One thing about buying books from Amazon is they let us “search inside the book” before we make a purchase. Often we will see the table of contents, get to read the first page or two, the back cover and they even have a “surprise me” option which takes the potential purchaser to an unknown page in the book. The process gives us enough information in order to make an informed decision to purchase or not.

The “About Me” page on a blog can be viewed as the same. When a new reader lands on our blog, they often want to know what they can expect, who the author is, and/or what the author’s credentials are. Even though the posts may be of the highest quality, if a visitor isn’t impressed with the author’s credentials, they may choose not to return.

An “About” page can either sell a blog, or sink it.

A good example of this would be a blogger claiming they’ll show their readers how to make money via blogging, but when we read their “About Me” page, we discover they are new to blogging and haven’t made a dime.

Today’s Lesson

For many bloggers, the “about me” page is often harder to write than a typical post.  We don’t like to sound like we’re bragging, but on the other hand, it is imperative we sell ourselves and our work in order to grow our blog.

So, what can we include in an “about me” page to better inform our readers who we are?

1)  Obviously, who we are. 

This is where we want to tell our readers a little about us. The “about me” page is also a great place to share personal photographs. In the event we’re protecting our true identity, than our efforts need to be directed towards enticing a reader to want to stick around.

2)  What our visitors can expect to read/see on our blog.

Whether we’re sharing articles on personal development, business, blogging, product reviews, photographs and/or a variety of topics, a statement explaining our blogging goals will tell our readers what they can expect to find when they visit.

3) Our credentials

If we’re an expert in a specific field, we can list our degrees, experience, etc.

If our blog will discuss business, we can tell our readers what our experience is. If we are a mommy/daddy blogger, we can explain we’re a working or stay at home parent with “x” number of children.  If we’re young and have little to no experience in any given field, we need to let your readers know that, as well.

4)  Why our blog is named what it is. 

Many have asked me why I named this blog “Blogging Without A Blog”. In my “about” page, I’ve included the explanation.

5) Why we are blogging. 

We can share a short story with our readers telling them what it was about blogging that attracted us, or how by blogging we feel we can help others.

6) Where else can we be found. 

If we’re on Twitter, Stumble Upon or other social networking sites, we can include a link to our profile. If we have other blogs, this is the perfect place to link to our other sites so our readers can find more of our work. If we have authored books, a link to those books would not only help to show more of our talent, but could drive sales. If we offer an additional service, this is an ideal place to plug that, as well.

7) What is our posting schedule?

By posting our publishing schedule, we can alert our visitors how often they can expect to receive updates from us. This would also be a great time to suggest they subscribe via RSS feed or email and provide the appropriate links.

Having a good “About Me” page will not only tell our readers a little about us and what they can expect when they visit our blog, but by following the steps we’ve outlined for our readers, we can stay more focused on our blog’s purpose.

Today’s Assignment

Did you have a hard time writing your “About” page?

What information do you include?

When you land on a blog, do you look for and read the “About” page?

How important do you feel an “About Me” page is?

Care to Share?

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