The effect of an about us page on SEO
Senior SEO-specialist
The “About Us” page uniquely contributes to a brand’s digital image. This page is more than just a company story. The way an “About Us” page is structured and optimized has a major impact on SEO optimization. In this article, I will elaborate on how an “About Us” page has an optimal effect for both user experience and SEO.
The importance of an ‘About Us’ page for SEO
The “About Us” page is often people’s first introduction to a company. Here they find out who is behind a company and what drives it.
Not only is this first impression for visitors important; this page also plays a significant role in how search engines rate a Web site. A well-optimized “About Us” page can contribute to SEO efforts. Moreover, this page can enhance a brand’s overall online visibility.
An “About Us” page for Google
Google browses a website, evaluates the content and decides where the page should appear in search results. Google also views an “About Us” page in a certain way. Google values transparency, relevance and value. Make sure an “About Us” page contains these three elements. This can send a positive signal to the search engine regarding a website’s credibility and quality.
With the rise of AI (Chat GPT), it has only become more important to be transparent in who writes certain articles and who is behind an organization. This is where the “About Us” page is ideally suited.
Read more about how I use specific pages for SEO
Each page has its own purpose within SEO. Through the links below, read more about how I deploy specific pages within an SEO journey.
- Leveraging product pages for SEO
- Optimizing blog pages for SEO
- Category pages optimized for SEO
- How to leverage my homepage for SEO
E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) on an ‘About Us’ page
Google today finds not only keywords or backlinks of interest, but the concept of E-E-A-T is also gaining importance in the search engine’s algorithm. Below I elaborate on the meaning of E-E-A-T and why it is so important for an “About Us” page.
What is E-E-A-T?
E-E-A-T stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. Google wants to be sure that the information it presents to users comes from reliable and knowledgeable sources. An “About Us” page is a perfect place to showcase expertise in a field. Also indicate that the brand is recognized in the industry and that customers and partners trust the company.
An “About Us” page is the place to tell a brand story. Highlight how long a company has been in the industry, what qualifications the team has and what milestones if have been achieved. Not only is this good for a brand’s image; it also shows Google that the team is knowledgeable and the company is valued.
On this page, also set accreditations that apply within the market for organizations. These can include awards, diplomas and other things to make an organization’s expertise “official” to Google. Google will even go so far as to crawl LinkedIn pages, for example, to verify certain things.
How to build reliability and trust?
Gaining trust is very important, but it also takes time. This requires consistency, transparency and authenticity. On the “About Us” page, provide insight into company values, share references and name certifications or accreditations. Open and honest communication not only builds trust with visitors, but also makes a page rank higher in Google.
YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) for the ‘About Us’ page
Google focuses on reliable and quality content. This is especially true for topics that directly affect a person’s money or life. In this case, the concept of YMYL comes into play.
Meaning and importance of YMYL
YMYL stands for “Your Money or Your Life.” Google uses this term to describe pages or topics that have a direct impact on a person’s health, happiness, safety or financial stability. This can include health advice, legal information and financial planning. These issues have a significant impact on a person’s life. Therefore, Google wants to ensure that the information it promotes comes from reliable and credible sources.
The influence of a strong ‘About Us’ page on YMYL ratings
The “About Us” page is an opportunity to showcase a company’s credibility and expertise. Detailed information about the organization, team, history and values provides Google with context about who is behind the company, what it stands for and why it is trustworthy. For example, a company in the health sector may highlight the team’s qualifications. Involvement in research or collaborations with accredited institutions can also significantly boost YMYL scores. The “About Us” page is a kind of proof of expertise and reliability in a particular field.
Checklist for an “About Us” page
Below I have prepared a simple checklist of SEO points for an “About Us” page. I also added an indication of priority for each item:
| Section | Priority |
|---|---|
| Unique, quality content | High |
| Use of relevant keywords | High |
| Responsive design for mobile and desktop | High |
| Fast loading page | High |
| Internal links to other relevant pages | Medium |
| External links to authoritative sources | Medium |
| Optimized meta title and description | High |
| Use of header tags (H1, H2, etc.) | High |
| Images with alt texts | Medium |
| Clear call-to-action | Medium |
| SSL certificate for secure connection (https) | High |
| Optimized URL structure | Medium |
| Social evidence (e.g., testimonials) | Low |
| Optimized anchor texts for links | Medium |
| Short and understandable URL | High |
This checklist can vary depending on the specific needs and circumstances of a website and business. Evaluate an “About Us” page regularly and make any adjustments based on feedback, performance data and evolving SEO best practices.
An “About Us” page is often the centerpiece of a Web site, where visitors go to learn more about who is behind a company and what it stands for. This page can greatly help improve SEO. It is not only a great tool for strengthening the connection with the audience, but also an essential part of the SEO roadmap.
Quality, unique content
The content of the page is most important. Moreover, an “About Us” page should not only inform but also inspire. Tell a company’s unique brand story, mission, vision and values in clear, engaging language. Be one step ahead of the competition with this. Also make sure the content is original; do not use information found elsewhere on the website. Google likes unique content that adds value to the reader.
Relevant keywords
Keywords are very important, but must be integrated naturally. Think about what terms the target audience would use to learn more about the company and the industry and naturally add these keywords to the “About Us” page. Find a balance between writing for the audience and writing for search engines.
Optimal user experience and design
An “About Us” page should not just contain text, but be a visual and interactive experience that appeals to visitors. What is important is a clean design. Also, use attractive images or videos. Loading time should also be fine on both desktop and mobile devices. A positive user experience not only lowers the bounce rate but also increases the time visitors spend on a website. This has a positive effect on SEO.
Internal and external link strategies
By internally linking a Web site to other relevant pages on a Web site, visitors are directed to more in-depth information. At the same time, the structure of a website is improved.
External links to authoritative sources enhance credibility and show that a company is open to collaboration and recognition within a particular industry. Note: Be careful and make sure each link adds value for readers and fits organically into the content.
Note the following in an “About Us” page:
- Refer from other websites to the “About Us” page. This will provide it with more authority. This is particularly important in YMYL markets.
- The “About Us” page is often a page with a lot of authority within a Web site. Refer through this page to the more important landing pages for SEO. Do this in a natural way, though.
- Put the “About Us” page in the main menu. This way, the page ranks high in a website’s hierarchy.
Summary
An effective “About Us” page is not just about sharing a company’s corporate history or values. The idea is to combine a powerful story with strategic SEO practices. Focus mainly on things like quality content, keyword integration, user experience and link strategies. SEO experts achieve the best SEO results this way. An optimal “About Us” page is not only good for a brand image, but also for search engine rankings.
