5 Ways to Spice up Your Portfolio

Browsing some of the CSS Galleries, I can’t help but notice that there are so many designers portfolios that all look the same. It their quest for uniqueness, they end up being the same. That got me thinking; what are some ways other than design that a designer could do to spice up their portfolio. Below are some of my rough ideas. None of them are perfect and would need to be tweaked to fit your needs, but hopefully you get the idea. Maybe they will even spark some better ideas!

Add Video to It

Video in all its glory is something I am pretty big into right now. I think adding video to your portfolio can really do a lot to make it stand out and add some credibility to it. There are a ton of ways you can use video to make your portfolio more interactive. One suggestion is to find some screen cast software that lets you record from your web cam as well as your screen. You can use this software to review your own designs in your portfolio. This way you can really show off your work and people can see the face behind the design.

Another idea is to see if you can manage to get clients to do a video testimonial. I know this is a stretch, but it could be a great way to make new clients feel more comfortable with working with you.

Adding a short bio video to your about page can also help clients feel like they know more about you. Create a short 2 or 3 minute video about you and your outlook on design. Keep it personal and not a sales pitch though.

Add Audio to It

All the ideas for video can easily be translated into audio. I understand that some people are just camera shy. I am one of them! If you are as well, just do screen casts with voice overs. If you want people to see the face behind the design, suggest viewers of your screencast to visit your about page at the end of the screencast.

If you clients are media savvy, it might be easier, but still a stretch, to get them to do a audio testimonial. Any kind of multimedia testimonial is great to have.

Have Famous People Critique

You know how authors get quotes about their book from other authors, book reviewers, magazines, etc? Why not do something like that for you portfolio and designs? If you work is really up to par, try asking some top designers about their thoughts on your work and if you could quote them on your website.

Some designers will say no this flat out, but its worth a shot. Unless of course your work isn’t all that great. Then you might just end up sending work their way instead of your way! Just an idea.

Use Live Surface

If you do graphic design work like making poster, fliers, signs etc; Post some of your designs in Live Templates of things like billboards, public signs, on cars, and anywhere else its appropriate. Clients are always impressed by this and it gives them a chance to see how your work stands out in a real life situation rather than just on screen.

Obviously you could do this yourself with some stock photos. I just mention Live Surface so that everyone knows what I’m talking about.

Work on Your About Page

Aside from your portfolio page, your about page is probably the second most visited page on your site. Spend a few hours spicing up this page. Write a more personal bio about yourself instead of listing off all your major clients and resume. If people feel like they know you, they feel more comfortable working with you. Another thing you can do is add a bio video, some more casual pictures, and various ways clients can connect with your via social networks.

What kind of things do you do to spice up your portfolio and make it stand out from the crowd?

Photo by AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker