A Missed Opportunity

Is the lack of personality and creativity on the “About Us” or “Our Team” page of your company’s website hurting your business? Probably.

Most businesses overlook, or pay minimum attention to, their “About Us” pages. They’re more focused on outbound marketing like tv and radio, creating interior pages for their new products and services, publishing through social media, networking – yet all of these things never reach their full potential because of a lackluster “About Us” page on their website.

How I view a website for the first time

  • The Home Page - it’s the first stop on the web-surfing tour. I’ll get a general idea of your company, and make immediate assumptions about how good you are at what you do based on the quality of your design, your copywriting, and the overall User Experience.  Bad website? Bad impression. If you’re a quality company, my apologies – I just don’t know any better. I only know what I see on your website.
  •  The About Us Page – Who works here? What are they like? Do I want to meet them, would I feel comfortable doing business with them? People buy from people they trust, and people they like. Give your management team, and even your junior staff, a name. A face. A bio. We all know that the best business comes from referrals. Make sure that when a visitor comes to your website, they get a sense of who you are, and what you’re all about.
  • Blog – What are these people talking about? Do they have current content? Are they providing thought leadership, and value to me right away?
  • Products/Services Pages – Now that I’ve vetted these people, and know a little bit about what they’re all about, can they help me? Do they seem to offer a solution to fit my needs?

When I’m ready, here’s why I call one company over another. 

I have a sense of who these people are, and their place in the market. I see how they are structured, their leadership, and what they’re talking about. I feel comfortable that they might be the solution I’m looking for. So I pick up the phone, and talk to someone on the other end to schedule a consultation, or phone call with a person that can address my needs. Maybe – just maybe – I already know who I should talk to because of their informative bio on the “About Us” page.

Allowing users to get to know you and acknowledge that there are real people behind the virtual business front, builds relationships and develops trust before an initial meeting.

“About Us” – the #2 most viewed page at www.BaltimoreMediaGroup.com

Statistics from our site show that even before our video bios were added, our “About Us” page and “About Our Team” page is in the top five pages visited. We’ll be watching to see if having video on our “About Us” page keeps visitors around longer, and increases conversions. We’ll be sure to come back and share the results, but common sense tells us we’re headed in the right direction!

It’s Personal

It is important that users understand how your business became what it is today, and that involves a pretty unique story. Yes, people want to know what your business can offer, what your business does, and what sets you apart. Ultimately they are not going to choose you based on your business capabilities alone, but because they want to know you, they trust that you can help them, and they like you. Business doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it’s a relationship between real people, with real personalities, families, likes, and dislikes.

Share Your Thoughts

What do you look for on an “About Us” page? What do you think makes this page interesting or one you skip over?