Creatives need to have an online presence, and one of the ways they do so is to list their services on marketplaces. Although freelance marketplaces allow creatives to show their work, personal portfolio websites make any creative appear professional, trustworthy, and reputable. Here’s why you should have a personal portfolio site on top of your marketplace listing.
Why You Need A Portfolio Site
Any online creative who wants to showcase their work and offers their freelancing services should have a portfolio website. Freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr can help you show off your previous projects. But having a website is better because you can:
- Post ALL your projects
- Enumerate your experience and awards won
- Explain the nature of the projects
- Give a background of the clients and projects
- Inform potential clients about the roles you played and what software applications you may have used
With this in mind, your potential clients will have the impression of how you could fulfill the project. Plus, it gives them insight into your mindset and process in completing the project. That way, they can assess if you’re the right fit for the job.
Tips to Create A Portfolio Website
Tell a Story
You may have a listing on a freelance site, or a client found you on portfolio sites like Behance and Dribbble. Let your website present a story for potential clients. Some things to remember:
- What makes you different from other creative professionals in the field?
- What works have you done?
- How did you complete these projects?
- What experiences do you have?
- What awards have you won?
- How to contact you?
It’s best to have all of this information on separate web pages than squeezing them all in one page with portfolio sites.
Put Your Best Work Front and Center
Regardless of which discipline you’re in, your best work should always be on your front page or at the top of your portfolio page. You want to impress potential clients with the best projects. You want to let them know you’re proud of these works, and you can replicate them or do better projects with them.
Use a Different Website Layout
Most creatives would use an F or Z pattern to create a flow for their site. These website layouts may not show off your creativity. Going against the norm will make you unique from other freelancers.
Asymmetry is one option to consider. Don’t limit yourself to usual patterns that you might see on web templates. After all, it’s still a trendy graphic design style you could use on your website. One other way to present your website is to tilt your site or use some effects (3D and liquid-like), which will give your website more flair.
Show Off Your Personality
Freelance sites allow you only to present your portfolio. You can even add reviews for some of these sites. But if you have a website, you can tell the world what personality you have. Do you have a fun personality? Are you organized, neat, and professional? Let the website design translate your personality, and you’ll see examples of that in the list below. This way, at the get-go, your potential client will have an idea of what type of freelancer they’ll be working with on their project.
15 Best Personal Portfolio Websites
1. Henri Heymans
Here’s one of the personal portfolio websites that follow current graphic design trends but are tailored to the creative. Instead of the traditional scroll-down site, Henri Heymans’s site scrolls to the side. You’ll see a preview reel of his projects, and they use a combination of sans serif and serif fonts that complement each other. Plus, they make sure to use a black, white, and neon green color scheme to keep their website consistent on every page.
2. Ileana Mariotto
Instead of presenting the site straightforwardly, Ileana Mariotto’s site is tilted. Aside from the huge typography, they use liquid-like effects to give their website life. Plus, they stick to a consistent earthy tone, which is pleasing to the eyes. Also, don’t be afraid to go big, literally, by using a huge cursor to help visitors navigate your site better. Overall, the site gives off a unique appeal with a touch of defiance.
3. Jacob Kemp
One of the best personal portfolio websites comes from Jacob Kemp. You’ll be greeted by the letters “HI” in an evident, bold red color. The initials, JK, are also highlighted in the homepage. When you enter the site, you’ll see a clean portfolio site with some tiny design details such as colored fonts and appearing text as you scroll down. It’s one site inspiration to consider for creatives who need personal portfolio websites without any fancy-shmancy elements.
4. Anna Thurber
When you first land on Anna Thurber’s site, you will be greeted with so many elements at once without overwhelming you. Different font combos (size and type), images, and even a CTA button will help you search for her artwork. But if you think about it, she’s giving visitors a teaser of who she is and what she does, which will leave you wanting more and eventually scrolling down to see her magnificent work. On the homepage, your eyes get hooked on captivating copy, which compels you to explore.
5. Lionel Taurus
The homepage may not reveal a lot on Lionel Taurus’s portfolio site, but if you look at his projects, you’ll see why it made it into this list of the best personal portfolio websites. The way his project page is arranged appears like they’re filed documents. And when you hover onto one of his works, you’ll get a high-quality preview of his project, making you want to click on it and learn more about it. Not only that, but his website is interactive as well. You can view archived works and even spend some time flying a bird across a body of water.
6. Kazuki Noda
Here’s another personal portfolio site to consider if you need one. Kazuki Noda’s site uses earthy tones, which are pleasing to the eyes and shows a down-to-earth personality. Even with that, they use typography techniques to make it livelier. Once you scroll down their site, you can hover on one of their projects, which appears to bring the project to life and give you a preview of what they can do for you.
7. Mark Jivko
Before scrolling down to see more of Mark Jivko’s previous works, he allows you to change the motif of his website. He allows you to personalize your viewing experience as you browse his portfolio site. You’ll see his projects and which programming languages he used to complete each work as you scroll down. It’s also a bonus he added the number of hours he worked for each project, giving you an idea of how long he works on one and what you can expect for each project.
8. Anand Upender
Going for a simple and clean look can still give you an edge over other freelancers. This one from Anand Upender is pleasing to the eyes as you explore his site. Plus, you also get a feast upon seeing shots of his food photos, too. If you’re not a fan of fuss and theatrics, his site is one to use as inspiration for your personal portfolio.
9. Niccolo Miranda
Niccolo Miranda’s portfolio site is out of the ordinary. Instead of the typical website layout, they use a newspaper-like design. It seems you’re reading the news while browsing the homepage. The web pages don’t flip to the next page, but his Works section is another page to look at. It looks like a filing catalog, which will reveal the contents when you click on one of his projects. Finally, one other thing to look at on his site is the incorporation of a news ticker at the bottom of the page. It’s to catch your attention when you reach this part of the page and make you want to contact him.
10. Philipe Neveu
You might end up staying on Philipe Neveu’s site for a long time considering that he allows you to draw on his homepage. It might distract you a bit, but based on this first interaction on his homepage, you can tell that he loves movement and fun, which is how he describes his work. Also, don’t forget his lab page. He lets you add stickers and emoji-like characters on top of the projects he made for some clients.
11. Rohit Nag
At first glance of this personal portfolio website, you would think the creative has worked 10+ years in the industry. But when you learn about his experiences, he may not have the caliber of a pro just yet, but his website reflects otherwise. And it’s one reason why any creative or professional should invest in personal portfolio websites. It builds a lasting impression and would help one appear more reputable to recruiters or business owners.
12. Mortimer Baltus
Nothing is conventional in this personal portfolio site from Mortimer Baltus, and it’s a good thing. Here, you can drag the page from left to right and view his projects, read more about him, check out his references, remind you of your legal and private settings, and contact him. It’s one of the coolest personal portfolio sites to consider because of its overall layout.
13. Jaycie Mota
This personal portfolio website from Jaycie Mota follows current graphic design trends, and it’s not a bad thing! She adds a bit of fun on her site, making you switch from a light version with bright colors and one that reminds you of old computers. When you explore her site, she keeps the computer motif on different pages, which are plus points for consistency. All in all, her site is one to consider as an inspiration for a personal portfolio website, especially those in web design and development.
14. Hélène Blanck
The use of black and serif fonts on Hélène Blanck’s site makes their portfolio site look elegant and professional. As you scroll down, you can view previews of their performances or works. You can even filter her performances based on what you might hire them for. Plus, you can also see the use of 3D-like effects on some projects.
15. Katarzyna Kaswen-Wilk
Here’s the portfolio site for Katarzyna Kaswen-Wilk. Her website makes this list because of how her website is organized. It showcases a story from her background, works, next concert events, and contact page. Design-wise, the use of serif fonts gives her site an elegant and professional look. It’s a defining trait on her site that makes every page look consistent despite using different neutral-colored backgrounds. Overall, the site dwells more on sophistication and minimalism.
Subscribe to Penji for Your Personal Portfolio Site
Creatives shouldn’t only rely on freelance marketplaces and use general portfolio sites to exhibit their work and other projects. A personal portfolio site can make you look professional. That said, you shouldn’t resort to using templated web designs for your personal portfolio website. What you need is an experienced website designer and a customized web design from graphic design pros like Penji.
Let your creativity shine through with a web design that will make a potential talent contact you in a snap. And if you subscribe to Penji, you’re guaranteed to have a website that will help you stand out from the crowd. Choose a plan here now and try Penji for 15 days 100% risk-free starting today.
