Why you need a portfolio website

Having a portfolio of your work to show potential clients is important.

Sure, you might sound like the person for the job, but when it comes to showing someone why you’re that person, a portfolio website can sometimes mean the difference between getting the gig or missing out on it.

Whatever your profession, whether you’re a freelance videographer, photographer, graphic designer, copywriter or musician, potential clients will often want to see examples of your work before they hire you.

Having an impactful portfolio website will help you to stand out from the crowd, and in competitive and crowded sectors, showcasing your work can speak volumes about your talent.

A portfolio website done correctly will demonstrate what you’re capable of to potential clients, whilst conveying your breadth of experience and skills.

So, what makes a great portfolio website and why do you need to do to have one? Let’s take a look.

Start with a domain

A portfolio website often starts with acquiring a domain name. At tsoHost we give you thousands of domain names to choose from.

Try to pick a professional sounding domain name that is clear and memorable. If you want to get creative we also offer 500 types of non-traditional domain name extensions, from .best to .beer, to help you find the one that’s the perfect fit for your brand, business or blog.

Include your best work

Showcase work that you're particularly proud of, then back it up with a bit of background detail to provide the viewer with some context.

The beauty of a portfolio website is that you can showcase your best work. By providing a brief description of the project you can provide some further insight to viewers and reaffirm why you’re so great at what you do.

In essence, a portfolio website should show, not tell, but brief details can help to provide potential prospects with that extra bit of information.

This can provide a more holistic picture to support the great work on show.

Keep it up-to-date

You probably won’t want to be showcasing your earliest projects if you’ve since gathered years of experience in the industry.

If you’re a musician for example, that video of your first gig might be special to you, but performance wise it may not be as polished and professional as your 200th gig.

As your professional experience and skills develop, so should your portfolio website. Think of it as a trusted companion that’s there to shout about your skills, your talents and ultimately help you win work.

Showcase your personality

Your portfolio website is there to showcase your work, but also to showcase you. Bring it to life with some personality. It could help you stand-out from other candidates.

An ‘about me’ page can be a great way to give more insight into yourself, your skills, your values and why you love what you do.

Relevant photos of yourself will help to put a face to a name and further develop that human connection. Try to convey what you’re all about and why people should want to work with you.

Utilise customer testimonials

If you’ve got a number of current or previous happy clients, let other potential clients know. Including a testimonials page featuring client reviews is a great way of building trust. Other people saying how good you are is often more impactful than you saying it.

You could also consider including relevant reviews/testimonials in other prominent locations on your portfolio site to ensure potential customers see why you’re the person for the job.

Include a call to action (CTA)

If your portfolio has suitably impressed your prospects they will most likely want to get in touch with you. So try to ensure it’s as easy as possible for them to do so.

Make sure you include a contact form with a CTA on your portfolio pages. This way they can contact you directly via your website when they’re most impressed, rather than having to click off your site to email you or jot down your number to call you at a later date.

Proofread

Check, check and then check again. It’s amazing how small typos can really take away from the professionalism of a website.

If you're making a first impression, you want it to be an impactful one. Don’t let the quality of your portfolio of work be tainted by simple typos that could have been avoided if you had proofread your website. It’s helpful to have a friend or someone you trust to proofread your website too. A fresh pair of eyes can really help to weed out any typos.

Summing up

A portfolio website done well should not just be a virtual business card, but a full blown demonstration of why you’re the person for the job.

Taking the time to ensure your portfolio is impactful, up-to-date and inspiring to prospects will help you to make a great first impression.

A professional portfolio website says a lot about you to potential prospects, so have fun showcasing what you do best.