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The simple answer is: very important. When someone visits your website and is seriously interested in your products or services, you can guarantee that unless you are a well known company, a large amount of them will look at your ‘About Us’ page. This is because users want to know more about who they are buying from or working with, even if your homepage may have given them an impression of what you are like already.

Your ‘About Us’ page should convey all the crucial information users look for which is not related to actual products: like what your company stands for, what your organisation’s staff are like and generally support all the other information on your website by describing how your company operates to achieve your company goals. Without this information you may lose people who really want one of your products as you have failed at this moment to connect to them.  

Connecting with your users is extremely important as it helps them to trust you, which is crucial when you’re trying to get them to part with their money. Think of it like this: if your homepage is your shop front displaying what you’ve got and looking all glamorous, your ‘About Us’ page is like a first date. It gives you a chance to start a relationship.

If you don’t have an ‘About Us’ page then it will offer anyone that looks for it, the chance to get a feeling of distrust. ‘Does this website have something to hide?’, ‘Why don’t they want me to know where they are based?’

So what should your ‘About Us’ page contain?

Who you are – This should basically describe who, when and where you company started. It should offer some personal information on your company founders, include some real photographs of key staff and provide some details on what has happened to your company to get it to where it is now. Avoid being ‘salesy’ though as this will put the reader off.   

What you do – You need to provide general information on what your company does, what products or services you provide and something about why you offer this. Again, though it may be tempting, avoid being ‘salesy’ at this point too. Save the selling for other pages. You wouldn’t spend a first date talking about how great you are would you? Stick to the facts and keep the boasting to a minimum.

Why they should trust you – By also including a statement or promise about what your companies goals and general moral policy is, you will further build the trust you are establishing by giving them reason to trust you. Something like: ‘We promise to offer the best value around…’

Your ‘About Us’ page doesn’t have to be long, but it does have to be honest, easy to read and avoid sales talk to ensure your visitors have the best chance possible of making a purchase.

Adam Wilson is a professional copywriter who creates content  for the Lancore ecommerce blog a payment service provider that offers internet merchant  account.