What to Put on Your About Page

As a website designer for creatives, here’s a question I receive all the time: What do I put on my About Page?

In our industry, the About Page is SO important. When your potential clients are looking to hire someone, they have plenty of choices—hundreds of thousands of competitors who can offer quality work.

What makes you different?

If we’re being honest, it’s probably not your skillset. Even if you are truly excellent at your work… so are a thousand others. You might be an excellent photographer, but you’re probably not the best photographer in the entire market. You may be a skilled calligrapher or florist or interior designer… but it’s not likely that you are THE most skilled in your industry.

A well-crafted portfolio is important, but it’s not the only deciding factor in a client’s choice to book with you. Your work alone is not enough to differentiate you in a saturated market. What else can you offer?

It’s all about a client experience: how can you solve your client’s problems?

That’s what belongs on your About Page.

—

Let me challenge your perception of an About Page: it’s not really about you.
It’s about the client.

Yes, we need to see your personality. Yes, we need to see your face (I always recommend a professional headshot with eye contact!). Yes, your client needs to connect with who you are. But it all needs to be done in a way that conveys your value to the client.

Every aspect of your About Page should be geared toward the client: what makes you uniquely qualified to serve their needs and solve their problems?

 

Let’s start with your client’s fears.

Grab a pen and paper and do a little brainstorming: What are your client’s fears or concerns? What makes them nervous? When they encounter that pain point, how do they feel? Uncertain? Overwhelmed? Disappointed?

*Bonus points if you poll your past clients or current audience to find out where their pain points are!

 

Now, let’s take it the next step:
how can you solve that problem or fear for your clients?

When they feel [frustrated, anxious, annoyed, overlooked, apprehensive], what can you do to alleviate their fear?

Sometimes it just comes down to a tweak in wording—something to turn your skillset into an asset for the client. Let me give an example (I’ll use a photographer as my example throughout this post, but these tips apply to anyone!):

• About you: I’ve been photographing couples since 2008, and there’s nothing I love more than capturing love stories!
• About the client: In over ten years of photographing weddings, I’ve developed a signature process to make sure I preserve every single moment of your love story.

 

See what I did there? We’re talking about the SAME quality (experience), but the second option puts a spin on it that solves the client fear (fear of their photographer missing an important moment).

You can do the same thing! Talk about your best qualities in a way that aligns with your client’s needs. List the characteristics you offer and find out where they overlap to solve your client fears. Some examples might be:

Client Fear → Alleviating Quality

Fear: wedding design that’s too “trendy”
Quality: shooting film for a timeless look

You yearn for a wedding that feels timeless and sophisticated—an elegant celebration, captured by photographs that will stand the test of time. As a photographer, I desire the same thing: images that feel timeless and classic—never trendy. That’s why I started shooting film in 2008; it allows me to capture your love story in a timeless format, resulting in images I know your grandchildren will cherish just as much as you do.

Fear: overwhelmed by the planning process
Quality: professional and understanding; offers helpful timelines, resources, etc. to keep client feeling confident in the next step

I understand what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by planning a wedding. I can help by providing a professional experience from start to finish, with all the tips and resources you need along the way. Not sure what to wear for engagement photos? No worries, I have a guide for that. Worried about the wedding day timeline? I’ve got you covered; I provide sample timelines, and I’ll work with your planner to make sure everyone’s on the same page. You can count on me to be your go-to vendor if you have any questions!

Fear: afraid of missing opportunities to honor family generations
Quality: specialize in styling details shots that feature heirloom elements

I have a feeling you share my sense of nostalgia for a bygone era… the details that tie one generation to the next, weaving our stories together through the years. My photographic style emphasizes these special details: your heirloom earrings, a vintage embroidered handkerchief, a wedding photograph of your grandparents, frayed at the edges from years of wear. I specialize in curating heirloom elements that speak to a love story larger than your own—one that spans generations for years to come.

 

—

You can use this formula to write your entire About Page. Yes, it is about you… because it’s about the qualities you possess that can help your client. So it’s really about them! 😉

—

When you position your client as the hero, you are acting as a guide who can walk them through this process and help them conquer their fears. Read this book to learn more!

Think about it from the client perspective: wouldn’t you want to connect with someone whose personal traits align with your needs? Someone who can help alleviate your fears? Yes! That is MUCH more bookable than listing a few fun facts about yourself.

An About Page that converts is not about your pets or your kids or your favorite ice cream flavor (although those things can be cute and relatable!). At the heart, a thoughtful About Page is about your client’s fears and how YOU are uniquely qualified to serve them.

Does your About Page need a refresh? With this About Page formula in mind, set aside 30 minutes to tend to your messaging and update your copy! You might be surprised how much of a difference it can make!

 

And if you’re looking at your About Page and feeling like it’s in need of more than just a few tweaks to the copy… let’s talk! I love to create strategically designed pages that can help you put your best foot forward when a potential client lands on your site. Send me a message to get started!