What's the best platform for your graphic design portfolio?

1 Why you need a portfolio

A portfolio is more than just a collection of your projects. It's a way to demonstrate your skills, style, personality, and value to potential clients, employers, or collaborators. A portfolio can help you stand out from the crowd, attract more opportunities, and grow your network. It can also be a source of inspiration, feedback, and learning for yourself and others.

2 What to look for in a platform

When choosing a platform for your graphic design portfolio, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You should evaluate each platform based on its ease of use, customization options, functionality, cost, and support. For example, consider how simple and intuitive it is to create, update, and manage your portfolio. Also look at how much control you have over the design, layout, and branding of your portfolio. Additionally, assess the platform's tools and options to enhance your portfolio such as analytics, SEO, social media integration, contact forms, etc. Lastly, review the cost of the platform's services and its customer service, community, and documentation.

3 Some of the best platforms

Graphic designers have many platforms to choose from, but some of the most popular and reputable ones are Behance, Dribbble, Squarespace, and Wix. Behance is free and widely used, allowing you to showcase your work, get feedback, and discover other creatives. However, it has limited customization and functionality. Dribbble focuses on small shots of your work, rather than full projects. It's great for getting exposure, finding inspiration, and connecting with other designers; yet can be competitive and noisy. Squarespace is a paid and powerful platform that lets you create a fully customized portfolio website. It has a lot of templates, features, and integrations to choose from; however, it can be expensive and may require some technical skills or assistance. Wix is another paid platform that offers a lot of flexibility and creativity for your portfolio website. It has a drag-and-drop editor, a wide range of templates, apps, and tools; yet can be slow, cluttered, and less professional than other platforms.

4 How to make your portfolio stand out

No matter what platform you choose, you should make sure that your portfolio reflects your best work and your unique voice. To make your portfolio stand out, curate only your most relevant, recent, and impressive projects, and organize them by category, client, or theme. Make sure not to show too many or too few projects, and remember to update regularly. For each project, include a brief and clear description of the problem, the solution, the process, and the results. Highlight your role, skills, and achievements, as well as use keywords and metrics to show your impact. Additionally, use your portfolio to express who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Include a catchy logo and headline as well as a professional and friendly bio with a clear call to action. Utilize colors, fonts, images, and videos that match your style and brand. Last but not least, optimize your portfolio for any device or browser with a simple domain name, clear navigation, responsive design, and SEO best practices such as titles, tags, meta descriptions, and alt texts for improved ranking and visibility.

5 How to get feedback on your portfolio

To improve your portfolio, it's important to get feedback from others. This can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as give you new ideas and perspectives. You can ask your peers for their opinion, join online communities to share your portfolio and get feedback from other creatives, or seek professional advice from mentors, coaches, or consultants. Specific platforms to consider include Behance, Dribbble, Reddit, Skillshare, Udemy, and Fiverr. Ultimately, feedback can help you hone in on areas of improvement and find new ways to showcase your work.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?