32 Comments to “If You Want Me to Care, Tell Me Who You Are”

1. October 15th, 2006 at 12:27 am
   candice said

   I don’t have a proper about page. I have a little bit of a lead-in on the root of the domain, and that’s the way I’ve done it for many years now. I think it works?

   Mostly it’s because I think I sound horribly cheesy and self-obsessed by describing myself in an About Me page. (I’ve had webpages for about ten years now. Been there, done that, don’t want to feel the same way about my stuff.)

2. October 15th, 2006 at 4:43 am
   ME Strauss said

   Hi Candice,
   Yeah, I’m one for the rules. I don’t the page matters as long as you let people know who’s talking to them. You do that in a cool way.

   now that you mention it, I can’t imagine a traditional About page on your blog being anything except cheesy. Your blog is so ultra minimalist. You’re right it would ruin it.

   IMy point was to let new bloggers know that blogging isn’t about being anonymous. If you follow Doc Searls idea that writing a blog is like an email to the world, without something where you say who you are, you’re sending an anonymous letter. They’re creepy.

3. October 15th, 2006 at 8:25 am
   TechZ said

   I’ve started to update my About page every few months now, information changes and I want readers to know some of it upfront.

   I love reading About pages, it gives you the small glimpse about the actual person.

4. October 15th, 2006 at 8:28 am
   ME Strauss said

   Hi TechZ,
   I started updating my About page more often too. It’s amazing how quickly the information changes.

   I’m like you. I find it fascinating to learn more about the people who write the blogs I read.

5. October 15th, 2006 at 8:38 am
   TechZOnline.net » Blogging Goodness, October 15, Take 2 said

   [...] successful-blog.com, Liz tells us why it’s so important to have an About page. Go on people, make yours! WP even comes with a default one to help you get started. [...]

6. October 15th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
   Caryn said

   Well said! I am also annoyed when bloggers don’t include links to other blogs/sites. Not only is it sharing the love, but where people link tells me a lot about the blogger.

   I LOVE Christine Kane’s CD! Are you enjoying it? I was about to leave a link to her blog, but then I saw that she’s already an S.O.B., so you obviously know about it.

7. October 15th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
   ME Strauss said

   Thanks Caryn,
   I very much like Christine and her music. She comes around sometimes on open comment nights. She’s wonderful. I wrote a post about “Right Outta Here” on my writing blog.

8. October 15th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
   Char said

   Okay Liz - you inspired me! I have had a short About on my EssentialKeystrokes.com blog, but there was nothing on my personal blog CasualKeystrokes.com. Now there is. So if you want to know who am I, you can find out.

9. October 15th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
   ME Strauss said

   Hey Char, Cool!
   You got it. I’ll be over to read it. Just because you said it’s there.

10. October 15th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
    Essential Keystrokes » Giving Your Site That Human Touch said

    [...] I was reading some of my favorite blogs this evening and one post in particular caught my attention - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog was talking about the importance of your “About” page.  It got me thinking and inspired me to create my About page at Casual Keystrokes.  Yes, I had one here, but had overlooked that one. [...]

11. October 16th, 2006 at 3:36 am
    vaspers the grate or said

    I agree and this is one of my chief differentiators. If a blog or site has no About Me, Profile, About Us, Who We Are, Bio or similar identifying page, I don’t blogroll it or use it in client recommendations.

12. October 16th, 2006 at 5:54 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Vaspers!
    I’m with you on your refusal to recommend it. It’s very rare that I would even go back to such a blog myself to read it.
    Liz

13. October 16th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
      Make an About Page by Blogging Pro said

    [...] Liz Strauss from Successful Blog makes a great case for having an about page on your blog. It is something that we all push to the side, as we concentrate on blogging, rather than filling out all the “other” things for our blog, but if you want to do well, an About Page, can definetly help. [...]

14. October 16th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
    Thilak said

    Yeah… I spoke few words about “About” Page, but nobody took the pain to read it.

    Since your a Pro.. I’m sure this message would be conveyed to all beginner and intermediate blogger around the web

15. October 16th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thilak,
    You’re voice gets louder every day that you blog. Don’t you worry.

16. October 16th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
    Thilak said

    Yeah.. I’ve been dreaming of being a professional blogger like you

17. October 16th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    You’ll get there too. I’m betting on it.

18. October 16th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
    Marti said

    I just built one, thanks for spurring me on!

19. October 16th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Good for you, Marti! I already knew you, so I didn’t notice that you didn’t have one.

20. October 16th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
    Marti said

    I’d always had a one paragraph description under my avatar, but I thought a “real” page would be nice.

21. October 16th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I think you made an excellent choice. I can’t wait to get over there to read it!

22. October 16th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
    Nyssa said

    This is absolutely the one thing that cheeses me when visiting a blog. No about page, or rather, an about page with nothing. I definitely love to know about the person behind the blog. I suppose it gives me that “this really is a person” feeling.

    Some excellent points raised here and I hope some people will consider it (seems they have already!).

23. October 16th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Nyssa!
    I’m a relationship blogger through and through and I find it’s just hard to have a relationship when there’s no other person at the other side of the screen. It’s a little like reading prose written by air or a computer voice message — without a soul.

    It’s lonely and uncomfortable. Like you’re in a stranger’s house and the person is not home.

24. October 17th, 2006 at 12:28 am
    seanrox said

    Hi Liz. I fully agree and that’s why I’ve had an about page since day one.

    My about page is very detailed, complete with a bio and additional “about me” links.

    I update it on an as-needed basis.

25. October 17th, 2006 at 5:41 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Sean,
    Your About page is not only informative, but beautifully designed as well. Of course, there is one detail missing. . . . heh heh Can you guess what I’m going to say it is?

26. October 20th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
    TechZOnline.net » Make readers feel comfortable in your Blog space said

    [...] About page: Liz summed it up quite well at SOB.com. I really enjoy reading the About page of bloggers and I’m sure it’s the same for others. It gives you a small idea of the human behind the font. I’m not saying give the readers your life story, no; give them a short read about you. I’ve decided that About page will be updated more frequently from now on. [...]

27. November 25th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
    Vyoma said

    Hi Strauss, I am not sure how much of personal touch one should give to a blog.

    At ProBloggrer, Darren says that one should talk about what ‘the Blog’ is about. The personal touch may be given at ‘About Author’ page instead of ‘About blog’ page.

    Do not look at my About page. It is very useless, and I need to work on it. Some more people would be joining as authors. I plan to make my ‘About’ page about the blog and another page about the authors.

28. November 25th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Vyoma!
    Welcome. Call me LIz!
    I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying or exactly why you’ bring Darren into the conversation. Darren and I have known each for quite some time and I feel safe in saying we agree on the concept that it’s important to establish identify, creditibility and humanity. Readers want to know who’s talking to them in order to value what their reading.

    If you point is that the About Page doesn’t need to be the place where the writer does that. I can go along with putting the information where you find it fits your blog and your personality. I’m hardly rule-bound and don’t think bloggers should be. As long as it’s easy for readers to know who’s talking I think any plan that makes sense is worth pursuing.

    About Page for all of your Authors sounds like a fabulous solution for your blog.

29. March 21st, 2007 at 4:11 pm
    Seven Simple Ways To Show Your Readers That You’re Available » Reader Appreciaton Project said

    [...] Adding to those points, Liz Stauss of Successful Blog says that a good about page shows your identity, credibility, and humanity. [...]

30. May 1st, 2007 at 8:12 am
    Sue said

    I kind of started an internal panic about what my shortcomings might be for my blog and see that it is ok to be a work in progress. Afterall I am not even oine month old. Then on the otherhand I KNOW I want to progress as fast as possible so I put the ABOUT PAGE on my to-do list. The one I wrote was to get me up and running. And I have been on a learning curve - hey I blather on - why don’t I put my story on my page??

31. May 1st, 2007 at 8:48 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sue!
    Welcome,
    Don’t worry it sounds like you have plenty of time to get things turnded on and running.

32. July 2nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
    Communicate Who You Are to Elevate Your Content and Make Connections » Circular Communication said

    [...] will conclude with a plea from Liz Strauss: “If You Want Me to Care, Tell Me Who You Are“. Do you agree that you have to know who someone is to care about the writing? For me I would [...]