When was the last time you reviewed your about page?

Your about page, your bio, your “Who am I?” page – it goes by different names, but when was the last time you took a second look at what yours says?

How can your About page help you?

Before the pandemic, I was on the jury for a Bay Area craft show. I did it a few times as a volunteer – each time the experience was challenging and also eye-opening.

I had been on the other side of the craft show scene as an applicant, but being on the jury gave me a new perspective on what was really important to prioritize on my website.

But the truly educational part of sitting on the jury was just how much I relied on a maker’s about or bio page to make a judgement about their work.

I had given some thought to mine over the years. I even rewrote it once or twice for my own amusement. While I had thought about what I wanted to share with people, I hadn’t thought about what information they wanted from me.

What does your about page say about you?

Here are the questions I’d ask myself when visiting a maker’s website:

• Can I trust you? The craft show that I was on the jury for wanted only products that were made locally and preferably by the maker themselves.

  An about or bio page was where we learned where the products were made and who was making them. The trust factor on some about pages was so low – no images of the artist, no discussion about the process or sourcing, no images of the work in progress. How could I be sure that they were individual makers?

  • Answer – I couldn’t!

• Who are you, exactly? I learned that I automatically trusted a more robust about page than one that was thin on details.

  You don’t have to rehash your entire life, but knowing your inspiration, where you studied (even if it’s self-study), what organizations you belong to, your purpose, where you make your work, etc. helps visitors to your site understand you as a real live person who happens to be making amazing work.

• How can I tell that you are making this work? I learned that not everyone had basic images of their workspace or process. Adding in some images and detailed information about your making process works to create trust between you and your audience.

How your about page creates trust

I’m bringing this up because creating trust on any page of your website is an art form. All of it involves building a relationship with your consumers before they will purchase from you. Some of it is so subtle that it is practically subliminal to the visitor.

I also share this because I pay attention to online forums and discussions where consumers air their grievances. Many consumers are finding it harder than ever to discern between a piece of jewelry made painstakingly by an individual and a mass produced piece bought from AliExpress and resold on Etsy. 

Use your about page to distinguish yourself

Your about page and bio can be a place to share your passion, your process and even your hobbies, while making a promise to your consumers that you are a real person making and selling real things.

There are many, layered ways of creating the kind of trust that encourages visitors to your website, and so much of this will extend from your about page.

What could you do today to make your about page just a little bit better, a little bit more about you and your process?