11 Key Components for the Best Portfolio Website Design

A portfolio website isn’t just for showcasing your works or skills. It’s more like a virtual business card. Whether you are a freelancer or running an agency, a well-designed portfolio website can significantly enhance your visibility and credibility, grow your network, and increase your client base locally and internationally.??

But here’s the most essential part of your portfolio website. Many people within and outside of your industry may require your services—CEOs, Creative Directors, Founders, clients, etc.- and you may or may not be their last choice. Their time is important, and you have just seconds to create a nice first impression. You may have just one chance at that. Therefore, you must ensure your portfolio website design is great and check all the boxes.?

In this article, we will discuss 11 key components that are essential for the best portfolio website design.

Getting Found

First things first. Before a potential client hires you through your website, they need to find it. If they already know you or worked with you in the past, it’s easy. If you are new, it may be challenging, and you need to deploy search engine optimization.?

1. Choose a Good Domain Name?

The first and most important step of your portfolio website design is your domain name. There are hundreds and thousands of portfolio websites out there, so choose a name that stands out and is easy to remember. Don’t pick a domain name that is long and complicated, such as the subdomain of WordPress.com or Adobe. Get a domain name that is your actual name or the name of your business. Your domain name may also be something that describes what you do or a keyword of your work such as ‘content writer,’ ‘video editor,’ or something like that.?

2. Search Engine Optimization

As we already mentioned, if people don’t know you, it’s difficult for clients to find your website, and given that search engines rank websites that people already visit, it makes it even more challenging. Optimizing your website for search does help. Make sure the headings, copy, and other content in your portfolio website pages have the proper keywords related to what you do. For instance, if you are a logo designer, your pages should have keywords such as ‘logo designs,’ ‘branding,’ ‘graphic design services,’ ‘graphic designer,’ etc.?

A blog and articles section is an important feature of a best portfolio website design and is also effective in getting organic traffic. Maintain a regular posting schedule (such as one post a week), discuss topics that interest your target audience within your field, and make it engaging so they share it. This way, you can slowly establish yourself as an authority in your field and attract more potential clients.

Design and Usability

This is another essential element of the best portfolio website designs. There are a few topics we need to highlight here.??

3. Professional Design

We already mentioned creating a good first impression on whoever visits your website. The design is the first thing a visitor notices, and your portfolio website design must look professional. Your website may not have the best or the most attractive design; you must ensure it looks good. The fonts, the layout of the copy, the color palettes, and how various elements of the website, such as the images, should have a cohesive look. The design should also align with your branding and what you do.?

4. Responsive and Mobile-friendly

As we are discussing design, your website should be responsive and mobile-friendly. Why? As more and more people are viewing sites on their phones, you need to make sure your website looks good and easy to navigate on smartphones and devices with different screen sizes. You don’t want people to zoom in and zoom out on their phones to read the text or scroll endlessly on their phones to find something on your website. Besides, Google prefers to rank websites that are mobile-friendly and responsive.?

5. Clear Navigation

Another important aspect of a best portfolio website design is that the main menu of the website should be well-organized and clutter-free. Don’t put too many sections in the main navigation bar, and make sure the visitor can find the critical information like the services pages and contact us pages without searching too much.?

6. Fast Page Speed

It doesn’t matter if your website is attractive, looks great on phones, and is easily navigable; if your potential clients have to wait long for your website to load, they will likely leave. Slow-loading websites also don’t rank in Google’s search results. Therefore, ensure your website loads within 2 seconds or less.?

Content

Now that we have talked about the design and how people can find important information on your site let’s discuss what people will see when they are on it.?

7. Brief Intro

This is important for any best portfolio website design as it explains who you are and what you do. Tell your potential clients how you can help them and your interests or backstory. As people like to work with someone they know or can relate to, don’t be shy about letting your personality shine through in your copy or design or by mentioning some of your hobbies outside of work. You can also list your educational background, work experiences, and skills, but keep it brief. Don’t go overboard with it. And finally, include a professional headshot to make it more personal.?

8. Your Projects

It’s a portfolio website, and potential clients want to see and read about your previous projects. Always showcase your best work and add value using high-quality visuals, videos, and descriptive copy. Case studies are effective as they help people better understand your work and how it helped solve someone's problem. For example, ‘My SEO strategies have helped this client to increase his sales by 45%.?

9. Blog/Articles

This section is essential for portfolio website design as it helps search engines find and rank your website, which brings more traffic to your site. Post engaging articles and the latest news and updates related to your niche consistently that will interest your target audience. Include social share buttons so your readers can easily share the content.?

10 Testimonials and Reviews

You can tell people that you are the best in what you do and that you are reliable with hundreds of satisfied clients. But if you keep doing that, you will come across as someone selling something that won’t resonate well with your potential clients. Moreover, many well-intentioned designers often make promises but fail to deliver on them.?

As people like to work with someone they know or are referred by a mutual connection, when you are new, it can be tough to convince potential clients.?

Social proof, such as testimonials and reviews from Yelp, Google Reviews, or TrustPilot from satisfied clients, is an excellent way to establish trust with prospective clients. It shows that you have a track record of delivering quality work and providing excellent service. Ask your satisfied clients for written testimonials or ask if they would be willing to record a short video testimonial that you can showcase on your website.

Action Items

11. Multiple Calls to Action (CTAs)

You may be wondering why CTAs when I have already included my email and phone number so clients can contact me. However, people like to be guided to take action, which is where CTAs come in. On one page, encourage them to get in touch with you, and on another page, ask them to sign up for your newsletter. Include links to your socials ( for example, Instagram, Behance, Dribble, etc.), as this will make it convenient for your potential clients to know more if they want to. Ensure your CTAs are prominent using buttons with larger text and contrasting colors.?

So there you have it—11 essential elements for the best portfolio website design. Pay attention to these elements and customize them to align with your unique requirements and expertise, and you can construct a visually appealing and functional portfolio website.?

Starlit Devs excels in professional portfolio website design, ensuring your portfolio stands out from the competition. With our web design and development expertise, we designed impressive online portfolios for hundreds of clients, helping them to display their work and attract potential clients.?

If you need a trustworthy and skilled developer for your upcoming portfolio website, Starlit Devs is ready to assist you.

Contact us today!