How to Write an About Page That Actually Builds Trust
Most About pages are a waste of a perfectly good webpage.
They either read like a corporate press release ("We are committed to delivering excellence through innovative solutions") or they're so bare that a visitor learns almost nothing useful ("Hi, I'm Sarah. I love coffee and helping people."). Neither builds trust. Neither converts a curious visitor into a potential client.
Your About page is one of the most visited pages on your website. People go there when they're already interested but not yet convinced. They're looking for a reason to trust you, a reason to reach out, and confirmation that you're the right fit for what they need.
This post covers what actually belongs on an About page, what most people get wrong, and how to write one that does the job it's supposed to do.
Why Your About Page Matters More Than You Think
Here's something worth sitting with: people don't read About pages out of curiosity. They read them because they're actively considering working with you or buying from you.
That changes everything about how you should approach writing one.
This isn't a biography. It's not a list of credentials for its own sake. It's a bridge between someone who found you and someone who decides to trust you enough to take the next step. Every word on the page should be working toward that outcome.
A weak About page doesn't just fail to convert. It actively creates doubt. If someone comes away from your About page feeling like they still don't really know who you are or whether you can help them, that doubt is often enough to send them somewhere else.
The Biggest Mistakes People Make on Their About Page
Before getting into what to include, it helps to know what to avoid. These are the patterns that show up constantly on small business About pages and quietly kill conversions.
Writing entirely in third person when you're a one-person business. Referring to yourself as "Sarah" and "she" throughout your own About page creates a strange distance. Unless you're a larger team or specifically building a corporate image, write in first person. It's warmer and more direct.
Leading with your credentials instead of your client. Most About pages open with how long the business has been operating, where the owner went to school, or what certifications they hold. Credentials matter, but they shouldn't be the first thing someone reads. Start with the person you help and the problem you solve. Earn the right to list your credentials by first showing you understand your reader.
Being vague about what you actually do. "I help people live their best lives" and "I work with businesses to unlock their potential" say nothing. Someone reading your About page should be able to state clearly what you do and who you do it for after the first two sentences.
Making it too long or too short. A single paragraph isn't enough. Three scrolling pages is too much. A good About page gives people what they need to feel confident without asking them to read a memoir.
Forgetting to tell people what to do next. Your About page should have a clear next step. A link to your services, an invitation to get in touch, a prompt to follow you somewhere. Don't let someone finish reading and have nowhere to go.
What to Actually Include
Here's what a strong About page contains, roughly in the order it should appear:
A Opening That Speaks to the Reader First
The first thing someone reads should make them feel seen, not impress them with your history. Open with a line or two that reflects the situation, problem, or goal of the person you're trying to reach.
This doesn't mean you ignore yourself entirely. It means you frame your story in terms of how it connects to theirs.
Instead of: "I've been a graphic designer for 12 years and have worked with over 200 clients."
Try: "If you've ever had a logo designed and felt like it still didn't quite capture what your business is really about, you're in the right place."
The second version makes the reader feel immediately understood. That's the job of the opening.
Your Story (The Relevant Parts)
Once you've established that you understand your reader, you've earned the right to share your story. But keep it relevant. The parts of your background that matter are the ones that connect to why you're the right person to help them.
Why did you start this business? What experience or perspective do you bring that makes you genuinely good at what you do? Was there a moment or a turning point that shaped how you work?
Keep it human. Specific details ("I left a ten-year career in corporate finance because I kept watching small business owners struggle with the financial side of things that should have been straightforward") are far more compelling than vague summaries ("I have a passion for helping businesses succeed").
What You Do and Who You Do It For
This should be unmistakably clear. Even if it feels obvious to you, spell it out. Who is your ideal client? What do you help them with? What does working with you actually look like?
This is also where you can start to differentiate. What's your approach? What do you believe about the work you do that shapes how you do it? What do clients consistently say about working with you that they didn't expect?
Credentials and Social Proof
Now is the time to mention relevant experience, qualifications, and results. Not to show off, but to reassure. Someone who's almost ready to reach out just needs enough evidence to feel confident they're not taking a risk.
Testimonials on your About page are particularly powerful here because they provide third-party confirmation of everything you've just said about yourself. Even one or two strong, specific quotes can significantly increase how much a reader trusts the rest of the page.
A Photo That Actually Looks Like You
A professional headshot is ideal, but what matters more than professional quality is that the photo looks current, approachable, and like a real person. A clear, well-lit photo that captures some of your personality will outperform a stiff, dated studio shot every time.
If you're camera-shy or working without a photographer, natural light near a window and a clean background will get you most of the way there.
A Clear Next Step
End with a direction. Where do you want someone to go after reading your About page? Your services page, your contact form, your Instagram, your email list? Pick one and make it obvious.
A simple line like "If this sounds like what you've been looking for, here's how we can work together" followed by a link is enough. Don't overthink it. Just don't leave people stranded.
The Tone Your About Page Should Have
The goal is to sound like a knowledgeable, approachable person, not a corporate entity trying to sound impressive and not a best friend trying so hard to seem relatable that there's no substance underneath.
Think of it as writing to one specific person: your ideal client. Not your entire potential audience. One person. What do they need to hear to feel like you get them? What would make them think "yes, this is exactly who I've been looking for"?
Write that. Then clean it up.
If your About page sounds like something a committee wrote or like a job application, rewrite it until it sounds like you actually talk. Read it out loud. If you'd never say it in a conversation, cut it.
When to Revisit Your About Page
Your About page isn't a set-it-and-forget-it situation. It should evolve as your business does.
Revisit it when your services change, when your ideal client shifts, when you've accumulated new results or testimonials worth adding, or when you read it back and cringe at who you were three years ago when you wrote it.
A good rule: if your About page doesn't accurately reflect what your business looks like today and who you're trying to attract right now, it's working against you.
Getting It Right Is Harder Than It Looks
Writing about yourself clearly and compellingly is genuinely one of the harder writing tasks there is. Most people are either too modest, too vague, or so close to their own story that they can't see what's actually worth saying.
If you've rewritten your About page three times and it still doesn't feel right, that's not a writing problem. It's usually a positioning problem: not being fully clear on who you're for, what makes you different, or what story you're actually trying to tell. That's something we help clients work through directly, and it tends to make every other piece of marketing copy easier to write once it's sorted.
Key Takeaways
Your About page is visited by people who are already considering you. It needs to convert interest into trust, not just fill space.
Start with your reader, not your resume. Make them feel understood before you talk about yourself.
Be specific about what you do, who you help, and what makes you the right choice.
Include a real photo, relevant credentials, social proof, and a clear next step.
Write in a tone that sounds like you actually talk. Read it out loud and cut anything that doesn't.
Revisit it any time your business evolves or your ideal client changes.
Your About page is often the last thing someone reads before deciding whether to reach out. Make sure it gives them a reason to.
Need help writing or reworking your About page? [Get in touch] and let's make sure it's doing the job it should.