Authentic.
  • Hosting Plans
  • Client Login
ChemiCloud Blog
  • Hosting Plans
  • Client Login

Web Developer Portfolio: 20 advice to attract more customers through your work & services (Part 1)

    Updated on
  • November 26, 2019
  • 6 minute read
  • By Ilinca
Total
17
Shares
17
0
0

Web Developer Portfolio: 20 advice to attract more customers through your work & services (part 1)

Web Developer Portfolio

What do you (honestly) think about your web developer portfolio? Does it represent well your work and your way of doing professional things? Does it really help you to attract new projects or get a good job? I bet you’ve already asked yourself these questions and tried to figure out if your approach is the right one. (feel free to post your answer in the comment section or even to share with me why are you proud of your portfolio and consider it a good example).

I was hanging around the other day on the internet, randomly reading different articles on different topics, and, after a while I’ve realized something: in less than an hour I’ve stumbled across at least 20 questions about how a web dev portfolio should look like, what it should contain and what it shouldn’t, and what clients and employers are really expecting to find out on a portfolio page.

I’ve decided that this sounds like a fresh and exciting topic for a new post, so I’ve selected the questions that seem to be most relevant for a web developer (beginner or experienced).

I’m a marketer, not a developer, But, in the past 10 years, I had the chance to work with many web developers and designers (employees and freelancers) and even to help them promote their work online to get new clients/ new projects.

So, here I am, trying to provide useful advice for developing a dev portfolio, based on the top 20 questions (10 in this article + another 10 in our next post – stay tuned!) I’ve discovered online and, of course, on my experience.

Table of Contents
  1. Which is the best way to present a Web Developer Portfolio?
  2. What elements should I include in a portfolio?
  3. Images versus text. Which is most important for my potential clients or employer?
  4. What elements should NOT be included in a developer portfolio?
  5. Is it wise to offer related services as well?
  6. How should I find reliable partners to increase the quality of my projects?
  7. How do I make my online portfolio to stand out?
  8. How much should I invest in my Web Developer Portfolio’s design?
  9. Is it wise to try earning extra-incomes through my Web Developer Portfolio ‘s page?
  10. Some takeaways (instead of conclusion)

Which is the best way to present a Web Developer Portfolio?

If you intend to develop a career in this domain, don’t waste your time and personal brand on temporary pages. Invest a little for a long term success: create a dedicated portfolio page that entirely represents you and your work from the very first 30 seconds.

What elements should I include in a portfolio?

I know it’s not polite, but I’ll answer your question with…another question: what would be the top 5 things a prospect would want to know about you?

10 seconds – that’s all the time you have to impress a new visitor

Click To Tweet

You may be thinking that in 10 seconds you can’t say much about your work. And that may be probably true. On the other hand, you should think about these 10 seconds as they are for scanning the structure of your page.

So, focus on 5 things you want to communicate with your customers instantly:

  • Who are you and what it’s your experience in web development (About)
  • What kind of projects have you developed until now (Work)
  • How do you work (Remote?)
  • What others (clients) think about your work and about working with you (Reviews)
  • How can prospects get in touch with you (Contact)

Images versus text. Which is most important for my potential clients or employer?

Pictures are valuable – that’s for sure. But don’t count exclusively on them because it is risky and less efficient than you may think.

A picture is worth a thousand words. But 20 images on the same page may speak too loud, too simultaneous, and on too many topics.

Click To Tweet

In other words, each project needs a brief description. Create first a structure for this description (when the project was done, what it was about, results/ impact, client’s feedback, etc.) and follow the structure step by step, project by project. Otherwise, your page visitors will become too soon tired and lost in the middle of a labyrinth.

What elements should NOT be included in a developer portfolio?

My first advice is to:

Think like a client, act like a Pro in web development.

Click To Tweet

You probably often hear “Sell your work big time. Use great words to describe it!”

But is that what a prospect/visitor wants to read about? Think of what he is looking for and try to respond to his expectations.

  • Do not over-sell your skills
  • Do not put ALL your project on Work section – nobody’s looking for an archive
  • Do not make it look too personal (using a friendly tone doesn’t mean a full confession about your hobbies and friends)
  • Keep professional projects and personal ones in different threads
  • Do not overload your page with CTAs (call-to-action)

Is it wise to offer related services as well?

Yes, it is as long as these services are well connected with your web dev activity.
In fact, including in your offer some extra (related) services may be a relief for many prospects. Take into account to offer also (if possible) services like web design, web hosting (through partners), SEO, etc.

Reseller Hosting by ChemiCloud
High-Performance Cloud Reseller Hosting built for designers and agencies. Maintain your client’s websites with the WHM control panel without worrying about server management or technical support! Find out more

Web Developer Portfolio

How should I find reliable partners to increase the quality of my projects?

Count on external reviews, testimonials, forums and social media groups. These resources can guarantee you that:

If their clients are happy, your clients will be happier.

Click To Tweet

 

web hosting affiliate programs

How do I make my online portfolio to stand out?

It’s rarely easy to stand out in such a competitive market.

The challenge is to keep it simple, but not simplistic.

Click To Tweet
  • But you can make it possible if:
  • Create a simple, clean and modern design;
  • Choose a relevant domain name;
  • Your page has no downtimes (reliable hosting);
  • Mix smart your content (videos, demos, images, etc.) for projects examples;
  • Use a professional, but also a human tone of voice;
  • Make available dynamic forms and CTAs for contact info;
  • Include relevant case studies and reviews about your work’s success.

Big brands or complex projects? What should come first?

Your visitors will notice quickly if you have some important brands on your web developer portfolio, and this simple fact will increase your notoriety in…seconds.

Help them remember that behind every giant name stand people who put passion in their work.

Click To Tweet

So don’t forget to place the big brands’ list in a visible space of your page.

On the other hand, big brands presence on your page may stimulate prospects’ curiosity (“what types of the project did s/he developed? Are those projects remarkable? Has s/he any recommendations from those brands?”)

Advice: don’t leave any relevant detail behind and consider every complex project as a relevant topic to talk about (on the work section, and your blog, as well).

How much should I invest in my Web Developer Portfolio’s design?

I know you want to make your page special and unique and impressive. But the truth is that investing too much in your page design is a complete waste of time and money. Complex designs can be overwhelming for people that visit your page.

Use a simple, dynamic, and functional design. It’s mandatory for your visitors to find all the info they need quickly.

Is it wise to try earning extra-incomes through my Web Developer Portfolio ‘s page?

Mixing knowledge with business is the best recipe for success. Use your blog from the portfolio page to create valuable content for your audience (e.g., potential customers) and integrate affiliate links smartly and naturally to generate sales. Be sure that the provider you are promoting:

  • sells good products
  • has good reviews
  • is relevant for your page and for your blog post

affiliate programs

Some takeaways (instead of conclusion)

      • Create a dedicated web page for your portfolio;
      • Insert only info that is relevant to your potential clients/employers;
      • Leave reviews, case studies and well-structured projects to speak about your experience;
      • Choose a simple, functional and suitable design for your page
      • Create an intuitive and 5-points structure for your portfolio page;
      • Do not try to oversell your skills or your work;
      • Use a friendly tone but post relevant info only;
      • Extend your offer (offer related services like web hosting or web design);
      • Give a double meaning for your page: to promote your projects and to self-branding in your industry;
      • Integrate affiliate links in your blog’s pieces of content;
      • Check your partners’ and providers’ credibility through external reviews, testimonials, and case studies.

The second part of the article Web Developer Portfolio: 20 advice to attract more customers through your work & services will be published soon – 10 more information about HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR PORTFOLIO.

You May Also Like
Top Reseller Hosting
View Post

Top Reseller Hosting Providers: 10 Questions to Ask Before Selecting One

    Updated on
  • December 13, 2019
  • By Ilinca
developer portfolio
View Post

Developer Portfolio: 20 advice to attract more customers through your work & services (part 2)

    Updated on
  • December 3, 2019
  • By Ilinca
reseller hosting vs. affiliate
View Post

Reseller Web Hosting vs. Affiliate Marketing: what works best for you?

    Updated on
  • November 27, 2019
  • By Ilinca
View Post

How to Choose the Best Server Location for Your Website

    Updated on
  • November 26, 2019
  • By ChemiCloud
spam email
View Post

Spam Email: Effective Methods to Protect Your Email from Spam, Virus and Malware Threats

    Updated on
  • December 3, 2019
  • By Ilinca
View Post

ChemiCloud Hosting in India: Introducing Our Bangalore Region

    Updated on
  • November 4, 2019
  • By ChemiCloud
View Post

New cPanel licensing structure and impact on our Reseller Hosting pricing

    Updated on
  • November 26, 2019
  • By Ilinca
migrate wordpress site
View Post

How to migrate WordPress site /s : A step-by-step guide to safely move your WordPress site /s to a new host

    Updated on
  • July 24, 2019
  • By Ilinca
2 comments
  1. Atish says:
    August 16, 2019 at 1:55 pm

    I am really surprised after using chemicloud for a month. The most important thing for me is the speed of a website. I am using a chemicloud shared hosting plan.
    The shared hosting plan tends to give low-performance speed but Chemicloud is way faster than any other shared hosting platform.
    Even I have written a blog post on it as well on my website. Here I have explained all the steps which require to speed up your website.

    A Blog on Chemicloud Reviews
    https://techieblogging.com/chemicloud-reviews-best-web-hosting/
    A blog to increase page speed from 7s to 1s
    https://techieblogging.com/website-speed-test-increase-google-page-speed/

    Reply
  2. MLA Web Designs says:
    November 22, 2019 at 8:47 am

    Good article and excellent way to articulate, keep it up

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts
  • Top Reseller Hosting
    Top Reseller Hosting Providers: 10 Questions to Ask Before Selecting One
      Updated on
    • December 13, 2019
    • 7 minute read
  • developer portfolio
    Developer Portfolio: 20 advice to attract more customers through your work & services (part 2)
      Updated on
    • December 3, 2019
    • 4 minute read
  • reseller hosting vs. affiliate
    Reseller Web Hosting vs. Affiliate Marketing: what works best for you?
      Updated on
    • November 27, 2019
    • 6 minute read
  • How to Choose the Best Server Location for Your Website
      Updated on
    • November 26, 2019
    • 5 minute read

Subscribe now to our newsletter

  • Web Hosting
  • WordPress Hosting
  • Reseller Hosting
  • VPS Hosting
  • ChemiCloud Coupons
© 2019 CCHOSTING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

ChemiCloud Blog
Powered by GDPR plugin
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. You can read more about our Privacy Policy here.

Strictly Essential Cookies

Enables essential services and functionality, including identity verification, service continuity and site security. Opt-Out is not available.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.