Guess which page of your blog will ~90% of your visitors visit when they first stumble on your site?
No prizes for this one… it’s the about me page.
Hence, learning how to write an amazing about me page is very important.
Two things can happen when someone reads your about me page:
1) Nothing connects with them, you leave a vague impression and they eventually leave your blog. 🙁
or..
2) It resonates with them, they remember you, and it signals the start of a beautiful relationship. 🙂
Here’s how to write a perfect about me page.
I Have Written More Than 100 Iterations of my About me Page…
… So I do have a trick or two to share with you.
And no, it’s not because I have a teeny bit of OCD. But because there were really huge gaps that could be improved upon!
In the past, I wrote very generic things on my about me page. Truthfully, I did not really put much thought into it.
I thought that as long as my content was good, nobody was really going to “judge” what my about me page says.
I look back and cringe.. because I was missing out on a massive chance to connect with my audience and to allow them to remember me.
What Your About Page Must Do
Your about me page must grab attention.
Your about me page must make you likable.
Your about me page must make you credible.
Your about me page must immediately convey the value that you provide and what you can do for your target audience.
Your about me page must make you memorable.
Your about page must convert your about page readers into subscribers.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry – by the end of this blogpost you’ll know exactly how to achieve each of the above, and how you can put them all together.
The Anatomy of a Perfect About Page
If you like this, pin it (hover and you’ll see the pin it button).
Download your free printable graphic right here:Click Here to Download Your Printable About Me Page Template Graphic (I’ll also send more cool helpful stuff to your inbox, for free)
Let us now dissect how an amazing about me page should be like!
1. Making an Amazing First Impression
The first line of your about me page must grab attention immediately, and push the reader to read the first paragraph.
Think of it as a speed dating scenario.
If the person at the other end of the table (your future subscriber + buyer) has only 10 seconds with you before they disappear forever from your life, what’s one sentence you can say to the person to make him/her want to STAY?
Will it be “Hi, my name is Raelyn”? It probably will not be, right?
Make the headline of your about me page absolutely attention-grabbing, and make them want to know more. Pique your reader’s curiosity.
Check this out: I have 220 fill-in-the-blank templates for you to start writing amazingly catchy headlines.
2. The Human Connection in Your About Page
Guess who is reading your about page? That’s right.. a fellow human being.
As bloggers and online entrepreneurs we have a tendency to see people as a number after awhile. Y’know.. 50k page views, 10k subscribers, 70k followers, 100 buyers.
Every single person who visits your about page is a human, and being likable and connecting with him/her on first impression is priceless.
Being human is:
- Being vulnerable
- Sharing more about who you are, what you like and what you don’t like – and for it to resonate with them
- Being personal
- Making an effort to communicate with them
- Bonus points if your interests and beliefs are similar to your target audience.
Example: I share my love for travelling and food on my about page
If you visit my about page, you’ll see that I talk extensively about who I am outside of my online business. From my religion, to my interests, to what really makes me happy – those are the very things that I revolve my identity around in real life.
I talk to my readers like I would to a friend.
Example: I talk about my belief in chasing what you’re passionate about on my about page
That’s a personal belief I have, and one I do not hesitate to share with my readers. My target audience are people that want to start their own profitable blog/ online business, and they would highly likely share the same belief – or they would still be contented in their dead-end corporate job!
So yes. Bonus points if the things you share resonate with your target audience.
Sharing a certain belief together.. now that’s a great way to make friends and connect, don’t you think?
Example: I share images of myself liberally
… because people connect with a face more than a chunk of words. We’re humans… we love faces.
In particular, include smiling images of yourself, because people like smiling people. I mean, who doesn’t? 🙂
As a blogger your blog is not a corporate site, and your about page should not sounds corporate either. Do not speak in third person (unless its at the end where you share your professional bio).
You’re a human, and being a human is not hard if you let your insecurities about being unprofessional go. Show the fun and funky side of you, as you’re amazing and people want to know more about YOU!
3. What’s In It For Them?
After reading your about me page, your reader should be crystal clear on who you are helping and the purpose behind your blog. Whether it is to entertain, inform, or to solve a particular problem, you have to ensure that your about page evokes an “OMG YES!” reaction from your target audience.
It’s about finding your tribe and calling out your community.
What’s in it for me?
This question in your reader’s mind has to be answered.
Example: I call them out directly on my about page
Here’s how I kick off my about page:
You’re at the right place if you face these problem(s):
- You have a big dream to build a blog biz, but no concrete results to show for it
- You are afraid of falling for false promises and fluff in an industry of marketers who do not provide value
- You are tired of “investing” in courses that do not really work
- You are lost and don’t know how to start or continue
- A simple task of creating an online blog business has been made real complicated
Simple, straightforward and to the point. I make it clear who my blog is for.
And later:
I help ambitious bloggers define their authentic blog brand, get laser targeted traffic to get in front of more ideal buyers and create products & services to monetize their blogs.
Bam. What I do, answered.
4. A Fabulous Opportunity to Show That You Know What’re Talking About
AKA: Show off your credibility. Hawk your wares. Be shameless. You get the idea. You may be human, but you’re trying to make money with your blog and business here. To do that you need people to TRUST that you have the solution for them.
(Also, the about me page is a perfect place to be perfectly narcissistic and get away with it… just kiddin. :P)
Credibility can be established in many different ways. Think out of the box.
Some ideas:
- Your academic background
- Your corporate background
- Your own personal experiences
- Success with past customers
- Social proof: Talk about how big your community is
- Features in large news sites like Forbes/ Huffpost etc.
Example: I talk about my academic background in marketing
If you have been around you would know that I’m a marketing major from the National University of Singapore. While not directly related to what I am doing right now, many fundamental business and marketing principles still apply.
While society is gradually transitioning to a place whereby degrees have less significance, your academic background still yields significant importance. If it’s relevant, that’s amazing, add it in! Otherwise, there’s always other things that prove your credibility, do not worry. Credentials differ from blogger to blogger.
It does not really matter if it is not DIRECTLY related, as long as you are able to explain why it is relevant to your reader.
Example: I talk about my 10 years of blogging experience (I share my personal journey)
This is pretty significant as it is evidence of my proficiency and personal experience with blogging. It shows that I would be able to empathize with their struggles and teach them how to overcome any problems they face because I’ve gone through them myself before.
For instance, if you’re in the health niche, nothing speaks credible more than your own weight loss journey and how you managed to shed those pounds successfully.
Honestly, personal experience is paramount. While all the information is out there on Google, the problem comes with knowing what’s important.
I could very well write 100 tips on how to have a better about me page, but I know that you will not benefit from those tips as much as understanding the key points of a good about me page. However, for other blog topics, I may include more tips because it would benefit you guys more. This is where personal experience kicks in.
Example: I talk about my corporate background in content marketing and social media
Yes.. I am in a niche about ditching your corporate job, BUT majority of the population in the world still work in jobs, and your corporate background is a good indicator of your proficiency. After all, if a big company has hired and trained you in a certain job, surely you must be at least pretty good at doing the job, right? 🙂
5. Converting Them Into Subscribers
So they’ve connected to you. They believe that you have the chops to solve their problems, that your blog is worth reading.
Give ’em an avenue to come back again. Welcome them into your community with wide open arms. Tie a string around them so that you can pull them back to your blog again. (Kidding!)
But really, put more effort into list building. One of the hot real estate areas you can get more subscribers from is your about page.
Totally clueless about list building? Get started with your email list here: List Building 101: How to Build An Email List That Makes Money (Cheatsheet Included)
Getting on your email list is powerful, because you can email other stuff from your blog to entice them to come back in the future. People are busy and will need some prompting to return.
You’ve put your best foot forward, you’ve made the first connection. Now you’ve to make sure they come back to your site.
Example: I ask people to subscribe not once, but twice in my about me page.
Go for it. Don’t be shy about it. It’s your blog, your house; you call the shots!
Here’s a snippet from my about page:
Here’s what you’ll also get:
- No fluff, no bull shit, and most certainly no overly indulgent promises of the “laptop lifestyle” without providing any value. Here’s actual value that actually teaches her HOW.
- Simple, idiot-proof digital marketing tutorials that come in both written or video form
- 100% actionable
- Value-packed tips that will accelerate your business like gangbusters
- 24/7 free Facebook mastermind group (Blogging on Turbo) that answers all your burning blog biz questions.
… So you may wanna stick around. The best way to ensure you receive value would be to sign up for my email list. I send regular tips and updates about my latest trainings.
Sounds enticing enough?
Putting it all Together + Summary
Putting together a magnetizing, high converting about me page is simple, it just requires some one-off work to get it up to scratch.
Download your free printable graphic right here:Click Here to Download Your Printable About Me Page Template Here (I’ll also send more cool helpful stuff to your inbox, for free)
To write a perfect about me page you have to:
- Start off strong with a magnetizing headline
- Make your target audience and value proposition (what you do) extremely clear
- Share more about yourself: Be personal, vulnerable and human
- Include images of yourself to connect with your audience and to be more memorable
- Prove that you know what you’re talking about (prove your credibility) by talking about your personal experiences, past achievements etc.
- Ask for the subscribe – give them a way to come back again
That’s all folks. Peace out!
***If you’re just starting out (like, you’re a REALLY new blogger and have not started your blog yet), check out this 4-part blogging for beginners guide where you will learn how to start a blog in 20 minutes. It’s been shared over 50,000 times and has helped thousands of new bloggers like you start their new blog successfully. It’s not that hard. You can do it!
Thanks so much for writing this! There are so many great points, and I especially love your image (visual learner over here)! ๐
Thanks Sarah! You’re literally the first person to ever comment on my blog after a loooong hiatus of comments being turned off! Haha.
I must say Thank you for this! I would of never thought my About Page could be such an ice breaker in this vast world of Blogging. I am still new to this all and feel way in over my head, however I have plans to make this work and be able to be a stay at home mom still making a living even if it is behind a screen. I thought I was good with words until I realized I was now writing to interest others. So again Thank you! Your little infographic works wonders for the slow learners, such as myself! Kudos! <3
Thank you for your kind words, Dina! I have another article about writing catchy headlines which will help you write to interest others! It’s at raelyntan.com/catchy-headlines ๐ There’s a graphic for that too!
Great article, thanks! You hero image says tempate, not template, btw. Thought you’s like to fix it ๐
Oh gosh! Thank you for pointing it out. I’ll get it fixed asap! And you’re welcome, Johanna!
Hello! I used this post as a guideline to write my about me page and I just launched my blog (like today ?). Would you mind checking it out and emailing me with what you think?
Hi Kimberly, I don’t do personalised reviews as there’s only 1 of me. However, I went over to your site and your about page looks good. May want to ask for the subscribe. xx Raelyn
Working on my About page now – some really great tips! Thanks for the share.
Hey this is great! I appreciate the tips as well as your specific examples. And you’re exactly right: I spent about 5 min initially on my About Me page and now I wonder about all the lost potential… all well. I’ve pinned this and will be referencing it again!
Thank for sharing, Sarah! Let me know how your about me page goes! ๐
Great article! Can’t wait to incorporate these tips into my about page!
xo Caroline
Awesome! Let me know how it goes! ๐
Very helpful and clearly easy to read and understand. Thank you for sharing!
And thank you for stopping by, Georgette! ๐
Hi Raelyn, thank you for sharing helpful information. Your post is inspiring, well-written and easy to assimilate.
Great, I’m glad I can help! ๐
Fantastic and practical advice! Thank you for sharing – I’ll definitely be using this as a checklist.
Great! Thanks for stopping by, Dee!
Hi Raelyn
This was a great blog post. Iโm a newbie to the industry, but one whose here to stay. This was one page I was having difficulty with and youโve really helped me, thank you. Some other bloggers have put up templates that just donโt seem to run smoothly to me, but yours is different and feels more like a friendly conversation , which is how I want my whole blog to be. I want my readers to feel as if Iโm their virtual friend, someone they can learn from but still ask questions from too.
My subject or niche is The Law of Attraction, and so while Iโm really passionate about my subject and itโs booming in the states, itโs still โa bit iffyโ here and I want to teach and educate people how they can have the life of their dreams. And I know they can, cause I am!
But this was the all important page I was missing and now I can write it confidently, thanks to you.
Iโll be seeing you around – a lot I think.
Cheers
Gina xo
Hey Gina, I am soooo glad that this article has helped you! I hope to see you around a lot ๐
Keep going!
Thank you for the great article. I am just starting out and I’m loving all the info and openness.
you’re welcome, Angelene. Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you for valuable information.l have learnt a lot from your article.
You’re welcome. ๐
Great post. As a newbie with really big blogging ambitions, I’ve always admired the way you leverage your marketing background to take center stage in each one of your posts and pages. Thanks for the information.
Thank you, Ralph ๐ I appreciate your kind words.
Thanks so much for this! Everything was explained and laid out in a clearly understandable way. Probably the most important page on a site; great to have a guideline that stands out.
You’re welcome, Tylia!
Hi! Your tips really helped me out, but I’m still struggling on my first line for my new blog. My about page I mean. I feel like if I get confirmation that its good, and attention-grabbing that the rest will follow in confidence. I would really appreciate your help.
“My name is Echo Simon and being sixteen sucks.”
I feel like it may be a little too cliche and too broad on the topic, like I’m not really roping in on what my blog is going to be about. I really hope you can help.
-Echo Simon
Yes, perhaps zoom in on what your blog is about? Unless your website is targeted at teenagers ๐
All headlines are the magnets for the readers whether they will read your stuff or not. So for my new blog, this is very important.
I loved the human connection of your article. Liked”I share my love for traveling and food on my about page”.This is something different. I fully agree with the concept that people join people. So if you share what you are outside the business with your pictures on it, they will just love it.
Again why someone will become subscribers if there is nothing for him in it. Take my example whenever I type into google I only search for the things which I am interested in.
The last fabulous advice is the call to action to become subscriber which I am going to implement in about my page.
Wonderful advice.Thanks.
I’m glad you enjoyed the article, Prashant! ๐ Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you! Very clear directions. Wish I had seen this before I wrote my About Me/My Story. I may need to add more…
Perhaps you do!
I did enjoy your information. However, every time I clicked the link marked “download here” free photos, titles or what have you. All I would get is your email sign up form, then be taken to your blog page. That would then be lead to this post. Please if you are giving free downloads, do so. Thanks.
Hmm? Are you clicking on the blue button? Something will pop up, enter your email and the printable will be sent to your email inbox.
I am so glad that I stumbled onto your website! I’ve really been struggling with writing my about page and your visual aid really helped me tremendously. Thanks to all of your tips and visual aids, I think I might actually accomplish this today! I did get distracted by all your amazing content on your website:) I can’t wait to explore it more and I’m sure I’ll be a customer! Thank you for all the great work!
Thank you for your kind words, Laurie!
Hey this is great! I appreciate the tips as well as your specific examples. And youโre exactly right: I spent about 5 min initially on my About Me page and now I wonder about all the lost potential
You’re welcome! ๐