Why Your Blog's "About Me" Page Should be Like a First Date!

Believe it or not, whether you're trying to "connect" with a cutie, or cultivate a bigger fan base for your blog, your goal is the same: to make the best impression possible in the shortest amount of time, to encourage future interest.

Think about it.
It's all about establishing a quality connection and coming across as someone who is cool and interesting to "hang out" with. Someone an acquaintance might like to visit with more, to see where things go.

Still, far too few bloggers keep this simple objective in mind when constructing this very important blog feature.

Why am I convinced of this...?

• They devote more time in their "About Me" Page talking about all their accomplishments, rather than how readers can benefit from what they have to offer, based upon that experience. Ask not what your blog readers can do for you, but what you can do for your readers! You can Tweet that. :-)
• They don't have a good sharing balance. In other words, they either reveal too much, or too little about themselves in the initial stages.
• They forget that "appearance" is important. Which means that content should be void of typos, and spelling and grammatical errors. It also means that your A.M.P. should reflect an attractive photo of you. 
• They forget the importance of humor in putting others at ease.
• They try too hard. Their blog doesn't have a clear target audience, and it actually seems they're trying to please everybody.

Accordingly, here are a few important things to consider in drafting or revising your

"About Me" Page:

1. Don't bait and switch. Deliver on what you promise. It's one of the cardinal rules to dating and blogging: what it takes to get 'em, it takes to keep 'em. So, if your blog states that you update weekly, you should, darling. Unless of course, you're on vacation, ill, or decide to change your site's direction. When this happens, simply post the specifics for readers to stay in the loop.
2. Never lie or exaggerate to look good. As in all relationships, trust is important.
3. Establish what makes you different. Just like in dating, there's always gonna be competition for the other person's time. What do you bring to the table? Perhaps you have an unusual background, or speak multiple languages, or maybe you're related to a celebrity.
4. Speak in a conversational tone. Talk to your readers, not at them.
5. Close the deal. Your "About Me" Page should have a clear "call to action." This might include signing up for your newsletter, or ordering your products, or hiring you. Remember, audience members are not mind readers. 
6. Mind your manners. Don't get too "comfortable" by using profanity, or ranting excessively, or bashing other bloggers.  Keep in mind that what you say about others says a lot about you.
7. Keep it simple. There's great truth to the expression, "Sometimes less is more."
8. Remember that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make it count.

If you'd like to engage your readers and build your base of admirers, follow these practices and principles for the ultimate hook-up.

Comments? Agree or disagree?