How to Create a Portfolio Website

Whether you’re a director, illustrator, filmmaker, writer, or any other type of creative, a strong online presence is essential. Your portfolio website helps people understand who you are, what you make, and how to work with you—even if you’re just starting out.

This guide walks you through building your online creative portfolio in three stages, how to create a portfolio even if you don’t have much paid client work, and how to communicate your creative identity clearly and confidently.

Stage 1: The Link Tree (Your Starter Presence)

This is your quick-start option. Use a free link-in-bio platform like Linktree to organise and share your best work and contact information.

What to Include:

  • A one-line description of what you do (for example: “Creative writer exploring identity and nature”)
  • A shared folder of your best work (Google Drive, Dropbox, Youtube, etc.)
  • Social media profiles
  • A contact method (email or form)

How to Build It:

  • Choose a clean, easy-to-read layout
  • Use a brand photo or logo for visual consistency
  • Keep link names clear and professional, like “Portfolio Samples,” “Sketchbook,” or “Contact Me”

Stage 2: Basic Website Portfolio

If you’re looking for a more detailed option, explore building a portfolio website using platforms like Squarespace or Wix. These platforms are free to get started with and are great to use if you just want a direct link to send to potential clients, but they have a yearly cost (approx £100) if you want your website to show up on Google or to have a custom domain (e.g. yourname.com)

What to Include:

  • Homepage: A clean introduction to who you are and what you create
  • Portfolio/Work Page: 3 to 6 curated projects, with images and short context (project title, type, tools used, your role)
  • About Page: A short bio, your background, creative approach, and influences
  • Contact Page: Include your email address, social links, and/or a form

How to Build It:

  • Choose a portfolio-specific template to speed things up
  • Use simple navigation: Home, Work, About, Contact
  • Optimize your images and layout for mobile viewing

Stage 3: Comprehensive Website

If you’re looking to create a fully comprehensive home base for your work as a freelance creative, you’ll want to create a detailed website in a similar way to above (with a paid for domain), packed full of your work and experience, and a shop front for your business.

What to Include:

  • Homepage: A bold, clear statement about who you are, what you do, and who it’s for
  • Portfolio/Work: Projects grouped by category, with full case studies or image galleries
  • About Page: A more in-depth bio, your journey, mission, and professional values
  • Services Page: What you offer (e.g. branding, illustration, photo shoots, motion design), with pricing ranges or call-to-actions
  • Testimonials: Positive quotes or feedback from collaborators, clients, or mentors
  • Blog or Journal (optional): Share thoughts, project updates, or behind-the-scenes content
  • Contact Page: Clear call to action, email, contact form, and links

How to Build It:

  • Use a platform such as Wix or Squarespace, or build your own in WordPress for full creative control (some coding knowledge required).
  • Invest in visual branding (logo, fonts, color palette) for your brand for consistency
  • Add search engine optimization (SEO) basics: page titles, descriptions, and image alt text to make sure it shows up on Google.

Don’t Have an Existing Portfolio?

If you don’t have an existing portfolio, don’t panic. There are plenty of ways to showcase your work, even if it isn’t paid or for real clients. You might choose to showcase:

  • Self-Initiated Projects: Create work you’d love to be hired for (e.g., packaging design, fashion photography, magazine layouts)
  • Passion Projects: Explore topics you care about or styles you’re curious to master
  • Case Studies: Explain the thinking and process behind personal pieces (sketches, research, prototypes)
  • Personal Projects: Redesign a favorite book cover, build branding for an imaginary business, or create art based on prompts
  • Creative Challenges: Participate in Inktober, write a piece of music for a competition, or submit a photo for a themed calendar.
  • Reworks and Concepts: Revamp an old design, create concept art for a fictional world, or propose a campaign for a brand you admire

How to Talk About Your Work:

Be honest and confident. Instead of pretending the work you’ve done is for a client, frame it as:
“A hypothetical branding project for a fictional family-run bakery.”
“A musical response to my feelings about [insert recent event]”
“A photo exhibiton based around the theme of family and age differences, using my siblings as models”

Supplement your website with social media

Finished your website portfolio? Now find out how to support it with social media.