How to Create a Portfolio Website

Whether you work as a designer, writer or illustrator – a portfolio website is one of the most effective ways to showcase your work and what you can do. While physical portfolios are good too, it’s better to have a portfolio website especially when you’re going global.

A good portfolio website attracts potential clients. But to make sure it stays in your visitor’s memory, you need to make sure its looks are as good as the content. Things getting a logo for your brand will help you immensely. While creating a logo, or slogan, or finding the right theme might look like it warrants hiring a web developer or designer, that’s not the case. Nowadays you can use tools like this logo creator to do almost everything you need yourself, saving both on time and investment. Because of that, we’ll focus on the content of your portfolio site, instead of the looks primarily. So, how to create a portfolio website that attracts?

What to Put on the Portfolio Website

Only the essentials should be on your portfolio website. Remember that the goal is to attract potential clients and convert them into clients. Here’s what you can include on your portfolio website:

Get Testimonials from Clients

Good reviews can take you places. If you have worked with previous clients, contact them and proactively ask for a testimonial that you can post on your portfolio website. Doing this will help build your credibility. Clients will start trusting you and your work if you have some clients that can vouch for you.

For graphic artists or illustrators who have just started and have not worked with previous clients – it may help to reach out to those people you have helped with for free if there are any. Ask if they can put in a good word for you in the form of a testimonial.

Once you gathered all these reviews, post them on your website. It’s time to show off to the clients what you can do. The more testimonials you can get, the better!

Getting good reviews isn’t only applicable to graphic artists, designers or illustrators, this will basically work out whatever career you are planning to pursue or whatever business you are currently running.

Put All Projects on your Portfolio Website

Whether those projects are paid or unpaid, put them all on your website. This will make the impression that you are good at what you do if you have worked with several projects in the past. Include as many projects as you can.

If you have built an app, it may help to include all screenshots of everything you’ve done to complete the project. Do not just put a screenshot of the app itself, try to include screenshots of the planning stages, like perhaps what the app looked like before it went live.

Share Your Story

Everyone loves a good story. If you want clients to understand you and your brand, tell them who you are and why you are doing the things you’re doing now. And be sincere when telling your story.

If you are a graphic designer, try to tell your story using graphics or infographics. This will also showcase your skills. Illustrators can tell their stories with drawings. Be creative as much as possible.

Tips for Building a Portfolio Website

Portfolio websites should tell a client that you can get the job done, that you are reliable and trustworthy. These tips will help you create an attractive portfolio website that surely will get you, new clients.

Show Off

Since the goal is to attract more clients, let them know that you are the person they are looking for. Let them know that you can get the job done. Be confident with your skills. If you’re using WordPress, take advantage of the massive portfolio theme library that’ll help you put your content in the best light possible.

 

Make Yourself Available

Do make sure that you have contact information on your website. You may give out your phone number or email address. The contact information should be visible. Make it so easy and simple to contact you. WordPress users can add a plugin like Contact Form 7, that will let visitors get in touch straight through the website.

Be Clear With What You Can Do

As much as possible, be very detailed with the kind of service that you are offering to potential clients. It may help for you to outline all your services on your portfolio website so the clients have an idea about your business.

Publish Fresh Content

Having a blog can greatly help you especially with your search rankings. Make sure you post only relevant and informative content. Also, Google loves graphics and videos. If you have an about me with a video, that surely will help.

Keep it Quick

Choose a good platform or hosting for your portfolio website. WordPress is preferable for this as they work best. Remember that an average person waits less than three seconds for a webpage to load before they move on to another website.

Be Yourself

Do not copy someone else’s style or design. It’s important that your portfolio website also reflects your personality and your brand, most especially. Be original and creative.

Get Recommendations

Apart from the good reviews, direct recommendations from clients can greatly help you too.

Include Your LinkedIn Page

LinkedIn is the best website for professionals. Consider updating your LinkedIn profile too together with your portfolio and include the link to your portfolio website. This will also give the potential client an opportunity to contact you via LinkedIn. The more options to contact you, the better.

Show Some Personality

Clients will want to know who they will be possibly working with. So add a bit of personality to your website by having a good photo of yourself. Make sure that it’s taken professionally.

Getting Started with your Portfolio Website

Although there are several platforms that you can use for your website, you may want to consider WordPress. They have a huge collection of customized themes that you can use. Also, do not forget to have your own logo on your portfolio website. In this article, we covered the main aspects of what makes a memorable portfolio website. Hope this article sets you on the right track towards growing your clientele. Good luck.

 


How to Create a Portfolio Website by Simon Dwight Keller

Simon Dwight Keller is a digital marketing entrepreneur motivated
to drive tons of traffic to his customer websites.
After three years of hard work as a freelancer,
he decided to take up his services to the next level and
co-founded digital marketing company PRable.
Besides his desperate love for SEO, Simon is interested in ice hockey and travelling.


 

Maria Papaefstathiou

VISUAL DESIGNER since 1996 and blogger since 2010. Living in Athens, Greece. She has been focusing her research on poster design and particularly on social poster design and portrait design. Her main poster project is a series of posters celebrating great personalities of traditional and popular culture in Greece and Jamaica. These include actors, singers, musicians, poets etc. This is an ongoing project. “I believe that design is a powerful tool that we designers can use to spark enthusiasm, change mindsets and bring positive actions to our world and our culture”. FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF GRAPHICART-NEWS.COM BLOG. She carefully curates high-quality designs, illustrations, and art, from all over the world that will teach and provoke other designers. Many consider her blog to be an exceptional educational tool. CO-FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGGAE POSTER CONTEST which was launched on December 2011, partnering, the creative activist Michael Thompson aka Freestylee. (www.reggaepostercontest.com)