How RXBAR raised the bar for about pages

The 'About' page of any website isn't typically the star performer. It isn't the best at selling. It doesn't describe any one product particularly well. It's not often where you first land. But if it's done well, it's a master persuader. It persuades the user that this brand is OK, that its values are aligned with their values. They'll leave it knowing, one would hope, what the brand is about, and feeling that the brand knows what they're all about. And RXBAR's about page is about as good as about pages get.

RXBAR's about page is a storytelling page, and that's a great approach for any about page. The product itself isn't flash, it's all business, from the packaging to the bar itself, so this page picks up some of the slack in terms of adding context. Pick up an RXBar and its minimalist packaging just tells you what's inside and nothing else. It's left to this page to describe the why, the how, and fill in any other blanks. So it starts by dropping you into the history of the product with a loud but clear headline that helps you understand where and when the product came from.

And even then, the RXBAR story remains reflective of the product. It's simple, it's authentic, it's pretty no-frills. The RX team want you to know that this is a product made by two friends who care deeply about quality, about each other and about cutting away everything other than those aspects of their product that make for a better customer experience. The pared-back style of this page tells the formative story of RX in an economical, efficient way.

Using a carousel to path the user through the timeline of RXBAR is a very effective way to speed through the history. Users can scroll right past or pan to the right if they want the full story. It's historical depth without scroll depth, allowing users go deep if they so choose, without compromising the function of elements further down the page.

The main goal of this page is to establish trust with the product, the people behind the product, and their motivations for bringing it to market. That's what a good about page does, it doesn't necessarily sell the product, it sells you on the concept of the product. And RXBAR nails it.

That said, they don't miss a trick when it comes to converting. Once the story is told, RXBAR cram in further contextual reading, followed by produt sales modules down the bottom. Then there's a cheeky '20% off' button in the bottom left that brings up a lightboxed email capture modal, and a persistent banner flagging their free shipping threshold. Top marks.

THE TAKEAWAY: When you're crafting an about page, the primary focus is establishing the brand's bona fides. Don't try and land a hard sell, this is the place for your story, your team and your raison d'etre to be fleshed out and raised up. Remember kids, you have to blend your brand-building with short-term sales activation to boost those sales in the long term.

GO DEEPER: How RXBAR turned a product recall into a positive: