Portfolio Websites for Creatives
A portfolio website is a must-have in today’s world if you are in a creative profession! More and more people are discovering that a physical portfolio is simply not enough if they want to compete with the thousands of people all over the world who work in similar markets. While it is true that this particular situation is more common to graphic designers than other creative fields, other people are beginning to see how the global marketplace is slowly widening the pool employers have to draw from when they have new job openings.
Who needs an online portfolio?
Almost anyone can benefit from having an online portfolio regardless of their chosen field of work. When many people think of online portfolio website they think of graphic designers and photographers because their work is well suited to this kind of display. The truth is that people working in many other creative fields can benefit from having an online portfolio site to act as a showcase of their work. Architects, florists, interior designers, furniture craftsmen, and even construction companies can benefit from having a sample of their work online for viewing by potential clients. For people working non-graphics related jobs, in order to get maximum benefit from an online portfolio they will need to hire a photographer to take pictures of their work; the expense is well worth it if the result is a professional-looking collection that shows your work at its best!
How can an online portfolio help my business?
Simply put, image is everything. The better the image that you present, the better someone’s impression of your business will be. If you already have a professional-looking website for your business, why not extend the impact of your website by adding an online portfolio? Granted some businesses are not in markets that really require an online portfolio to be a part of their website, but the numbers of businesses that fall into this category is shrinking every year as more and more people take their research online. An online portfolio site helps your business by showing people what you have done in the past. Not only does this showcase prove that you do a good job overall, but it can prove that you have experience in a given area that a potential customer is interested in. For construction and contracting companies and interior designers, a portfolio could include images of past jobs in their before and after stages with a short description of what was a part of that particular job.
What kind of online portfolio should I have?
That entirely depends on the kind of work you do, and the kind of web hosting that you have. Some kinds of hosting do not support the things that some portfolio site types require to run (for example if you were using WordPress, it requires a database) so it is a good idea to know what kinds of resources you have to work with before making any decisions about your portfolio website’s type and style. Many online portfolio sites have large slideshows with short descriptions that can be clicked on if a visitor wants to know more about a project. This is an excellent format for people who have a lot of pictures to show. If you have less images and more text, a more conservative design that focuses on all of your content together might be a better fit.
Which is better, a free portfolio site or one designed by a professional?
This is a loaded question for anyone, but is especially so for a design company. The truth is, it depends on what you are trying to achieve with your portfolio. Are you just hosting something online to show off some of your hobby work, or are you trying to use your portfolio to increase exposure around your business and hopefully draw in new clients and customers? If you answered yes to the first question then a free portfolio hosted somewhere online probably wouldn’t be a bad move. You’re not really expecting anything to come of it so having limitations such as mixed branding (yours and the host’s) or a fixed number of images won’t be much of a bother.
If you answered yes to the second question then you should give thought to having your portfolio designed by a professional. It is a known fact that people hesitate when buying something from a website that doesn’t look trustworthy and professional, so by having your portfolio handled by a professional nips this issue right in the bud. A portfolio that is designed just for you allows you maximum control over the look and feel of the site including how your brand is portrayed, something that is very important for helping people recognize and remember your work even after they leave your site.
The fact of the matter is that an online portfolio website can really help you bring more attention and recognition to your work and to your business. Even if you are a solo artist or contractor there is likely something that you have done that you wish you could show someone who was interested in your work but have not been able to because you did not have a portfolio online!
