How often have you gone to a forum or a website and were left clueless about the website’s theme and history?

More often than not, this is a usual occurrence, especially if the forum deals with various subjects. This is why having an About Us section in your forum or even blog, helps you communicate with the visitor and helps establish a personal bond.

Take for example the About Us section of BCMTouring, at the beginning of the page I have written a small introduction of what BCMTouring is about and why and when it was established. Beside this, there are photographs and the real names of the current moderation team. Which I feel lends a personal touch to the forum and helps a newcomer get familiar with the moderation team and the theme of the forum.

How much information you wish to divulge on the About Us section depends on the theme of your forum and whether or not you and your staff are comfortable with having your photographs and personal information posted on the internet. However divulging even a little personal information would make a visitor feel they know the people running the show and this feeling is important while building a community spirit.

Do remember that this is totally different than having an introduction thread/section, since such section should be easily accessible and visible to a newcomer who has just arrived at your forum.

Remember, building an online community isn’t any different from building an offline community and it should be treated in the same manner.