How to Write Your About Page, Without the “Writing About Myself”-Creeps
Here’s why (and how) your About page can be your new favorite.
Do you, like most people on planet earth and nearly all of my clients, "hate writing about yourself"? YUP. Welcome to the club.
Writing about yourself brings up a whoooole spicy grab bag of emotions, confusion, and questions. How do I say this and sound like I'm accomplished without seeming braggy? Is this part too personal? Does anybody actually care about this detail? What on earth is my "brand story" versus just... the life I've just been living for the past however many years?!
When writing my own copy, I'm totally with you... but as a copywriter, the About page lights me UP! Here are three reasons why About pages are actually my fave:
1. The About page isn't actually about you, at least not in the way you think.
I always tell people that the About page isn't reaaaaally "about you" - it's about *how* you *are the right person to help your people.* That reframe takes a ton of pressure off!
Instead of trying to figure out which random ~fun facts~ will make you sound cool or appeal to your audience, you get to focus on... empathy. Connection. Why you care about what you do and who you serve. And I know THOSE are the thoughts that tumble out of you so much more easily than listing the highlights on your resume or choosing which accomplishments seem impressive.
2. The About page is the #1 place where your you-ness gets to come through loud and clear.
Your whole site should be a conversation with your reader, but the About page is where you REALLY get to break that third wall, look straight into their eyes, and be yourself while you share.
On the other pages of your site, there's a lot of practical info you need to share (what your services are, how an offer works, what to do next, etc) but your About page gives you more breathing room to just be yourself and express yourself. The reader really gets to know you - your unique blend of humor, sincerity, personality, everything - and if you both are a good match, you totally have yourself a new dream client who already feels like a friend.
3. My most fave: there are infinite (truthful!) possibilities for your brand story, and your About page gives you the chance to decide which way to tell it feels right.
I had a client who was initially suuuper uncomfortable when we started talking about her brand story. I eventually figured out that she thought she had a really "bad" one - she fell into her business after a hard time in her life and thought her story sounded kind of desperate and directionless.
And yes, sure, those feelings were real. But you know what was also true?
—> She had tons of other threads throughout her life and career that connected to eventually starting this business.
—> She sincerely loves what she does now and gets results for her beloved clients.
So I gathered up those threads and wove them into a different version of her story, and she was amazed! The whole time, a positive version of her brand story that felt right, was true, and made sense had always existed - we just had to unearth it and string the right words together.
Moral of the story? I hope these three reasons make you feel like your About page is actually your friend and not your "I hate writing about myself" enemy!
