This is an excerpt from my book Write to the Top: A How To for Website Content Writing and Increasing Website Traffic.
Now that you’ve touched upon the 5 W’s of your business or website, you need to get into specifics.
If you can give specifics for each of these points, you’ll be well on your way to a great About Us page.
- What features does your website have that separates it from all the others out there?
- What services do you offer, and how do your features make these services better?
- And what is the overall difference between you and your competitors.
If you can give specifics for each of these points, you’ll be well on your way to a great About Us page.
Features
Tanah Lot Temple in Bali This is the section where you want to set yourself apart from all the other websites out there that offer the same services as you do. What makes you different, but more importantly, what makes you better? Features are not given to your customers, but they help you make the things you do give to your customers so much better.
Let’s say you have a potato peeler. Some of the features of this potato peeler are its smooth design, easy-grip handle, and ice-hardened steel edge that won’t require sharpening. This is what sets your potato peeler apart from the thousands on the market today.
If your About Us page is for a hotel, talk about how the rooms are better than the competitors in the area, and give specifics in bulleted points. I wrote an About Us page for a hotel in Bali, Indonesia and talked a lot about the different waterfalls they had around the pool and the feng shui designs in the rooms. Those features set that hotel apart from others in the area.
Another About Us page I worked on was for auto repair shops. I listed all of the great equipment they had in your garage, even if everyone else in town had the same tools. Other features were the 1400 square foot repair facility, their attention to detail, and their certificate saying they were a State Certified Emission Repair Facility.
I had to go around to many different websites when I was writing a series of About Us page templates for a company making custom websites for auto repair shops. I was continually amazed at how many sites didn’t list what they did for customers, or did so in a hard-to-read way. You want to make your information easy to understand, quick to read, and short. People visiting your About Us page probably won’t read every single sentence, but they will scan the main points, so make these shine.
Let’s say you have a potato peeler. Some of the features of this potato peeler are its smooth design, easy-grip handle, and ice-hardened steel edge that won’t require sharpening. This is what sets your potato peeler apart from the thousands on the market today.
If your About Us page is for a hotel, talk about how the rooms are better than the competitors in the area, and give specifics in bulleted points. I wrote an About Us page for a hotel in Bali, Indonesia and talked a lot about the different waterfalls they had around the pool and the feng shui designs in the rooms. Those features set that hotel apart from others in the area.
Another About Us page I worked on was for auto repair shops. I listed all of the great equipment they had in your garage, even if everyone else in town had the same tools. Other features were the 1400 square foot repair facility, their attention to detail, and their certificate saying they were a State Certified Emission Repair Facility.
I had to go around to many different websites when I was writing a series of About Us page templates for a company making custom websites for auto repair shops. I was continually amazed at how many sites didn’t list what they did for customers, or did so in a hard-to-read way. You want to make your information easy to understand, quick to read, and short. People visiting your About Us page probably won’t read every single sentence, but they will scan the main points, so make these shine.
Services
You want the best This is different from features in a few key ways. Services are things that are offered to your customers, features are ways that those services can be offered and delivered better than your competitors. The features of your business or website are what set you apart from your competitors. The services you offer are things that people can buy. These are often physical things, or perhaps a digital good. It is something that you deliver.
When I was writing about the Bali hotel, I talked about the features that set them apart from other hotels in the area. In the services section I talked about airport shuttle services, concierge services, and a 24-hour security watch. Even something simple can be a service, like the coffee machine in the room. “All of our rooms are stocked with gourmet coffee from Peru, making your mornings so much more brighter.” While that coffee was probably made months ago and is in a paper pouch from a box, it’s still something your giving the customer.
Services that the auto repair shop offered were electrical systems diagnostics, full transmission flushes, and tire rotations and alignments. I listed about 15 different services in bulleted points so that users could quickly scan the list and find what they were looking for. I made each item on the list link to an area of the website that would give detailed information for that particular service, making the user-experience easier and more efficient.
When I was writing about the Bali hotel, I talked about the features that set them apart from other hotels in the area. In the services section I talked about airport shuttle services, concierge services, and a 24-hour security watch. Even something simple can be a service, like the coffee machine in the room. “All of our rooms are stocked with gourmet coffee from Peru, making your mornings so much more brighter.” While that coffee was probably made months ago and is in a paper pouch from a box, it’s still something your giving the customer.
Services that the auto repair shop offered were electrical systems diagnostics, full transmission flushes, and tire rotations and alignments. I listed about 15 different services in bulleted points so that users could quickly scan the list and find what they were looking for. I made each item on the list link to an area of the website that would give detailed information for that particular service, making the user-experience easier and more efficient.
The Difference
There are hundreds of hotels in Bali and dozens of auto repair shops in your area. Why should I choose you?
The Difference section of your About Us page needs to be the clincher that convinces people that you are right for them. Sometimes I see this labeled as the “why choose us?” section as well. No matter what you call it, this is your final sell, and more than any other section of your About Us page, you want to tug on the visitors emotions. Use empathy, and make them trust you. Identify with their problems and needs, and explain how you’ve been there before. Here are two examples:
The Difference section of your About Us page needs to be the clincher that convinces people that you are right for them. Sometimes I see this labeled as the “why choose us?” section as well. No matter what you call it, this is your final sell, and more than any other section of your About Us page, you want to tug on the visitors emotions. Use empathy, and make them trust you. Identify with their problems and needs, and explain how you’ve been there before. Here are two examples:
- Bali Hotel: You’ve been dreaming of taking that great holiday vacation to Bali for years now, and it looks like it will really happen this time. You’re checking flights, pulling the suitcases out of the garage, and looking at the kids’ summer schedule. You’re putting so much time into planning your great holiday vacation, so why not choose the best hotel you can? Bali Hotel cares about you and your family, and we’ll give you the best accommodations on the island. Our years of service prove this, and our customers all agree: Bali Hotel is your best choice this holiday season.
- Auto Repair Shop: You’ve experienced poor service before, and seen the prices on even the most common of repair jobs go through the roof. At Podunk Auto, all of our costs are up-front, and there aren’t any hidden fees. Our employees are our family, and our customers our friends. And friends don’t shortchange you for a quick buck. We want a long and healthy relationship with you, and that’s why our team of certified professionals work tirelessly to make sure your auto repair job is done right and on time, the very first time you come in our door. So don’t settle for second-best ever again, choose Podunk Auto for all of your repair and service needs.
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