Build a Professional Portfolio Website
Creating a dedicated portfolio website is one of the most effective ways to showcase your work and connect with potential clients, collaborators, and employers. Whether you're a visual artist, photographer, writer, or performer, your portfolio site can act as a central hub that reflects your skills, personality, and professional achievements. In this guide, we’ll walk through the key steps to help you curate, design, and maintain your portfolio website, ensuring it presents your work in the best possible light.
What is a Portfolio Website?
A portfolio website is an online space that displays a selection of your best projects. Unlike a PDF portfolio, it offers a more dynamic and accessible way for others to view your work, contact you, or learn more about your practice. Whether you're applying for jobs, showcasing your personal projects, or connecting with potential collaborators, a portfolio website allows you to present your work in a professional and easily navigable format.
Why Should You Have a Portfolio Website?
While platforms like Instagram, Behance, or Tumblr can be effective for sharing your work, having a personal website gives you greater control over how your work is presented. Here are a few reasons why a portfolio website is essential:
Control Over Your Online Presence
A website gives you full creative freedom, from the layout and design to the way your work is organised. Unlike other platforms with preset formats, a personal website allows you to curate your content in a way that best suits your needs and practice style.
Increased Online Visibility
A portfolio website can help you rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential employers or collaborators to find you. By using relevant keywords and optimising your site for search engines, you increase your visibility and credibility.
A Reliable Space to Host Your Work
Social media accounts can be vulnerable to hacking, suspension, or algorithm changes. A website provides a stable platform where your work is always accessible, regardless of social media trends, risks, or updates.
Key Components of a Portfolio Website
While every portfolio site will look different depending on your discipline, most share a few common elements:
Homepage
This is the first page visitors see and should make a strong impression. Keep it clean and visually engaging, with easy navigation to other sections. Use you best work on this page, a short bio about you and your practice.
About Me
This is where you include your personal information, how to work with you, and a brief description of your practice. This page is important for letting potential collaborators know who you are and what you do.
Project Pages
These are dedicated pages where you showcase individual projects. Use high-quality images, videos, and concise captions to highlight your work. You may also want to organise your projects into categories (such as date or type) for easier navigation.
Contact
This is where users can contact you. Whether that is a direct email or a contact form, it is important to clearly state how they can reach you to connect, collaborate, or commission.
How to Curate Your Work
One of the most challenging aspects of building a portfolio website is deciding which projects to include. Here are some tips to help guide the curation process:
Select Your Best Work
Your website should highlight the work you're most proud of. Focus on quality over quantity and avoid including projects that no longer represent your current style or direction.
Highlight Work You Want to Do More Of
Think of your portfolio as a tool to attract future projects. If you're interested in expanding into a specific area (ex. branding or photography), make sure to include relevant work, even if it's just one project.
Showcase Your Personality
Beyond commercial or client projects, include self-initiated work that reflects your passions and creative identity. This helps visitors get to know who you are as an individual and what drives your creative practice.
Designing Your Portfolio Website
Once you’ve selected the content, the next step is to consider the design and layout of your site. There’s no right or wrong way to approach this, but here are some important considerations:
Complement Your Projects
Your website design should highlight your work, not overshadow it. Choose a layout and colour scheme that suits your style, and make sure that the navigation is intuitive and user-friendly.
Balance Form and Function
The design of your website should reflect your creative sensibility while also making it easy for visitors to browse your projects and find relevant information.
Look for Inspiration
Before starting, spend time researching other portfolio websites for design ideas. Identify what you like and what might work best for your practice, keeping in mind both visual appeal and usability.
Bringing Your Website to Life
With your content and design in place, the next step is to build the website. You don’t need advanced coding skills to create a functional and visually appealing portfolio; there are plenty of website builders available that cater to all skill levels. Popular options include:
WordPress
A flexible platform with a range of free and paid templates.
Squarespace
Known for its sleek designs, offering both free and paid options (our favourite)
+ Many More. Do your research and find the right fit, price, and template.
If you prefer more control or want to develop your coding skills, you can also consider building the website from scratch or collaborating with a web developer. Whichever route you choose, ensure the site is easy to navigate and loads quickly.
SEO and Domain Names
To make sure your website is easily found online, spend some time optimising it for search engines. This involves using relevant keywords and creating descriptive page titles and meta tags. Additionally, choose a professional and memorable domain name that reflects your name or creative practice. Domain names can be purchased through platforms like GoDaddy or Google Domains.
Maintaining Your Portfolio
A portfolio website should evolve along with your career. Update it regularly to reflect new projects, and don’t be afraid to make design changes over time. Keeping your site current ensures that it continues to represent your best work and remains relevant to your professional goals.
