We’ve all seen 'About Us' as the first item on a website’s main navigation bar. Plenty of websites do it this way, and many of the clients we partner with want it this way as well. We try to present other options for where to place this important area of information.
You worked hard to build your company into something special. You should be proud and you should want to brag about yourself. And the 'About Us' page is the perfect place to do that. But the fact of the matter is this: prospective customers just don't care as much you do about your company - at least at first - and that means you shouldn't put your About Us page as the first or second item on the main navigation bar.
You’ve got to give them a reason to care!
What Value Does Your Company Provide?
When a prospective customer types a query into a search engine and then clicks through to your site, you have ten seconds (about 40 words) to convince them that your company can provide value to them in some way.
Do you want prospective customers to spend those ten seconds reading about how long you've been in business or who founded your company or how much you're focused on customer service - which is what everyone else does? Or do you want your customers to spend time reading content in which you explain how your products and/or services can save them time and money? The answer should be pretty clear. Your main navigation is prime real estate. Use it wisely!
The first navigation item should clearly and immediately present your company’s value proposition. 'Services' or 'Capabilities' or 'Why Choose Our Company' would be better choices, as they contain actionable information that can be finely tuned to target your audiences.
How Can We Overcome Roadblocks?
I’m not calling for the eradication of 'About Us' pages. They still have their place, and they’re especially effective once you've already piqued the interest of the prospect. Sharing your company's story in a compelling way can demonstrate your stability and commitment to customer satisfaction. Properly used, 'About Us' pages can help overcome roadblocks on the way to a conversion.
'About Us' pages can be valuable, but they can't convince prospects to do business with you on their own. You need content that explains how your products and/or services will benefit the prospect first. Your navigation should mirror this concept, which means that your 'About Us' pages should be placed toward the back of the navigation bar.
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Are you relying too heavily on your ‘About Us’ pages? Comment and let us know!
