What about you?

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This is my guide to writing a good about me page. Why you need one, how it works for you and what you should thing about putting there.

This is as a result of running the Top 100 Sex Blogs list for the past 4 years and everything I have learned about blogging, SEO, good practice. Your about me page is a chance for you to tell your readers, particularly new readers, who your are and give them a guided tour of what you do on your blog. It helps with search engine results and also with providing your readers with a good experience.

First Visits

A reader finds you site through a variety of different routes but I suspect for the most part it is through a combination of social media and search engines with some links in from other websites and blogs thrown into the mix. The chances are the majority of people, particularly first time visitors, land on your site directly onto a post. They read your article/story or look at your image. They like what they find, the story turns them on, the article informs them, you make them laugh, think, answer their questions etc. They are intrigued; they want to know whose words they are reading were written by, they look around for the answers and the click on your about me page and they get this…

Now most readers are lazy and at this point you have probably lost them. They leave, most likely never to return again unless your link draws them in again. Some will try harder, they might read some other posts or look at a few more pictures but they still can’t get a handle on you so they leave too. You have lost a valuable opportunity to potentially turn them into a regular reader or at least keep them a tiny bit long on your site this go round.

Scenarios 2

They get something like this..

It’s like a being offered a teeny tiny cookie when you are hungry for a big slice of cake, nice but ultimately disappointing. They still feel disconnected from you, they are less likely to return or to continue to click around because when you had a chance to introduce yourself to them you basically fluffed it.

Don’t ever under-estimate the need for a good about me page. It shows an element of professionalism about you with regards to your work, even if you are only blogging as a hobby surely you still want people to be able to work out who and what you are about. This is the space to do it in, make it good and make it easy to find. Don’t hide it in another page, don’t rely on a little paragraph in your side bar. Make sure it is easy to find and click on both on a computer and on a mobile device.

Yes you will have dedicated faithful readers some of whom will have been with you from the beginning of your blog but to be honest, although they are your core readers they are most likely in the minority when it comes to the people who visit your site.

You have to assume that every visitor is new to your site. They know nothing about you but if they like what they have read the chances are they will want to know more. Your about me page needs to take them by the hand and guide them into your blog.

Not every visitor to your site is just a reader either, what if they are a sex toy company, media outlet or publishers who has stumbled across and wants to know a bit more about you before deciding if they want to reach out to you? If what they find is either nothing or something lacking in information they might just decide to move onto the next blogger.

Then there are benefits when it comes to SEO. Keeping people on your site for as long as possible lowers your bounce rate. Something search engines take note of, lover bounce rates will get your moving up search results. A good engaging about me page is one potential way of keeping people there long. Also internal linking, so linking to your own content is something search engines like to see and an about me is a perfect place for you to do some of that.

About, about me’s

So that is why you should have one but what should it look like

The short answer is, make it your own. Stick to your writing style and voice but remember this is your opportunity to engage people and draw them into your world. You don’t have to tell them everything but think about what you might want to know about someone whose writing you are drawn to.

What is your gender identity, your relationship status(s) (if you regularly write about partners you might want to consider making a ‘cast of characters’ page which outlines who these people are and linking to it here but at the very list include something about them on your about me) where in the world are you? Think of this as a general overview of you. You don’t have to tell them anything that identifies you beyond what you are comfortable with, but help them to establish a good picture of you. You are after all a writer, so use that skill to tell them a story.

Make it an engaging and fin read. Avoid writing in the third person or making a list of accomplishments. It is not a sales pitch so much as a chance to make friends.

Many of you have been writing your blogs for years, content is being lost behind more content but in there I know for sure there are some posts that if someone asked you to list 5 or 10 pieces on your site that best sums up your blog, you would be able to answer that. So what are they? Think about listing those here to help new readers have a place to start in your story. Remember linking to relevant content on your own site is something Google likes to see so added bonus there as well as encouraging readers to stay and click around.

You can also link to categories pages, so for example you could talk about how you love to do Sinful Sunday and then link to that category on your blog. Or maybe you might want to link to your top 5 reviews from the last year or 5 favourite fictions piece you wrote. This is a chance to get people reading other content.

What about other credits to your name. Do you write a column for another site?  Have you written for any main stream outlets or been featured in the media? Do you supply images for someone? Are you a published author? Have you won any awards? This is your moment to show that stuff off. However you also should have a work with me page where you would expand on some of this content and provide information on service that you provide.

Here are some examples of bloggers who I think have nailed it when it comes to writing a great about page.

Temperatures Rising – Mrs Fever has definitely nailed it here in my opinion. You absolutely get a feel for her writing style, and this is well laid out and so easy to read. She offers you plenty of reading recommendation to encourage you into her blog and ends with an invitation to get in touch which makes the whole thing feel quite intimate.

Domme Chronicles – Another one who has nailed it. You definitely get a real sense of who she is and what she is blogging about. There is plenty of highlighted reading for you to explore. It feels professional and well thought out.

On Queer Street– I have a feeling that maybe Quinn might have read this post and used it to help him craft his about me page because well it really does include all the elements I have suggested. It is well thought out and laid out. You definitely get a good handle on who Quinn is and he provides you will lots of opportunities for further reading.

MxNillin – This one rocks in my opinion; A really great overview of who Nillin is and what their blog is about. They have a cast of characters and their voice, their writing style, just shines through.

Floss Does Life – I like how Floss has done this like a Q and A. It is simple but effective and links to lots of places to get your exploring round her blog.

This is only a small selection. Many bloggers have totally got this sorted, but not all. Feel free to go and look for yourself but when you do imagine you are a totally new reader to their site. You know nothing much about them. In fact do this to yourself. Read your own about me as if you were a new reader and ask yourself, am I using or losing the opportunity to engage.

Keep it up

Finally, keep it up. Make a habit of reviewing and updating your about me at the very least once a year. As you develop and progress this page should reflect that. The bio you wrote when you started might still be relevant but it also definitely needs updating too

When I was setting up a scoring scheme for the Top 100 sex blogs there is a reason I gave About me Pages a whole section to themselves. There were a potential 10 marks up for grabs in the category and all those people who got into the top 10 scored really highly on this area. I am not saying you should have a good about me page for this reason but I am saying that category existed because about me pages matter. They are your chance to introduce yourself to people, don’t waste it!