When you’re just getting started as a web designer, the best thing you can do is create a portfolio website that showcases your skills and talents. Finding your first few paid gigs can be a struggle. If you don’t personally know anyone who needs help with a website, putting your name out there is daunting.
Below, we’ll go over how to create the best portfolio website to attract customers.
Portfolio Page Basics
Why Make a Portfolio Page?
As a freelance or aspiring web designer, your clients can range from small businesses and local organizations to aspiring artists.
For many clients, your website will be their first. A professional-looking portfolio page will help them understand your expertise.
Plus, not every customer will know exactly what they want. A well-managed portfolio page that shows off the quality of your site design will help guide your customers.
Likewise, a great portfolio page is just as important if you’re applying for a full-time position. Everyone applying for a given position will have a list of relevant skills on their resume. When you demonstrate your knowledge of the frameworks and libraries related to a given job, you look prepared and knowledgeable on a level far above other applicants who can only talk about those tools.
Create a Portfolio Website: Step-By-Step
1. Choose Your Domain Name
Think of a domain name that reflects your brand or your name if you’re a freelancer. It should be simple and memorable.
Hot Tip: Avoid using subdirectories and subdomains for the page you want to direct your potential clients. For instance, wordpress.mysampleportfoliopage.com/portfolio is unwieldy. If you put that on a resume or a business card, chances are a potential client or employer will never bother typing it in. Less is more here.
Then, you can check if your chosen name is available with your domain registrar or hosting provider. InMoton Hosting offers a free domain name with many hosting plans.
Additionally, you can register your domain with InMotion Hosting once you’ve chosen an available one.
2. Choosing a Website Builder for Your Online Portfolio
There are many options available. To narrow it down, choose a builder that offers flexibility, ease of use, and features that you believe will best highlight your works.
To make the process seamless, consider the following key features when choosing a website builder:
- Ease of use. A user-friendly interface will require no technical knowledge.
- Design Flexibility. A variety of templates and customization options will help reflect your style.
- Mobile Responsiveness. Your portfolio should look great on all devices.
- Integration and Compatibility. This includes support tools like social media, analytics, and contact forms.
- SEO Features. Built-in tools to help your portfolio rank higher in search results.
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3. Layout Your Main Page for Your Best Work
When planning out your portfolio page, think strategically.
Decide what you want visitors to see first with a great primary portfolio page to show off your strongest talents. Keep this updated and focused on work relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re focused on WordPress development, showcase your ability to customize themes and plugins. Also, be sure that the page still loads fast!
Don’t list every project you’ve ever created on your main page! Highlight a few of your best works so prospective clients know what you’re all about. Most people who look at your portfolio don’t want to spend hours reviewing every project you’ve ever made. Show your best upfront.
Do remember to keep your contact information visible. If someone finds your portfolio and wants to hire you for design work, you’ll be glad that your contact information was easy to find!
You’ll want to outline your sections and design your layout. Common sections include
- Header with navigation directing to your best projects
- About section that highlights your experiences
- A footer with your contact information and social media
Sketch a rough layout or use a template to help you visualize how you want to arrange all your elements.
4. Identify Your Audience
Consider who will view your portfolio — clients, employers, or peers. Other developers will be impressed by your made-from-scratch CSS animations, but many small business owners will want something professional-looking that is easy to update. Make sure your portfolio speaks directly to your audience’s interests and expectations.
Hot Tip: Feel free to set up two separate portfolio sites if you are trying to reach two different target audiences.
5. Blog: Yes or No?
A blog is a great way to promote yourself— but only if you can keep up with it consistently.
Is content development part of your skill set? If so, a well-maintained blog will be a great selling point in your favor. Otherwise, you might have trouble always finding good stuff to talk about. Just keep blog content relevant to your portfolio.
If blogging makes sense for you, then be sure to:
- Create a content plan
- Set a schedule
- Optimize for SEO
6. Getting Testimonials (No Testimonials? No Problem!)
It always helps to have a positive word or two on your page. Testimonials from previous clients can go a long way in selling your service.
But, if you are too new to have previous customers, try taking a few low-cost or no-cost jobs to get some experience and positive feedback.
One popular way to do this is to volunteer to help charities and local organizations with their web presence. The organization or charity will get some much-needed help, while you benefit from positive customer feedback that you can post to your site.
7. Use Subdomains to Show Off Different Frameworks
Add some variety to your portfolio page by creating some subdomains.
Subdomains are a convenient way to show off smaller, self-contained sites without setting up another domain. Remember, you can add multiple subdomains to each domain in your hosting plan without counting against your maximum number of sites. This gives you an awesome opportunity to build more, smaller sites to showcase specific, desirable developer skills.
If you’re a WordPress developer, try setting up a range of sites to show off the diverse designs, layouts, and capabilities you can provide.
Are you working with other frameworks? Software like Drupal, Joomla, and Moodle have dedicated customers and are easy to add via Softaculous. If you’re working towards getting a full-time job as a developer, you have different considerations than someone working to attract freelance clients.
So, show off your versatility by trying out different frameworks. Or, if you want to work as a back-end developer, building the same page in Rails, Laravel, and Django would be a great way to show off.
Update, Trim, and Stay Focused
Plan to upgrade and update your portfolio site regularly. The ‘next big thing’ is always around the corner. Show prospective clients that you are up to date on the latest trends!
With tools like Inmotion Hosting’s optimized WordPress Hosting and Website builder, you have everything you need to start today. Choose a domain, design your site, and begin sharing your work with the world!
