Who reads an About page, and why
The people who open your About page are usually close to deciding. They have seen what you offer and now want to know who they would be dealing with: whether you are established, whether you know what you are doing, and whether you seem like someone they would be happy to have in their home or trust with their business.
So an About page is not really about you. It is about answering a customer's quiet worries, using your story as the evidence.
Open with what you do for people
Resist starting with "Founded in 2009, we...". Start with a sentence about who you help and how, then move into your story. For example: "We are a family-run garden design business helping homeowners across the South Side turn tired yards into spaces they use every day."
That opening confirms the reader is in the right place. The history that follows then reads as proof, not as a speech.
Tell a short, true story
A paragraph or two about how the business started and why is often the most-read part of the page. Keep it specific and honest. "Sam trained as a carpenter, spent ten years fitting kitchens for a national chain, and set up on his own because he wanted to do the whole job properly" says more than "We are passionate about quality."
You do not need a dramatic origin. Ordinary, real details - where you trained, what you did before, why you chose this work - are what make a small business feel human.
Show the people
Put faces on the page. A good photo of the owner, and of each person customers will meet, does a lot of the work for you. Under each photo, a name, a role and one line about the person is enough: what they do, how long they have been doing it, maybe one thing they enjoy about it.
If you are a one-person business, say so with confidence. Many customers prefer knowing exactly who will turn up or answer the phone.
Give evidence, not adjectives
Words like "reliable", "professional" and "friendly" appear on almost every About page, so readers skip over them. Replace each one with something that shows it. Instead of "reliable", say that you confirm every appointment the day before and text when you are on your way. Instead of "experienced", say how long you have done this and what kind of work.
- Qualifications, licenses and insurance that matter to customers
- Memberships of trade associations, if you belong to them
- How long you have been in business, and where
- The kinds of customers or projects you work with most
- What you do that others in your trade often do not
What to leave out
A few things weaken an About page more than they help. Long mission statements, lists of values that any business could claim, and paragraphs about "our commitment to excellence" are the parts readers skip. So are details only you care about, such as every change of premises or company structure since you started.
Leave out anything you would not want a customer to check. If you say you are the longest-established business in town, be sure it is true. A modest claim you can prove is worth more than a big one you cannot.
Sound like yourself
Write the way you would talk to a customer at the door. Use "we" or "I", short sentences, and everyday words. If you would not say a sentence out loud, rewrite it. A little personality is welcome; jokes that need explaining are not.
Read the finished page aloud. Anything you stumble over, or that sounds like a brochure, needs simplifying. Then ask someone who knows you whether it sounds like you.
Keep it short, and end with a next step
Most About pages work best at a few hundred words: an opening line, a short story, the people, and the evidence. If you have more to say, a longer history can go further down for the few who want it.
Finish the page the same way as your other pages - with a clear way to get in touch. Someone who has read your story and liked it is ready to talk. Do not make them hunt for the phone number.