An online portfolio is the perfect showcase for writers, visual artists, graphic designers, photographers, architects, etc. Here are 5 reasons why you should have one.
If you are a freelancer or have quit your job and want to start being one, you are probably a little scared of the uncertainty that can be generated by not finding clients or work quickly. Today we want to help you by presenting the advantages of having your portfolio online as a way to present your work.
An online portfolio is the perfect showcase for writers, visual artists, graphic designers, photographers, architects, make-up artists, decorators or craftsmen. In short, it is ideal for anyone who wants to show a little bit of their work through the Internet. Even if you are not looking for a job, having a portfolio is a good way to have presence in the digital world.
But, if your goal is to find work, having a digital portfolio can be your most important tool, if you are still not convinced we will give you 5 reasons to have a portfolio online, so you can decide once and for all.
Reasons to have an online portfolio
1. It’s always at hand
With a digital portfolio your work is always at hand. You can literally show your work and services on a mobile device, such as tablets or smartphones, from anywhere in the world and at any time. In the past a photographer would have to take a good amount of his photographs to be interviewed with a potential client; now he just has to bring his tablet to the interview or pass the link of his web portfolio.
2. Quick updates
There are many platforms to make a digital portfolio, later we will explain the advantages of each, but no matter which one you choose, in all you can upload your latest work easily. These updates can show your new capabilities and attract the attention of potential customers faster than an old or outdated portfolio.
3. Constant feedback
There is nothing that convinces someone to buy or hire a service more easily than a person-to-person recommendation, so it is very important that you include in the design of your digital portfolio a section for comments or testimonials, where former clients or frequent customers can upload recommendations about your work.
Reading positive comments about your work is always a good way to convince new potential clients, who can find answers to their questions in the comments or testimonials section.
4. Fast, cheap and assertive advertising
If you are a freelancer or at least want to work on your own in your free time, you understand perfectly the need for advertising to get your name out to potential customers.
You probably think you need to invest a lot of money and time to advertise. However, having an online portfolio can help you do this task. Whatever platform you choose to make your portfolio, you can position yourself in Google search results by having basic notions of SEO.
Another way to get affordable advertising is to make use of social networks. In the end they are an excellent way to reach hundreds of potential customers, if you use them to advertise your work. Another advantage is that platforms like Facebook offer you metrics so you can see the reach of your publications.
5. The customer comes to you
Perhaps the biggest advantage of showing your portfolio online is that many of your customers will contact you without you looking for them. This does not mean that you neglect advertising your portfolio through social networks, but being online is very easy to reach more people around the world, so creating a constant flow of customers becomes an automatic process.
That’s why in your digital portfolio your contact information must be very visible and clear. Obviously, you have to check your contact messages at all times, so that you don’t lose opportunities.
How to create your online portfolio
Now that you know the advantages of having your portfolio online, you’re probably wondering how you can make yours. Here we will show you some of the options and tips to help you decide on one.
The first thing you have to answer is what kind of portfolio you need: for example, the design will not be the same if you are a graphic artist or if you are a writer. Therefore, you must focus on what aspects of your work you want to highlight, according to your answer you must answer which are the digital tools that suit you best.
If you know the answers to these needs, you can decide on what kind of platform you can create your portfolio.
Start a blog
Since the emergence of blogs, they have been a perfect showcase to expose feelings, ways of thinking, tutorials and other things that go through your head. The design of a blog, prioritizes the text, leaving in second term multimedia resources, such as photographs and videos. This makes it an excellent medium for those who are looking to earn a living by writing.
If you are a writer, either of literature, poetry, or academic or popular topics, you should have a personal blog because you can upload your writings, without worrying about designs or images. Also, in a blog you can create and update your digital portfolio for free, from platforms like Blogger and WordPress. However, the best thing is that you sign up for a premium plan to get your own domain and look more professional.
Social networks as a portfolio
If you are a visual artist, graphic designer, photographer or similar profession, you can use a resource that will allow you to share your work in a simple and cheap way. We’re talking about sharing your work on Instagram, YouTube or Facebook, because they are social networks that focus their attention on images, music or videos and therefore can give you the projection you need on the Internet.
Using your personal account on these social networks can be very advantageous, as they are free and easy to use. Besides, you can quickly interact with potential customers and you don’t have to learn how to use them, even if you don’t have an account with them, their use is very intuitive.
Create your own website
It is true that you can show your work through social networks or a blog, however these options are only good if you are just starting out, the best thing is to project a professional image and this can be best achieved through a website. However, this doesn’t mean that you should completely forget about social networks and blogs, since they can be a very useful tool to help promote yourself.
The benefits of a website over other online portfolio platforms are many and can be enjoyed by all professionals, from writers to graphic designers, as it allows you to better manage multimedia and text content, which helps you provide detailed information about your services. In addition, you can receive better feedback from your customers.
If you are interested in designing your own website as an online portfolio there are many applications and sites that can help you get professional results quickly and without spending a lot, for example you can use Jimdo, Behance, Deviant Art; for photographers and graphic designers; ArtStation for 3d developers or Clippings.me for writers.
We have presented you the advantages of having your portfolio online and the characteristics of the different types available. Now it’s up to you to get excited and get to work so you don’t lose any more time showing your capabilities to the world, but first, tell us what you think is the most important advantage of an online portfolio.