How to build a portfolio website that wins work

A good online portfolio can help you win new clients in a competitive market.

Creating a website that clearly shows your skills and best projects could build credibility and make it easier for clients to find you.

But what exactly are portfolio websites, and how could you make one that shows your work at its best?

What is a portfolio website?

A portfolio website is a personal website where you show your work or projects.

These websites are common in the creative, photography, entertainment, and media industries, where visuals play a key role in inspiring potential clients to contact them.

Besides images and videos, they usually include text explaining what you did for each project.

A portfolio website could also contain information about certifications, awards, contact details, and background information about you or your business.

Why does my business need one?

A portfolio website could be an asset for any creative business as it showcases your skills and successful projects in one accessible place.

If it’s well designed, potential clients can quickly understand what you do and how good you are.

Seeing real examples builds trust and helps people decide if you’re the right fit.

A portfolio could also help you expand your reach, putting your start-up online and in front of new potential clients.

Not every business has a portfolio website, but creating one could help you stand out in a competitive market.

Read our guide to getting your business online.

Choosing the right platform for your portfolio

Picking the right website platform is an important first step.

The best choice may depend on your skills, budget, and how much control you want.

Popular options include:

• WordPress – Highly customisable and scalable, WordPress is good for content-heavy sites. The software is free, but you may need to pay for hosting, themes, and plugins. It can take more setup and ongoing maintenance, and it can be easier if you’re comfortable with building websites. Simpler builds are possible with the right themes and page builders, but you may need to factor in the cost of hiring a web developer to build the portfolio site.
• Squarespace – User-friendly with polished templates and drag-and-drop editing. Hosting and support are included in the monthly fee, which adds convenience but may cost more over time. It’s generally less customisable than WordPress.
• Wix – A beginner-friendly drag-and-drop builder with lots of templates and AI tools to speed up setup. Pricing is straightforward and depends on whether you use features such as marketing tools. Advanced customisation is more limited than WordPress, and switching templates later can be restrictive.

While each platform could be ideal for designing your portfolio website, it is important to research features and costs to choose the best fit.

Consider selecting a platform based on your technical skill level, budget, and customisation needs.

For example, WordPress could be a strong option if you’re comfortable with web design or want complete control over your site. Squarespace or Wix could be better if you prefer a more straightforward, all-in-one setup with minimal fuss.

Make sure your site works well on phones as well as laptops.

Most searches in the UK happen on mobile, so use a page design that adapts to different screen sizes.

Modern website builders offer mobile-ready templates and let you preview your site on multiple devices before you publish.

Read our simple guide on how to create a website for your business.

What to include on your portfolio website

Once you’ve picked a platform, decide what to put on your site.

Aim for clear, helpful sections that make it easy for people to understand your work and contact you.

You may wish to include:

A homepage

This could be the first page visitors see, so you can make a great first impression with a clear introduction and highlights of your work or unique style.

An ‘About’ section

Here, share your background, story, and what makes you different.
Help visitors get to know you and understand more about your business.

Your portfolio/gallery

Show your best work with high-quality images, videos, and project descriptions.

You may want to select a range of your work that showcases different strengths, skills, and work relevant to your target clients.

Consider including some of your most impressive work and projects that received great feedback or results.

Case studies

Including more detailed information about your past projects can help visitors better understand your skills.

A good case study might include:

• some context about the project – who it was for, what the goal was, and any challenges it presented
• your process and the tools used to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities
• the results of your work and your contribution to the whole project (if you worked as part of a team).

Services offered

In this section, clearly outline what you can do, whether design, writing, or photography, to show potential clients exactly how you can help them.

Contact information

Provide an easy way for people to reach you, such as a contact form, an email address, or links to your social media profiles.

Including these sections could help ensure your portfolio is informative and professional while making it easier for potential clients to contact you.

By carefully selecting and presenting your work, your portfolio showcases not only what you can do but also how you think and work.

This could make your business an appealing option to potential clients.

Discover 6 ways to make your website more effective.

Using testimonials

Client testimonials are a powerful tool for building trust and credibility on your portfolio website.

Positive feedback from real clients reassures potential customers that you are reliable and consistently deliver quality work that matches their requirements.

Consider focusing on gathering testimonials that are most relevant to your target market.

Reach out to clients soon after a successful project – by email or phone – and make it easy for them to respond with a few simple questions or a short form.

Let them know you value their feedback and how it helps you improve.

You may wish to keep featured testimonials relatively short and easy to read.

Place them where they’ll be seen – on your homepage, service pages, or alongside relevant work samples to make them visible to potential clients.

With permission, include the client’s name, business, and photo to add credibility.

Learn more about how to get customer testimonials for your start-up.

Design and usability

Design your portfolio website so it’s easy for potential clients to navigate.

The aim is to make a strong first impression and encourage them to explore your work further.

You might start with a clean, professional design that puts your work front and centre, without overwhelming visitors with clutter.

Organise your content logically with a clear, easy-to-find menu.

Add clear calls to action, such as ‘Get in Touch’ or ‘Request a Quote,’ to guide potential clients to contact you.

Consistency could also be important – consider using a unified colour scheme and the same fonts throughout to reflect your brand, along with a clear, friendly tone of voice.

How can I make sure people find my website?

You can use search engine optimisation (SEO) to make your portfolio website easier for potential clients to find.

SEO helps boost your site’s visibility in search results, attracting more visitors.

There are some practical steps you can take to help optimise your site.

Consider:

• using keyword research to find the terms potential customers use, and include them naturally in your webpage headings and content
• using clear, relevant meta titles and descriptions for every page
• adding concise, meaningful alt text to images to improve both accessibility and search engine indexing
• updating your site regularly with new projects or blog posts, to showcase your expertise
• encouraging other businesses to link to your site, by sharing your work on social media, collaborating with others, and joining professional communities
• including your location in your content and creating a Google Business Profile can help optimise your site for local searches.

Another useful step could be to make sure your website loads quickly.

Check that your website images aren’t too large, as big files may slow down your site.

Choosing a reliable hosting provider also helps to keep your website running smoothly.

You can also secure your site with an SSL certificate (HTTPS), which helps to protect visitor data and boosts its ranking in search engines.

Discover more – read about six ways to boost your website’s SEO.