About Pages -- Your Take
January 19, 2004 | 
12 Comments
I’m in the process of re-architecting, redesigning and rebuilding my site and as part of this I’m going to be working on a few new and improved sections. One of these is my About page.
Over the last year or so I’ve been asked quite often about myself and why I don’t have a whole lot of personal information on my site. You can read my answer here if your interested.
The thing is I’ve never been to fond of About pages for various reasons that pretty much boil down to simple personal preference. I prefer a much less formal and forced seeming way to get to know people.
However, I do recognize their need, especially on business type sites, and it’s become more an more apparent to me that a detailed About page can be a very important and helpful usability tool. I don’t think I’m the only one who sees this.
If they are done honestly and without pretense they can go a long way in helping to establish trust with users and readers. There is just too much information out there put out by too many people not to know who the information is coming from.
Recently I’ve noticed way too many sites out there with not even the basics. I mean, come on, give me a name at the very least!
Then there are some sites seem to be to give way too much personal information, I can think of at least one “guru” who fits this bill. I’ve always wondered if anyone reads this stuff. I guess lots of times it really would depend on the site’s goals and audience, but it would seem that there is a point where you can just have to much “about” information.
With all that in mind — what do y’all think of About pages? What do you like to see on an About page? Do you want something like a resume, or something a bit more personal? What about photos? I had to get some head-shots taken for SWSX so I do have some — and thanks to Dave for the tips! — but I’m not sure if I want to use them here.
Do you feel an About page can be overdone? How much information is too much? Do you even bother to look at them in the first place? What about tone and style — do you prefer professional, friendly, casual or something else? Lots of questions, I know, but I’m really curious to see what think!
So, what’s your take on About pages?
Filed under: Web General
Comments
1. Scrivs said:
My biggest problem with putting an About page up was that many people can develop pre-conceived notions about an individual and I for one get tired of people making assumptions. But like you I just got too many requests asking questions about who I am so I started the process of buildind an about page. Easily the most difficult thing I have done for the site yet, because unlike my entries, it is one of those things that I feel needs to be perfect or it totally misses the mark.
With that said I just like to see honesty and something going beyond the whole “I love the web” type statements. Not like that helps or anything.
Posted on January 19, 2004 10:36 PM | #
2. Dris said:
Coming from someone whose own About page could use a lot of improvement, there are a few things that I usually expect from them:
Basically, want to see why exactly I should be reading the blog, why I should find it interesting. The same can be accomplished by reading entries over time, but the About page should do all that in a nutshell.
Posted on January 19, 2004 10:43 PM | #
3. TOOLman said:
I like to be able to find out a little more about the person behind a site I like. A photo is nice, because it makes the whole thing a little more personal. Something about his or her background never hurts.
I went completely overboard on my current site (which isn’t a blog). It will be a lot shorter and to the point if and when I ever get my redesign done.
I think this site’s About page is a little too short, but that’s your choice and I respect that.
Posted on January 19, 2004 11:18 PM | #
4. Richard MacManus said:
If I come across a weblog that looks interesting, I usually take a look at the About page. Like you I don’t like too much personal info on peoples blogs, but I do think a quick sketch of the bio details is good to know and lends a professional air to proceedings - which is important if you’re writing about “professional” things. I added a photo to mine recently, because I have found it helps I think to “put a face to the name”. I can’t explain why, but that’s been my experience with bloggers. Also I like to see some fun stuff, eg a list of your favourite music etc.
I guess this sounds a bit odd coming from someone who you don’t know from a bar of soap??
Posted on January 19, 2004 11:32 PM | #
5. Matt said:
I’ve actually being mulling over this point myself recently, with regard to what I’m going to put on my own site.
My feelings were that I like to see a good mix of information on an about page. A little information about the individual’s professional experience, mixed in with some hobbies and passtimes, to help give an overall picture of the the writer. Focussing purely on the minimal of professional credentials can make the writer seem detached from the audience. I agree that there are times when this may be appropriate*, but in general, the blogging community exists to discuss and share ideas with a group of peers**.
Anyway, it seems I still have to give this topic some more brain time.
* Such as sites that present technical whitepapers, etc.
** Unless I’ve somehow completely missed the point!
Posted on January 20, 2004 04:51 AM | #
6. Adam Kinney said:
I like About pages. Like Richard mentioned I kind of use them as a first-glance or to provide some context about the person writing the blog entries.
Something like yours is good. A very short profile and some links to things you are involved with. A picture is nice too, as mentioned above. It adds that extra bit of info to make the blogger memorable.
If a resume is listed, I then assume they are looking for a job. I usually check them out real quick as well. Always on the lookout for another good employee.
Now after all I’ve said, I myself have no “About Me” page. Still need to wrap a site around my blog…
Posted on January 20, 2004 11:09 AM | #
7. Suzanne said:
I like about pages because I don’t trust people who hide all their personal information. I don’t know what to believe about them, or if to believe them at all. I prefer to read things by people who are willing at stand behind what they’ve said, and standing behind a pseudonym doesn’t seem sporting.
Of course, people can create entirely false identities to present to the world and I wouldn’t know until they die virtually and metafilter investigates them. Heh.
Posted on January 20, 2004 03:25 PM | #
8. Cameron Adams said:
One thing I DON’T like to see is photos. It ruins the mystique of the blog for me. Much like a movie adaptation of a book, imposing an image on the “characters” in the writing (most times the author) destroys the freedom of imagination. I know it sounds like a weird thing, but I let the site’s design and words get me into an atmosphere, which can often be interrupted by knowing what the author looks like.
Of course, if you don’t want to leave anything to the imagination, feel free to post ya mug :o]
Posted on January 20, 2004 09:46 PM | #
9. Patrick said:
Well let me preface this by the fact I don’t have an about page. Nor do I have a “100 things” or anything like that. I feel they take the… “fun” out of blogging. If I’m reading someone’s blog - then I’m learning about them in what they write. I don’t think photos are a bad thing, I mean some writers are gender neutral and knowing their gender can add a great deal to understanding someone’s writing.
So I’m not a big fan of about pages, but someone having them isn’t necessarily a turn off for their page.
Posted on January 21, 2004 10:41 AM | #
10. Joel said:
I regard an “about” page as being about the site itself, which of course includes its author. I think “about” pages are tremendously important and potentially a great way to interest a viewer from the word go, as I think most people do go to the “about” page first if there is one.
I have two “about” pages, which one you come across first depends on what direction you’re coming into the site. But they work in concert. I quite like the idea of not saying everything at once and in the same place. Everyone is more than one person, and an “about” page also depends on audience. It is possible to be honest about yourself in ways that conjure up quite different impressions, in a way this is more honest because it represents your different facets.
On my main personal “about” page is my reason for doing the site and an explanation of its various sections. It also contains a colophon talking about a few technical details to do with the site. Ironically, there is little about myself and my background, save through an evocation of attitude to life. For some strange reason I placed more personal details of my background in my supposedly “less personal” about page.
I think sites without “about” pages are usually lacking in some way, afraid to lay it on the line. But I also think there is a bit of an art to writing them. Some people manage with their “about” pages to show in glorious technicolor just how boring they are. A success, from the point of view of not wasting any more of my time. Writing an “about” page forces you to look head-on at what you are indeed “about”. Some people don’t seem to really know and so fiddle around with trivial lists and other ways to avoid the subject.
Posted on January 22, 2004 02:41 AM | #
11. Mike said:
My about page is setup like an interview with some anonymous radio dj. Questions back and forth with some basic answers about the weblog. I’m not overly serious on the blog, so my About page is setup in the same manner.
Posted on January 22, 2004 08:49 AM | #
12. beerzie boy said:
I like About pages. It can be a little artificial, but usually it gives the blog/site some context. Some people – including myself – like the entries to speak for themselves, but having the basic info – name rank serial number – provides a fuller picture.
Posted on January 27, 2004 01:59 PM | #
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