The first thing most people write when building a website is their About page.
It also happens to be the worst thing on most websites.
Why?
Because we’ve all seen the same formula.
Introduce yourself with a job title or vague identity (“I’m a coach, writer, speaker, marketer…”).
Add a humblebrag about accomplishments.
Drop a fun fact.
Then wrap it all up with a line like, “When I’m not working, you’ll find me drinking too much coffee and chasing my kids.”
That’s the template.
And it works… about as well as a resume that says, “I’m very important… I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.”
Might be true. You might even get a polite chuckle out of a few people.
But they aren’t gonna hire you.
The Real Reason Your About Page Matters
Let’s be honest.
Most people don’t visit your About page because they’re dying to know your life story.
They click it because they’re curious. Suspicious. On the fence.
They’re wondering: Who is this person? Can I trust them? Do they seem like someone I’d want to work with… or read… or learn from?
That’s the job of your About page.
Not to summarize your resume.
Not to recite your entire career timeline.
Not to list every skill or client or credential you’ve ever touched.
But to make people feel something.
To create a moment of human connection.
To earn a tiny sliver of trust.
If you’re not doing that, the rest doesn’t matter.
What You Think They Want vs. What They Actually Want
You might think your readers want the professional version of you:
Polished. Accomplished. Buttoned-up.
But in reality, what they want is someone who gets it.
Someone who can put their finger on the thing they’re struggling with and say it better than they can.
Someone who doesn’t just look impressive, but feels relevant.
Because when a reader sees themselves in your words, they don’t care if you went to Yale or dropped out of barber school.
They just want to know:
“Have you helped people like me?”
“Do you understand what I’m going through?”
“Can you actually help?”
Answer those questions, and you’ve done more than most About pages ever will.
The 3-Part Formula I Recommend
If you want a simple structure to follow, try this:
1. Start with the reader’s problem, not your bio.
Don’t lead with “Hi, I’m Kevin and I’m a certified marketing strategist…”
Lead with:
“Most small business owners are great at what they do, but terrible at talking about it online.”
Boom. Now you have my attention.
2. Tell a story that makes you relatable.
You don’t need to chronicle your whole life. Just pick a story that connects the dots between what your reader is going through… and how you got here.
Make it personal, but not indulgent.
Make it relevant, but not resume-driven.
The story should say, “I’ve been where you are. Here’s how I got out.”
3. Give them a reason to believe.
This is where you shift the focus.
You don’t just say what you’ve done… you say who you help, how, and what they’ll get from it.
Paint a picture of the transformation.
Make them want to stick around.
Then (maybe) give them something to do next.
A CTA is optional. Clarity is not.
A Few More About Page Traps to Avoid
Just for fun — and because you’ve seen all of these — here are a few patterns worth cutting immediately:
- The “Now let’s talk about you” fakeout.
You never do. And we both know it.
- The “Here’s everything I’ve ever done” paragraph.
We weren’t looking for your LinkedIn timeline.
- The “quirky bullet list” detour.
You drink too much coffee. You love tacos. So does everyone else.
- The “inspirational quote” signoff.
If it’s on a throw pillow at Target, don’t use it.
None of these make your reader feel more connected. They just fill space.
The Real Flex? Writing an About Page That Isn’t About You.
Your goal isn’t to look important.
Your goal is to earn attention, build trust, and create resonance.
Do that, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a bestselling author or a beginner freelancer. You’ll have their respect.
Ignore that, and it doesn’t matter how many clients you’ve worked with… they’ll forget your page the second they close the tab.
So write it clean.
Write it clear.
And if you’re stuck?
Here’s a creative writing prompt to get you started:
“If I could sit across from my ideal reader and explain why I do what I do, what would I say?”
Start there. The rest is window dressing.
📜 Stackable Quote
“The About page is a lie. It’s never really about you. It’s about whether your story helps them believe theirs can change.”
🔍 Hey, let me Google that for you
Since only a fool thinks he knows everything (and my Mom didn’t raise no fool)…
I Googled how to write an About page to see if there was anything worthwhile to share with you.
The first result gave me this:
- Introduce yourself
- Highlight your credentials
- Add a personal touch
- End with a CTA
Sure. That’s fine advice…
If you’re building a brochure for your chiropractor’s office.
But if you’re a writer, a creator, or anyone who makes things online, that checklist is how you end up with a bio that sounds like a substitute teacher trying to get through roll call.
You need an About page that sounds like an actual human being.
One who has opinions. Scars. A reason for doing this that isn’t a vague desire to “empower others.”
If ChatGPT trained exclusively on LinkedIn bios could write your About page… you’re doing it wrong.
🎯 In case you missed ’em
If your inbox has been a crime scene lately, here are a few things I’ve written over the past few weeks:
Essay on: Hooks
The Reader’s Already Leaving
Don’t write like you’ve earned their attention. Write like you’re about to lose it.
Article on: First Drafts
The Best First Draft You’ll Ever Write Will Still Be Bad
This article walks through my 5-part D.R.A.F.T. System — the exact workflow I use to go from blank page to “ugly but usable,” fast.
Deep Dive on: Editing
Edit Like Nobody Knows You Wrote It
Forget polishing. This is how you turn a decent draft into a piece that hits.
