A website’s About page is one of the most boring things you can hope to come across online. And yet, it is one of the most important pages on a website or blog, whether you’re an independent author, multi-billion dollar company, or a local restaurant.

How so? Journalists and other members of the media will look to this page when they need information about you or your company. Potential customers and clients may use the information to make their purchasing decision. Even students may need the information to complete projects often assigned on local businesses.

So how can you make this essential piece of information a bit less boring, while encouraging readers to share and engage with it? Check out our four easy tips below.

1. Tell a Good Story

When I first launched my WordPress blog at alexischateau.com, I spent a lot of time reading through other websites to get a feel for how mine should look. One of the pages that always made me cringe a little was the About Me page. Once I had scarred myself enough, I made a promise to make mine a non-fictional tale, rather than a few paragraphs of bland facts.

Within the first month of blogging, I noticed the most popular page on my website was the About Me page. When a few months passed by, and its popularity only continued to soar, I made it my landing page — as it still is today. It has amassed almost 800 comments, since July 2015.

2. Be Playful

There is a time and place for humor, and for a long time, business was not one of those. However, as people become more drawn to the human side of a brand, this has changed. Now, most websites can make use of playful and witty content to make the exchange of technicalities less dull.

We did this when we created bios for the seven members on our team. While we did not neglect to include important information, like years of experience and educational qualifications, the bios were our time and place for humor.

For instance, the bio of our Junior Editor, Tristan O’Bryan, reads:

Tristan has exceptional command of the English language, and knows his way around computers better than most. The son of an elite Grammar Nazi, he delights in correcting Alex’s grammar, and has been doing it for fun since 2007. He is passionate about error-free copy, building customized PCs, adventure travel, video games, Japanese culture… and selfies.

3. Get Visual

Of course, we added pictures of all our team mates, but that’s not the only time you can toss in some visuals to tell a good story. Like most companies, our About Us information separates the company history from the bios of our teammates.

When we rewrote our company history page, in 2018, we used pictures we had posted on social media over the past few years to illustrate our story. While certainly not as popular as our bios, it is one of the most viewed pages on our website.

4. Break Up the Text

If you have a long tale to tell, it’s important to break that tale into parts, as one would do for a short story or a novel. To do so, you should employ the use of:

• Short paragraphs, or bullet points
• Headers and subheaders

These not only help make the information easier to follow, but can help those on official business to get the information they need and be on their way.

A journalist, for instance, may need to know the country or state of origin, or an organization issuing awards may need to know if the company has been established long enough to meet requirements. The easier this information is to find, the less chance there is of being overlooked.

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Building websites and creating the appropriate website copy for your brand and audience can be a tiresome exercise. Hopefully these tips bring you one step closer to fine-tuning the look and feel of your blog, to boost traffic, increase engagement, and create sales. If you need hands on assistance with website development, shoot us an email. We’d be glad to help!

About the Author

Alexis Chateau is the Founder and Managing Director at Alexis Chateau PR. She is an activist, writer, and explorer. Follow her stories of trial and triumph at www.alexischateau.com.