit this page. In many situations, website visitors are looking for answers to various questions they might have. When organizing the content for the about page, you should make sure that you also provide information they should stay on the respective website
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What is your audience?
The audience refers to the people who will visit your website and it is important to think about it before going through with the actual writing process. You need to take into consideration who are the people that you want as your visitors and what it takes in order to ensure their loyalty.
Moreover, you have to think specifically about the kind of audience you are targeting, whether we are talking about a large company, a small organization or various individuals. If you are going for companies, you might also want to pay attention to its development.
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Is it a start-up or a company with tradition? You need to have all this data before proceeding, considering at the same time specific factors in regard to your audience. Among these factors, there are the age and gender, cultural background and location, and so on.
According to the specialists in the field, there are three main categories into which your website audience is going to fit. The opening group includes the people who will visit your website for the first time, being referred by a friend in the majority of the situations.
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It is also possible that these people arrive to your website after performing a search online or through social media. Either way, they will appreciate your content but it is just as important to give them sufficient reasons to come back. Practically, through the about page, you have the possibility to ensure the loyalty of your first-time visitors (from visitor to user).
The second group consists of people who visit your website on a regular basis. These are the ones who are consistent, often time being also registered on your website or application. For them, the about page is important, as it gives the opportunity of finding out more about their preferred website. Just as with the first-time visitors, you need to give them reasons to come back. The about page is the perfect place to feed them with information, so as that they become even more enraptured with your website.
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Last, but not least, you have the third group, which contains prospective business contacts. These are the people who are interested in a professional collaboration, whether they come from the advertising field, they work as content contributors or they have a website in the same niche as yourself.
When someone wants to work with you, be it a person who is interested in getting a job or a researcher, the about page can be a good source of information. They will want to know everything there is to know about you and your company, including its history, so that they can transform it into a feature (blog post, interview or article in the school paper).
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Basic info as overview on about page
Designing about pages is not complicated, as long as you keep a few things in mind. For example, you have to understand that users are looking for the about page to provide reassurance. They want to know that you exist in real life, that your company has a physical address and that you are capable of actually providing the product/service you are promising.
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The most important thing for a user is to discover that your organization shares the same values and priorities as himself/herself. The user is more than interested in finding out details on yourself, your activities, how it all started and how you are planning on reaching the mentioned objectives.
The best way to provide this information is by adding it as an overview to your about page. In this way, your website visitors will have all the necessary details, without actually having to go through all of the existent content.
What do your users care about?
If there is a specific reason why someone comes to your website regularly, you need to find it out. In this way, you can maintain or continue to develop it, ensuring the satisfaction of your website visitors. Let’s take the example of a web designer who works as a freelancer.
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Why would someone want to visit his/her website? Well, it is clear that they are interested in seeing the way that person works, with whom he has collaborated and also find out more information about his/her background.
On a larger scale, these people are interested in knowing for certain that they are working with the right person, someone who a good nature and who is more-than-capable of understanding their requirements. That being said, it is clear that not the number of degrees or awards a person has matters the most.
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It is all about the client understanding that he/she has found the suitable person to work with, everything following a natural course after that. So, you do not need to spend any time wondering how to design an about page. You have to design it, so that potential clients understand that this is a company or an institution that can meet their needs.
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It is the job of the web designer to present such information, convincing prospective customers of why they should choose this particular website. In this case, it goes without saying that filling the about page with useless personal information is not necessary.
Make the about page about you, not about marketing
Always keep in mind that the about page gives you an opportunity to build a strong relationship with your prospective visitors. This is the part of the website in which you show your real self, allowing different users to discover what your company is all about. This means that this page has nothing to do with marketing, it is anything else but a sales zone.
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You can have any kind of company, selling various products or providing certain services – the about page shows the things you care about, so make sure you refrain from turning it into a sales pitch. The only exception to this would be if you have a product or service that is not related to the website; you can use the about page in order to draw attention to it (for example, if you, the web designer, have a new book).
No about page is complete without a photograph
You are probably familiar with the saying: “A picture is worth 1000 words.” Well, when you are designing the about page, you need to add photos of your company and also of yourself. You can let people see how your workplace looks like and also how you look like.
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No matter if you are just starting out or if you have an established enterprise, the photograph matters just as much, allowing you to reach real customers. You do not have to invest too much time or effort in the photograph in question, just make sure that you put a face near your name.
Contact information is also important
It is common for many websites to have a special page dedicated to the contact information and this is certainly recommended. However, when you design an about page, you can maintain a small section for contact on it as well. The main idea is that you transform your users into visitors into clients, providing them with instant contact features.
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So, keeping that in mind, it makes sense to have your contact information present on the about page. An alternative would be to place a header on the about page, so as to lead prospective visitors to the contact page in question.
In regard to the contact information, make sure that you provide your e-mail address, as well as a contact form and a phone number. Because we live in the age of social media, don’t forget about your Twitter and Facebook information. The more information you add for contact, the higher your chances of visitors making the respective contact.
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Final word
The way you design the about page is indeed a matter of personal taste. However, you have to remember that the information you provide will have a direct impact on the persons visiting your website. You need to choose the right words, as well as the right perspective from which to present them.
If you create a good about page, it will be easy to develop relationships with prospective customers, building trust and developing similar values with them. Always make sure that you take your time to show who you are and what you are all about.
