Cat Lund
- May 19, 2020
- 8 min read

ABOUT US

MOre than the sum of it's parts

I came across an interesting blog recently by Wix on the function of the About Us page. Common practice is for all websites to have one, however some sites leverage the page better than others. It's possible to go beyond the basic function of the page to connect with customers on a much more personal level.

Connecting with people in this way builds trust and relationships, it's about presenting your brand style and values and bringing your story to life. Customers who empathise with your brand values are more likely to purchase from you.

what's About Us for?

The basics of the page should cover who you are, where you are, how you got there and what you do for your customers. Remember to include all the basic information about your business and make sure your description isn’t full of jargon. The page needs to tell your story and make a strong, positive impression. When a site visitor navigates to your About Us page, it shows they are actively interested in learning more about you, so it's important to make the most of that engagement.

Stand out from the crowd

An outstanding About Us page delivers the basic information and also captures your personality and values. The best ones bring a brand story to life with engaging text, media and design, and tell your story in compelling, emotional ways. When consumers evaluate brands, they’re highly influenced by personal feelings and experiences. Case studies and testimonials are also a great way to make About Us more effective, as it allows prospective customers to picture themselves using your product or service. You can also share your brand evolution or epiphany, giving customers an insight into the story behind your business. Include positive press coverage, great customer reviews or any awards you've won here too.

DON'T FORGET...

You really must include your contact information on the About Us page! This should include email address, phone number, social channels and your physical address, if you have one. You should also think about a call to action, whether it's live chat, a subscription box, contact form or a facebook like and share button.

INSIGHTS FROM WIX

Thanks to Wix for sharing the information and tips used to create this Blog. Here's more from them with some brilliant examples of great About Us pages to inspire you:

11 great About Us pages

These About Us pages come from companies ranging from a small design agency to tech industry giants. But they all share one thing in common: Each does a great job introducing their client in a way that’s personal and persuasive.

1. Eight Hour Day

On Eight Hour Day’s About Us page, it’s clear to see why they’re a successful and prestigious design and illustration studio. The page has a sleek design that matches the feel of the company and the rest of their website. Right away, visitors see a large photo of partners Nathan Strandberg and Katie Kirk smiling authentically. Right above that, they have a bold statement that tells you who they are, what they do and that they’re passionate about it: “...a creative studio that loves to learn, collaborate and create.” The rest of the page builds on that statement, and their credibility. Scroll and you’re given the options to learn more about their collaboration process or see their work mentioned in leading design publications. They also list their contact information twice: both in its own section of the page and the static footer. They also offer more detail about their work and what they believe in. They go on to tell site visitors: “We're excited to start a visual dialogue, learn about you, and make something beautiful together.” Between this compelling copy, the charming photo of their studio with a chocolate lab roaming around, and list of their major clients, most of which are household names like Target and Facebook, who wouldn’t want to give them a try?

2. Bulldog Skincare

Bulldog Skincare’s About Us page features a large photo of a bulldog, which helps tell their brand story. As the page shows you, he’s the mascot for this UK-based men’s skincare company created in 2005 after founder Simon Duffy had a realization while shopping. When he couldn’t find skincare products made for his own unique needs, he set about to change that. The About Us page lets shoppers know that they offer a wide range of eco-friendly products for all skin types in a way that’s clear and mission-oriented. The photos, text and overall design are engaging and true to their brand. Their About Us page also highlights Bulldog’s commitment to environmental values, like recyclable packaging and carbon-neutral products.

3. Twitter

Hundreds of millions of people use Twitter every month. But you won’t see stats like that on Twitter’s About Us page. In fact, they don’t explain what their platform does, how it works or who uses it at all. Instead, Twitter showcases users’ tweets to show all of that. For example, as of the time of this writing, all of the tweets featured on their About Us page included resources for COVID-19. Using this approach, site visitors get to see the Twitter platform in action rather than reading about it. The design of their main About Us page is simple, with bars of bright, solid colors and minimal text. Their main header reads: “Twitter is what’s happening in the world and what people are talking about right now,” which stokes the reader’s fear of missing out. Further down, the page reads “Spark a global conversation,” which communicates the message that Twitter is an interactive, international platform, without saying it outright. The page ends with an “Explore Twitter” CTA, which links to login. This About Us page breaks rules in all the right ways.

4. Sara Dietschy

Sara Dietschy is a YouTube star and popular online content creator whose website promotes her many projects clearly and with her trademark energy. Instead of having a dedicated About Us page, she includes everything you’d need to know about her upfront on her website’s homepage, effectively making it an About Us page. The top of the page grabs your attention and gives you a sense of her work and personality with a lively video montage of her interviewing artists and celebrities, skateboarding through her hometown of NYC and even juggling. Beneath the montage, the page tells you about what she’s best known for: hosting a YouTube channel with vlogs, a docuseries and tech reviews. It also cites her more than 525,000 subscribers, which lets potential advertisers and collaborators know the level of exposure they’d get working with her. Next up on the page is a tally of some of the big brands she partners with, including Intel, AT&T, Visa and Adobe, followed by some text about her weekly podcast “That Creative Life,” where Dietschy interviews top artists and businesspeople. The photos are fun, the design simple and the text is informative and playful. It all comes together to portray Dietschy as your hip guide through the frontiers of technology and creativity.

5. Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet’s About Us page is a great example of effective marketing for its target customer base. Its design is bold and simple, telling the company’s story with large, eye-catching photos and short blocks of concise text that link to more information about the company’s books, mobile app, website and values. Their main headline, “Just Go,” motivates the reader and makes a strong statement right away. The next text you see tells you what drives the company: putting travellers at the heart of everything they do, informing and inspiring them with trusted content. The photo montage that follows shows travellers using the company’s products, which come in print, mobile and online versions. This page is engaging, informative and sure to inspire a visitor’s wanderlust.

6. Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is a company with a revolutionary business model, which enables its 9 million customers to rent the latest fashions from more than 550 designers and ship them back when they’re done. The About Us section of their website is unique, too, spanning eight different pages dedicated to different aspects of their business, including the company’s vision, story, offerings and process. Between the lively photos, engaging copy and authentic commentary from customers, employees and the two co-founders, you don’t have to be a fashionista to feel inspired. The opening line describes their vision: “To make women feel empowered and self-confident every single day.” The second line hints at how hard they worked to make it happen: “We were told we were crazy. We’re glad we didn’t listen.” All of the above gives site visitors plenty of fuel to convert or learn more.

7. Eventbrite

Eventbrite’s technology platform helps event creators around the world plan, promote and produce live events from festivals to air-guitar contests. Their About Us page starts with a clear, inspiring statement of the company’s purpose: “Bringing the world together through live experiences.” The page also includes impressive stats, like the fact that they “powered 4.7M events in 2019,” along with three separate links for different segments of their target audience: event hosts, event attendees and job seekers. The simple, vibrant design is accompanied by quality photos and concise, exciting copy, making it strong overall About Us page.

8. Hungryroot

The headline on Hungryroot’s About Us page reads “Healthy is personal,” which captures the essence of this personalized meal subscription service. Customers fill out a food profile, and based on that, Hungryroot sends them healthy meals that require minimal preparation. The large photos look delicious, and the text is clear and fun. For example, Hungryroot lists three standards for its food: it has to be nutritious, easy to prepare and “taste damn good.” The clear brand voice and tone set this page apart. Among the funny bios and stop-action photos of its 4-person leadership team, there’s even a VP of Product and Personalization whose hobby is foraging for mushrooms. In a smart move, the page ends with a CTA inviting visitors to build their meal subscription plan, which takes them to the sign-up page.

9. Simple as Milk

Simple as Milk is a team of freelance designers, developers, illustrators and copywriters with an eclectic approach to their work that shines through in their About Us page. Its minimalist design starts with a thick red banner with the word “simple” in large white letters, which shift around as you scroll. The company’s tone is whimsical and consistent throughout the page. They also communicate their passion for their work by stating their mission: “to develop awesome brands, make lifelong connections, and build a bunch of heckin’ fun things.” The page lists the services they offer, samples of their work and clients, along with links to more info about their team and work. They also link to their Twitter, Instagram and Dribble accounts, as well as a spot where site visitors can message them on Slack, giving people an easy way to connect.

10. SpaceX

Rocket launches and space capsules make for spectacular photos and videos, and the SpaceX About Us page takes full advantage of them. Against a large, beautiful image of distant stars and galaxies, the first block of text states what the company does: design, manufacture and launch advanced rockets and spacecraft. This sentence is followed by its underlying mission: “to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.” The rest of the page builds on that dramatic statement. For example, the page features a video of a launch of the company’s well-known Falcon Heavy rocket, and another of SpaceX founder Elon Musk making the case for space travel. Next on the page is an interactive timeline showing SpaceX milestones from 2002 to present, more info on the company’s plans for the future and contact information with a map showing company locations across the U.S. With all of these components, this page makes a strong impression and gives visitors a deep understanding of the company and its mission.

11. Zendesk

Zendesk describes itself as a service-first CRM company that builds software designed to improve customer relationships. From the get-go, their About Us page makes it clear that the company focuses on relationships. “We’re people people,” reads a bold headline overlaid on top of a carousel of upbeat employee photos. That value-driven message is supported throughout the page, mainly through design and images. The little text the page does include also supports this message and emphasizes the company’s commitment to diversity. Additionally, the page shows how Zendesk is giving back through the Zendesk Neighbor Foundation, which combats homelessness and poverty in the communities where Zendesk works. The page also features bite-sized stats on their 150,000 customers, 38,000 hours of employee volunteer-hours since 2011 and 160 countries and territories served. Finally, site visitors are also invited to meet up with Zendesk or join their team with links to their corporate events and a jobs board.