The Perfect About Page: Trust Instead of Platitudes

The About page is the most underrated page of a company website. Many treat it as a chore: a few nice words, a founding year, done. Yet the statistics of many websites show something different, the About page is regularly among the most visited pages of all. People on the verge of an enquiry want to know who they're dealing with. This is exactly where it's decided whether interest turns into trust. In this article I show you how to write an About page that achieves precisely that, honest, personal and without the usual platitudes.

Why the About page is so important

Imagine someone is looking for a tradesperson, a tax advisor or a web agency. The services look similar across several providers. What tips the scales in the end? Often a feeling: "I feel in good hands with them." This feeling doesn't arise on the price list but on the About page. It's the moment when an anonymous company becomes real people.

For small Swiss businesses in particular, this is your greatest advantage. You don't compete on size or advertising budget, but on closeness and trust. An authentic company introduction plays exactly to that strength.

From "we have" to "you get"

The most common mistake: the page only talks about the company. "We were founded in 2008, we are competent, we focus on quality." That interests visitors less than one thinks. The silent question in the reader's mind is: "What's in it for me?"

Turn the perspective around. Don't just tell who you are, but what that means for your customers:

• Instead of "We work reliably" better "You can reach me even after the project ends, I won't leave you in the lurch."
• Instead of "We are a well-coordinated team" better "You always have the same contact person, who has known your project from the start."
• Instead of "We focus on quality" better "I only deliver once I'd be satisfied myself."

Show the people behind it

Nothing builds trust as quickly as a real face. A professional but natural photo of you or your team works better than any stock-photo handshake. Visitors want to see who will be sitting across from them.

Dare to get personal. Why did you start your company? What drives you? A short, honest story sticks, far longer than a list of buzzwords. You don't have to write a novel. Two or three sincere sentences about your path often say more than a whole image page.

Platitudes you should cut

Some sentences appear on so many websites that they've long stopped meaning anything. They cost space and credibility without saying anything. Watch out for these classics:

• "Your competent partner", everyone claims that. Better show concretely what you're good at.
• "Quality and reliability", nice words without proof. Prove it with an example.
• "We think customer-oriented", better to write in a way that people can feel it, instead of claiming it.
• "Innovative and dynamic", says nothing about what you actually do differently.

The rule of thumb: if a sentence could just as well stand on any competitor's page, it doesn't belong on yours.

Get specific instead of staying general

Trust arises through details. Name your location, "from Schaffhausen" feels more tangible than "active nationwide". Mention how long you've been at it, which tools or materials you work with, what a typical collaboration looks like. A few honest numbers or a short customer quote anchor your statements in reality.

Important here: don't invent anything. An embellished About page sooner or later gets found out and costs more trust than it ever brought. Stick to what's true, that is always more convincing than any exaggeration.

A thread for your page

So you don't sit in front of a blank sheet, here's a proven structure:

• An inviting opening: a sentence that shows who you're there for and what drives you.
• Your story: short, honest, personal, why you exist.
• What sets you apart: two or three concrete points your customers can feel.
• The people: a photo and a name turn the company into real people.
• A clear next step: invite them to a conversation instead of simply letting the page end.

Many forget this last point. Anyone who reads to the end of your About page is interested, make it easy for that person to take the next step.

Write the way you speak

The most honest test: read your text aloud. Does it sound like you, the way you'd talk with a customer in conversation? Or like a glossy brochure? Writing a good About page means finding your own voice and not lapsing into advertising speak. Better a little less polished but genuine.

If you're unsure where to start, or want your existing page to sound more honest, I'm happy to help. With every website I build, a convincing About page is part of it from the start. Feel free to also look at other articles, or get in touch directly via the contact form if you want your page to build trust instead of repeating platitudes.