An online portfolio is more beneficial than a hard copy portfolio, including:
- High quality media – Include high resolution images and videos without worrying about the quality of images after printing
- Easy to update – Make the changes and add the relevant information faster
- More accessible – Higher opportunities to be seen by the customers and potential employers abroad
Ways to Make an Online Portfolio Using WordPress
1. Set up a Platform
The first step in portfolio or website building process is selecting the right platform – a website builder, portfolio maker or a content management system – all of them offer different ways for creating an impressive online portfolio. It is highly recommended to use WordPress for the following reasons:- Flexibility – Suitable for every type of portfolio, irrespective of the industry your business belongs to
- Scalability – Begin with a small portfolio website and then eventually the same using extensive gallery of themes and plugins.
- Budget – Adjust the cost of your website as per your resources and needs
- Support – It is a very strong community which provides support through documentation and forums
2. Register a Domain Name
A domain is an important part of branding an online portfolio as visitors will have to type it in to reach the website. A custom domain name can help in making a website more memorable and accessible to visitors. In order to find the right domain for your online portfolio, you need to consider a few elements:- Recognition – Choose the way in which you want to be known in your professional business. If you don’t have an artist or pen name, we recommend using your real name for the domain. Remember, a portfolio is largely about selling yourself as a potential hire.
- Availability – Do not forget to check with a domain checker whether anyone else has already registered a domain name that you may be interested in. If it is already taken, use a different TLD (top-level domain) as an extension or find out an alternative title.
- Cost – Ensure that the price of the domain fits in with your budget.
3. Find a Reliable Host
Another important factor in creating a portfolio website is getting a reliable web hosting. Only by using the right web hosting plan and provider will a website run smoothly. For finding the right web hosting for your requirements, here are some of the noteworthy elements you need to consider:- Cost – Evaluate the price of your hosting and adjust it to your overall budget
- Tools – Check whether the web hosting will support the targeted number of visitors and your platform
- Features – Consider the storage and bandwidth offered by the web hosting plans and compare them with your needs
- Security – For protecting your website, check whether the hosting provider implements any measures such as automated backups, SSL certificates and access management.
4. Customize Your Portfolio
Your portfolio’s visual aspect will help you attract potential employers or customers. High-quality visuals will establish a coherent aesthetic and make the website look professional, which is essential for online portfolios that focus on artistic endeavors. During the creative process, do not forget about:- User-friendly design features
- Uniqueness
- Responsiveness to mobile devices
- Media quality
5. Set up the Tools to Showcase Your Work
After customizing your portfolio site, your next step would be showcasing your projects and works. The best way of displaying your portfolio would be by creating a gallery. While using WordPress, you’ll just need to install a portfolio plugin or gallery. Here are a few of the best portfolio plugins available on WordPress:- Visual Portfolio
- GridKit Portfolio Gallery
- Portfolio Gallery
- Testimonial slider
- Social media links
- Multi-language
- Impactful logo
6. Set up a Contact Form
Setting up a contact form makes it easier for the potential new customers or clients to reach out to you. There are various ways to allow your visitors to contact you, like adding link(s) to your email, however, a contact form is a widely preferred and most user-friendly option. With WordPress, various contact form plugins are available, all customizable and adjustable to your needs. The best plugin for this is Contact Form 7, as it offers plenty of control over how your contact form looks and integrates third-party services.7. Personalize Your Profile
A good online portfolio strikes a perfect balance between letting your personality shine fully and being the only-business professional website. One such way to achieve this golden ratio is to create a unique about me page. Personalizing your profile would make it easier for the visitors to connect with your work. There are various different methods of creating an about me page, out of which, a popular way to do so is listing down the previous achievements and works chronologically as it makes it easier for people to follow your story.8. Promote Your Portfolio
It is unavoidable to establish a strong online presence to generate leads on a new project or attract potential clients. You can do so by promoting your online portfolio website, sharing it on various platforms and optimizing the website’s content. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plays an incredible role in generating organic traffic. By optimizing your website’s content, the website will be able to rank in top results of a search engine page. With WordPress, we recommend installing various SEO plugins, such as MonsterInsights and Yoast SEO. Once you are done optimizing your content internally, engage in email marketing, write blog posts, and share your online portfolio on different social media platforms.Do Not Underestimate the Power of an Impressive Online Portfolio
Creating an impressive online portfolio will assist you in attracting new customers or clients. It is a good and effective way to showcase your skills and document previous projects. Furthermore, it is more accessible and easier to update as compared to a hard-copy portfolio. Here’s a quick recap of the eight steps on creating and designing your online portfolio using WordPress that we have discussed above:- Set up the platform
- Register a domain name
- Find a reliable web host
- Customize your portfolio
- Set up the tools to showcase your best work
- Set up a contact form
- Personalize your profile
- Promote your portfolio and gain more exposure
Write A Comment