If I were to stumble upon your blog, what would I see? From your writing about beauty products, I could probably surmise you are a beauty blogger. Next, I wonder, where are you from? From your home page alone, I see you blogging about beauty products and putting the price in USD. Ah you must be from the States then. If I’m interested enough, I’ll move to the next page. Wait a second, now you’re quoting prices in Singapore Dollars? So you’re not from the US? Singapore perhaps?
Your blog has intrigued me. My eyes frantically search for the About Me page. I want to know more about this blogger. I want to know what her blog is about. I want to know where she’s from (US? Singapore? Beirut?). At the risk of sounding like a stalker, I want to know who the blogger is.
You get where I’m going with this.
The About Me page. Next to your beautiful web design, witty writing and pretty pictures, this is absolutely essential in a blog. I don’t know about you, but when I stumble upon a new website I’ve never been to before, after scanning the page, the next thing I check out is the About Me/About Us page.
I can’t stress how important it is to have an About Me page on your blog. When new visitors arrive at your page, if they like what they say, they would want to know who you are. Where you’re from. What your blog is about. What your blog represents. If your location suits them, they may want to stick around to read about your reviews. If your style is up their alley, they may want to stick around and subscribe to you.
The homepage of the blog is essential in capturing the attention of your audience. Having a page that tells them who you are and what the blog is about is equally important. It allows your readers to learn about YOU. You know when I say that a media kit is your blog’s resume? Well, your About Me page is your cover letter. In one page and not-so-many words, captivate your audience. Let them know who YOU are.
There are no strict rules in how you should write an About Me page. Everyone has their story to tell. Here’s what I usually look for when I come across a new blog:
- Name of the blogger
- Where the blogger’s from
- What the blog is about
- A photograph of the blogger (optional, especially if you write anonymously)
That’s it! You don’t have to write a lot. I think it’s lovely when the blogger writes a short paragraph of the reason she’s blogging. Maybe even throw in a favourite quote or two. It really is up to you. However, I suggest you at least include the information above.
Now that you’ve created a good About Me page, where are you going to put it? It has to be clearly visible above the fold (i.e. people do not need to scroll down the page to find it). If you have a navigation menu on your blog like I do, add the link to your About Me page there. If you put it on your sidebar, do make sure it’s very easy for people to see.
Have fun creating your About Me page! 🙂
Note: Many thanks to Akisa for suggesting this topic for this week’s Bloggie Wednesdays.
Ahhh yes indeed. I cannot stress enough the need for an About Me page. From what I see, most people do have the tab (since WP creates it as standard) but here’s the clincher. They don’t update it or input any info so you get the “Hello World” which is terribly spammy. If I see that, I almost never return to the blog because it could well be a splog. And those on Blogger should realize that the blogger profile link isn’t a substitute for the About Me page. I could go on with my lecture LOL! 😉 Thanks for putting in the reminder.
Paris B recently posted..Simple Blogging Tips: Bloggers! Don’t sell yourself short
Paris B: Oh I know! I’ve seen a lot of those “Hello World” pages. What a let down; the blog looks good, everything looks good, but the bloggers forget to even update the most basic page in the blog *_*
Ditto about the Blogger profile thingy. It’s something I’ve noticed too. I’m like, “err that’s it??” Haha definitely a subject that we can go on and on about 😛
Thank you so much for this post. I just had a quick look at mine and i totally forgot to put that i was from Melbourne, Australia. That kind of was a huge oversight. I had managed two cover everything else except probably the most important part. Where i am situated. Its now fixed and thank you. I think when we (me) write these “about” intro we want to highlight our love of beauty and blogging & try to express our love & dedication in writing but not knowing where all this love & dedication comes from could be the decider for the reader if she/he wants to continue the blogging relationship & follow or continue reading.
Mel: My point exactly. I think it’s a lovely, personal touch to the blog to mention how the blog began, why the blogger started blogging, how it has affected her life, etc. It doesn’t have to be a long life story, but I think it allows the readers to relate and connect with the blogger 🙂
Nice Bloggie Wednesday topic! I enjoyed reading this and I’m glad I have “check marks” on all the “musts of About Me Page” 🙂
Nikki recently posted..AMW Reviews: Tarte Amazonian 12-hour Blush in Blissful
Nikki: Haha yours is good Nikki. Especially like the stylish photo in your About Me page 😉
Such an important detail and it really can tell you so much about the blogger, I love coming across witty and sharp about me pages, gives you a great idea of the person behind the blog.
Megan recently posted..Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Gel Eyeliner
Megan: Ooh me too! When I come across a witty About Me page, I know it’s a blog I’m going to subscribe to. The ones that just say “Hi I’m X, from Australia, and I love makeup. Subscribe to my blog!” … not so much 😛
Your post just reminded me that I’ve not updated mine for yonks! I think keeping it regularly updated is also an important aspect – over the course of a year, your skin type may have changed, you may have moved countries (oops!), just to name a couple. 🙂
beetrice recently posted..July Bellabox – Taking you around the world…
Beetrice: Hahaha good to know I’ve reminded you to update yours! 😉
You are so spot on, the second thing I do if interested is go right to ‘about me’! I don’t know why really, it’s not that I particularly care where they are from or what they look like but it’s just something about knowing.
When I first started my blog I swore I would be 100% anonymous (for privacy, safety, etc), but then quickly realized that’s a little two faced considering I favor blogs who’s writers are open to share lol! Great Bloggie Wednesday’s as always Tine!
🙂
Kaye recently posted..Today
Kaye: You’re very welcome, Kaye. Hoped to remind people to create one if they haven’t, and update them if they have! 😛
Haha no problems about wanting to be anonymous but like to see writers who are open to share. After all, you’re concerned about your privacy and safety, and you very rightly should be. Sometimes I over-share and only after I shared (usually on Twitter), I find it too late to take it back because it’s already on the Internet even after I deleted the tweets. Sigh.
Great post Tine! Now come to think of it I say very little about myself, but lots about my blog concept. Something I should work on, I think!
Akisa recently posted..URIAGE Bariéderm Soothing Repair Barrier Lip Balm
Akisa: Thanks for the suggestion to write this topic, Akisa. Definitely something we should be aware of, to create one if we don’t have one, or update it if we do 🙂
Very helpful! Thank you 🙂
Tina @ BeautyToast recently posted..Invisible False Lashes Trial
Tina: My pleasure Tina 🙂
Oh please. When the writing is good enough it speaks for itself. You are what you write. I’d follow a great blogger (an almost impossible species to find) to the ends of the world, regardless of what she says or chooses not to say in her About Me page.
And writing posts telling others how to blog? Yikes.
Jaclyn: It makes a difference when there’s an About Me page for the blog. It allows the readers an introduction to the blog. I’ve noticed websites linking to blogs extolling its virtues, and while that’s a kind gesture, a lot of them praised not what the blogger is actually about, but just what they see on the front page (e.g. introducing blog A as a great blog for fashion, when blog A is actually a beauty blog with just one fashion post that the website happened to stumble upon. It’s not my blog, btw).
My posts are not written to tell others how to blog. It’s to share tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way that have helped me tremendously.
I need need NEED to update my About Me page! I hung my head in shame as soon as I read the currency switch-a-roo >.<
Tina recently posted..My Mini Haul & The Curious Case of the Missing Shopping List
Tina: Oh yeah, that’s true. Good idea to update your page since you’re now residing in Taiwan.
*sniff*