By the Vertexweb team. Last reviewed .
Your About Us page is often one of the most visited pages on a small business website. Visitors who are close to deciding want to know who is behind the business and whether they can trust you. Yet many About pages are either empty clichés or long stories that never mention the customer.
This guide explains what to include, offers a simple template you can copy, gives examples for different types of business and lists the mistakes to avoid.
Key takeaways
- An About page is about your customer as much as about you.
- Include who you are, why you do it, who you help and proof you can be trusted.
- Use real photos of real people.
- Only claim credentials and results you can support.
- End with a clear next step.
Why the About page matters
People buy from people. When a visitor is unsure, they check who you are. A clear About page reduces doubt, shows your personality and explains why you are a safe choice. It also supports search visibility, because it helps search engines understand your business and the area you serve.
What to include
- Who you are: your name, your team and your business.
- Your story: why you started, in a few honest sentences.
- Who you help: your typical customer and the problem you solve.
- What makes you different: your approach, in plain words.
- Proof: reviews, accreditations, memberships and years of experience that are true.
- A call to action: call, book or request a quote.
A simple template to copy
- Headline: We help [customer] with [problem] in [place].
- Opening: a short paragraph about who you are and what you do.
- Story: why you started and what you care about.
- Meet the team: photos with names and one line each.
- Why customers choose us: three honest points.
- Proof: a review or accreditation.
- Next step: a button to contact you.
Examples by business type
- Restaurant: the family or chef behind the food, where ingredients come from and what a visit feels like. See our restaurant website design page.
- Clinic: practitioners, qualifications and registration details, written carefully and honestly. See our clinic website design page.
- Tradesperson: years of experience, accreditations you hold, insurance and guarantees. See our tradespeople page.
- Salon: your stylists, specialities and the atmosphere of the space. See our salon website design page.
Photos and tone
Use real photos of you and your team, ideally in your workplace. Write the way you speak to customers: warm, clear and direct. Avoid jargon, and avoid empty phrases such as “we are passionate about excellence” unless you back them up with specifics.
Building trust honestly
Never invent qualifications, awards or years of experience. If you show reviews, show them fairly and link to the full profile. Our guide to getting more Google reviews explains the rules. Keep your details consistent with your Google Business Profile.
Simple SEO for your About page
Use a clear title that includes your business name and location, add headings, link to your main services and describe where you work. This is a natural place for a line such as “we serve customers across [area]”. See our local SEO guide for more.
Common About page mistakes
- Talking only about yourself and never the customer.
- Using stock photos of people who do not work for you.
- Writing a long life story with no point.
- Making claims you cannot prove.
- Forgetting a call to action.
Compare your page with our about us page and run it through the small business website checklist.
An About page checklist
- Is it clear who you are and what you do in the first few lines?
- Does it mention the customer and their problem?
- Are there real photos with names?
- Are all claims and credentials true and current?
- Do the contact details match the rest of your site?
- Is there a clear next step at the end?
Read the page aloud. If it sounds like something you would never say to a customer, rewrite it.
A short example you can adapt
Here is an example of the kind of opening paragraph that works: “We are a small family-run plumbing company serving homes across [your area]. We started in [year] because we believed customers deserved honest advice and a fair price. Today we fix leaks, install boilers and help households stay warm, and we are always happy to explain what the problem is before we begin.” Replace the details with your own, and keep only what is true. The tone is friendly, specific and focused on the customer.
Keep it up to date
Review your About page every few months. Update team photos, new accreditations, the number of years you have been trading and any change of address or contact details. A stale page signals a stale business.
How long should it be, and where should it sit?
Most About pages work well when they are long enough to be convincing but short enough to scan, often between three hundred and six hundred words with photos and subheadings. Place a link to it in your main menu and in your footer, and link to it from your home page and service pages so visitors can find it at the moment they start to wonder who you are.
Common questions
How long should an About page be?
Long enough to cover who you are, who you help and why you are trustworthy. Many work well at 300 to 600 words with good photos.
Should I put my photo on it?
Yes, if you are comfortable. A real face builds trust, especially for local and service businesses.
Final thoughts
A good About Us page is honest, human and customer-focused. Tell your story briefly, show your team, prove your claims and finish with a clear next step.
If you would like help writing yours, see our content making service or contact us.
Related reading
- Website Content Checklist: What to Write for Every Page
- Small Business Website Checklist
- How to Get More Google Reviews
- How Local SEO Helps UK Businesses Win Customers Nearby
- About Vertexweb
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