In the digital era, it has become progressively significant for organizations and individuals like designers, photographers, artists, and other skilled people to have an internet-based approach. Whether you are an individual or a business, online portfolio/portfolio websites have become the go-to place for potential clients to hire services.
Statistics show it only takes 15 seconds to make a good impression on the clients. If the potential client won’t get impressed with your portfolio design in the first instance, chances are you won’t get hired. So, it is important to put yourself in the client’s shoes to understand what they expect out of you in the first place. Your next priority should be to display your best work clearly in the portfolio section. A portfolio on a website needs to inspire, and prove to the visitors that you have got what they are looking for.
The portfolio websites are perfect places for individuals and businesses to showcase their work and effectively brand their services. An online portfolio is an upcoming or rather new norm for displaying your work and your potential to the clients. Portfolio websites massively help in showcasing creativity, building trust, and increasing the visibility of your service. Online portfolios are seen as a quick and modern way of booking clients.
The client should want to collaborate and hire you after going through your portfolio. However, condensing all your works into one single portfolio can get overwhelming. That is why it is most important to comprehensively understand all the components that make up a successful portfolio website.
The basic elements that are included to make an outstanding website portfolio are as follows;
The homepage being the most important page of the website should grab visitors’ attention and keep them engaged with the design. This page should stir the curiosity of potential clients and employers with powerful visuals about your services.
The content of the homepage must be short and sweet, clearly expressing who you are and what you do. This page acts as a starting point and base for visitors’ navigation. Thus, it is crucial to include a menu of items that’s easy to direct users to the right place on your site.
The above design provides good insight into one of the layouts of the homepage. With proper messaging and relevant links to other pages, it guides the users very well throughout the website.
The About us section for the portfolio website is where you provide your background and a short bio. There is no need to be overly formal in this section as this is your personal space to represent what you are and what you stand for.
Apart from your skills and expertise, include distinctive elements like awards and accolades that speak volumes about you. In a nutshell, your about page lets your potential clients get an understanding of who you are, and if they would like to work with you. Make sure the text is simple, concise, and easy to read.
Showcasing your past work is the best way to demonstrate your potential when it comes to booking clients. On the portfolio page, it is important to orderly arrange and categorize each project neatly. If possible, going in-depth about each project and elaborating the whole process, purpose, objective, approach, duration, and final product overview would persuade the user better. Also depending on the nature of the service, it would serve better to add social media links to the portfolio page
This is a crucial page as it provides a perfect opportunity to market the service and build the customers’ confidence. So each element of the portfolio page has to be properly planned.
Clients and testimonials can either be shown on the homepage or on a separate web page. Showcasing a list of clientele who have chosen to work with you highlights your expertise and aids to build trust. Include the projects that were widely recognized and featured elsewhere. Drop-in testimonials of the customers and clients who are satisfied with your work to add credibility to your online portfolio. Make sure the feedback feels genuine and not over-the-top.
Providing a way to contact you is as important as keeping your online portfolio design on point. If your site doesn’t make it clear how visitors can get in touch with you, they won’t try very hard to find out. So, add the basic elements such as contact form, email, phone numbers, and links to your social networks on this page. In the case of models and photographers, it is also equally as important to link social media links.
The contact page can either be showcased on a dedicated page or can be pinned on the side of the screen. Also, keeping your contact details in the website footer offers visitors a final invitation to get in touch with you.
Creating a portfolio website is an opportunity to show off your skills, convey your expertise, and most importantly display your work professionally. With the right tools, one can build a powerful web design portfolio that helps you stand out from the rest.
The step-by-step procedure that you need to follow to create the best portfolio website is as follows:
The first thing you need to do to create your dream portfolio website is to gather inspiration. Looking at the best websites in your specific creative niche or industry will help you generate initial ideas. When doing research, start thinking of what you are trying to convey through your portfolio, and what you want your web page to look like. Take notes of the essential details like color palette, typography, and site structure that you would want in your website portfolio.
After getting an idea of how you want your portfolio website to look, you need to decide if you have the right expertise to have your website built from scratch. If not, you can choose a website builder like Workik where you can create your portfolio website in just a few minutes with pre-existing templates and easy drag and drop features. The advantage of choosing a website builder is the accessibility to easily and instantly customize the templates.
After you have chosen a template, the next important step is to showcase your projects in the best way possible. This page must be easily reachable through the homepage or website menu. The previous projects page exposes clients to your creativity and skill and is considered the core of the best portfolio websites. Make sure to build a portfolio that is easy to update and lets you add new projects without much effort.
SEO helps you optimize your website to rank it higher on Google search results. A site’s SEO is very important as it helps the clients to find you and book your services easily. It is important to create fresh and valuable content in the form of blogs and use the right keywords throughout your website, to improve your website accessibility.
In this day and age, it is important to own a website to make your service accessible to a wider audience. Workik provides you with all the tools you need to create a website that converts visitors. If you still have any doubts about designing the best portfolio websites, get in touch with Workik to get a free consultation call today
