About Us Page Design: How to Write and Lay Out a Page People Trust
About us page design guide: what to write, which photos to use, how to show your team and credentials, and why the page matters for trust and E-E-A-T.
About us page design matters more in 2026 than it used to. The about page is where customers check whether real, experienced people stand behind a business, and it is one of the places search engines and AI assistants look for evidence of expertise and trust. Treat it as a vanity page and it does little. Treat it as proof, and it supports every other page on your site.
This guide covers why the about page matters, what to write, the photos that build trust, credentials and memberships, linking it to author bios, layout and structure, and what good examples have in common.
Key takeaways
- The about page proves who you are; it is a trust and ranking asset, not decoration.
- Write about your customers' problems and your experience solving them, not just your history.
- Use real photos of your team, premises and work; stock photos undermine trust.
- List credentials, memberships and awards that customers can verify.
- Link the about page to author bios on your guides, so expertise is visible across the site.
Why the about page matters more in 2026
Google's guidance on creating helpful, reliable content asks whether it is clear who created content and whether they have relevant experience and expertise. Its Search Quality Rater Guidelines describe how raters look for information about who is responsible for a website and their reputation. Both point to the same place: a clear, honest about page.
AI assistants use similar signals. When someone asks for a recommended local business, a site that clearly states who runs it, how long it has traded and what qualifications its people hold gives the assistant something solid to rely on. Our guide to E-E-A-T explains these signals in more detail.
What to write: story, people, proof
A strong about page answers three questions:
- Why should I trust you? Experience, qualifications, track record and what customers say.
- Who will I deal with? The real people, with names, roles and photos.
- What do you stand for? How you work and what you will and will not do.
Write about your customers as much as yourself. "We started because homeowners kept telling us they could not get a straight answer from builders" is more engaging than "Founded in 2012, we are a leading provider of construction solutions".
Keep the story short. A few paragraphs on how the business started and why are plenty. Spend more words on the people and the proof.
Photos that build trust (and stock that breaks it)
Real photos are one of the strongest trust signals on any small business site:
- Team photos, individually and together, ideally at work.
- Your premises, van, workshop, office or clinic.
- Work in progress and finished jobs.
Stock photos of smiling people in suits do the opposite. Customers recognise them, and they make a small business look like it is hiding something. A modern phone and good light produce better about page photos than any stock library.
Credentials, memberships and awards
List what customers can verify:
- Qualifications relevant to your work.
- Registrations and accreditations, such as trade schemes or professional bodies, with numbers where appropriate.
- Memberships of trade associations.
- Awards, with the year and awarding body.
- Insurance, where it reassures customers, such as public liability cover.
Link to the scheme or body where it offers a checker. Only list what you currently hold; out-of-date badges damage trust when customers check.
Linking the about page to author bios
If you publish guides or blog posts, show who wrote each one, with a short bio and a link to a fuller profile or the about page. That connects your expertise to your content, which matters for readers and for search engines judging whether advice comes from someone who knows the subject.
A short author bio should include the person's role, relevant experience and qualifications, and a photo. Keep it consistent everywhere it appears.
About us page design: layout and structure
A layout that works for most small businesses:
- Opening statement: who you help, how and where, in two or three sentences.
- The short story: why the business exists.
- The team: photos, names, roles and a line or two each.
- Credentials and memberships.
- How you work: your process or values, written as promises customers can hold you to.
- Proof: reviews, a case example and numbers that are true and meaningful.
- A clear next step: contact, book or see your work.
Good about us page design keeps the page scannable, with headings and short paragraphs. Link from the about page to your main services and to your contact page, and make sure your website navigation makes it easy to find.
Examples that get it right
The best small business about pages we see share a few traits:
- They lead with the customer: who they help and what changes for them.
- They show the people, with real photos and personal detail.
- They prove claims with credentials, reviews and examples.
- They sound human, written the way the owner would talk to a customer.
- They end with an action, so a visitor who is now convinced knows what to do.
How long should it be?
Long enough to answer the trust questions, usually somewhere between 400 and 900 words for a small business, plus photos. Longer pages work when each section adds proof rather than padding.
If your brand uses motion, a subtle animated team section can add personality, as explored in animated website design. For the bigger picture, see our guide to small business website design in the UK. You can see examples on our work page, how we plan pages on our process page and our website design services.
Frequently asked questions
What should an about us page include?
An about us page should include a short statement of who you help and how, the story of why the business exists, the real team with photos, names and roles, credentials and memberships customers can verify, how you work, proof such as reviews and examples, and a clear next step such as contacting you or viewing your work.
How long should an about page be?
For most small businesses, around 400 to 900 words plus photos is enough to answer customers' trust questions. Longer pages work when each section adds real proof, such as detailed team profiles or case examples. Avoid padding the page with generic claims, which make it longer without making it more convincing.
Does an about page help SEO?
It helps indirectly. A clear about page shows who runs the business and why they are qualified, which supports the trust signals that Google's guidance and quality raters look for, and it gives AI assistants reliable facts about your business. Good about us page design also links to services and author bios, helping visitors and search engines understand your expertise.
Get your about page reviewed
If your about page is a paragraph of history and a stock photo, book a free website review and we will help you turn it into proof.