GET MORE PERSONAL ON YOUR WEBSITE
If we see one more colorless website full of stock photos that says something like:
“We synergize cross-platform innovations to actualize scalable solutions that optimize holistic ecosystems for next-gen alignment…”
…we might actually die.
We understand the struggle. This is your business website. It’s there to show that you’re an expert in your field, sell your products, or promote your services. It’s there to make you money.
However. We see so many websites that look boring and sound like they were written by a jargon-generator, all in the name of professionalism. Of course, you don’t want to be unprofessional, but you also want to avoid being so professional that you lose people.
People visit your website for all kinds of reasons, and a huge part of that is to learn about your products and services. But they also want to get to know you. They want to know about the person/team behind the brand. Can they trust you? Do they relate to you? Are you someone they should business with?
How can you strike that balance and show some of you and your team’s personal side on your website? Here are some suggestions:
Drop the royal “we”
If you’re a solopreneur running the whole show, you don’t need to hide behind a “we.” You don’t have a secret army of elves coding in the background. It’s just you. And that’s not a weakness, it’s a strength. People want to work with you, not some imaginary committee. Own the “I.”
[Unless, of course, your office dog really is pulling their weight. Then by all means, give them co-founder status.]
Get creative with staff bios
Staff bios get real boring real quick. We’ve all seen people in suits or a nice blouse paired with a stodgy professional summary. A sentence at the end saying that in their free time they like long walks on the beach and a good IPA isn’t enough to make it interesting. Instead, pepper personal statements throughout, or include some quick reference personal bullet points.
Case study: Rebecca helped lead a rebrand for a company based out of the PNW. As part of the new branding and website design, the company opted to get all new staff photos professionally taken and bios written. That’s when things got fun:
Photos: They had each staff member take a professional photo and a fun photo that displayed their personality, pets, hobbies, families, etc. They ended up with people dressed to go snowboarding, corgis in wetsuits, gardeners showing off their head-sized onions, and the cutest squishy baby photos you ever did see. Then on the website, they set the photos to change once a user’s mouse hovered. People got a glimpse of both the business and the fun side of each employee.
Bios: Staff members were sent questionnaires to help create some quick reference fun facts in addition to their full bios. Questions ranged from “what’s your favorite animal, word, quote, or outdoor activity” to “what’s your most useless skill?” In that city, local means everything, so they included questions like “what’s your favorite thing about [city], “what’s your favorite season in the PNW,” and “do you believe in Sasquatch?” [It’s a thing.]
This approach was even more successful than they anticipated. They had multiple clients comment positively on the new photos and the fun facts. One person specifically called in to work with one employee because that person listed that they were “Sasquatch-curious.” It added some much-needed whimsy and personality to a business that could be quite uninteresting, and helped set them apart from the competition.
Start a blog
When in doubt, put it in a blog! If you’re not quite ready to get personal on the main pages of your website, take some baby steps with blog posts. Here are just a few ways to use your blog to show the human side of your business:
Share a day-in-the-life
Discuss challenges and triumphs
List things you can't live without
Reflect on life lessons
Reveal a "lightbulb moment"
Write a letter to a younger version of yourself.
If you’re more comfortable with “how-to’s” or “tips and tricks” style posts, look to incorporate some kind of personal anecdote.
A blog also keeps your website looking fresh and Google happy. When people come to your website and nothing’s happening, they could start to wonder if you’re still around and if you’re still taking clients. Recent blog posts make you look active and busy, and boosts your SEO.
Un-AI your copy
We aren’t going to tell you to avoid AI entirely. It’s here to stay, and it can be a good tool to jumpstart the creative process or help you articulate your thoughts. If you choose to use AI tools for the copy on your website, please proofread it and make it your own! Edit and refine the content to ensure it aligns with your voice. Proofreading isn’t just about correcting grammar; it’s about ensuring the tone, language, and message are aligned with your brand’s identity. Take the time to give your copy a personal touch.
People trust people, not logos. A personal website makes you memorable and relatable. And when someone feels like they already know you, they’re more likely to book a call or support your cause.
So, ask yourself: does your website feel like you? Or does it feel like a generic placeholder with stock photos and stiff copy?
Give it some personality. Update it regularly. And yes, go ahead and add that picture of your office dog [or chinchilla.] Your site will thank you, and so will your visitors.
