Making a good web design portfolio is an industry in itself: there are consultants, designers, writers and developers ready to do the job for you (for a hefty fee).
Why, though? There are only two things you need to make a good web design portfolio the right way:
A web design platform with low-code, no-code design features and customizations to express your tastes and talents. (See why thousands of professionals choose Wix Studio to create their portfolios, starting with over 300 responsive templates.)
Insider tips from creative decision makers to create a web design portfolio that stands out and gets you the interview. So, what exactly is your next design boss looking for? We gathered insights from three design leaders: Joe Stewart, co-founder and design partner at Work & Co; Rich Tu, partner and executive creative director at Sunday Afternoon; and Sagi Haviv, partner at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv.
“The reality is portfolios are judged quickly,” says Stewart. So there’s no time—and no fold—to lose. Follow the nine tips below to make a good portfolio website that will impress any veteran perfectionist—with seven web design portfolio examples to inspire you.
Create your web design portfolio on Wix Studio.
9 tips to make a good web design portfolio that stands out
3. Cut the copy
5. Be honest
01. Just show the work
We don't want flashy gimmicks. Show a few key screens of the work in a straightforward and digestible way. If you can show prototypes of your work, that’s even better. Live links? That's the ideal. — Joe Stewart, co-founder and a design partner at Work & Co
02. Only show your best work
You don't need twenty projects. Put your best five or six pieces in your portfolio. If you have two great pieces, show two. A few great pieces are better than more so-so. — JS
See how Wix Studio’s CMS can create and organize a content-rich portfolio.
03. Cut the copy
Designers don't like to read design portfolios. We look at the work, see what you did, and then look at the next piece—no need to write your whole life story. There’s this trend of creating these long pages with tons of text and photos of post-it notes, but in reality, nobody will read it, and usually, people do this to obfuscate low-quality work by trying to make up for it with "process." — JS
(Check out these portfolio and Instagram alternatives for designers.)
04. Show the type of work you want to do
People will hire you to do more of the work in your portfolio. Are you trying to do more product design? Show product. Are you trying to do more marketing? Show marketing. Your portfolio will influence your career, so consider what you show carefully. — JS
05. Be honest
Don't exaggerate your work, role, skills or anything else. We're trying to get a sense of who you are and your skills. Make it clear what your contribution to the project was; even if it's small, that's ok. — JS
06. Start with functionality, then push boundaries
In web design, like in every design discipline, the ones that will stand out are those that push the boundaries. Functionality is the bar to clear, and there are many web designers who can execute a functional, adequate website. But the best web design engages us beyond the utilitarian—based on an overarching idea, it innovates our user experience and delights our eyes. — Sagi Haviv, partner at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv
Explore Wix Studio’s design features and code-free animations.
"The best web design engages us beyond the utilitarian— it innovates our user experience and delights our eyes." — Sagi Haviv, partner at CGH
07. Show fewer devices, and lean into aspect ratios
If you want a sure-way to look like a web 2.0 boomer, then place your content in flat device frames and you’ll inevitably have to change it the next time Apple decides to include a brand new notch. Placing your content in aspect ratios to imply product (9x16, 4x6, 1x1) gives your work longer legs. — Rich Tu, partner and executive creative director at Sunday Afternoon
08. Don’t include buzzy language just to include it
Metaverse, NFTs and Web 3.0 are buzzy words and their actual real-world implications will evolve. For those of us who monitor the space, including these terms in a shallow way are tell-tale signs of disingenuous-ness. Don’t feel the need to embellish if there’s more smoke than fire (or maybe don’t include the project). — RT
09. Show how content can thrive in the environment you’re creating
Digital products and experiences are at their best when you’re actually in them, and experiencing them first-hand. If the product you’re showing was campaign-based or ephemeral, use visuals that simulate the energy of the experience and not just static landing pages. Data rich environments make good eye candy, and lean into that. — RT
Create your web design portfolio on Wix Studio.
The web design portfolios featured in this article are courtesy of the Wix Playground.
