What should an about page include?

A hook that pulls people in, proof in the form of testimonials or case studies, a value proposition that grows your list, a clear path to your services, and social links. It should read as an invitation to work with you, not a resume.

Why is the about page so important?

Because it is often one of the most visited pages on a site. People go there to decide whether they trust you. Treating it as an afterthought wastes the exact moment a visitor is most open to becoming a subscriber or a client.

Should my about page be about me or the reader?

Both, in that order of priority: the reader first, framed through your story. Your background matters insofar as it proves you can help them. Lead with what they get, and let your credentials support the claim rather than open it.

5 Must-Have Things Your About Page is Probably Missing

The short answerYour about page is often the most visited page on your site, and most are missing five things: a real hook, proof, a list-building offer, a clear path to your services, and social links. It is a conversion page, not a biography.

We’ve noticed that for many solopreneurs and businesses, the about page is often one of the most visited pages on a website. Even if visitors enter your site from other pages or posts, chances are they’ll still navigate to your about page to check out who you are and what you’re about. So, what does your about page say about you? Does it speak to your potential customer or client, just as you would if you were standing in front of them?

Here are 5 must-have things your about page is probably missing:

1. Your Hook

As soon as someone lands on your page, is it abundantly clear who you are, what you do and who you help? Your about page should immediately present a unique business identifier, often in the form of a “hook”: something that grabs the reader’s attention, sets you apart from your competitors, and offers something uniquely inspiring. Did you have a humble beginning? Or were you awarded the medal of honor? Who have you helped and what results did you see? Make your hook compelling and original.

Take Action: Create a hook, with a key identifier, telling your core story

2. Testimonials, Case Studies or Portfolio

Many businesses proudly display testimonials on their homepage (and rightly so), but many don’t even consider adding them to their about page. An about page is the perfect opportunity to name drop, because visitors are there to learn more about you. Use testimonials to show who you’ve worked with and how awesome people think your programs, products and services are. You can even link to further case studies or even a detailed portfolio.

Take Action: Reach out to customer to request testimonials or build 2-3 case studies or portfolio items to share

3. List-Building Value Proposition

So, you’re probably getting a nice amount of traffic, but your email list is looking a bit slim. When visitors hit your about page, offer a value proposition to get to know you more. It should be something your target demographic needs, like a whitepaper, ebook, or in-depth video answering a question they might have or haven’t even considered. Providing value builds trust with your readers and potential clients and helps you build your email list, too.

Take Action: Create an evergreen value proposition to build and develop your email list

4. Services and Solutions

The beautiful thing about inbound marketing is that you know someone landed on your website because they’re looking for a solution you can offer. But companies often forget to offer it, or it’s buried so deep on their site that no one can find it. Put your offerings out there, highlighting your services and solutions with a call-to-action. This could be links within your about page copy or a banner at the top or bottom of your page. The more clearly you convey how you can help, the more likely they’ll take you up on your offer.

Take Action: Include details or links about the services or solutions you offer in a way that addresses the visitor’s pain points

If someone is on your about page, they’re deciding whether to trust you, so give them something to trust. Real photographs of real people beat stock imagery every time. Name the humans on your team. List the credentials, certifications, awards, years in business, and partnerships you’ve earned. Say where you’re based. These are small details, but they quietly answer the question every visitor is asking: are these people for real?

Social links still matter, because visitors who want to know more about you will poke around other nooks of the Internet too. Just make sure your profiles are current before you point people at them. A link to an abandoned account does more harm than no link at all.

Take Action: Add real photos, named team members, and earned credentials to your about page, plus links to the social profiles you actually maintain

Added Bonus

Your about page has picked up a second job since we first wrote this post. It’s now one of the primary places AI assistants look to understand what your business is: who you are, what you do, who you serve, where you operate. When someone asks an assistant to recommend a company like yours, a vague, poetic about page gives it nothing to work with. State the plain facts somewhere on the page, in plain sentences. (That’s a big part of what SEO and answer engine optimization is about now.)

It’s also worth watching what visitors do on the page. In Google Analytics 4, Path Exploration shows how people arrive at your about page and where they go next, which tells you whether it’s sending people toward your services or quietly dead-ending them. A heatmap tool shows where they click and how far they scroll before giving up.