How to write an About page for a local business

Updated September 26, 2026

What should you put on your About page when your business is small and your story feels ordinary? Start with the people, the work, and the details a local customer would want before calling. You do not need an impressive origin story to explain who will show up and how you handle a job.

Answer the customer's first questions

Open with your name or team, the kind of business you run, and the area you serve. A customer should understand those basics before reaching your childhood interests or company history.

For a local service business, gather these facts first:

• Who owns or runs the business?
• What work do you mainly take on?
• Which towns or neighborhoods do you serve?
• Who answers an inquiry and who does the work?

Be specific about the work. If you repair garage doors, distinguish broken spring replacement and opener repairs from new door installation. If you clean homes, explain whether your focus is recurring housekeeping, move-out cleaning, or both. The About page can give a brief overview, with the job details on your service pages.

If you struggle to describe your work, say it aloud as if someone at the hardware store asked what you do. Our guide to writing website text when you are not a writer offers a practical starting point.

Keep your history tied to the work

Your story belongs here, but choose the parts that explain how you serve customers now. Relevant details might include an apprenticeship, experience maintaining rental homes, or the reason you decided to focus on small repairs instead of larger construction jobs.

If you started a painting business after working on occupied homes, for example, explain how that shaped your approach to protecting furniture and keeping rooms usable. That connection gives your background a purpose. A long list of unrelated jobs does not.

Keep the business's age separate from your personal experience. A new company can have an experienced owner. State the actual opening year and describe your previous work separately, so readers can tell the difference.

There is no need to turn a modest beginning into a dramatic story. Starting a business because you wanted to work locally and take responsibility for each job is enough, if that is what happened.

Describe what your values look like on a job

Words such as honest, dependable, and quality mean little until you explain what a customer can expect. Replace a broad claim with something you actually do.

For example, if you repair appliances, you might explain that you discuss the diagnosis and repair price before beginning the repair. If you maintain lawns, describe how you handle a locked gate or a weather delay. A house cleaner might explain how customers share instructions about pets and rooms that need extra attention.

These details should reflect your normal process, not a promise you hope to introduce later. Do not say the owner handles every job if different crew members may attend. Explain how the team works instead.

Choose a few details that address your customers' real concerns. Keep the full booking process, service exclusions, and job preparation advice on the relevant service page. Your About page should introduce your working habits without becoming an instruction manual.

Use proof you can stand behind

Give readers useful facts instead of declaring yourself the best company in town. That could mean a relevant qualification, a specific type of equipment you work on, or a clear explanation of who supervises jobs.

Only list credentials that apply to your business and are current. Use their proper names. If you mention insurance or licensing, make sure the wording accurately describes your situation; check with your state or the relevant issuer if you are unsure.

Avoid adding together everyone's years of experience to create a large headline number. Explain the owner's background or team members' roles individually when those details help a customer choose.

If you include customer feedback, use a real review accurately and with appropriate permission where needed. Never write a sample testimonial as though a customer said it. For more ways to support your claims, see what makes a local business website trustworthy.

Choose photos that introduce the actual business

A useful About page photo lets someone recognize you, your crew, or your workplace. You do not need a staged handshake or a stock photo of people wearing spotless work clothes.

Consider a clear owner portrait near the work van, a current team photo outside the shop, or a picture of you doing a familiar task. Match the photo to the page: a close-up of a replacement faucet shows work, but does not introduce the plumber behind it.

Ask people before posting their pictures. Check backgrounds for customer addresses, paperwork, children, and anything private. Avoid showing a customer's home or belongings without their permission.

Add a short caption explaining who is pictured and what they do. Update the image when the team changes. The guide to taking business website photos with your phone covers simple ways to get usable pictures.

Draft the page in a useful order

Use this order for your first draft:

1. Introduce the business, the work, and the service area.
2. Explain the relevant part of your background.
3. Describe how you look after a job and communicate with customers.
4. Add a real photo and any useful, verifiable credentials.
5. Tell readers how to take the next step.

Read the draft aloud and remove sentences you would never say to a customer. Replace vague phrases with facts, and cut repeated claims about caring or quality. Ask someone unfamiliar with the business whether they can explain what you do after reading it.

Finish with a practical invitation. If you quote fence repairs from an initial conversation, ask the reader to call with their location and a description of the damage. If you need an on-site visit first, say that. Give the customer a clear next step that matches how you actually work.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a local business About page be?

Keep it long enough to cover the people, work, location, and working approach without repeating yourself. A few short sections may be plenty for an owner-operated business. Add more only when the details help customers decide whether you are a good fit.

Should I write in the first person or third person?

Use whichever sounds natural and stays consistent. First person can work well when you personally answer calls and do the work. If you use we, make sure the page still explains who is involved rather than implying a larger team.

What if my business is brand new?

Say that it is new and explain your relevant experience honestly. Describe the services you offer and how you handle inquiries and jobs. You do not need invented history, reviews, or a long list of achievements to publish a useful page.

Do I need to share personal or family details?

No, you can introduce yourself without publishing your family's names, home address, or private history. Include a personal detail only if you are comfortable sharing it and it helps explain your connection to the work or community. Your role, relevant background, and a current photo can be enough.

The short version

Write your About page to help a local customer understand who they are hiring. Explain what you do, where you work, and how you handle a job, then support those details with honest background and real photos. End with a clear way to contact you.

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