An Effective About Us Video Isn't Just About You
To Be Effective, Your About Us Video Should Be About Your Customers and Their Needs.
Has your company fallen into the About Us video trap?
I see it all the time—websites with About Us pages and About Us videos that nobody outside the company would ever want to read, or watch.
My advice: just because it’s called “About Us” doesn’t mean it actually is.
It Isn't Just About You
I admit, your About Us page is the logical place to put company information, and explain what you do and what you stand for.
But that isn’t an invitation to bore the reader. It’s like an annoying sales guy who pulls out a wallet (or smartphone) full of family photos.
You still have to adhere to the number one rule of web content—will anybody care?
That’s why About Us content should always be written or produced with the audience in mind. Tell your story in a way that connects and engages.
In other words, don’t just talk about your company, talk about how your company helps people.
I’ve written before about the “I Test.” That’s where you go through your video script or web copy and count the number of times it says “I” or “We,” versus “You.” It’s always better to say “You.”
The same holds true for an About Us video.
About Us Video Examples
I recently finished an About Us Video project for Growth by NCRC, which is part of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. It’s a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. that provides affordable housing for low-to-moderate income families.
I shot two interviews for this project, the NCRC founder and the Managing Director. And while both gentlemen talk about NCRC, the subtext is all about helping working class families.
Notice there are two About Us videos here, for two different audiences. The first one, above, is produced with NCRC investors and partners in mind. The second one was produced for potential customers, hoping to inspire low-to-moderate income renters into become first-time homeowners.
Both videos incorporate footage of actual NCRC homes, as well as stock video clips of families enjoying the benefits of homeownership. So as you can see, it isn’t just “About Us”—it’s about the hundreds of families NCRC has helped.
Thank you to everyone at NCRC for the opportunity to create these videos, and to my friends at Propellant Media for referring me for this project.
About the Author:
Harry Hayes is the owner and executive producer at Content Puppy Productions, a corporate video production agency based in Charlotte. Before starting Content Puppy, he spent 20+ years as an advertising writer and creative director.
