MESSAGE AND COPY
How to write an About Us page that builds trust
The About Us page is often one of the most visited pages on a small business website, and one of the least well used. People who reach it are already interested: they want to know who is behind the business and whether they can trust it. This guide explains how to write it to answer that question, with a structure, advice on what to include and an example.
What it is really for
People don’t visit “About us” out of curiosity about your biography. They have seen your services, they are interested and before getting in touch they want to check three things: that you are real, that you know what you are doing and that working with you will be easy.
Everything on this page should help answer one of those three questions. Anything that doesn’t is surplus.
The most common mistake
“Founded in 1998, our company is a leader in the sector thanks to a team committed to quality, innovation and excellence.”
It is how thousands of About pages begin. It talks about the company, uses words anyone could use and proves nothing. Clients skim it and are left with the same doubt.
Following the StoryBrand principle, even here the hero is the client: you tell them who you are so they know why you can help them.
A structure that works
You don’t need to follow it to the letter, but each block answers a client’s question:
The structure of an About page
- 1Who you help and howStart with the client, not the year you were founded
- 2Why you do what you doThe reason the business exists, in a few lines
- 3The peopleReal photos, names and what each person does
- 1234How you workWhat sets you apart, shown with facts
- “5ProofTrack record, figures, clients and reviews
- 6The next stepA button for those who have decided they trust you
People, rather than the brand
In a small business, clients hire people. Show them:
- Real, recent photos, ideally at your workplace rather than against a plain background.
- Names and what each person does, especially who will deal with the client.
- A personal sentence about why they do their job or how. It helps more than a list of qualifications.
- Relevant professional details: memberships, certifications, languages.
When to tell your story
The story of the business is interesting when it explains something useful to the client: why you specialised, a problem you experienced yourself or what makes you work a certain way. Told like that, in a few lines, it builds closeness.
If the story is just a list of dates and milestones, sum it up in one line or leave it for the end.
Show, don’t declare
“Commitment”, “quality”, “a personal touch” and “professionalism” appear on almost every website, which is why they say nothing. Replace each value with a fact that proves it:
- Instead of “a personal touch”: “We reply to every enquiry the same day, and you always deal with the same person”.
- Instead of “quality”: “We check every job against a 20-point list before delivering it”.
- Instead of “experience”: “More than 400 projects since 2010”.
An example: before and after
A fictional bike workshop. This is how its page started:
“Rodada Cycles was born in 2012 with the aim of offering a quality service to all cycling lovers.”
Rewritten:
“We fix your bike so you can get back on the road as soon as possible. We are Marta and Toni: we have been repairing road, mountain and electric bikes for over ten years, and most repairs are ready within 48 hours. We explain what is wrong before touching anything and give you the price in writing.”
Fictional example created for this guide.
Quick review of your page
- Does it start with who you help and how, rather than when the company was founded?
- Are there real photos of the people, with their names?
- Is every value you mention backed by a fact?
- Do you include proof: track record, figures, clients or reviews?
- Does it end with a button to take the next step?
For the rest of your copy, see the guide the four pillars of copywriting.
Frequently asked questions about the About Us page
Should I write in the first person or as “we”?
If you are a freelancer, in the first person: it is more honest and personal. Using “we” to look like a bigger company usually shows and reduces trust.
How long should it be?
Long enough to answer who you are, why you can help and how you work. For most small businesses, 300 to 700 well-organised words is more than enough.
Do I need a separate page, or is a homepage section enough?
On small websites, a homepage section can be enough. If your team, track record or way of working is an important reason to choose you, a page of its own lets you explain it better.
Want your website to show who you are?
I design and write websites that show the people behind the business and explain why they can help. Custom web design, copy included, starts at €1,995 + VAT. And if you prefer to write it yourself, my book La página web perfecta (in Spanish) explains how.
See custom web design See the book