When getting new clients and selling your services better, the first thing you must do is create a robust portfolio website. You can’t just go out there with feedback from a third-party platform (like Upwork) or a bunch of offline files to showcase your work and services. That not only looks unprofessional, but it also doesn’t provide clarity on your level of expertise and the number of services you offer.
On the flip side, having a portfolio means you will waste less time replying to emails and more time promoting your services.
Things to Consider When Building a Portfolio Website
That said, there is a significant degree of competition for nearly all online work, including web design, development, and more. So it would be best if you focus on creating a portfolio website that really stands out.
Design a Compelling Landing Page
Creating an eye-catching landing page is one of the best ways to ensure that your site gets tons of hits and that companies and clients actually check out your portfolio. Instead of using a content management system where framework and theme design are pre-defined, you can use a site builder to design your portfolio website.
Unlike CMSs, a site builder allows you to completely control your design; you can customize everything from headers to footers with just a few clicks. That is especially useful when you gear your services towards design and focus more on graphics and photography.
You don’t have to spend much time on web development or learning to code. Just follow the design principles to build your online portfolio with creatively-styled pre-built templates or design everything from scratch.
Create Visually Appealing Brand Aesthetics
The next most important thing that freelancers often overlook is visual brand aesthetics. In order for your site to become a brand, it first has to look like a brand.
Instead of using free stock photos that rarely even make sense, use real photographs that represent your service and your real self if possible. For instance, if you are selling a photography service, use your own images instead of using photos from online platforms. Just make sure to get them properly edited so they look perfectly professional.
Similarly, if your service showcases a product, it would make more sense if the images you use are authentic. That means you’re the one who originally snapped the photos rather than a generic graphic design or your supplier’s official product photographs.
Work on User Experience
User navigation is the part of the design that influences your portfolio website’s bounce rate. In simpler words, a site optimized for UX and navigation won’t get many sales for its products or services.
UX is primarily about designing your site so that your customers can easily understand what you’re about and are awestruck by the presentation of your services. Here are some quick tips to improve your website users’ experience enormously.
- Navigation – Though it goes without saying, simple navigation helps your user surf around quickly. Things like adding pages to the menu, enabling breadcrumbs, etc., will simplify navigation just fine.
- Graphic elements – When describing a service, you can use icons or artwork to showcase your portfolio better.
- Website speed – A slow loading site will reduce your conversions and affect Google ranking as well. So as a general rule of thumb, try to speed up your site to not more than 3 seconds load time. Start by optimizing images, using CDNs (Content Delivery Networks), and so on.
- CTAs – The click-through rate decides how well a user can find the details about your services.
Optimize for the Search Engine
The Google search engine helps you promote your portfolio and did you know that 92.41% of the search engine segment is controlled by Google. For instance, if someone searches your name, a properly SEO-optimized page will bring up your portfolio in the top three spots. However, your portfolio will stay hidden in the sandbox if SEO was done improperly.
Check for Usability (optional)
Usability is a website feature that influences how well the site’s purpose is served. You can either hire usability testing experts or check it yourself. Though this is not necessary (business sites mostly use it), it ensures that your portfolio site actually showcases the specifics in the best way possible.
Simply put, a good usability helps your potential customer surf around your portfolio site, and get in touch in little to no time.
Over to You
So that was our take on some of the most crucial things you can do when designing a portfolio website. When you are done with the primary elements mentioned above, you can look for others to enhance your portfolio. These include displaying testimonials from real users, promoting your portfolio on social media, asking your clients to drop a tweet, creating videos about your work ( make sure to edit the clip, though), running paid ads, and so on.
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When it comes to knowing how to build an investment portfolio that is both complete and effective, there is plenty to think about and plan for. Many of the steps you take will be based on your long and short-term goals. This will differ from one person to the next. However, there are several key steps you’ll need to take to get your portfolio established and building wealth for you and for your future. I have listed the key considerations when constructing a portfolio below:
1: Know where you are and where you are going
It is important to take stock, so to speak, of where you are. Consider what type of retirement plans and investments you already have (and how well they are doing) as well as any assets you own. Then take a look at where you want to be. It is important to know what you want to save for retirement based on the types of experiences you plan to have once you do retire. Knowing how to build an investment portfolio is just as important for the “now” as it is for your “future”.
2: Establish a retirement fund
Perhaps everyone should do this as soon as possible. A retirement fund helps you to structure your financial goals while putting even a small amount of money away each month to cover retirement needs. Doing this now allows plenty of time for your wealth to build, thanks to compounding interest.
3: Consider your level of risk tolerance
Before you can determine where you want to put your money, you have to realise you have risk tolerance. This is the amount of risk you are willing to take on. If you are older and nearing retirement, you may not want to take on a lot of risks and put your money on the line. If you are younger, those higher-risk funds can look very good because you have time to recoup any losses. Also, consider your personal views and financial stability.
4: Develop an investment portfolio based on time and risk
Work closely with a financial planner to create a portfolio that addresses your concerns. This includes a combination of stocks, bonds and funds that create the level of risk that is right for you with a return that matches that risk. Your financial planner will indicate investments that may be ideal for you in each of these situations. You’ll want to work on a plan over time, making changes as needed.
5: Add to your wealth
There are several key steps to how to build an investment portfolio, and not all of them center around stocks and investments. You’ll also want to build wealth in other means. Don’t use credit cards or high-interest loans as they cut into your earnings and long-term goals. You’ll also want to consider purchasing real estate or other value building assets that help keep you diversified. The key here is not to put all of your money into a specific asset class. By diversifying, you’ll be able to absorb any losses easier and continue on your path to financial freedom.
From time to time, come back to your portfolio to make adjustments. Working with a financial adviser can help to make this easier to do. He or she can monitor your portfolio for changes that could be worrisome or beneficial. You’ll also want to continue to build your wealth over time, investing consistently in your portfolio. The more work you put into it now, the better the long-term goals and outcomes will be for you.
I hope you found my key considerations on how to build an investment portfolio useful, and remember as an expat expert, I am on hand to help with all of the above and more.
About Mike Coady
Mike Coady is an expat expert based in Dubai and is on hand to help with all of the above and more.
Mike is an award-winning money coach and industry leader in the financial sector.
Qualified to UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) standards, a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals (FF.ISP), and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (FIoD) and featured as a highly qualified Financial Adviser in Which Financial Adviser.
To learn how to choose a great financial adviser, download our free guide.
Blog published by Mike Coady.