I notice that some of our new customers launching Brightpearl-powered ecommerce sites have chosen not to (or perhaps just forgotten or perhaps not had the time to) put up an “About Us” page as part of the top-level navigation of their sites.

Which is odd, given that (just to pick an example) the “About” page on our own website at www.brightpearl.com is one of the most visited pages on our site (and one that has among the lowest bounce rates– suggesting it helps keep visitors engaged). From watching my own browsing behavior, I know that I tend to click “About Us” links almost immediately on arriving at the page of a company I don’t already know well– very often (perhaps usually) *before* I look at any of their products; even if I’m buying a total commodity product that I already know I want.

It feels like the part of the site where I can see if an online retailer is ‘real’– no matter how elaborate their product pictures might be. And it’s also where I get the most straight talk from companies about what they do well and why. So when our customers don’t use this simple, almost universal tool for building rapport I worry that they might be missing a golden opportunity to improve conversions on their websites. It’s one thing if you’re Amazon or Apple or any other well-known brand– but if you’re growing and hoping to attract new traffic and visits from people who might never have heard of your business, why not take a moment to increase their confidence in you?

And to go a step further, there are a few things we’ve learned that make for an especially effective page:

1) Talk about the real people behind the business. People connect with people before they connect with brands– if you’re a new business growing in the face of competition from the big guys, this is something you can do far better than them: tell your founding story, show off your passionate team, your talented employees, even your suppliers if appropriate– any person who contributes to delivering your products or services. It’ll increase the human bond between your business and your visitors. Brightpearl customer Wiggly Wigglers does a great job of this: http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/life/meettheteam

2) Tell us why you’re great at what you do. The About Us page is a fantastic opportunity to speak directly to your prospects and customers about how you are different. Look at it another way (a really important way, actually) it’s another chance to tell customers what’s in it for them to buy from you instead of from the next guy or girl; maybe you have the best selection of product in their region, maybe you know this category better than anyone else and have spent 20 years learning which products or services work best for customers, or maybe your after-sales service is unmatched. Whatever it is, even if you’ve said it elsewhere, say it here.

3) Tell us where you’re based. Remember, this page is all about building trust. Locating your company in the real world– even if it’s a barn in the middle of nowhere– can actually help build confidence and trust. Don’t be shy, and more importantly, don’t assume people don’t care. Take a look at customer Olga Olsson’s site for a great, simple example of how powerful location can be for you: http://www.olgaolsson.com/about/rio-atelier-c-299_331.html

So no matter how much you care about the products you sell or the services you provide, no matter how much time you spend getting the pictures perfect, the layout just right or the item copy compelling and flawless, don’t forget your About us page– don’t skip it! Tell us about you because we’re more likely to reward you with our business if you do.

We’ve put together a short video to show you how to add an “About Us” page to your own Brightpearl website – watch it here.