Key Tips on How to Build Your Portfolio
A good portfolio is important for both web design studios and freelancers.
Prospective clients check your portfolio first, then they decide whether to contact you or not. That’s why you should do your best to make your portfolio impressive and unforgettable.
Today we want to share the key tips on how to build a great portfolio. To cut it short, a good web design portfolio should show both your personality/your team spirit, and navigate a customer around your accomplished projects, making it clear what you offer and how you can be contacted with.
Tip 1. Logo and Tagline
While the logo represents your brand, the tagline tells who you are. These are the very first tools. You can capture your visitors’ attention by. It is also important to have a logo since its shape and used color schemes will let your potential client see your design style. The tagline should be short and descriptive.
Tip 2. Easy Navigation
This is a basic web design rule, but it is worth mentioning over and over again. No matter for creative, fast and progressive your web design team is, visitors will quickly move from your portfolio page if it has poor navigation. The inability to see the examples of your work as well as failure to find your contact information will make visitors to your website either frustrated or furious. It is not what you need, is it? Try to categorize your work samples to make the navigation and browsing easier.
Tip 3. Make a Great Contact Page.
Tip 4. (The Most Important) Show Only the Best Projects.
Many web designers try to show all of their design projects in their portfolio. But it is better to be more selective about your portfolio page. It should be like your greatest hits album, not a mixture of everything what you’ve done before. Showcase only the most impressive and representative work you can offer. Why? Doing so, you will instantly impress and interest a new client instead of making him worry if his website is going to be your next web design failure or success.
Tip 5. Provide a Downloadable Portfolio for Printing
This can turn out to be a nice bonus for some visitors. For instance, if they want to show your portfolio to someone who has no digital device or access to the Internet at the moment, your PDF-portfolio will save a person’s time, and leave a good impression of your design studio too.
Tip 6. It’s All About Communication
Add some info about yourself to establish closer relationships with prospective clients. Providing a brief description of you or your team, your likes and dislikes will give your visitors an idea of who they will be working with increasing their trust and readiness to cooperate.
Tip 7. Include Testimonials
People always want to reduce the risk especially when it comes to money. That’s why social proof can be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk for prospective clients and make them start working with you.
