I want to share a “not so secret” secret with you… The single most important thing about writing your “About” page, whether this be on your website, your LinkedIn summary or your Facebook “Long Description”, is that not really “about” you at all, it’s actually about your clients and customers and how you can help them.
Your readers will land on your “about” page not because they want to find out more about you, but because they want to find out more about what you can do for them, did you spot the subtle difference? So when you’re writing this all important page consider the questions your viewers may be asking themselves and be sure to answer them.
Here are my top three tips for improving your bios across your digital platforms.
- Don’t be an “egg”. Nothing says spammer more than the default profile “egghead” on Twitter, and this goes for all social platforms including your website or blog. Invest in a professionally taken head shot and use the same photograph across all your channels, make sure it’s current, remember you want people to recognise you when they first meet with you off line, don’t leave them lost and looking for a throw back from the eighties…
- Give a little personal background. Now I’m not suggesting that you give away your deepest darkest secrets, nor do you have to provide a long and detailed list of your hobbies or extra-curricular activities. Think of a way of letting people know who you are outside of your work persona, people want to connect with you on a personal level, at the end of the day we do business with people we like. Check out my “About” page on this website, where I’ve tried to tell you a little bit more about me through photographs…. You’ll see I love my dog, my garden, technology and a nice cuppa!
- Don’t leave your readers searching for a way to contact you. You’ve done it, you’ve convinced your readers that you’re the man or woman for the job, they love what you do, what you write, what you’re selling, and they want to get in touch. Include links to email and all your social platforms right there, these are your “Calls to Action”. These links are leading your readers by the hand to take the next step.