Let's face it: corporate websites are pretty impersonal. Endless product lists, marketing copy and snazzy graphics make it feel like you're dealing with a soulless entity. We don't want that, we want to deal with actual people who we feel we can trust.

Enter the 'About' Page; arguably one of the most important parts of your website. Whether you're a bike mechanic or a bank manager, this page is your chance to introduce yourself to your prospective client. A good 'About' page is the difference between a long-term business relationship and a wasted opportunity, so it's vital that you not only have one, but also use it to its full potential.

Personal Biography:

I'd suggest splitting your written copy into two main sections, the first of which explains why you're the best person for the job. Customers don't really care if you're into Star Wars, or if you've got two kids, they really care about the expertise you have! The best employee bios always start by explaining how they can help potential customers, before mentioning anything else.

Although customers might not care about your hobbies, you should absolutely include information on these too! Your customers will only feel more connected to you if you both share a passion (there's a lot of experimental cooks like me out there!).

There are some pitfalls to avoid. Firstly, don't go into the inner details of your life. Over-discussing your personal background will either disinterest visitors or worse, make them question your professionalism. Just one or two little factoids is all you need.

Secondly, any listed interests should be carefully selected to avoid isolating yourself from your visitors. The most common example I've seen is where professionals mention their favourite football team. Sure, it might work on those who share your loyalty, but for every person who shares your love, many more will feel further disassociated with you.

Embrace Imagery

Sounds obvious I know but so many webmasters fail to incorporate good imagery in their About page! A beaming image helps to create an instant bond between your visitors and you. It doesn't have to be your best photo (mine certainly isn't!) but it needs to show you looking respectable so that you evoke that feeling of trust and respect from your visitor - so no selfies!

You also need to consider your pose. There's lots of us on our 'Meet the Team' page so we went with a simple front-on, black and white snapshot. Smaller teams could mix their photos up a bit, as each of you will take up more space on your page. Consider the advantages that customers are thinking of when they pick a small business - more personal service, bespoke help - fun or unique photos are your opportunity to show off this side of your service. Alternatively, show yourself on the job: many consultants use photos of themselves giving industry lectures as it's a great way to discreetly show off your knowledge and expertise.

Entwine it with your 'Contact Us' Section:

For any small business your 'About' page should go hand in hand with your contact details, link the two with a clear call-to-action encouraging potential customers/ clients to get in touch with their needs. Once you've grown into a bigger organisation, you probably won't want to keep these pages intertwined, as many visitors will be targeting information about a specific employee. It's up to you (and your employees) how available you make this information; some of our staff have shared their LinkedIn profiles so you can find out more about us, but we've kept it optional.

Timelines of Success:

If your business has been going for a while, then incorporating a Company timeline into your 'About' page is another fantastic way of showing off your story, and showing the expertise you've seen along the way. It doesn't need to be a solid text of achievements; keep to 2 to 3 lines per event and make it flow with some imagery from each event. Alternatively, add in photos of your product from each period, showing how you've grown and adapted to the times.

Bring Your About Page to your Visitor:

Often (especially for larger organisations) the 'About' page is out of the way, somewhere visitors would never find it. Don't let this happen: use aspects of your page elsewhere on your site, especially your imagery. Got a company blog? Include the author's image. Got a page for a tailor made product? Include a picture of your production team staff. Your 'About' page shouldn't be the only 'human' part of your website, use it as the starting point for building a website with personality. When refreshing the Tsohost website we made sure to include many pictures of our team all over our site, and even on our homepage.

An 'About' page isn't just an add on, it's a fundamental tool for guiding potential customers down the purchasing funnel. If you feel I've missed any aspects out I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or via @Twitter.

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