I get it. Writing about yourself is one of the hardest things you will have to do when building your personal brand online. Where do you even start? What does your audience want to know? What can you say that will create a such a memorable first impression that your readers won’t waste a second to click buy, contact you, etc.?
When I first started writing copy for others, I didn’t even have a proper website of my own because I was too overwhelmed by the task of writing about myself. Then when I was ready to hire a brand and website designer, it still felt like a struggle because I wanted it to be perfect. There’s this additional pressure when you’re writing for your own business because it’s hard for us to look at things logically and methodically like we do clients.
But we need to treat our businesses like we do our clients if we want to grow.
Just know that you aren’t alone in this challenge. I shared this struggle even though I write website copy for creative service-based businesses and bloggers, and actually teach my step-by-step process inside Module 3 of my signature course, Client Attraction Academy. Copywriting for websites obviously comes natural to me now after studying about and writing so many, but I know it doesn’t for many others, and that’s normal! I created the course to help creative types learn the basics to develop clear brand messaging and write sales copy that converts. There’s system to all of this that I believe anyone can learn if they dedicate the time and have good sales copy templates and website copy templates to follow. I offer all of that along with video tutorials, exercises, and examples.
I know you didn’t come for the pitch though! Let’s get into the good stuff.
First things first, your about me page isn’t even really about you or your business. That’s right.
I know that sounds confusing. Stay with me… I’ve broken it down into 5 easy steps that you can use to write your about section on your website whether you’re a blogger, a business owner, or need to write about your entire team.
When writing website copy, you always need to be aware of your target audience. Who do you want to reach? Next, you need to be clear on your goal for each page. What do you want your reader to do? What action should they take?
With these two key pieces of information in mind, it’s easier to write in a way that targets them specifically and encourages them to act. Each action is a conversion, which means your copy converts. What would it mean for your business and life if you could book calls with leads while you slept?
Here’s a brief list of things to include on your about page:
A banner and headline above the fold that identifies the reader.
A concise overview of their key challenges.
A clear and compelling explanation of the solution you offer and how you do it.
A brief bio of you and/or your team as a whole. This should only include the information that is relevant to support your credibility and make the sale.
An image of you and/or your team.
Team bios of the key players if applicable. You don’t need to include everyone.
A call to action for next steps.
Through the above, you want to focus on what makes your company culture or yourself unique. This is much easier to do after you complete the work to identify your brand’s core positioning points and messaging.
Now that you have an overview of what to include on this page of your business’ website or blog, here’s the 5 steps to follow to write a compelling about me page that your clients will love!
First, you need to get up close and personal with your target client. Who are they? What do they do? Where do they hang out? If you know someone in real life who fits the bill, don’t be shy to reach out to ask a few questions.
Write about your dream customer—dive into the nitty gritty details to create an avatar of them. Give them a name and traits. Outline their values. Decide where they work and what they do for fun. Everything helps!
Read: Identify your target audience
Most importantly, what does this person need from you? Do they have a problem that needs solving? A void that you can fill? Write out their specific challenge points.
Once you know your perfect client inside and out, you should know how you solve their problem. You need to know exactly why your avatar wants to buy your product or service.
Write a list of the benefits you offer your avatar. Some get stuck in this stage because it’s a jump to start thinking outside of your own business. We’re all a little self-centered, especially when we live and breathe our livelihood. Remember how I said your about page isn’t even really about you? It’s about your target avatar and it’s likely that they are a little self-centered too.
Knowing this, instead of listing the fancy features of your product or service, think from the perspective of your avatar. What are the benefits they would experience from working with you? Save the bulk of this information for your product or services pages, but summarize for your about page.
Now’s your chance to talk about you for a little bit. You’ve identified your target avatar, their problem, and the benefits of your solution, but what makes you so special anyways? Your ‘about’ page is your safe space to share your skills, qualifications, and accomplishments.
If you aren’t sure what to include here, try to think of the key points about you that differentiate you from your competitors. Show how your unique experience makes you the best person for the job. It’s okay to brag about your strengths when trying to convince a future client of your expertise. How will they know how good you are if you don’t just tell them?
Next, refer to your notes that outline the personal traits of your perfect client. Play on this personality to amplify your similarities. Get real about why you think you would be a perfect business fit. For example, you could give them a glimpse into your own life by talking about what you like to do in your free time. Alternatively, your business growth story might be interesting, so include it! Tell them where you came from to showcase why you want to help. You will know what’s relevant to share if you’ve done the previous homework to define them.
A genuine connection can only happen if you make it a little bit personal.
Pro tip: Writing for the web is very different from writing for academia or for print. You can get personal with your tone as well. I typically write in an approachable tone, using shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs. Include explanations where necessary. However, keep it clear and snappy so your audience doesn’t get bored. And of course, keep the business’ brand voice in mind while writing.
It’s a balancing act between personality and professionalism. I lean to the more personal side, but that doesn’t work for everyone.
Present your best self, then include a call to action to click to your contact information. Done and done.
Bonus tip: Always include a photo of yourself or your business team. Research shows that photos increase engagement. This Forbes article talks about the importance of including a photo on your LinkedIn profile. The same rules apply to your ‘about’ page.
Cool. That’s what I’m here for. Really—if it were easy, I wouldn’t have a job. So if you want to DIY your website copy, but need more help figuring out what the heck to actually say, check out the website copy templates in the wordy shop over here. These plug-in website copy templates are wireframed as well, so you not only know what to say, but where to say it. Design falls into place easily around it.
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