Bloggers Need an “About” Page
August 6th, 2007 by ses5909Looks like you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed so you don't miss a single conversation! Thanks for visiting!
Last month, Neil Patel wrote a great article on quick sprout outlining why websites need an “About Me” page and I think that is even more important for bloggers!
One of the things that really set a blog apart from an article site is the personality of the writer(s). Just from a curiosity point of view, people will want to know more about the writer of the site they read. I know if I like what I’m reading, one of the first things I do is click to read more about the author. If I don’t see a page devoted to that, I look for a category that might be called “Personal” or something else. I am going to guess that the majority of people do this.
Another reason to have a page telling your readers about you is it helps you to establish credibility. When you write a blog you expect your audience to blindly trust you. You are giving out information, and sure, overtime, you will demonstrate your expertise in your field. But when you feel like you know someone a little better, you are willing to trust them more. Letting your readers know more about you on a personal level will endear them to you and could help build that connection which in turn could lead to return visitors and they would be more likely to refer people your way.
Let’s look at a real world example. I’m shopping at my grocery store and I drop something and someone comes over to help m pick it up. I notice he is wearing a mechanic’s uniform and I make a mental note of the place he works. If I don’t already have a mechanic to work on my car, I will go to his place and I would tell other’s about his place too. Why? I don’t know him more than I know any other mechanic but in that brief moment in time I made that connection with him so I am at least willing to try him out over his competitors. That is exactly what you want to do with your readers; make that connection. Taking the time to write a page about you can do that for you!
I may get a lot of flack for this but, I also agree with Neil when he says that you need a picture on your “About” page. I realize a lot of people don’t like to show pictures of themselves, but again it’s another way for your readers to form that connection with you. Some people don’t want to put a picture up for privacy reasons. Let me break it to you…you are on the web, you really don’t have that privacy. We all expect a certain amount of privacy in our lives and certain things that we hold onto, but is what you look like one of them? Do you wear a mask when you go to the gas station? Well what about all the crazy people on the web? There are crazy people off the web too that I guarantee we all run into every day and they all see what we look like.
Another reason people don’t like to show what they look like is they aren’t comfortable with the way they look. Neil says, “I don’t care if you are the ugliest person in the world, you need to place an image of yourself on the about me page”, and I completely agree with that statement. We are all people and we all think we look awful from time to time. To prove it to you, I just took a picture of myself looking like I just woke up from a 10-day drunk fest. I’m not wearing makeup, I haven’t brushed my hair, my shirt is one i picked up off the floor when I woke up and put it on inside out. I think I look pretty damn awful right now and you wouldn’t find me outside like that. But no, you’ll find me on the web like that. I showed my girlfriend this picture and she told me i should definitely not put it on the web and I looked like I just came out of a “week-long depression.” So I replied, well yeah, i look pretty miserable there..but that’s what I look like right now. I would advise you to try and smile in your picture or not look as awful as I did or you might scare people away. But the point I’m trying to make is, that is me. That picture may let people connect with me that wouldn’t have before. Even if you think you look awful, your readers really don’t really care. We just like to see the person behind the blog no matter what they look like!
Hopefully I have illustrated some reasons to have an About Me page. I’d love to hear other’s opinions on the matter. If you don’t want the traditional “About Me” page, feel free to add personality to yours? I didn’t want that for my personal blog so I created my Ask Me page. You can download the Ask Me plugin for Wordpress if you want something similar!
I have two questions for you!
- Do you have an “About Me” page? Please provide the link if you do!
- Do you like to read other’s “About Me” pages?
P.S. Here is the site’s About Page.
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August 6th, 2007 at 2:31 am
Now..that’s what i call sexy.
August 6th, 2007 at 2:34 am
1. Yes (http://www.morningcaffeine.com/about/)
2. Yes
August 6th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Great Article! I have an about page and also a tiny “about” text widget on my blog.
The About Page is one of the most maligned pages on the Internet IMO. Lots of webmasters will tell you that nobody reads them, but that’s bullpucky! I spend a lot of time researching on the web and whether the info looks good or not, I often use the about page to confirm my instincts about its credibility. The same with web-offered products from hosting to e-books, soup to nuts. No about page sends up a red flag warning to me. If a business is proud of its products and/or services, they should have the confidence to let their visitors know what they’re all ‘about’.
August 6th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I have an About page. It comes standard with TypePad. But I only really filled in the author bio crap after I kept reading on teh interwebs about how one MUST have an About page.
I LOVE your Ask Me doo-hickey! Wish it weren’t just for WP…
August 6th, 2007 at 7:08 am
@Moses - I tried my best!
@Linda - Thanks for the compliment
@Sam - yeah i just think its good to have as it is just another way to make that connection and create return visitors!
August 6th, 2007 at 10:54 am
I’ve tried to download the plugin, but the zip file says it is corrupted
August 6th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
1 - Yes, yes I do do
http://girlintheitworld.wordpress.com/about/
(Come to think of it I might merge my 2 about me pages together - I have a half resume page 2)
2 - Yes! I love reading about me pages - I stand by my statement that blogs are more about the person writing them then the actual subject itself. They combine personal view and the writers character and I want to know everything
Love this post Sarah - and love the photo - it’s hot!
August 7th, 2007 at 3:20 am
@Jeremy - I sent you the files
@Megan - I’m with you. Glad you like the photo
August 7th, 2007 at 3:22 am
Yes: http://doorlight.viibrato.org/lady/
Yes: because I love knowing the person behind it.
August 7th, 2007 at 4:17 am
I love checking out other sites and seeing whos behind them so i have an about me page incase people who visit my site have the same curiosity
Cheers,
Glen
August 7th, 2007 at 4:35 am
Thanks for the comment Glen. Yeah i think curiosity is just human nature!
August 7th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
well….You do realize that most people do not read on the web…they skim - at best. So now imagine they looked at your picture without the context…..
but, don’t worry, I already downloaded the picture and faxed it out to everyone I know… with the title, “Do not except checks from this person”…
August 8th, 2007 at 3:06 am
niice.. well hopefully people will read this and see that it’s okay to show yourself, no matter how bad you think you look.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:08 am
Hey Sara, I liked your “mechanic” example.
I’ve recently beefed up our About page over on 2Dolphins.
I do enjoy reading other bloggers’ “About” pages and I’d agree that it does lend an air of credibility or at least help to add a little more dimension to the author’s writing. Definitely, a phot or two is a must. David Airey started an interesting meme a few months ago called The Face Behind the Blog that deals with this very topic.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:06 am
1) Yes - I have an about page, every site I’ve ever done has one, and they often turn out to be one of the most visited pages.
2) Yes – I’m always interested to know about the source of information; I’m much more likely to engage with someone’s writing if I know a bit about why they are writing it and what experience they have in what they are writing about.
August 8th, 2007 at 8:23 am
[…] an About Me page that tells your readers more about […]
August 8th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
A few years ago a work colleagues of mine showed me an online picture of him running a race. His face was so funny in the picture. So me being the friendly work buddy took his picture and promoted him as the ‘Uber nerd’! Within a month he was number one in Google for Uber nerd
It’s no longer there as he eventually made me take it down…but man did we have fun at work with that one!!
August 11th, 2007 at 3:33 am
I see your point. I’m going to start my own blog soon so I will need to also put an about page on it I guess.
August 11th, 2007 at 3:48 am
@Rob - Thanks for the link
@James - Thanks for the comment
@Mark - Are you letting me know you will hold onto this picture for blackmail?
@Bev - Definitely have an about page! Let us know once you do.
August 18th, 2007 at 8:01 am
I have been working on my About page since starting my blog at http://www.fam5.com/about/ . My feelings are if I have out there then yes I like people to read it.
I think I shall add a picture next. Thanks for the ideas.
August 20th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Great post. No one comes to your site because of your looks. They come for information. Be proudof who you are. ALso Sara I love how you put that photo up. The irony is most people who are on a forum or writing bloggeries from there computer aren’t dressed for a wedding so that picture is usually more likely anyways as most people put there BEST glamor shot!
August 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
@Jeff - I checked out your about page and it’s a good start. Looking forward to seeing a picture of the Fam5!
@Bloggeries - Thanks Rob. I wanted to show that no matter how you feel about yourself, it is still ok to put that picture up. It will help readers identify with you. Definitely be proud of who you are!
August 21st, 2007 at 7:47 am
http://www.randomjabber.com/static/about
I’ve been planning on uploading a picture of myself to my blog, just haven’t got around to doing it yet. I think it really makes the blog feel more personal and can help you connect with readers when they actually see who’s writing.
August 21st, 2007 at 8:40 am
Hi Sara
I added a Fam5 photo to the about page. I am now messaging it little by little. Thanks for the great post which turned into a great idea. Let me know what you think.
Now I just need to come up with a catchy description for my blog. Thanks again.
Jeff B
http://www.fam5.com
August 21st, 2007 at 7:53 pm
1 - Yup http://thehawk.wordpress.com/about/
2 - Nope but I’m about to start
October 5th, 2007 at 2:59 am
I resisted this for a long time — a year or more, I think. I didn’t have even my name on my site.
Then a writer I respect happened on my site and sent me an email with instructions: Put up an About Page! Put on your name! Put up a copyright notice!
So, after checking to be sure he was who he said, I complied.
Since then, my about page has become a quirky, odd place.
It’s at http;//about.sbpoet.com
It’s very late — but I’m coming back here tomorrow to click all those links.