The freelancer's guide to portfolio websites (and some amazing examples) |
Portfolios can be the storefront for your business of freelance. Learn how you can showcase your offers and attract clients that you'd like to attract.
Working as a freelancer can be hardcore.
It's not just about producing work left, right and centre, but you also have to be a marketing, sales, and admin team rolled together.
An online portfolio that reflects the work you've achieved is essential. It represents you when you're sleeping and wins you your new clients.
In this guide, we'll show you how to quickly create a professional portfolio that will showcase what you are able to do. If you've completed it, you'll appreciate that you took the time to work on it.
What should your freelance portfolio look to look like?
What is your first thought when you picture a good portfolio?
To me, the term conjures images of a portfolio-style gallery similar to AshaAung Helmstetter 's website.
But, as you can imagine, there's more than ways to construct a portfolio. You don't have to have a degree in art or a graphic designer in order to get one.
We'll look at some alternatives that aren't limited to this format.
1. Show your work off through case studies
Case studies provide examples of your work, with lots of background to back it up. They illustrate your process and also the effects your work have made.
Another way to look at an portfolio of yours is to view it as a set of case studies that you can use for your projects or clients. 62.6 Percent of those find case studies useful in the process of generating leads.
Case studies let you display and inform while you tell. Mix visual examples of your work and contextualize them to aid your potential customer understand what you can do.
It's especially useful if you are offering a service like marketing or coaching, since those require more background rather than just a gallery wall.
Designer Simon Pan uses case studies to demonstrate his process of design to potential clients.
Each case study explains:
The project's origin
The challenge he had to resolve
His method of conduct
The vision
Requirements
Design work
The effect
These case studies show the way he designs. This helps prospective clients to determine whether they're a good fit, and it's a must-have to have a portfolio of design.
If you're thinking of case studies as a show and tell, let us show you an alternative portfolio type that's (almost) all showing.
2. Demonstrate your skills through demonstration
Another option is to view your website as an initiative which demonstrates your expertise.
As an example, Laura Belgray's homepage, Talking Shrimp It is an eye-catching display of her writing skills.
Her expertise is evident throughout her site including the landing page copy to the buttons -- which is before we even get to examples of her client work.
Copywriter Joe Coleman took an entirely different route. A sliding scale on his website invites users to choose what degree of selling they'd rather.
The scale extends far from the more gentle aspect of selling...
...to the internet-honored cat animation method:
This is a unique way for him to display his writing talents.
If you are a fan of the fun style, SEO expert Gary LeMasson goes even further by making his portfolio look like Google results from a search. For his niche, it's a cheeky and highly relevant web design.
Here are a few suggestions on how to duplicate these instances:
If you're a software developer, code your portfolio from the ground up .
If you're an artist, draw your site's layout, and include the buttons.
If you're animating, you'll find many examples of your work you can post on your site.
If you're a social media marketing manager, share examples of posts you've created.
If you're teaching an online course similar to Professor Carlo Colombara , share tasters of the course's content.
It's clear that there are many ways to construct a portfolio but what if you offer more than one type of work?
What if you offer more than one kind of service?
As with many creatives, you probably possess a variety of skill sets and offers. What if your customers would like to explore every one of them in order to discover what they require?
Your portfolio should be clear at a glance. Less scrolling to do more, the better.
Shea Jordan organized her offer into four simple boxes. The boxes are clean and organized for a visitor.
Her site visitors can simply decide which to pack and without worry. It's not necessary to figure out where they need to go or look up their destination -- everything is right there in front of them.
Similar to this, design Jonathan Patterson chose bold blocks of vibrant colors that separated distinct areas within his online portfolio. The effect is clear and is clearwinning.
Now, you've noticed the different ways a portfolio may look. But it's more than just a container. It needs some key ingredients to be included. That brings us to our next issue.
3. What should your portfolio include?
Your portfolio isn't the place to dump every single thing that you've put together. It should instead demonstrate your skills in action to the type of job you would liketo accomplish.
These are the most critical concerns you should think about: What type of work would I like to do in the future? And in what industry?
Do your previous work and portfolios align in with the answers you provide? If not, finding time to create new work specifically for your portfolio will be worth it. It is possible to create drafts rather than fully realized.
Alternately, you can bring your pertinent other projects into the spotlight. Full stack development Kim Kiamco gives her side projects pride of place within her portfolio.
Here are a few more examples of items which are usually included in the portfolios of freelancers:
A "about your" section in which you provide the background of your. Don't forget to include a headshot; people like to put a face to a name. Take a look at this video for tips to create the most effective "about my" page.
Contact information,or at a minimum, a clearly defined message that leads to a contact page. For example, booking an appointment or making an purchase.
Testimonialsfrom past clients.
You're not sure if you're surprised by the testimonials that appear in that list? Don't be. If there's one ingredient that's within the portfolio recipe that we would not recommend changing, it's testimonials. Here's why.
The reason why you should incorporate testimonials within your portfolio
Testimonials can be a fantastic way to convince prospective clients. They can help create a full picture of you and can be much more positive than any article you'd ever write yourself.
The staggering 72% of consumers say testimonials help them to feel more confident about a company. Additionally, 89% of marketers think that testimonials are the most effective way to influence the purchase.
What's more, testimonials aren't just for portfolios. It is also possible to use them to promote your product or course. As with salt, they can enhance every meal.
Photographer Meg Marie features a large section of her testimonials on the sales page of her course. Each includes a big image, a block quote with additional information.
You might be thinking "Great But how can I obtain testimonials in the beginning?"
You get testimonials through askingfor them. Ideally, you can do this via email.
However, this procedure will be different if you've had three students instead of. thousands of students in your course. If the former is the case then you could just send the person a message. If you're in the latter case, you can't email them individually to request testimonials, without losing your thoughts.
What you need is a system as painless for them as it is for you.
Hello,
My name is [Your NameI'm [Your Name], the creator behind [Link][Course Name][/Link(link)[Course Name] [link]. I'm hoping you'll take a minute to give me your feedback on your experience with my course. Did you love it? Did you hate it? I'd like to know.
[Link [Link Give me your thoughts here. [/Link]
Only (X) minute of your attention can aid me in developing even better courses in the future.
Thank you in advance!
- [Your name] Copy to clipboard
Alternatively, you're probably having a plethora of reviews without even realizing that it.
They aren't always lengthy formal documents. They may also take the shape of Tweets, LinkedIn recommendations, and many more. If they're pertinent to your job, you can use them, as long as you have permission from the source.
The benefits of using social posts as testimonials are:
The content is already public, therefore the process of requesting permission to use their images on your site is (usually) painless.
The work is written by actual people and are able to be verified, which adds trust and credibility to your work.
As an example, suppose you're researching a workshop on poetry led by Malika Booker as well as you're unsure whether to attend. I'm sure this tweet from Stephen Lightbown would help sway you.
Ship30for30 incorporates tweet reviews with hyperlinks on their website for more credibility.
The testimonials section is a great one because each tweet has the details of the user's statistics.
It is important to note that although testimonials do are important when it comes to a portfolio for freelancers it's the quality, not the volume, that's the most important thing.
Similarity attracts similar. If you have a surplus of options, feature clients with the same type of clients you want.
Mark Leruste's how-to guide on How to Launch an Effective Podcast From Scratch features testimonials from podcast hosts.
Name the podcast will give it even more credibility. The podcast wouldn't do equally if he included testimonials of customers who have been completely ignored by podcasters. Take, for instance chefs.
OK. Between demonstrations and testimonials your content, you've got it already planned -- but that is left to decide where to build it? With the many options on offer you need to decide the ideal solution for your company.
How can you create your professional resume?
In terms of building your portfolio site online there are a lot of options. In this article I'll go over the most popular options and then throw in a few bonus choices at the conclusion.
No matter if you're a coach for life, coder, graphic designer or photographer, one of these will be perfect for you.
Adobe Portfolio
Adobe Portfolio is the ideal tool for designing elegant galleries of your works. It's easy to use, however on the flipside the customization options available are restricted.
Features:
Beautiful themes
Responsive design
Custom domain
Syncs with Behance account. Behance Syncs with your Behanceaccount
Lightroom integration
What is it used for?
Freelancers in need of a basic site style
Creatives working in a visual medium (artists, graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, etc.)
Here's an Portfolio example using Adobe Portfolio.
Pricing is included with a Creative Cloud account (starting at $9.99 per month with the photography package).
Additionally, you are able to easily turn your clients into premium products by offering online courses, downloads and digital classes, and memberships in one place.
Features
Unlimited custom web pages
Capture emails on any page
Live previews
SEO helpful
It is compatible with more than 20 apps that include Mailchimp and PayPal
The full website is available on the no-cost plan
What is it used to be used for?
Creators who want an all-in-one solution to run their business are particularly looking to sell info products
Developers with no programming experience (or the desire) who want to create attractive portfolios
This is a great option for freelancers and creators of all kinds who wish to share their skills with all of humanity. Like, for instance, The Happy Artist Studio 's page works as a portfolio as well as it also functions as a sales page.
The page is clean and clutter-free, so visitors can find what they want quickly. Her work is highlighted throughout the page, lending it color and energy. Her "about me" as well as her testimonials section highlight her importance to the readers.
The Tara Chapman's Two Hives Honey is another page that doubles as a portfolio and the page for sales.
In a clean and bright style, the page of Tara shares extracts of her work in order to attract students.
The power of testimonials to convince clients, too.
It is possible to create as many pages as you require to present your various offerings as well as examples of work you've done previously. It doesn't matter if it's one or 20 pages, the cost stays the same.
Create your free account today or sign up for our weekly live demo in order to see these features in action.
Portfoliobox
With Portfoliobox , you can create gorgeous online galleries, which are connected to your online store. The layout is not customizable to the extent that it can be which is why this option is recommended when you have only just a handful of pieces that you want to display.
Features
Multiple galleries
E-commerce integration
Blog posts
Custom domain
Who is it intended meant for?
Creatives looking for a complete gallery and shop (photography and graphic design music, architecture, etc.)
Creators who want to create their first affordable portfolio
Here's an illustration of a Portfolio of lifestyle photos made within PortfolioBox.
Prices : Starts from $4.90 per month for a Lite plan and goes up to $14.90 per month for Pro Plus.
WordPress
Features
A huge selection of themes for you to select from
A plethora of plugins designed to help the sales process
Optimized search engine
A myriad of customization options
Content Management
What is it used for?
Creators with some programming expertise (or it is possible to hire someone to assist you set it up)
Developers who have the funds and time to maintain plugins and WordPress updates
There are many WordPress themes to choose for your portfolio such as this aptly titled The Perfect Portfolio theme.
Price:Free, but you'll be required to plan to pay for your hosting service, domain name as well as a theme and web designer, in the event that it is required.
Optional bonuses for your portfolio and how to choose an appropriate platform
A variety of other choices for creating your portfolio are available including Carbonmade , Crevado , Format , Ucraft , Webnode , Wix , and more.
We recommend that you begin an experiment using a range of tools for building your portfolio prior to committing cash to a platform.
Certain platforms, like Adobe Portfolio and Portfoliobox, are specifically designed for portfolios , and only portfolios.
Some, like WordPress provide more freedom.
If you're looking to sell your work, the former two choices might be the best for the situation. If you're seeking to go beyond freelance work, the second two choices offer greater possibilities and less restrictions.
Whatever you decide to do, the only method to determine if the product is the right choice for your needs is to try it. We wish you the best of luck and are hoping this article has helped.
Your portfolio should be as unique as you are
There's not a single method to build the most effective portfolio, just like there's no one way to create a successful business.
To create a portfolio site that is beneficial to the user, it is necessary to:
Make sure you are selective with the work that you display; it must match the project you're planning to undertake.
Develop a portfolio tailored to your work instead of trying to squeeze it into a poorly-designed template.
Use testimonials to convince potential clients. Make sure the testimonials represent the kind of client you are hopingto attract.
It's not easy to create a portfolio, I understand, but the effort is well worth the effort. If you can get the world to see your best work faster and more effectively you'll be able to return to the job you're passionate about.