Almost every family-run business in India has a good story: a grandfather who started with one small shop, a mother who began cooking for neighbours, two brothers who took over the workshop. Yet on many websites, the About Us page is either empty or filled with lines like "we are a leading company committed to excellence". Customers skip it. Here is a simple way to write one that people actually read and trust.

Why the About page matters for small businesses

When someone finds you online, they cannot see your shop or meet you. The About page is where they decide whether you are a real, reliable business. For a family business, your history is a strength, because it shows you have been serving real customers.

A simple five-part structure

1. How it began. Write two or three sentences: who started it, in which town, and why. Keep it plain. "Started in 1998 in a small rented room" works only if it is true, so use exact facts you can stand behind.

2. What you do today. Say clearly what you sell or offer, and who it is for. A visitor should understand this in ten seconds.

3. The people. Add real names and photos of the family members who run the business and what each one looks after. Faces build trust faster than any paragraph.

4. What you care about. Instead of big words like "quality" or "trust", give one concrete example. For instance: "We check every order ourselves before it is packed." Only write promises you actually keep.

5. How to reach you. End with a simple next step: a phone number, WhatsApp link, or address and opening hours.

Tone tips

  • Write the way you would explain the business to a new customer sitting across the counter.
  • Use "we" and short sentences.
  • If your customers are comfortable in Hindi or another language, consider adding a version in that language as well.
  • Avoid copying text from competitors or templates. Search engines and readers both notice.

What to avoid

  • Invented numbers, such as client counts or years, that you cannot prove
  • Long lists of awards you do not have
  • Stock photos of people who are not part of your team
  • A story that never mentions what you actually sell

Collect material before you write

Ask older family members to tell the story out loud and record it on a phone. Note down dates, places and small details. Gather old photos of the first shop, early products or a first bill if you have it. Then pick the best three moments and write only those.

Keep it updated

Review your About page once a year. Add a new milestone, a new team member or a new branch. A page that looks alive tells visitors that the business is alive too.

Where this fits on your website

Your About page works together with your home page, contact page and product or service pages. If you want more practical writing and planning ideas for small business websites, the MGTech Labs blog has articles you can browse (disclosure: I work with MGTech Labs).

Write the first draft in one sitting, ask a family member to read it, and fix anything that does not sound like you.