Guest blog by SmartEtailing
When it comes to your website’s About page, there are four letters you need to remember: TLDR. That stands for “Too long, didn’t read.” About pages tend to be too long, too boring, or not present at all. If you are guilty of any of those three, it’s time to make your About page work for you with a short, succinct summation of who you are and why you matter. Think carefully about why a customer might click on the About page of your website, and try to answer those questions as quickly and clearly as possible.
What does your “About Us” page really say about your store?
Here are five easy ways to make your About page awesome:
Keep it short and focused
Remember those four letters? TLDR? Your customers are looking for key information, not your life story. Be sure to tell them who you are (yes, use your name!), where you are, why you are, and what you are, but be selective about the information you share. How many years you’ve been wrenching? Important info. Your favorite color? Not so much. A one-sentence heading that says what your shop stands for (“Sure, we take care of your bike, but we’re more interested in taking care of you.”) is a clear and concise way to lead off your page. If you’ve got customer testimonials, this is a great place to put them; if you are involved in the community or hold some sort of yearly event, boast about it here!
Learn what SEO is, and use it
You’ve probably heard those letters before, but now it’s time to learn what they mean and why they’re important, and not just on your About page. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be complex, but you can start small by using keywords that search engines use to find your site. If your shop is in Austin, Texas, for example, be sure to mention that on your about page, along with your shop’s name. You don’t have to write it a hundred times on a single page, but mentioning it more than once helps. Make sure all your images have Alt tags as well, since search engines cannot search images. They can read Alt tags, though, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to be found online.
Showcase your shop—and you!
What do your customers want to see when they visit an About page? Most people will say they want to see people’s faces. That’s you, and that’s your employees! Head shots are a great place to start; photos of you and your employees riding bikes is even better. A photo of the inside of your shop also shows your customers it’s a real place that’s comfortable, interesting, and welcoming. Your customers want to know who you are, so tell them! There’s no need to be secretive, so show them who they’ll meet when they come in to visit.
Don’t forget the call to action
Your About page should be more than just a rambling paragraph about where you grew up and why you ride bikes. It should be focused on giving your customers a sense of why you do what you do. Most importantly, your About page should have a call to action. For example, you might want to link to your blog if you have one (Find out what we’re up to today!), link to a sale product (I love this product, and you might too), or even link to a community project or organization you work with (We do a bike delivery to this children’s organization every year; check them out!). Use your About page as an opportunity to get your customers clicking on the other important stuff on your site.
It’s about you—but it’s actually about them
Sure, the title of the page is About US, but it’s really not about you at all. It’s about anticipating what information your customers want and need, so write it for them! Do you think your customers care what your favorite donut flavor is? No? Then leave that information off your page! Do they want to know that your mechanics are trained by a certain organization, or that you do community service, or that you cater to the entire family? Yes! Tell them! Give them information that will entice them not only to shop with you, but to support you as a fun, cool place to hang out. Most importantly, make them view you as a resource rather than just another web page.
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