Adding Personal Elements to Your About Us Page

Hi Susan,

I’m looking for help on improving an About page for my website promoting my bookkeeping services. I feel like what I’ve written isn’t effective. It doesn’t seem to be converting visitors into customers. I want to sound authentic but also get people’s attention. I don’t feel like I’ve included enough personal details but I’m not sure what to say. Can you help?

Thanks,
Brad

Hi Brad,

It’s nice to meet you. I read through your website, including your About page. I think you’ve done an admirable job. Since you’re 95% there, I’ll offer you a couple of suggestions that you might be able to execute on your own.

Consider adding some credibility-building statements to your About page. For example, you mention that you’ve owned several of your own businesses. Tell the reader what types of businesses they were.

You can also mention where you went to college, your degree and any certifications you have. I think these items are important because you look really young in your photos. Please take that as a compliment. You want to show the visitor that even though you look young, you have the skills and experience to do the work.

You might also mention the areas you service or where you’re located. People often search for vendors in their own area, so listing your location could help attract local customers. It might also benefit you from an SEO standpoint, as someone is likely to search for “bookkeepers in ________ (city/state).”

Another item to consider is specifying the types of businesses for which you’ve done bookkeeping. That can be a further credibility builder. A list of bullets could work — realtors, physicians, retailers, etc. When a visitor sees their profession referenced on your site, they then understand that you have valuable, relevant experience. Adding these types of elements will help you increase conversions from visitors to qualified prospects.

Regarding the photo on your About Us page, might I suggest you wear more formal business attire to look a little older? While there’s nothing technically wrong with being casual, dressing up a bit will make you look more professional and therefore trustworthy.

Finally, the other issue you don’t mention in the verbiage but you make fairly obvious through your photos is that you have a vision issue. I don’t know if you’re partially or fully blind. Either way, most people’s first question of you would be, “How can you do my books if you can’t see?” They’re not being insensitive. It’s a valid question for a bookkeeper they’re considering hiring. The headline on your Home page is “Turn your vision into reality”. Was that a deliberate reference to your vision?

In any case, if you want to include the photos and be authentic in your copy, I think you need to explain your situation and help visitors put aside any concerns they may have about having a sight-challenged bookkeeper. If you want your vision to be a non-issue, use generic stock photos of bookkeeper/accounting types. You can search for free photos at Pexels.com, or purchase from a stock photo company like Shutterstock.com.

I wish you all the best.

Warm regards,

Susan