Your Online Portfolio
While traditional portfolios are important, an online portfolio gives anyone, anywhere in the world, 24-hour access to your work. It's a great promotional tool, and it demonstrates that you're technologically savvy and forward-thinking -- two things clients want.
Here are some basic tips for creating your online portfolio:
- Showcase your best 10-15 pieces. If you have a specialty, provide about 10 examples in that specialty, as well as up to 5 examples reflecting additional talents and the depth of your experience. And if any of it is only mediocre work, skip it. Quality is more important than quantity.
- Web sites are like magazines. Your web site design should be approximately 2/3 photographs and artwork, and 1/3 text, and make sure the text counts. All photos should be scanned at high resolution for a powerful visual impact.
- Color yourself hired. A study conducted by the Institute for Color Research says that all human beings make a subconscious judgment about a person or thing within 90 seconds of initial viewing. Up to 90% of that assessment is based on color alone. Choose your colors carefully.
- Briefly explain your projects. Talk about project goals, outcomes (did your work create or experience high sales?), and list clients, achievements, and experience. If you can, incorporate client testimonials. If you do web site design, show links to client sites.
- Easy navigation. Forget flash animation that takes forever to download. Your web site design, above all else, should be clear, simple, and extremely easy to navigate. Create categories -- if your work is interior design, for example, you might group by commercial, residential, environmentally-friendly, etc.
You might also consider hiring a web design firm, so your portfolio will stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Sources
About the Auhtor
Jessica Groach is a freelance writer and writing instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno. She has seven years experience in media, advertising and public relations. Her work has appeared in various lifestyle and business publications, including a Warner Business Book.
