This has happened to you.
A new post is up on your favorite bloggers site.
You grab your coffee (or tea) and get ready to read the blog post. You then realize that this new post is by a guest blogger.
The guest blogger has their bio at the bottom of the blog post. And so naturally, you click through to check them out.
Where's one of the first places you go before you read a single blog post they have written ?
I'll take a wager and say you clicked on some link that allows you to learn more about the person.
You've heard it over and over again.
The About page for your blog is the second most visited page on your blog.
It may even be the most visited.
So it makes sense that your “About” page should be unlike the millions blogs that are started across the globe every single month.
Is your About Page going to make you a million bucks just because it's cute, fancy and follows all the rules (or not) ?
Probably not.
However ;
- You have about 30 seconds to make a lasting impression on visitors to your blog or else it's bye-bye forever. The end.
- If you want an inkling of a chance of building any kind of relationship with the people who land on your blog, you need to start somewhere. That somewhere is usually your About page. So it follows that it has to be really good.
No matter how amazing your content is, the readers you have attracted to your brand and personality are the ones who make you successful.
Your “About” page” is the gateway to that relationship.
How do you build a super-star “About” page ?
Here are 11 elements you could utilize in building one.
Let's dive right in.
1) Tell stories that fascinate
TED talks are wildly popular because of the stories the speakers tell.
Books that have a moral message to convey usually do so with stories.
Stories connect you with people because stories have the power to connect and captivate.
People remember stories.
Telling readers who land on your blog the circumstances that surrounded you starting your blog allows you to connect with people on a human level. And if your story is unique, it becomes etched in their minds.
I love Pat Flynn's story of how he started his Smart Passive Income empire. He lost his job just like many people did around that time period (connection). Unlike many people that enter the online space as a way to escape the 9 to 5, Pat loved his job and was pretty much forced to become an online entrepreneur.
A few years later, he's making a killing online and wants to help others climb the ladder too.
I had come across several other online entrepreneur blogs before his. But for some reason, his stood out because of his story. That simple story of struggle and triumph gripped me when I stumbled onto his blog by accident one late night in December 2013. I have been an ardent follower of his ever since.
That's the power of story.
[tweet_box design=”box_09″]Use the Power of Story on Your Blog's About Page to Engage Your Readers[/tweet_box]
2) Share who's on your team.
The first blog I came across that did this was Spencer Haws on Niche Pursuits. I was so impressed!
Spencer describes Perrin Carrell, a major team member in his online business, as his “secret weapon”.
Why should you include your team on your About page ?
It shows humility. It shows that contrary to popular opinion, great bloggers are not a super species who do everything by themselves. They get a lot of help to get them where they are and they are not ashamed to say so.
Another online personality I have seen do this recently is John Lee Dumas.
3) Hire someone to draw a cartoon/infographic about you
Neil Patel has a very informative cartoon of himself on his QuickSprout blog.
John Lee Dumas has an infographic describing the timeline for his successful podcast, Entrepreneur on Fire.
These stand out for obvious reasons.
An infographic that outlines your personal journal into blogging or online business ? Well that just takes story-telling to another level.
4) Tell readers what you do in a unique way
Give yourself a title.
The Legion of Boom (Fine. That's not really something on someone's blog About page but I could not help the NFL reference).
5) Have social proof to back it up
Tweets. E-mails. Recommendations written by your readers on a product you have created. Places you've guest blogged or contributed. Mainstream media appearances.
These all count as social proof and yell “I know what I am doing and other people are saying it too” to visitors who land on your blog.
I especially like one on Jeff Goins blog that reads
My 4-year old just saw a picture of Jeff Goins and said, ‘Hey, isn’t that Luke Skywalker?!’
It is not your regular “Oh my, this guy is the best thing since sliced bread” kind of social proof. However, it delivers on its' purpose – giving a visitor to the blog a slight chuckle as well as letting them know that there are people who are actively connecting with this blogger.
6) Include links to your most popular blog posts
This one is such a no brainer but so many bloggers forget this. In fact, until recently, I had not done this myself. Include 5-7 links of your most popular blog posts on your About page.
If you want to take it a step further, create a few categories for the different types of blog posts you have that have been popular/most useful to your reader base and display 3-4 posts under each category.
7) Use video
Interestingly, even though video is such a powerful medium, I don't see many bloggers use this as a way to introduce themselves.
Of course, people could eventually stumble over your YouTube videos or Podcast and get to hear the “real you” but it's great (and unique) if they can be introduced to you and your brand via a 1-minute video.
8) Include a way for readers to contact you
Don't make it hard for people to contact you on your blog. Even if you have a “contact me” tab, it doesn't hurt to include a link to your contact form on your About page. I like how MMs. Ileane uses SpeakPipe so that her readers can leave record their question as an audio file.
9)Don't forget list-building !
This is another obvious one that is easy to overlook. If someone reads your story and immediately connects with you, it's only logical that you invite them to subscribe to your e-mail list so that they can receive more of your content.
Even if you have a fancy pop-up, it's A-okay to include a sign up form to your About page.
10) To write in third person or not ?
I have seen About pages written in third person and vice versa. I've always preferred a conversational , first person style of About page. It just brings a person down to earth and makes them relatable.
11) This page is about you but not TOTALLY about you.
Last but not least, if a potential blog reader does not immediately recognize what benefit your blog/brand will provide them with, they will leave and never come back. Ultimately, helping your readers solve a pressing need they have so that they can achieve their goals is what will make any blogger a successful one.
Tell people the benefit they will derive from reading your blog and connecting with you.
Wrapping it Up
Want to up your About page game ?
I can't promise you outrageous results right after you have cartoon made of you telling us that you enjoy eating peanut butter with bananas.
I can say however, that employing just 3 or 4 of these elements on your About page is sure to make you stand out in a world that's already noisy with bloggers.