Building credibility through your about page

You build credibility on your about page by answering four questions quickly: who is behind this business, what do you do, who do you do it for, and why should I believe you? Say each one plainly, back it up with something real (a name, a photo, a result, a customer quote), and make it easy to get in touch. That's the whole recipe. The rest of this post is how to do each part well.

Why does this one page matter so much? Because it's where doubtful visitors go. Someone lands on your home page, likes what they see, then wonders, who are these people? They click About. If that page is vague or missing, the doubt wins. If it's warm and specific, it usually settles the question.

What should an about page actually say?

Start with a short opening paragraph that works on its own. Name the business, say what you do, say who you do it for, and say where you work if location matters. For example: "We're a two-person bookkeeping firm helping freelancers in Leeds keep their tax paperwork in order." A stranger should know exactly what you are after one read.

After that, cover these in roughly this order:

1. Who you are. Use real names and a real photo of you or your team. A photo of an actual person does more for trust than any slogan.
2. Why you do this work. One honest paragraph about how you got started or what you care about. Keep it short and true.
3. How you work. What happens after someone gets in touch? A simple description of your process makes you feel less like a risk.
4. Proof. Qualifications, memberships, years of experience, or customer comments, but only ones you can genuinely stand behind.
5. A next step. End with a way to reach you, such as a link to your contact page.

How do you prove you're credible instead of just saying it?

Words like "trusted," "professional," and "passionate" don't build credibility, because every business uses them. Specific details do. The test is simple: could a competitor copy your sentence word for word? If yes, replace it with something only you could say.

Compare these two:

• Weak: "We provide high-quality service to all our valued customers."
• Stronger: "I've fitted kitchens for families in this area since I left my apprenticeship, and I still answer my own phone."

The second one is a person, with a detail you can picture. Good sources of proof include:

• A short customer quote with their first name and, with their permission, their town or business.
• Photos of your real work, your real shop, or your real team.
• Certifications, licences, or professional memberships, named exactly.
• Numbers you can verify from your own records, such as how many projects you've finished.

Only use what's true. An invented testimonial or inflated number is worse than leaving the space empty, because visitors are good at sensing when something's off, and one doubtful claim makes them doubt the rest.

How does your about page help you get found?

Search engines like Google, and AI assistants like ChatGPT that answer questions in sentences, are both trying to work out the same thing about your site: who is behind it, and can this source be trusted? Your about page is often the clearest place they find that out.

You don't need to know any code or search jargon to help them. A few habits do the job:

• Use plain, complete sentences. "SimplePath is a website builder where you describe the site you want and it builds it" is easy for both a person and an AI to quote. A clever tagline isn't.
• Keep your details consistent. Use the same business name, location, and description here as on your home page, your contact page, and anywhere else you appear online.
• Use headings that sound like questions people ask. "Who we are," "What we do," and "Where we work" are clear and easy to scan.
• Say where you serve. If customers are local, name the town or region. If you work anywhere, say that.

None of this is a trick. It's just being clear, which happens to be what both visitors and search tools reward.

What mistakes weaken an about page?

• Making it all about you. Your story matters, but connect it back to the reader. Why does your background help them?
• Hiding the basics. If visitors have to hunt for what you do, you've lost them.
• Using stock photos of people. Visitors can usually tell, and it quietly undermines the page.
• Letting it go stale. Out-of-date team members or old services make the whole site feel abandoned. Look it over a couple of times a year.
• Writing a wall of text. Short paragraphs, a few headings, and one or two photos are plenty.

Your next step

Open your about page tomorrow morning and read it as a stranger would. Can you tell what the business does, who it's for, and who runs it within ten seconds? If not, rewrite the opening paragraph first. That one change does most of the work.

If you're not sure how your whole site measures up, the free website grader will score it. And if you're starting from scratch, SimplePath lets you describe the site you want in your own words and builds it for you, about page included. You can see what SimplePath can build, or get in touch if you'd like a hand.