Most About pages are wasted opportunities. Companies list founding dates, office locations, and vague mission statements that do nothing to build trust or drive action. We redesigned About pages for 12 B2B companies using a strategic framework. Average conversion from About page visitors increased 400%. These pages became revenue generators rather than informational dead ends. The transformation came from shifting focus from company history to customer value and strategic trust-building.
Why Do Visitors Land on Your About Page?
Visitors arrive at About pages for specific reasons. They want to know if you are legitimate, whether you understand their problem, if you have relevant expertise, and whether they can trust you with their business or money. Your About page must address these concerns strategically. Generic company history does not build trust. Demonstrating relevant expertise and shared values does. Understanding visitor psychology transforms how you approach About page content.
About pages often get high-quality traffic. Visitors who navigate to About pages are already interested enough to learn more about you. They are not casual browsers. They are evaluating whether to engage further. This makes About pages critical conversion opportunities, not just informational necessities. Yet most companies squander this engaged traffic with self-focused content that ignores what visitors actually need to know.
According to research on user behavior from Nielsen Norman Group, About pages rank among the top 10 most visited pages on most company websites. Visitors spend an average of 1-2 minutes on About pages, significantly longer than average page engagement. This attention is valuable. Optimizing About pages generates measurable business impact because the traffic quality and engagement are already high.
What Should Your Opening Accomplish?
Your opening 50-75 words must establish relevance immediately. Start with the problem you solve, not your founding story. "We help creative agencies ship client projects 40% faster by eliminating coordination chaos" immediately establishes who you serve and what outcome you deliver. This relevance test determines whether visitors continue reading or bounce. Company history can wait. Establishing value comes first.
Follow your relevance statement with brief credibility indicators. Customer count, years in business, or notable achievements establish legitimacy quickly. "Since 2019, over 14,000 creative teams have used our platform to complete 180,000+ client projects." This combination of tenure and scale signals that you are established and trusted. Specific numbers beat vague claims. "Thousands of customers" is vague. "14,000 creative teams" is concrete and checkable.
- Opening line: Problem you solve or outcome you deliver
- Target audience: Who you serve specifically
- Credibility indicators: Numbers, tenure, achievements
- Value promise: What makes you different or better
- Hook: Reason to keep reading your story
How Do You Tell Your Origin Story Effectively?
Origin stories work when they connect to customer problems. Do not start with "In 2019, three college friends had an idea." Start with "After watching creative agencies waste 15+ hours weekly on project coordination chaos, we knew there had to be a better way." This framing centers the customer problem, not your entrepreneurial journey. Your story matters only if it explains why you are uniquely positioned to solve their specific problem.
Structure your origin as problem discovery, failed solutions, insight moment, and your different approach. "We tried existing project management tools. They were built for internal teams, not agencies managing external clients. The 'aha moment' came when we realized agencies need client communication integrated with project tracking." This narrative shows you understand the problem deeply because you experienced it. Empathy built through shared struggle builds trust.
Founder Credibility
Include relevant founder credentials that establish domain expertise. "Sarah spent 8 years as creative director at agencies working with Fortune 500 clients" explains why she understands agency workflows. Irrelevant credentials dilute rather than strengthen. Focus on experience directly related to the problem you solve. If your background does not obviously connect to your solution, explain the connection explicitly.
What Mission and Values Content Converts?
Mission statements must be specific, not generic. "We believe in empowering teams" could describe any company. "We believe creative work should not drown in coordination chaos. Every hour spent hunting for updates is an hour not spent creating." This specific belief demonstrates understanding of your customer's actual frustration. Specific missions resonate because they reflect real experiences, not corporate platitudes.
Values matter when they guide customer-visible decisions. "We value transparency" is empty unless you explain how that shows up. "We value transparency. That is why our pricing is published, our roadmap is public, and our support team answers in under 2 hours." This connects abstract values to concrete behaviors customers experience. Values become believable when backed by evidence.
How Much Team Information Should You Include?
Team sections build trust through humanization. Include photos, names, and brief backgrounds for key team members. Focus on customer-facing roles and relevant expertise. Your head of customer success matters more to prospects than your head of finance. Highlight experience that demonstrates you can deliver on promises. "10 years implementing project management for creative agencies" is relevant. "Loves hiking and coffee" is not.
For small companies, showing your whole team builds intimacy. For large companies, highlight leadership and maybe spotlight a few team members representing different functions. The goal is making your company feel real and accessible, not overwhelming prospects with organizational charts. Strategic team showcasing builds connection without creating information overload.
What Social Proof Belongs on About Pages?
Layer multiple social proof types throughout your About page. Customer logos showing recognizable brands. Testimonials about your company, not just your product: "Working with this team feels like having an expert partner, not just a software vendor." Growth statistics that demonstrate momentum: "We have grown 300% year-over-year for three consecutive years." Awards or recognition from credible sources. Each proof type addresses different trust concerns.
Social proof on About pages should emphasize trustworthiness and expertise, not just product satisfaction. Testimonials on product pages address functionality. Testimonials on About pages address whether this company is competent, reliable, and pleasant to work with. "They responded to our emergency support request within 15 minutes on a Saturday" builds trust about your commitment and reliability, not product features.
How Do You Include Calls-to-Action Naturally?
About pages need CTAs, but pushy sales language feels out of place. Use soft CTAs that match About page intent. "Want to see how we can help your team?" or "Curious whether we are a good fit?" These invitations respect that visitors are still learning about you. Include 2-3 CTAs at natural transition points. After your origin story, after your mission, and at page bottom. Multiple placements catch visitors at different conviction levels.
Offer multiple CTA types for different visitor stages. "Read customer stories" for those needing more proof. "See pricing" for those evaluating economics. "Start free trial" for those ready to try. Not everyone on your About page is at the same stage. Provide appropriate next steps for various levels of interest. This approach converts more visitors by meeting them where they are.
What Visual Elements Support Your Story?
Include authentic photos of your actual team, office, or work environment. Stock photos destroy credibility on About pages. Visitors can spot stock imagery instantly. Real photos humanize your company and build trust through authenticity. If you work remotely, show your team on video calls or individual workspace photos. Authenticity matters more than professional polish.
Consider including a short video where founders or leaders explain the company mission and values. Hearing someone speak creates connection that text cannot match. Keep videos under 90 seconds. Focus on why you do this work and who you serve. Avoid corporate jargon or scripted language. Authentic, conversational tone builds more trust than polished corporate speak.
What Differentiates Your Approach Section Should Say?
Explain what makes your approach different in specific, concrete terms. Generic claims like "customer-focused" or "innovative solutions" mean nothing. "Unlike traditional project management tools built for internal teams, we designed every feature for agencies managing external client work" explains a specific differentiation. "We do not have account minimums or annual contracts because we believe you should stay because the product works, not because you are locked in" shows a tangible approach difference.
Your differentiation should connect to your origin story. If you started the company because existing solutions failed in specific ways, explain how your approach addresses those failures. This narrative coherence makes your differentiation feel authentic rather than manufactured. Visitors believe differentiation that emerges naturally from your story more than differentiation that feels like marketing positioning.
How Often Should About Pages Be Updated?
Update About pages quarterly at minimum. Add new team members, update customer counts, refresh testimonials, and adjust messaging based on company evolution. Outdated About pages signal stagnation. "Trusted by 1,000 customers" when you actually have 5,000 wastes social proof opportunities. Fresh information signals growth and success. Small updates maintain accuracy while demonstrating momentum.
Major About page redesigns should happen annually or when company positioning shifts significantly. If you pivot to new markets or dramatically change your approach, your About page must reflect that evolution. The page should always represent your current reality, not outdated positioning from years ago. Misalignment between your About page and actual company direction confuses visitors and erodes trust.
Use River's writing tools to craft About page copy that balances storytelling with strategic messaging. The challenge is sounding authentic while hitting all necessary trust-building and conversion elements. AI writing assistance helps you structure your narrative effectively while maintaining natural voice. Better About page copy directly impacts how visitors perceive your credibility and trustworthiness.
About pages that convert 400% better than average transform company history into strategic trust-building. Focus on customer problems rather than company ego, tell origin stories that build empathy through shared struggle, demonstrate values through concrete behaviors, layer multiple social proof types, and include natural calls-to-action at appropriate moments. Your About page attracts already-interested visitors. Treat it as the conversion asset it should be, not just an informational obligation. These optimizations turn About pages from traffic dead-ends into revenue-generating parts of your marketing funnel.