More and more people decide to show their work, not through a resume, but through the Internet. For it, use an online portfolio in which they leave links, photos, videos or other works that are a way of accrediting the training, experience and practice they have, in addition to their skill.
But what exactly is an online portfolio? What is it for? How to make one? Are there tricks to stand out? All this and much more is what we want to talk to you about today to improve your presentations to clients.
What is an online portfolio
We could define an online portfolio, also known as a digital portfolio, as a compilation of self-made content and materials that serve to promote the work you do.
In other words, they are samples of a work so that other potential clients or recruiters have practical examples of what that person is capable of doing.
Normally an online portfolio is one of the resources suitable for photographers, designers, artists and even writers, but in reality there are many other professions that can benefit from this resource (sometimes with more effect than the cv itself).
Now, it does not mean that you create a portfolio and put all the work you do there. To be truly successful, you needmake it pretty«, build a good presence, solid as well as attractive. Shall we tell you how?
How to create an online portfolio
Although in a moment we are going to give you examples of pages where you can create one, first of all we want you to understand what the usual format is and what is used. It doesn't mean you can't create something different, but these elements are important and you will need to include them. What are those?
a minibiography
Imagine that you need a lawyer. You enter a page and it only shows you customer comments, all of them good. But not a word about who he is, what he has studied, what he is specialized in… Would you hire him?
Well, something similar would happen in an online portfolio. You need to tell everyone who comes to that place who you are and what you can do for them.. If you humanize that portfolio, they will not see it as a site full of references, but as a place where part of the essence of that person lives there. And you make projects more attractive.
select jobs
When they teach us how to write a resume, they tell us that we have to put in a lot of experience and training to be taken seriously. But the truth is that it is not true. You have to choose according to the job position you are going to apply for; Otherwise, you can leave a feeling of neglect or that you do not personalize the CV according to the position you are applying for.
In the case of an online portfolio, do not sin in putting all the works that you have done. Yes, there can be many, but filling pages and pages of them will not do you any good because people usually do not go beyond page 3 (and even this is already a lot).
It is better to choose the best and tell how the project went, what did you get, etc.
Be careful with the presentation
And is that the presentation is like the first impression that you will leave to the users. If they see your site neglected, without paying attention to the font, photos, videos... it will look more like a "flea market" where you sell everything than the place of a true professional.
Fortunately, if you're not good at this, you could use free online portfolio templates, or use the page tools where you can create one.
Watch out for mistakes
There is nothing worse for a professional than showing their work with misspellings. If you are also a writer, proofreader, editor... much worse, because when users see it, although with one or two they can understand it (oversights, speed, etc.), if there are too many it can end up with a sale (even before starting it) .
If you are not sure that your texts (biography, texts of works, etc.) are well written, ask someone else who understands to take a look at it.
Put your contact information in a visible place
Otherwise, how will they contact you? This is very important, and one of the elements that everyone forgets the most. So try to leave at least one email visible. If you don't want to, put a form or even access to your social networks so they can write to you there.
Pages where to create an online portfolio
As we told you before, here we are going to leave you some places where you can create your digital portfolio. Some are better than others, but since we do not want to influence you, our recommendation is that you try several to find out which one suits what you are looking for.
You have:
- Behance.
- Position.
- dribble.
- AdobePortfolio.
- WordPress.
- Portfolio box.
- Jimdo.
- Instagram.
- Pinterest.
- And many more.
The last two, Instagram and Pinterest can be highly recommended for designers and photographers since they can be viralized more easily through these networks.
Tricks to stand out
You already have your portfolio… Congratulations! But, although you have it and you have worked very hard on it, it is possible that it hardly has visitors. It's normal, and you shouldn't get depressed about it. The truth is that to get visits you need people who are interested and these can be in:
- Social networks.
- Offers you sign up for (You can send the CV and the link to your portfolio so they can see examples made by you).
- Family and friends.
- Forums
- Internet.
Internet? Yes, believe it or not, as a professional you have to create a personal brand to be known. And this does not happen overnight but it takes between one and three years to achieve it. While you have to work seeing it as a long-term investment because, if you do it well, in the end you will have your reward. But for this you have to work hard first.
Another trick to stand out is in use photos that draw a lot of attention. Sometimes you can get them from free image banks, but other times it's worth spending a little to put in good quality. This way you will attract attention. Of course, if you are a photographer or graphic designer, nothing better than your own projects to show what you are capable of doing.
Keep in mind that while text is important, sometimes “A picture is worth a thousand words” and will highlight users more, who will then go on to read.
And one more thing: make it interactive. Interactive content captivates more, calls more and likes more. So you should start using it because not many do it and, with that small difference, you can differentiate yourself from all your competition.
So far this is what we can tell you about an online portfolio. If you have doubts, you can contact us and we will try to help you in any way we can to improve your presence or to recommend some more tricks.