For those of us working in academia or the arts, a portfolio is vital. It lets potential recruiters see our best work from one simple website. Crafting a sleek design with optimized content will bring more traffic to your online portfolio.
Here, we list five tips to attract visitors to your portfolio, so they can see the amazing work you have done and what you offer! Whether you need a whole site overhaul or a simple tweak, these tips will improve your portfolio for the better.
1) SEO Practices
Perhaps the most important part of increasing traffic comes from visibility. Focusing on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices will get you there. No point designing the best website only for it to rank lower than your competitors on Google.
Pepper the pages with keywords related to your name, occupation, and any important identifiers. These make your website show up when someone searches for you. The ‘about’ page should be your main focus. A great ‘about’ page will help bring in traffic from generic searches.
With this said, SEO is not easy for beginners. According to this Auckland SEO company, you need plenty of experience with website design and optimization techniques.
Otherwise, you risk using black-hat SEO tactics and penalties from Google.
2) It’s All in the Image
Your portfolio is a representation of your best work. People viewing it need enticing images that contextualize the information you are presenting. Wherever possible, use a picture where there would be text.
The same goes for the most important picture of all: your portrait. In one picture, you have to convey your entire character from professional to personal: so pick wisely. Think about your job, possible recruiters, and the message you are trying to send.
While your work remains the purpose behind a portfolio website, you need people to associate it with you.
3) First Glance Design
Create a portfolio website that has a strong first impression. The most important few seconds a visitor will experience are opening the link until they decide what to do next. Your home page must grab their attention.
Try experimenting with:
- Colors that contrast
- A clean, but bold font
- A small graphic or animation
The homepage should show the most important information at first glance. A visitor should know right away the tone and purpose of the portfolio. It may be worth asking friends to look at it for the first time and asking them their impressions.
4) Visitor Engagement
Recruiters looking through your portfolio don’t want to spend more time than necessary, so make navigating your portfolio easy for them. Navigating between pages should be fast, and your portfolio should be easy to access with simple menu labels.
If you have taken all the effort to get someone to your website, you should keep them there. Provide engaging content as they scroll down a page, and keep your content short. Don’t include long paragraphs with unnecessary information – let your work speak for itself.
5) Updated CV
While visitors are mainly interested in your portfolio, they’ll also want to see your work experience. Your professional experience needs to be listed clearly and concisely, with the most recent credits at the top of the page.
Include awards, recommendations, and other skills that are noteworthy.
All in All
Your website portfolio provides a chance for you to be creative. It shows more of your personality than any resume can, and gives you much more control over how a viewer interacts with it.
Being able to shape a recruiter’s experience means taking the time to develop your website portfolio will never be a waste. These few simple tips will bring more people to your site and keep them there for longer.