Your Substack ABOUT PAGE Sucks (And That's Why Nobody's Converting)

Wordcraft Shots reveals what actually works on Substack.

Join creators building businesses with research, not guesswork.

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❗ Fair Warning: This turns to Paid in 3 days…

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Look, I just spent weeks analyzing 267 sources about what makes About pages convert.

You know what I found?

The same recycled formulas everyone's copying from each other like it's middle school homework.

And yeah, those formulas work... for the people who created them.

The Pragmatic Engineer pulls 10% conversion with his approach.

Lenny's Newsletter crushes it with his style.

But here's the thing: You're not them.

And trying to wear their formula like a borrowed suit is exactly why your About page reads like every other wannabe's.

The Data Nobody Wants to Admit

After digging through all this research, here's what actually matters:

Most newsletters get bad…like really bad…conversion rates…we're talking 2-5% free to paid.

The winners?

They hit 5-10%. That's DOUBLE what everyone else gets.

You know what separates them?

They sound like themselves, not like they fed the same "About page template" into ChatGPT.

The Framework That Actually Works (When You Stop Being Generic)

Fine, I'll give you the framework.

But understand this…it's not about copying it word for word.

It's about understanding WHY it works and making it yours.

1. The Problem Component (10-15% of your page)

This isn't "people need better information about [topic]." No…No…No.

What SPECIFIC pain is your reader experiencing?

Use their actual words.

If you're writing about investing and your readers are saying "I'm tired of YouTubers shilling shitcoins," then say THAT.

Not "people want reliable crypto advice."

The winners nail this because they've actually listened to their audience instead of assuming what they need.

2. The Solution Component (15-20%)

Here's where everyone messes up.

They describe WHAT they do instead of HOW it solves the problem.

Bad: "I write three times a week about productivity."

Good: "Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I break down exactly how I get 8 hours of work done in 4 hours…with actual screenshots and time logs."

See the difference? One tells, one shows.

3. The Benefits Component (30-40%)

This is your money maker.

And no, "stay informed" is not a benefit.

What will your reader BE ABLE TO DO after reading your stuff for three months?

Get specific:

• "Finally understand what those crypto bros are talking about"

• "Stop losing money on emotional trades"

• "Build automated systems that actually work"

If you can't list 5-7 concrete outcomes, you don't know what you're offering.

4. The Credibility Component (20-25%)

Everyone thinks this means listing your degrees and job titles.

Wrong.

Credibility is RELEVANCE.

An MBA doesn't mean anything if you're teaching sourdough baking.

But 10 years of failing at sourdough until you figured it out? That's credibility.

The data shows three types that work:

• Professional background (only if directly relevant)

• Personal transformation (you solved this problem for yourself)

• Results you've created (for yourself or others)

Pick the one that's actually true for you. Not the one that sounds most impressive.

5. The Call-to-Action Component (5-10%)

"Subscribe for updates" is not a CTA.

It's what lazy people write when they haven't thought about what they're really offering.

Your CTA should complete this sentence: "Join X people who want to Y without Z."

Example: "Join 5,000+ investors who want to build wealth without watching the market all day."

Why Most About Pages Fail (What Nobody Talks About)

After analyzing all these "successful" pages, here's what's actually killing conversions:

You're trying to impress instead of connect. Nobody cares about your credentials if you can't solve their problem.

You're using committee language. "We provide actionable insights to help stakeholders maximize their potential." 🤯 Are you a human or a PowerPoint?

You're hiding behind professionalism. The highest converting pages have personality. Even the finance bros who do well let their guard down.

You're assuming people care about you. They don't. They care about their problems. Lead with that.

But Here's What Really Pisses Me Off...

Even if I gave you the perfect template right now, you'd mess it up.

Why?

Because you'd try to sound like someone else.

You'd read that Heather Cox Richardson keeps it to 150 words and think you should too.

You'd see that Lenny includes his work history and suddenly you're listing every job since college.

That's not how this works.

The Real Secret (That's Not Really a Secret)

The About pages that convert at 10%+ all do ONE thing differently: They sound like the actual person writing them.

Not their "professional" voice.

Not their "I'm trying to impress you" voice.

Their actual voice.

The one they use when they're explaining their newsletter to a friend at a bar.

That's it. That's the secret.

But how do you find that voice when you've been trained to write like a corporate robot?

Here's What Actually Works

I created something different. Instead of another generic template, I built a chain prompt system. Six sequential prompts that:

1. Force you to articulate the REAL problem you solve

2. Help you find YOUR unique angle (not someone else's)

3. Dig up credibility you didn't know you had

4. Inject your actual personality (not your LinkedIn voice)

5. Create CTAs that fit YOUR offer

6. Assemble it all into a page that converts

Check out my About page here - link

it was built using this exact system. It really does hold your hand and walks you through each step…by step…by step…

Notice how it sounds nothing like the examples in this article?

That's the point.

Your page should sound nothing like mine.

Or Lenny's.

Or anyone else's.

Stop Copying. Start Converting.

Look, the research is clear.

The formulas work... when they're authentic to the person using them.

The problem isn't the framework. It's that you're trying to squeeze yourself into someone else's voice.

That ends now.

✨Bonus: The About Page Chain Prompt System

Want to build an About page that actually converts?

One that sounds like YOU, not like you copy-pasted from someone else's success?

Here's the system I used.

Six prompts that walk you through everything:

An Executable Prompt Chain

Transform the framework from this article into YOUR high-converting About page through this sequential prompt system.

Each stage builds on the previous one, creating a complete About page tailored to your specific situation.

OVERVIEW: This system will help you create a compelling About page through 6 guided steps, with different paths based on your current credibility assets.