The About page is the second most visited page on most small business websites, after the homepage. People go there when they are almost ready to get in touch but want to know a little more about who they are dealing with first. It is one of the most important pages on the site and one of the most consistently written badly.
This post covers what a good About page needs to do, why it matters for both trust and SEO, and what to actually put on it. With two examples to show the difference.
What Your About Page Is Actually For
Most business owners write their About page as if it is a company history or a CV. It ends up being a timeline of when the business was founded, what qualifications the owner has and a list of values that sound identical to every other business in the same industry.
That is not what an About page is for. A visitor landing on your About page is not asking ‘what is the history of this business.’ They are asking: ‘Is this the right person or business for me? Can I trust them? Do they understand what I need?’
The About page is a trust page. Its job is to answer those questions quickly and clearly enough that the visitor moves on to your contact page or picks up the phone.
Visitors go to your About page when they are almost ready to get in touch. Do not lose them with a company timeline.
Why It Matters for SEO and Conversion
A well-written About page contributes to your site’s E-E-A-T signals: the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness factors that Google uses to evaluate how credible your website is. Google’s guidance is clear that it looks for evidence of real people with real experience behind a website. An About page that explains who you are, how long you have been doing this and who you work with gives Google that evidence.
For conversion, the research is equally clear. A/B tests have shown that replacing a generic icon or placeholder image with a real photo of the person running the business can increase contact form submissions by close to 50%. People want to know there is a real human behind the website before they get in touch. A photo, a name and a genuine description of what you do and who you help all reduce the hesitation that stops people from making contact.
For local businesses in Kingston, London and Surrey, the About page is also an opportunity to reinforce your location and your roots in the area. Mentioning where you are based, which areas you serve and the kinds of local businesses you work with adds local relevance that supports your search visibility.
What to Put On and About Page
Keep it focused. An About page does not need to be long. It needs to answer the right questions in the right order.
- Who you are and what you do
One clear paragraph that explains what your business does and who it is for. Not ‘we are a passionate team dedicated to excellence’, something specific. ‘I build websites for established service businesses in Kingston and across South West London’ tells someone immediately whether they are in the right place. - Your experience and background
How long have you been doing this? What did you do before? What gives you the right to be trusted with this work? This does not need to be a full career history. Two or three sentences that establish your experience and any relevant background is enough. - Who you work with
Being specific about your clients helps the right people recognise themselves. ‘I work with established businesses in Kingston, Richmond and Wimbledon’ is more useful than ‘I work with businesses of all sizes.’ Specificity builds trust. - A real photo
A professional photo of you, not a stock image, not a logo, not an illustration. People hire people. If your business depends on someone trusting you enough to get in touch, they need to see your face. This is especially true for service businesses where the relationship matters. - A clear next step
End the page with one clear action. Get in touch. See my work. View my services. Do not leave the visitor on the page with nowhere to go.
A Bad Example and a Good One
These are fictional examples based on the kind of businesses that make up most of the client enquiries I receive, but the pattern will be familiar.
The accountant
❌ What most About pages say:
Clarke & Associates was founded in 2008 with a commitment to delivering outstanding financial services. Our team of dedicated professionals brings years of experience to every client relationship. We are passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals through expert accountancy and tax planning solutions.
✅ What it should say:
I’m Sarah Clarke, and I’ve been helping small businesses in Kingston get their accounts in order for over 15 years. Most of my clients are owner-managed businesses such as consultants, tradespeople, retailers who want an accountant they can actually speak to rather than just email once a year. I handle everything from annual accounts and tax returns to payroll and VAT, and I’m based in Kingston town centre if you ever want to come in and talk things through.
The second version is warmer, more specific and gives a potential client a clear picture of whether Sarah is the right accountant for them. It also mentions Kingston twice naturally and describes the exact type of client she works with.
The physio
❌ What most About pages say:
Our clinic is staffed by a team of highly qualified physiotherapists with extensive experience across a range of conditions. We are committed to patient-centred care and work closely with each individual to create personalised treatment plans.
✅ What it should say:
I’m Tom Reid, a chartered physiotherapist based in Surbiton. I specialise in sports injuries and back pain, and most of my patients are active people in their 30s to 60s who want to get back to doing what they enjoy, like running, cycling, playing with their kids without being told to just rest and wait. I qualified in 2011 and have worked with amateur athletes, office workers and everyone in between.
Again be specific, human, local. Tom tells you exactly who he helps and what outcome he delivers. That is far more persuasive than ‘patient-centred care.’
Specific is always more convincing than impressive. Say exactly who you help and what you do for them.