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Hi there!
My name is Alex Beadon.
Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Chatty Tuesday -
the best way to turn your creative passion into your life's work.
Today's incredible question comes from Abby. She asks,
"Hi Alex
I've been slowly working on my website and I find it very difficult to write my "about"
page. It's confusing and challenging for me to find the words to describe myself, and
my passion and undying love for photography. I'm generally a private person and writing
about myself has always been something i was never good at. It's been eight months coming
and I still have an empty page.
I would watch artist videos from other photographers, and I remember Crystal Goss said, "I tend
to see the world a little differently..." and he also said "photography allows me to
sit back and people watch, and capture those moments.." and that's totally something I
find is true with myself, but wouldn't it be wrong to add those to my "about" page?
Do you have any advice on writing for your about page? I would appreciate anything.
Thank you so much Alex for all you do!
Abby"
Hi Abby!
Thanks so much for writing in, I love your question!
"About Me" pages are some of the most difficult things to write, while simultaneously being
one of the most important things on your entire site.
Your "about me" page is so vital because statistically "about me" pages are one of the most visited
pages on any given website. On my own website my about me page is in the top 15 most popular
pages on my site.
It's always a lot of pressure because you want it to be "perfect", which is what causes
so many of us to leave it blank. I can't tell you how many sites I have visited that have
empty "about me" pages, so don't feel alone in the struggle.
But I think besides the fact that we all want it to be perfect, we simply don't like talking
about ourselves. At all. It makes us uncomfortable, squeamish, and most of us avoid it at all
costs.
For some reason it is widely accepted nowadays for incredibly talented people to refuse to
acknowledge their own talents.
There's a deeper underlying problem when it comes to writing your "about me" page because
no one wants to seem as though they are bragging, no one wants to seem egotistical, no one wants
to pretend to be something they think they're not.
When it comes to your "about me" page, it is your job to connect with your target market.
You can either rise to the occasion, and confidently express why they should care about what do...
you can hide your talents behind an empty or boring "about me" page.
You have a gift. You're choosing to use your gift to make the world a better place, and
you're doing yourself, and the world, a huge disservice if you're not truly communicating
it effectively through your "about me" page.
Yes, it is that important.
In your email you mentioned the fact that you are a very private person - just because
you write an "about" page doesn't mean that you need to share your deepest, darkest secrets
online .. it just means that you need to effectively get across your points in a way that your
readers are going to find so interesting that they won't be able to stop reading.
So let's get started. Here are some top tips that I think are crucial when writing your
about me page.
What is the purpose of your "about me" page?
Yes, your "about me" page should be created with the end goal in mind. Maybe you're a
wedding photographer looking for vintage-loving brides? Your goal might be to help your reader
relate to you through your shared love for all things vintage, while also helping your
reader understand the importance of a excellent wedding photographs and choosing a photographer
that you can really connect with and feel comfortable with. So you're aiming to present
yourself as a vintage-loving, talented and friendly wedding photographer. Or maybe you're
a high-end jewelry maker.. Your goal might be to help your reader relate to you through
the way beautiful jewelry makes you feel. You may want to evoke feelings of beauty,
exclusivity and sparkle. What kind of story can you tell to inspire those emotions in
your reader?
You should be asking yourself - What do I want people to feel about me and my business?
What do I want people to do after reading my about page? How can I direct them down
that path without being too obvious? How can I make it very clear what I can do for them,
what makes me stand out, and WHY they should choose me. What problems do I solve?
You want to make it impossible for your target market not to fall in love with you. Make
it absolutely crystal clear why they should care about what it is that you do. You want
the text itself to be interesting enough for your reader to stick around, but successful
at portraying the image you want to portray.
Tip number one:
Grab people's attention
The first sentence of your about me page NEEDS to capture people's attention. And the whole
first paragraph should be so good that no one ever wants to stop reading. Most of us
human beings are very easily distracted - especially when we're browsing the web. It's your job
when writing your about me page to capture the attention of your audience, to keep them
on your page, reading all that you have to say.
Tip Number Two:
Tell a story
Tell a story that will help your audience relate to you while you get across your message
at the same time. If you have a business website with the goal to acquire more customers, you
may choose to try and come across as friendly, passionate and approachable. How can you paint
a picture of yourself as friendly, passionate and approachable without saying, "I'm friendly,
passionate and approachable?" Which brings me to my next point:
Tip Number Three:
Paint a picture
Oh, the beauty of the internet. You have the ability to highlight all of your strengths,
and ignore all of your weaknesses. Every human being has many different sides, it's your
job to discover what you want to be known for. I wanted to highlight my inspirational
side online and on my blog so that I can inspire others. There are many things in my life that
are not inspirational, but I choose to only share what I know will uplift others. Picking
and the way people see you online. Your "about" page should be a core part of this. Your about
page should be a "preview" of what people can expect from you.
Tip Number Four:
Write like you speak, conversational style.
Unless you want to appear super professional, I would never recommend writing your "about
me" page in the third person. Writing about yourself in the third person really distances
the reader from connecting with you as a human being, and I believe that it's those connections
that make you memorable and keep them coming back for more - to consume and purchase what
you have to offer. Write in the same way that you would talk. Being personable and relatable
goes a long way.
Tip Number Five:
Post a photo of yourself
Yes! People want to see what you look like - they want to put a face to the name, and
by doing so it will help them trust you that much more! Yes, this is SO IMPORTANT, and
no - not just any photo. Not only do I think you should hire a professional to get it done,
but this photo should express the qualities you want your audience to know you have. Mine
were - Friendliness, Happiness, and Approachable.
Tip Number Six:
Your "about me" page is your place to shine.
This is your one place on the internet where it's all about you and what you can do for
others. Don't be afraid to shine. Don't be afraid to come right out with what you're
amazing at, what you're talented at, and what makes you the best. Don't shy away from it,
embrace it. And if you need help? Listen very carefully to the compliments you have received
from past clients or even friends and family! It's usually much easier for other people
to see how amazing we are than for us to see it for ourselves!
And last, but not least, tip number seven:
It does not have to be perfect.
I wrote my "about me" page for my new website in less than ten minutes. It was awful. It
had no concept, no goals, and it was not perfect. But it was there, and it provided people with
an answer to their question, "who is this girl?". I recently updated it, and it's much
better than it was before .. but it's still not perfect. I think what I've learned is
that your "about me" page will never be perfect, or complete because you are always evolving,
changing and growing. And as you evolve, change and grow, so should your "about" page ;)
Abby, I really hope that you were able to find some inspiration in my tips. I wish I
had these tips back when I created my first website, it would have been so helpful.
If you want to make the most out of this video, join in on the conversation by leaving a comment
below. Not only would I love to hear from you, but I truly believe in the power of interacting
and putting yourself out there. To make it easy for you, here are a few questions that
you could answer:
Do you have any tips for Abby on writing your "about me" page?
What struggles, successes or lessons you have learned when it comes to "about me" pages,
and if you're feeling brave - leave a link so that we can check yours out!
I hope you realize that you and I are starting a revolution with each Chatty Tuesday video,
providing inspiration each week that moves us all closer to turning our creative passion
into our live's work. I create these videos from your questions, and we all have amazing
conversations in the comment section afterwards. It is thought-provoking and inspiring for
everyone involved. So I really hope that if you LOVE this video, you'll take a minute
to share it with THREE people you think would benefit from it. Share it on Facebook, send
out a tweet, pin it on Pinterest, or do it the old fashioned way and pass it on via email...
And if you want bonus points, take a picture on Instagram and tag it with #ChattyTuesdays.
The more people this video can help - the better!
Thank you so much for tuning in, and for being a part of this revolution. Keep believing
in the power of your creative passion as your life's work, and I will see you again next
week!