Guide to Writing Effective "About Us" Web Pages

Learn from the “About Us” pros

The Nielsen Norman Group, a Web site usability consulting firm, published a 2003 study entitled “‘About Us’—Presenting Information About an Organization on Its Website”, which found that 30 percent of the Web sites studied needed to revamp their “About Us” section so that visitors could more easily find what they were looking for.

I recommend: Take advantage of the Nielsen Norman Group’s training and workshop opportunities with a full-day tutorial on “presenting company information on corporate Web sites” at the firm’s Usability Week conference, offered in the U.S. and abroad several times throughout the year. If you can’t make it to a conference, you can still get 50 specific “About Us” design recommendations by purchasing the report based on the firm’s study. Or, get some quick hints from this free summary of the report.

Check out above-average “About Us” pages

The best “About Us” pages give your customers an inside look at the human side of your company. For instance, who started it and why? And who are some of the movers and shakers on staff? Effective “About Us” pages also reflect your company’s brand image and personality. For instance, if you like to inject a little humor in your advertising, do it here, too.

I recommend: Get inspired by clicking to “About Us” pages that work. Bryan Eisenberg, a marketing consultant and a founder of Future Now, applauds the way that Dave and Busters shows its progress with a timeline that does the job without bragging. He also points out that Nike's "About Us" pages effectively express the company’s passion. Also check out what Eisenberg calls common “About Us” mistakes.

Learn to write for the Web

Knowing what to say and how to say it on the Web can be tricky. To compound that challenge, “About Us” pages have to convey critical information in a concise yet powerful manner.

I recommend: Sign up for a virtual seminar on writing killer Web copy at MarketingProfs.com. Consider attending a copywriting seminar that covers Web copy, such as The Copywriter's Workshop offered by National Seminars Group Padgett-Thompson. Websitetips.com offers free resources to help you master the art of writing for the Web. 

Make your corporate history shine

Your company’s story says a lot about your organization’s capabilities and personality. Spotlight your company history’s highlights with a simple chronological timeline or a compelling story about how the company got its start. Or focus on the background of the founder and what led him or her to launch the business.

I recommend: The Write Market provides guidelines and examples of various ways to present your company’s history on your “About Us” pages.

Hire a professional writer

If you don’t have time to develop your own Web-writing skills, bring in a professional who can turn out top-notch “About Us” pages.

I recommend: Contact a local chapter of The International Association of Business Communicators for referrals to experienced Web writers.

Let customers sing your praises

Customer testimonials carry more weight than praise that you heap on yourself. When you receive unsolicited positive feedback from customers, ask if you can quote them on your Web site, ads and elsewhere. Request feedback from other customers as well. Ask those who report good experiences to be specific about how your product or service helped them. Always request for permission to use customer comments in your promotions.

I recommend: You don’t have to create your own feedback form for your Web site. Use the free feedback form template from TheSiteWizard.com. Next, make it easy for customers to find your feedback form by adding a feedback button to your Web site. Zymic.com provides free Web site button templates.