Nowadays, clients consider looking at online portfolios as a first step to hire the right photographer for their project. After all, photography portfolio websites can impact a photographer’s business and career in several ways. If you’re new in the photography industry, here are a few factors to consider when choosing a photography portfolio website.
1. Best work
Remember, the primary purpose of a portfolio website is to showcase your work beautifully. After all, the site isn’t a place to show all your work regardless if it’s the best or not. With that said, it’s essential to keep an eye to your best projects only. By doing so, you’ll get more clients.
2. Clean and minimalistic photography website template
As a photographer, you should always keep your portfolio websites in an uncluttered, clean format. Thus, look for those websites that can help you present high-quality photos in an accessible manner. This means it has to be enjoyable for the visitors to go through your photography portfolio.
These days, you can choose a website that follows a white/light color scheme or even a dark background because this is where stunning photographs stand out. Moreover, photographers typically use website platforms to host their portfolio. Choose your own by having a breakdown of Zenfolio vs. Smugmug – the two of the industry leaders in specialized website platforms for photographers.
3. Mobile-friendly
Due to recent technology upgrades, a lot of people have switched to using their mobile devices for a variety of purposes. You might also want your portfolio websites to be easily accessible on your clients’ smartphones, that is why it’s best to think about the website’s mobile-friendliness before making one.
A mobile-friendly portfolio website can help your galleries look great. It’s much easier and more importantly, accessible to all your website visitors.
4. SSL Certificate
If you want to get the most out of your choices, make sure you factor in your portfolio website’s SSL certificate. Typically, sites without this certificate are flagged as “not secure” by Google. This means that all data passed between the browsers and web servers might be hacked by anyone else.
To ensure your data’s security, choose a website with SSL certificate installed on them. In that way, you can be confident of your privacy as well as the search engine rankings of the portfolio website you’re operating.
5. About Me page
Of course, you want your prospective clients to get to know you as the person behind the portfolio website. Hence, it can be beneficial to choose a website platform that allows you to include your personal information as an artist.
The details about you will help build trust among your clients so make sure the website you’re choosing gives you the opportunity to include all information about your education, work experience, clients, and recognition. By doing it, you’ll be able to reach out to your wide range of online customers.
6. Availability with a calendar
For most clients, choosing a photographer means you have to consider their availability. That being said, select a portfolio website that allows you to streamline your bookings, schedules, photography packages, and your photography in an easy and accessible way. By doing so, your clients will be able to see whether you’re available to photograph an event at a specified date. It’s a good factor to think about if you don’t want your site visitors to waste their time navigating your page just to find your availability.
7. Blogs
Aside from your personal information to be incorporated in your photography portfolio website, you also want your customers to know more about you through your blogs. From who you are as a person, what is your passion, hobbies, and even your life behind work. Always prefer that they know about your story before hiring you.
Try to look for sites that are blog-friendly. Some of your blogs might discuss the photographer’s views and opinions on some techniques, the equipment you use or some ways to jumpstart your photography career. With a portfolio website that is suitable for blogging, your clients will have an idea as to what kind of person they may be dealing with for their next project.
Conclusion
Ultimately, a successful photography portfolio website is more than just showcasing amazing images. It also presents your personality, provides answers and create business opportunities. By keeping these tips in mind, you can choose a portfolio website that works best for you and your career as a photographer.
Wow nice portfolio. I really liked your ideas and designs. You know mobile apps and mobile friendly websites are getting more and more popular these days and if you’re an I.T Company in UK you need to keep updating you mobile portfolio if you want to keep up.