Creating an online portfolio to boost your presence and trust in the cloud has never been more relevant today. In a world and business scene where remote jobs are becoming a norm, stumbling upon this “how to make an online portfolio guide” is the perfect thing to get you and your skillset out in the known. This guide will be an in-depth beginner’s tutorial on how to set up your free portfolio website and show off your projects, skills, and talents to your potential employers. This guide will also feature free options, so you can get started right away without worrying about your wallet. Let’s get started!
Finding the right website builder and online portfolio maker
Looking for the best website builder and free online portfolio makers on the interwebs can be a tedious task sometimes because of the hundreds of options that are present. To find what’s best for you and your needs, make sure that the budget is within your reach since most, if not all, of these services have premium plans that you need to avail of to unlock all its features. Compare and contrast which service provides the cost-efficient plans and bleeding-edge features to get you ahead of the online portfolio game.
But since you are here, you might as well start looking at our advanced website and free online portfolio builder, with hundreds of templates ready for you to customize and own. Strikingly is working hard every day to deliver you and other customers new features to build a promising website and free online portfolio in just minutes.
We offer free services, of course! With unlimited free sites, 5 GB Monthly Bandwidth, 24/7 support, and many more. But, if you wish to level up your online portfolio game, then our premium plans start at just only $8/month! Anyways, let’s get started at the tips!
How to set up your online portfolio
While setting up your very own free online portfolio may look easy, it can get hard when you don’t plan ahead with your website’s flow and everything else. Here are some tips to get your portfolio optimized to its full potential:
- Be mindful of the portfolio making structure.
Think of making a portfolio like it is an exam where you were required to write an essay. An essay usually requires an introduction, body, and conclusion. In one way or another, an online portfolio can be compared to an essay’s structure.
Your portfolio’s landing page is going to be the eagle’s eyes view of all your projects, skills, and talents. The introduction is going to be about who you are (typically put on the “About Me” page). Projects are going to be, well, the showcase of all your achievements and finished work. It is not limited to only those two though, as you can also have a brief rundown of what current projects you are on to keep viewers hooked and updated on what’s up. The services you offer and your employment status (Are you employed? If yes, where? Are you freelancing? Indicate this!).
And finally, a contact page where people have a selection of ways to reach you as quickly as possible. You will usually want your email address, mobile number, and social media usernames right here.
Do note that we do are not limiting you to these structures/guidelines, if you think you can pull off a better structure with a creative touch, then go ahead! It’s your portfolio, after all, so feel free to play around with it.
- Keep the things that are not essential to your current line of work brief.
We don’t want to be harsh, but most people and especially employers don’t really care as much about your intro and favorite food. They will start really paying attention once they start reading about your past work experiences and your current field of profession. Make THIS your priority as falling short with your description may make or break your chances of winning a client or getting a job. Keep the other stuff brief and concise. You don’t want to lose a client or a potential job just because they got bored after reading five paragraphs about your life. To keep things short, start with a photo of you than the basic things like where you are from and what you do for a living. Say a thing or two about you or your life that is interesting, then wrap it up.
- Grind until you perfect your Projects section.
This section of your online portfolio is where you truly shine. Do not compromise in one area about your past work experience and projects. Give your clients and potential employers every detail they need to get to know your skillset, work ethic, current businesses, etc. To do things right, a good first tip would be ONLY showing the best of your work, and not all. We all have our fair shares of victories and defeats. And while defeats may make a compelling story, it’s always safe to just share your victories with clients and potential employers. This way, your free online portfolio is going to be all about your victories. We need to make you look like your best version here!
A second tip would be providing the right amount of context about your projects. Like we have said earlier, spare no detail, but ensure that the details you are including are the ones that will entice your free portfolio website’s viewers and not stray them away.
The third and final tip would be to make sure all the data and facts you put in your portfolio online are up-to-date. Even if your data may look promising, if it’s not your latest and greatest then it may be hard for you to attract clients. Always look to insert your current project in your portfolio to keep everyone updated as to what you are working on.
- Get inspiration from people and professionals you know.
The perfect structure and design inspiration for your free online portfolio are only one Google away. Take a feature from their portfolio and a design from the other and you are looking at a promising and enticing portfolio that is your own. It’s never bad to take inspiration from other people, just make sure that you make yours distinctive. Spice it up with your own twist of things and creativity!
- Keep every detail about you authentic and concise.
Stop using vague and broad terms to make it seem that you are more than what you are capable of. While it’s tempting to use claims such as “I am the best writer you can hire” in your portfolio, it’s safe to be mindful of the details you put. Be sure that you can serve what you say. This is part of being professional and upholding decent standards of work ethic. Don’t mislead people with sugarcoated definitions and sentences. If you think that you are deserving to be called “one of the best” then go on! Learn how to gauge your own skills and set your descriptions accordingly. While there are no “terms and conditions” in portfolio making, it’s advisable to keep it real. We are not trying to be harsh, but rather just teaching you to be careful and observe professional standards, even in your online portfolio.
- Make it easy for people to find it, and to contact you.
Making your own free online portfolio is cool and all, but letting it reach other people is another thing. Spread the word! Attach your online portfolio’s link to your social media platforms. Don’t hesitate to talk and share it with your potential clients and employers as this may even be the first thing they will ask for when communicating with you. After that, make sure that your portfolio’s “Contact Me” section is updated with all your social media platforms, blogs, and email addresses. Even if you get your portfolio out there, having outdated contact me pages will render it useless as there will be no way a potential client can reach out to you.
- Be the best version of yourself in your online portfolio
We believe that you possess enough talent and skill to showcase yourself to the world. And while we may have talked a thing or two about not sugarcoating things, if you really think you deserve strong claims and words such as “best”, then go ahead. Display the best and strongest version of yourself in your online portfolio because it is timeless on the internet. People may even remember you with how unique and bold your portfolio is. It’s the perfect place to boast about your achievements and innovating projects, after all, its sole purpose is to get your talent out there.
What are you waiting for? Start building your online portfolio or website now! With Strikingly, you will be able to build your dream portfolio in just minutes. Got stuck? Our 24/7 customer support is ready to hear any of your problems.
