The about page, which happens to be my favorite page to read on any given website, is probably the most difficult one to write.
Talking about yourself feels awkward. You want to show off the fact that you’re hella qualified, but you also want to be authentic, funny, and most of all, human. Ie: the person your dream client wants to hire right this minute!
And with all of the blog posts, YouTube videos, and TikToks you’re scouring trying to figure out the best way to write your about page, you STILL don’t quite know where to start.
The thing is, about pages are unique because they look so wildly different for every single business. And so following every about page how-to can be stressful if you’re trying to nail down exactly what you want yours to look like.
So instead of telling you one more thing about what you need to do, I’m going to go over the main 3 mistakes to avoid when writing your about page. Easy peasy!
3 Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Your About Page
1. Making it too much about you
Yes, the about page *is* about you. But it’s mostly still about why your visitors should actually work with you. And so, in that sense, it needs to be about them.
When you only talk about you and your qualifications, your background story, and your favorite kind of coffee (which are all valid!) you’re missing out on an important opportunity to tie it all together and paint the picture of WHY this is all relevant to them.
Everything that you share on your About page should, in some way, come back to the client.
So it’s about you, buttttt it’s really about them.
Now don’t get me wrong, you can totally have a fun personality section. You know, like those “this or that” situations, or a favorites section. But for most of the content on this page, ask yourself “Why does my dream client care about this?” And then try to make that clearer.
2. Listing out your entire resume
This goes somewhat hand-in-hand with the last part. No one actually wants to read through your resume, your long list of achievements, or your schooling. No matter how impressive it is.
Yes, some of this information is important. But there are clever ways that you can work it into your copy that actually show how these factors translate into your work.
You know that phrase “Show don’t tell”? Keep that in mind when writing this page! (and any copy tbh).
For example: Don’t just tell people that you have 5 years of experience working in an agency. Tell them how you can talk to anyone and bring everyone’s vision to life. And show them exactly what that looks like.
Much of your expertise in your industry will come through in the copy on your site, so you don’t need to rely on sharing every little achievement and experience to back it all up. And when you do—bring it back to them!
3. Feeling like you have to be formal
Your website is your website. One of its biggest goals is to encourage someone to work with you.
Now I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, for service-based businesses, who you are is a HUGE reason why someone may choose to work with you. Not only are you giving them a service, you’re also likely spending lots of time with them on this project. Wouldn’t they want to actually like you?
So on your About page (or honestly any other page for that matter), you don’t have to be all formal. In fact, you shouldn’t.
I mean, unless that’s who you are as a person. Then by all means, be formal!
But otherwise, for personality- service-based brands? Be yourself!
Write how you talk! Be casual! Be quirky! Say that corny joke that you’d totally say in person.
Your visitors can easily find a formal person elsewhere. But they may be struggling to find someone who’s actually authentic.
You’re all set to get to writing your about page!
If you’ve already written your about page, check back to make sure you’re not making any mistakes! And if you haven’t started it yet, keep these in mind as you get to writing.
You got this!
Hey, I’m Kristie! And besides writing website and email copy for the best businesses, I also help business-owners like you feel grounded and less chaotic.
Here’s how we can stay connected:
Subscribe to my newsletter for all things copywriting, marketing, and self-care, so both you and your business can do great things.
Get your freebie! I’ve put together 5 quick strategies to help take your copy up a couple notches when you’re in a pinch.
Wander through my blog for more free content similar to this!
Work with me! I help with website copywriting, email marketing, and even plain ol’ copy audits if you just need someone to take a look at your work.
Send me a message! You can reach out to me right here with any questions, inquiries, or just to say hi!
So glad you’re here! XO
