Pull up your analytics. Filter to "About" page. Look at the bounce rate. We'd bet $50 it's higher than your homepage by 20+ points and the time on page is under 30 seconds. The About page is the second-most-visited page on most websites — and the worst-converting. It doesn't have to be.
Why About pages fail (the three flavors)
Flavor 1: The résumé
"Founded in 2014, we are a [vertical] company specializing in [list of services] for [target audience]. Our team brings 30+ years of combined experience…"
This page sounds like a LinkedIn summary. Visitors are looking for a reason to trust you. Listing credentials in chronological order isn't trust — it's bureaucracy.
Flavor 2: The mission statement
"We exist to empower brands to discover their authentic voice and unlock meaningful connections with their customers in a constantly evolving digital landscape."
You wrote this with your team in a Zoom workshop six months ago. It made everyone feel good. It says nothing. Visitors leave.
Flavor 3: The team gallery
Eight headshots in a grid. Name, title, "fun fact: I love my dog Bingo." Beautiful design, zero conversion. Visitors don't know what you do. They know what your team looks like.
The About page isn't about you. It's about whether the visitor can imagine themselves working with you.
The job an About page actually has
One job: convert curiosity into trust. The visitor came here because something on your homepage or service page intrigued them. They're trying to answer a single question: "Are these the people I want to hand my project / money / brand to?"
Everything on the page should answer that question. Anything that doesn't, cut.
The rewrite formula: Story → Stakes → Promise → Proof → CTA
1. Story (1 paragraph max)
Not your full origin story. The ONE moment that explains why you do the work this way. For The Media Barr, it's: "After 20 years in newsrooms and lifestyle magazines, I kept seeing brands invest in marketing that looked beautiful but didn't say anything. I started The Media Barr to bring editorial craft to brand work." One paragraph. Specific moment. No timeline.
2. Stakes (2-3 sentences)
What's at stake for the visitor if they pick the wrong partner? Not in a fear-mongery way — in a "I see your problem clearly" way. "Most agencies treat content as decoration. Most freelancers can't think strategically. Both will burn months of your runway."
3. Promise (1 paragraph)
What you specifically do that solves the stakes. Not your tagline. The actual mechanism. "We work like a creative partner, not a vendor. Strategy, copy, design, and reporting under one roof — so you stop coordinating five contractors and start shipping."
4. Proof (this is the longest section)
Three kinds of proof, in this order:
- Numbers. Specific outcomes. "73% average engagement lift." "Doubled open rates for a hospitality client." Real numbers move people.
- Names. Who you've worked with. Not 100 logos — 8 to 12 of your strongest. Recognizable + relevant beats long.
- Words. One or two real testimonials. The ones where the client sounds like a person, not a brochure.
5. CTA (one button)
One next step. Not three. Not "learn more about our services + see our work + read the blog." Pick the action you want them to take. Usually: book a call, send an inquiry, see relevant work. Make it the only blue button on the page.
What to NOT include
- "Our values" lists. Nobody reads them. Show values through specific stories.
- Every team member's headshot. Founder is enough on the About page. Team page can be separate if you need one.
- Your full timeline. "Founded 2014. First office 2016." Nobody cares.
- A wall of awards. Pick the 2-3 that matter. Move on.
- Generic stock photography of "diverse team in glass conference room." Use real photos or no photos.
The 30-minute rewrite exercise
- Open a blank doc.
- Write the Story paragraph. Specific moment. 90 words max.
- Write the Stakes. 3 sentences.
- Write the Promise. 90 words max.
- List your strongest Proof. Numbers, names, one quote.
- Pick the ONE next action.
- Read the whole thing out loud. Where do you stumble? Cut those sentences.
Total page length: about 500 words. Most clients tell us this version converts 2–4x better than the original.
Your About page is doing more work than your homepage right now. It's just doing the wrong work. Rewrite it once, properly, and stop touching it for two years.