This article was originally published on HubSpot.
A great story or post benefits from great images — like charts, infographics, custom art, and more. I’ve had to look for designers and photographers to work for to add those elements to my writing. A great portfolio is essential to help me make the right choices of who to work with.
Whether you’re a UX designer, freelance writer, or photographer, an impressive online portfolio is critical for impressing potential clients and landing future jobs. Once you’ve created your digital portfolio, you’ll need somewhere to host or showcase it — that’s where a portfolio website comes in.
Here, we’ve created a list of the best portfolio websites for designers, freelancers, and photographers to ensure you can showcase your best work in any industry.
Table of Contents
- Best Free Portfolio Websites for Freelance Writers
- Best Free Portfolio Websites for Designers
- Best Free Portfolio Websites for Photographers
- Creating Your Online Portfolio
What is an online portfolio?
An online portfolio is a digital collection of information about your past work, experiences, qualifications, skills, or accolades you have earned and want to share on the internet. They give legitimacy to your work and provide industry professionals with a better understanding of what you can do.
Examples of your work you could display in an online portfolio include:
- Photographs.
- Writing samples.
- Case studies.
- Spreadsheets.
- Lesson plans.
What you include in your online portfolio varies depending on your field and expertise. I asked Kaitlin Milliken, a senior program manager who runs HubSpot’s Freelance Network, what she looks for in a portfolio.
“A strong portfolio showcases your best work — whether that be the most intricate of your artistic creations or the best of your writing work,” Milliken says. “If you’ve worked with large companies and well-known brands, that also makes a difference. I know you’re used to working with companies of our size.”
Milliken also notes that your portfolio should be intuitive, featuring clear navigation and sleek web design.
“Your portfolio should be easy for me to explore. I’m evaluating your work, so endless scrolling or poor UX pull me away from what you can accomplish,” Milliken says.
So, your portfolio hosting system matters. To better help you choose a portfolio builder for your needs, let’s dive into some of our favorite portfolio websites that can help you.
