Would you rather walk across a bed of hot coals than have to write your About page?
Yeah, we thought so.
While the About page is one of the most important spots on your website, it’s also probably one of the most dreaded pages to write.
When done well, your About page can:
- build trust with your reader by showing them your reliable, proven track record
- foster connection between you and your potential patients
- give a potential patient the extra nudge they need to book an appointment with you
The About page seems so simple, but it’s often made way too complicated. As a result, tons of About Me pages end up being long, drawn-out, and boring. (You know what we’re talking about… you’ve probably read a few of them before!)
So, what should you write on your About page?
Great question! Since this is one of the most visited pages on your website, let’s make sure you knock yours out of the park. Take a look to see if you’re missing any of these four commonly overlooked aspects of a killer About page.
1. Make Your About Page About Them
You might think that your About page is where you list off all your degrees, certifications, credentials, and hobbies. But it’s supposed to be so much more than that. A wiser approach will focus on your ideal patient and not entirely on you.
An About page that’s about someone else – sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Think about it though. You became a practitioner to help your patients. It’s the cornerstone of your practice! So, it makes sense that when you tell website viewers about who you are, you also include how you can help them.
So, start thinking about all the nitty-gritty details you know about your ideal patient. Jot down things like:
- their basic demographics (age, gender, etc.)
- their health challenges
- how they feel about those health challenges
- what they’ve tried already
- what they want to achieve in life
As you begin to tell your story, you can begin to weave in what you know about your ideal patient and how it relates to your experience. This is a great way to lead into why you’re uniquely positioned to help them.
2. Be Relatable to Your Reader
As a skilled and highly-trained practitioner, it’s tempting to want to showcase all your achievements so your patient knows you’re the real deal. But it’s tempting to forget that you’re writing your story to connect with everyday people and that means you need to write it in everyday language.
Nothing will bore a reader more than reading a long complicated biography that’s full of degrees, letters, accolades and other things about you. The best way to counter this is to focus on being relatable.
Here are a few tips to make sure you’re not lulling your reader to sleep:
- Write how you speak. It’s better to sound a little “casual” than like a robot or a medical journal.
- Be YOU. You have fought hard battles and come through some tough situations yourself. It’s okay to be vulnerable and share a little about them, especially if they relate to your patient’s journey.
- Show your confidence. You’ve worked hard to be the skilled, knowledgeable practitioner that you are today. And it’s okay to let that confidence and amazing personality shine through your website copy.
Relating to your patients is an excellent way to build rapport with current and new patients. That authenticity is super appealing, so don’t be afraid to let yourself shine through!
3. Include a Professional, High-Quality Photo
We know…Sometimes it’s uncomfortable to have a photo of you on your website for the world to see. But this is SO important for your patient. They want to actually see the person who can help them.
This doesn’t mean you need to wear the traditional white doctor’s coat or dress in a suit (unless you do that normally). Choose an outfit that you’d wear to your practice every day. Yes, you can be casual and professional. Then, make sure you have a high-quality, high-resolution photo that you can upload to your website without it being grainy. And remember – NO selfies!
4. Include a Call-to-Action
When potential patients visit your site, they’re trying to find a solution to their health problem. And all the information, formatting, resources, and photos on your site should be guiding them to the obvious solution – working with you. So, help them out by letting them know what action you want them to take. You can do this by including a clear call-to-action.
A call-to-action is where you ask your visitor to take that next step – to book that consultation or schedule an appointment. And then you provide them a path to do just that.
The key of an effective call-to-action on your About page is to give them just one action to take. Avoid cluttering your page with many options as this can cause overwhelm and confusion. Whether you want them to call your office, schedule an appointment online or fill out the form on your contact page, choose one action for them to take and make it super simple to do. Even if it feels overly obvious, you can’t assume your visitor will know what to do or how to do it.
When writing a call-to-action, make sure it’s clear and concise. Here are some examples of some simple call-to-actions:
- Schedule an Appointment
- Call Us to Get Started
- Click Here to Schedule
These could appear as buttons or as hyperlinked text. Just make sure it doesn’t blend in with the rest of your text, so opt for contrasting colors to help your call-to-action stand out.
Is It About Time for an About Page Makeover?
Creating a knock-out About Me page has the potential to capture your readers’ attention and convince them that you’re the best practitioner for them. You get one shot to make that critical first impression, so you want to make sure to get it right.
If you’re having trouble with writing an About Me page or worried your page may be sending the wrong message, we’d love to take a look. We’ve partnered with hundreds of practitioners to help them strengthen their online presence – including that supercritical, pesky About page. Sign up for a free evaluation to find out what your site is really saying about you and your practice – and how you can take it to the next level.
