It usually comes as a shock to many illustrators when they check their stats and realise that the 2nd most visited page on their site - after their portfolio - is very often the “About” page.
As an illustrator, the good thing about this statistic is that it gives you a golden opportunity to make your “About” page more than just a boring potted history of you and your education…it gives you a chance to make a real connection with someone - an art director, an art rep or an agent - who may be looking to commission you for an illustration project.
Consider two similar-looking websites…
Both illustrators work in a similar style, their portfolio pieces are equally as good, maybe their fees are similar too. But one illustrator has an “about” page which gives a real sense of who they are, why they’re in business and why someone should hire them; the other illustrator has a standard bio with not much more information than where they went to college.
Who would you feel you had a stronger sense of? Who might you feel you knew better at this stage? Who might you be more interested in getting in touch with?
Here are a few simple ways you can use your “About” page to greater effect:
- To share more of the real, authentic you - to reveal the personality behind the art, the one which people can really and truly connect with and, ultimately, want to work with as an illustrator.
- To showcase testimonials and what other people say about your work and hiring you a.k.a. establishing credibility using external validation.
- To encourage people to sign up to your newsletter or mailing list.
- To highlight your most successful projects and artwork.
- To make it even clearer which kind of work and projects you’re looking for.
As a former writer of “About” pages for a living, I know that an effective “About” page can do all of the above and more but there are a few questions you need to consider to help you craft an “About” page that works…
Why does your illustration business exist?
The questionnaire I get clients to complete before I sit down to get into their heads and craft their “About” page often highlights a serious problem with their illustration business…a lack of clarity when it comes to their overall mission and purpose.
If you can’t articulate the reason why your business exists (other than to earn you a living), then how do you expect others to be able to connect with this and also spread the word about it for you and refer more clients?
You need to be able to state why your illustration business exists in a couple of succinct sentences, think of this as your “story” - why did you become an illustrator? What sets you apart? What’s your driving reason for doing what you do?
Who are you writing for?
The real secret of your “About” page is that it doesn’t have to be all about you, it can be all about “them” - the clients and projects your illustrations are for. You’re writing it for them, to help them get to know you better, to help them make the decision to take a chance and hire or commission you.
It helps therefore to know who “they” are - who are you trying to connect with? Whoever it is, you need to consider what they’d like to know about you and what they need to know about you before they’ll even consider working with you - and then make sure you’ve included this on the page.
What value do you bring to the table?
You’ve probably heard this before but you need to be able to define what makes you and your illustrations unique. Why should someone commission you over another illustrator? What value do you bring to the table? What can’t I get anywhere else?
Get clear on what true value you bring to your projects and to clients - and why an art director should work with you and not another illustrator who perhaps works in a similar style?
Need a specific example? I provide tech & business coaching and “About” pages to clients - but the true value I bring? I make their lives easier, I save them time and money and I help them look as good as possible online. It’s not about the services I provide, it’s about the results I help them achieve and the difference I make to their lives.
What’s the goal of your “about page”?
The golden opportunity that most “About” pages miss is the opportunity to point the readers somewhere else once they’ve finished reading (plus you can also do this at salient points throughout the page) - maybe your favourite pieces, your portfolio, your testimonials.
The important thing is to decide what the ultimate goal of your “About” page is.
Is it to get prospective clients to check out more of your portfolio and the work you offer? Is it to get them to sign up to your newsletter? Is it to go straight for the bulls eye and get them to inquire about commissioning you?
Whatever your goal, ending with a specific and strong “Call to Action” should be one of the last things you include on the page.
Here’s what to do now…
1. Take a good look at your current About page.
2. Does it incorporate the elements above? These include:
- The reason you became an illustrator - your “story”
- Language that’s tailored to your ideal clients
- Communicating how & why you make life easier, better and simpler for your clients
- Why should an art director hire you over another illustrator?
- A specific and direct “Call to Action” at the end of your page
…if it’s missing some or all of these components, add them now.
Your “About” page is very likely to be the 2nd most important page on your website - yet many people give it nothing more than a few minutes of their time by copying and pasting their standard bio.
Use this golden opportunity to connect with your potential clients and art directors - and give your “About” page the attention it deserves. You’ll find you can make a stronger connection much more quickly than you’ll ever do with the common generic bio frequently seen on most illustrator’s About pages everywhere.