Nobody Reads Your About Page But Everyone Judges It
Your about page gets skimmed in three seconds. Nobody reads the third paragraph. But everyone notices the stock photo, the missing team names, and the copyright date from 2019.
The 3-Second Scan
Visitors do not read about pages. They scan them. Eye-tracking research consistently shows an F-shaped reading pattern where the top-left quadrant gets the most attention and everything below the fold is barely glanced at. Here is what visitors actually register in those three seconds.
This matters because your website is always communicating on your behalf, even when you are not watching. The about page is where that silent conversation is loudest.
Photo / Headshot Area
Photo / Headshot Area
Stock photo vs real person. Group photo vs empty space. A real team photo with names builds instant trust. A stock handshake photo broadcasts that nobody real stands behind this business.
Owner / Team Names
Owner / Team Names
Visitors scan for a real name. Not a brand name, not a logo - a human name. When they find one, the page feels real. When they do not, it feels like a template.
Year / Copyright Date
Year / Copyright Date
The footer copyright date is one of the first things scanned. A date from 2019 or 2020 tells the visitor this business may no longer be active or no longer cares about its web presence.
Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Generic phrases like "we are passionate about delivering excellence" register as filler. Visitors skip them entirely. A specific statement about who you serve and what problem you solve gets noticed.
Page Length / Layout
Page Length / Layout
A wall of text with no photos, no headings, and no visual breaks triggers an instant back-button click. Visitors decide whether the page is worth reading before they read a single word.
The Paradox
The about page is one of the least-read pages on any website but one of the most-visited. Visitors land on it to confirm a feeling, not to gather information. They already have a vague impression from the homepage. The about page either confirms "this looks legitimate" or triggers "something feels off." That confirmation takes three seconds.
The Trust Autopsy
Every element on an about page either builds trust, destroys it, or does nothing. Below is a forensic breakdown of the eight most common elements, each with a trust verdict and a before/after fix. The same logic applies to Google business listings - visitors judge them the same way they judge about pages.
Element-by-Element Trust Verdict
| Element | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Stock Photo of Handshake | Destroys Trust |
| Real Team Photo with Names | Builds Trust |
| Founded Year + Location | Builds Trust |
| "We Are Passionate About Excellence" | Destroys Trust |
| Customer Count or Years Active | Builds Trust |
| Copyright 2019 in Footer | Destroys Trust |
| Certifications / Licenses | Builds Trust |
| No Contact Info on About Page | Destroys Trust |
Stock Photo of Handshake
Destroys TrustSignals that no real humans are willing to be associated with this business publicly. Visitors have seen this exact photo on 10,000 other websites.
Generic handshake stock photo
Real photo of your team at work, even if taken on a phone
Real Team Photo with Names
Builds TrustPutting your face and name on the page is skin in the game. It says you stand behind the work and are not hiding. This is the single highest-impact trust element on any about page.
No team photos at all
Individual headshots with first name, role, and one sentence about what they do
Founded Year + Location
Builds TrustSpecificity builds credibility. "Founded in 2017 in Tampa, FL" is verifiable. "Established to serve our community" is not. Visitors value information they could fact-check, even if they never do.
"We have years of experience"
"Founded in 2017 in Tampa, FL. Serving Hillsborough County since day one."
"We Are Passionate About Excellence"
Destroys TrustThis phrase appears on roughly half of all small business about pages. It communicates nothing. When everyone says the same thing, nobody is saying anything.
"We are passionate about delivering world-class solutions"
"We fix commercial HVAC systems for restaurants that cannot afford to close for repairs"
Customer Count or Years Active
Builds TrustNumbers anchor trust. "Served 340 businesses since 2018" is specific enough to feel real and large enough to feel safe. It answers the unspoken question: has anyone else trusted these people?
"We have served many satisfied clients"
"340 businesses served since 2018. 97% repeat rate." (hypothetical example)
Copyright 2019 in Footer
Destroys TrustAn outdated copyright date is the digital equivalent of a dusty storefront. It suggests abandonment. Even if the business is thriving, the website looks like nobody is home.
"Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved"
"Copyright 2026 [Business Name]" - updated automatically each year
Certifications / Licenses
Builds TrustDisplaying license numbers, certifications, or insurance badges on the about page tells visitors this business operates legitimately. It reduces the perceived risk of hiring a stranger.
No mention of licensing
"Licensed & Insured - FL License #CBC1234567" displayed near the team section
No Contact Info on About Page
Destroys TrustIf someone reads your about page and decides to reach out, but has to navigate elsewhere to find your phone number, you lose them. The about page is a decision point, not a dead end.
About page ends with no contact path
Phone number, email, and a simple contact form embedded directly below the team section
The Fix - Restructuring for Trust
An about page that builds trust follows a specific structure. It does not need to be long. It does not need to be clever. It needs to answer three questions in three seconds: who is behind this, how long have they been doing it, and can I verify any of this?
Lead with Real People
Put a real photo of the owner or team above the fold. Include actual names and roles. This is the single highest-impact change you can make. Businesses that exist only on Facebook often skip this entirely, and it costs them credibility every day.
Stock photo of a diverse team in a meeting room that clearly has nothing to do with your 3-person plumbing company
Phone photo of your actual team standing in front of your van. Caption: "Mike, Dave, and Sarah - 22 years of combined experience"
Add Verifiable Trust Anchors
Include specific, verifiable information: founding year, city and state, license numbers, insurance status, number of customers served. Visitors rarely verify these details, but the fact that they could makes the information trustworthy. The same principle applies when analyzing what a Google listing reveals about business health.
Trust Anchors Checklist
- Founding year and location
- Number of customers or projects completed
- License or certification numbers
- Insurance status
- Years of combined team experience
- Service area (specific cities or counties)
Replace Generic Copy with Specifics
Kill every sentence that could appear on any competitor's website. "We are committed to customer satisfaction" says nothing. "We answer every call within 4 hours and show up when we say we will" says everything. Businesses that have five-star reviews still need help with this exact problem - great service, poor communication of it.
- "We are passionate about excellence"
- "Your satisfaction is our priority"
- "We deliver world-class solutions"
- "We have repaired 1,200+ AC units in Pinellas County since 2015"
- "Same-day response on every emergency call"
- "Licensed, insured, and background-checked technicians"
End with a Clear Next Step
The about page is a decision point. If a visitor finishes reading and has no contact information in view, you lost them. Place a phone number, email, or simple contact form directly on the about page. Do not make them hunt for it.
What to Include at the Bottom of Your About Page
- Phone number (clickable on mobile)
- Email address
- Physical address or service area
- Simple contact form (name, phone, message)
- Business hours
The Formula
Real People + Verifiable Details + Specific Language + Clear Contact Path = an about page that builds trust in three seconds instead of destroying it. You do not need a redesign. You need to replace what is fake with what is real.
Frequently Asked Questions
QDoes anyone actually read the about page?
Not word for word. Eye-tracking studies consistently show that visitors skim about pages in an F-shaped pattern, spending roughly 3 seconds before forming a judgment. They scan for faces, names, numbers, and specificity. The about page is judged, not read.
QWhat is the single most important element on an about page?
A real photo of the team or owner with their actual name. It outperforms every other element for trust-building. Visitors need to know a real human being stands behind the business. Everything else - mission statements, timelines, certifications - is secondary to this.
QIs a stock photo better than no photo at all?
No. A stock photo is often worse than no photo because it actively signals inauthenticity. Visitors recognize stock photography instantly. A blank space is neutral. A stock handshake photo is a trust negative. Use a real photo, even if it is imperfect.
QHow long should an about page be?
Short enough to scan in under 10 seconds but detailed enough to answer three questions: who are you, how long have you been doing this, and why should I trust you. For most local businesses, 200-400 words with a team photo and a few trust signals is enough.
QShould I include personal details on the about page?
Selectively. A brief personal detail - "born and raised in Jacksonville" or "started this business after 15 years in the trade" - humanizes the page without oversharing. Avoid unrelated personal stories. The goal is trust, not autobiography.
Key Takeaways
Scanned, Not Read
About pages are judged in three seconds. Visitors scan for faces, names, and numbers. Long paragraphs get skipped. Structure the page for scanning, not reading.
Real Faces Beat Stock Photos
A real photo of the owner or team is the single highest-impact trust element. Stock photos actively destroy credibility. Use your phone if you have to.
Specificity Signals Legitimacy
"Founded in 2017 in Tampa" beats "years of experience." Numbers, dates, and locations are verifiable. Generic claims are not. Be specific or be ignored.
Kill the Corporate Filler
"We are passionate about delivering excellence" is on half of all small business about pages. It communicates nothing. Replace every generic sentence with a specific fact.
Update the Copyright Year
An outdated footer date tells visitors nobody is home. It takes 30 seconds to fix and removes one of the most common trust-destroyers on small business websites.
End with Contact Info
The about page is where visitors decide to reach out. If your phone number is not visible on that page, you are losing people at the exact moment they are ready to act.
The Bottom Line
Nobody reads your about page. But everyone who visits it leaves with a verdict: "this looks real" or "something feels off." That verdict shapes whether they call, whether they book, and whether they trust you with their money. The fix is not a redesign. It is replacing what is fake with what is real. A phone photo of your team and a specific founding year outperform a professionally designed page full of stock images and corporate filler.