The Problem with “About” Pages

I guess the title’s misleading because there’s really nothing wrong with “About” pages. The problem is with organizations who insist on using “About” pages as a landing page or church’s who insist on using “About” pages for their individual ministries’ landing pages. I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but I have to get this off my chest.

The Difference between a Page and a Blog Post

Page (Static)

A page is static. The content doesn’t change and if it IS frequently changing, then you should be using a blog for that content. When you edit the content on a page (and I don’t mean alter one sentence or fix some typos; I mean straight up CTRL+A Delete the content) you lose the previous content. Gone forever. Period.

Writing an article on a Web page and deleting it to post a new one is tantamount to a writer burning every copy of his last book to make way for his new book. Ridiculous*, right? So why do organizations insist on doing this with old content (actually a lot don’t, just the archaic ones, which are frequently churches/state conventions…sigh).

*It’s actually not ridiculous if the information relates to an outdated product price, but that kind of information should be handled by a database anyway, not by manually deleting the old content from your site.

Blog (Dynamic)

When you add new content to a blog you don’t have to delete the old content to make room for the new stuff. The old content is automatically archived for users to look through later on or not. It’s really up to them. And that’s my point, it really should be up to them, not you. You don’t know if your users will need to reference that information later on so leave it. Besides, there’s no cost for additional posts on a blog.

Why you shouldn’t make a Landing Page an About Page

It’s a Waste of Space. No Really, it is.

After I’ve visited your site once, I already know what your Church, ministry, or organization is about. I don’t need you to remind me EVERY time I visit. Landing pages should be dynamic, constantly changing. New, relevant, exciting, and interactive content keeps people coming back. If the same “Our goal is…, Our Mission is…., We strive to…” is there, then what’s my incentive to return?

And if you’re audience is such that they HAVE to keep coming back (for example, to register for mandatory events/trainings), take advantage of that! It’s a great opportunity to tell them about new events, products, campaigns. I mean, if they’re going to be visiting your site anyway, why not take this time to share what you’re doing?

It’s Not Going to Convince Me.

If the first thing I see when I pull up your children’s ministry page is 5 paragraphs on how great you think your ministry is, I’m moving on… I’m sure you think your ministry is great, it’s your job. I want to see what your ministry is doing. Show me. Don’t tell me.

Include the latest updates/news/events from your ministry (or all your ministries if we’re talking about a church home page).  Use articles, pictures, video, testimonials, social networks. Use blogs or databases or other solutions to automatically archive your old content for new users to look through.

If that looks good, then maybe I’ll click that “About” page link (you know, the one you’re going to include on that new and improved home page) so I can read about your mission and vision.

It’s Not Interactive.

Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are gaining in popularity. What do they have in common? They are relational and interactive. Use your landing page as a portal. Point me to content I can discuss with other readers and the author, show me where to go to add my own photos and videos to your site, and best of all invite me to be a part of an online community centered around your ministry/organization.

Now we’re talking about a landing page I’ll be back to visit between major events. Who knows, maybe I’ll even recommend your organization to all my friends.

The Importance of Strategy

Don’t get me wrong. “About” pages are still important (it’s annoying when a site refuses to tell you who they are or what they do). Consider putting a link to your about page on your exciting and dynamic landing/home page, so people who want to know what you think about your ministry can find it. Otherwise, let your ministry/organization speak for itself.

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