How to Create an online portfolio
A portfolio App can showcase your business to potential customers. It can even help you start attracting more customers. Just make sure you plan your App thoroughly and include things like contact forms so interested people can get in touch with you.
Choosing a platform for your online portfolio
Don’t have web design skills?
Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to build your own App using either an App builder package, or a an App developer. Most App builders allow you to build an App using a drag and drop editor, meaning that there are few situations where any knowledge of coding is required to create your App.
Take the time to understand what functionality you’ll need from your portfolio App, and then use that information to decide if an App builder is the right solution for you. The next thing to consider is the overall look of your App.
Appily App Builder is based around templates, meaning you can just pick one you like without having to worry about creating a design from scratch. It’s all about finding a template or theme which you like and will complement the contents of your portfolio.
Finally, when choosing a platform for your portfolio App, you should consider what kind of content you’ll be uploading. If you’re intending to create a portfolio App that features a large number of high-res images and/or videos, you’ll need to make sure that the solution you pick offers enough storage and bandwidth to cope.
If you’re not sure whether the App Maker solution you’re thinking of using is suitable for the App you want to build, speak to the provider first as they will be able to guide you towards the right product.
Remember: it’s good idea to plan out your App before committing to a provider. That way, you’ll be sure that you can build the App you want.
What content will you need for your portfolio App?
Once you’ve decided how you’ll be creating your portfolio App, it’s time to start planning the content you’ll be including on it and how you’ll lay it out. Obviously the most important will be the pieces that make up your portfolio itself, but you have to decide how you’re going to present that content.
Here are some options for you to consider.
One-page portfolio vs multipage portfolio
Will you split your portfolio over multiple pages, or just include everything on one page? The answer to this question will have a big impact on the final look of your App. As a general rule, you should only opt for a one-page portfolio if you have relatively few examples to show off and they all fall into the same category.
In this case, it makes sense to group your portfolio together as everything is related.
If you have a large portfolio and/or it covers a number of different areas then it usually makes sense to split your portfolio across more than one page on your App. Dividing your portfolio up like this makes it easier for people to find examples of their work that are relevant to their needs. Would you expect someone looking for a wedding photographer to trawl through hundreds of photos of corporate events first?
Structuring your App content clearly can even help if you decide to promote your App using paid advertising, as you’re able to send people to a page that’s relevant to the ad that they’ve clicked on.
A homepage portfolio?
If you’re opting for a one-page portfolio, you might find you’re tempted to make your portfolio your App’s homepage.
There’s no rule that says you shouldn’t do this, but putting your portfolio on your homepage can make it hard for people to navigate from there to other areas of your App. If you are tempted to put your portfolio on your homepage.
Other types of content for a portfolio App
Although your portfolio will form the core of your App, there are other types of content that you should consider adding.
An about me page
People like to make a human connection. Adding an “about me” page lets people see who you are and makes it more likely they’ll trust you to deliver what they need. Use your “about me” page to explain who you are, what you do, why you’re passionate about what you do and how you can deliver what your potential clients want.
Be sure to include images of you at work so people can see who you are and get a peek behind the scenes.
Reviews/testimonials
If you’ve got existing happy clients, let other potential clients know. Including a page dedicated to reviews and/or testimonials is a good way of building trust. You can also include relevant reviews/testimonials in key locations on other pages of your App, for example near your contact forms on your portfolio pages.
A blog
Although a blog isn’t a must-have for a portfolio App, it does offer you another way to communicate with your potential clients.
Planning the layout of your portfolio App
By now, you should have a good idea of what content you’ll need for your App and a least some idea of how that content will be organized. The next step is to plan the layout of your App. A good place to start is by simply listing all the different pages your App will need, including a homepage. Once you have this, you can start planning the layout of your App and how people will navigate their way around it.
The good news is that the average portfolio App is relatively simple, so things shouldn’t get too complicated. As there are only four of them, you can create a simple navigation which lists each page and is always there at the top of your App.
Things might get slightly more complicated if you breakdown your portfolio into multiple sections, but you can just add subcategories under the portfolio of your navigation bar.
You may want to use a pencil and paper to sketch out the basic layout of your App, as this will give you something to work from when building it. Once you’ve got everything planned out, you can finalize your choice of platform and get started building your App.
If you’re using a drag-and-drop App Builder, you should find it’s quick and easy to turn your plan into an actual portfolio App.
Attracting visitors to your portfolio App
If you want to make the most of your portfolio App, you’ll need people to see it. Here are some ways you can get your portfolio App seen by potential clients.
Pay-per-click advertising
Want to get visitors to your portfolio App straightaway? Consider pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
The two main platforms that offer PPC are search engines and social media platforms. PPC is a great way to attract potential clients, but you need to have a plan. The aim should be to target your ads at people who are looking for a business like yours and then get them to enquire about your services.
It sounds easy, but it is possible to spend more on PPC than you make in sales. So make sure you know what to expect before starting a PPC campaign. You may want to hire an agency to handle your PPC for you.
Social media profiles, review sites and directories
Add links to your portfolio App to all your other online spaces, including social media profiles, review sites and directories. By doing so, anyone looking for a business like yours will be able to click through and see what you have to offer.
Next Steps:
Being able to show off your work to potential customers is a huge advantage in many lines of business, but how you go about setting up an online portfolio can vary depending on your preferences, but by using the guide mentioned above you can get a general idea of how to structure your portfolio App.
